Transportinfo.org.uk - today's transport news in the uk, hand picked for you each morning

Wednesday, 14 January 2009

BBC News

• Railway ticket offices cut hoursTwo railway stations in Devon are to cut their ticket office opening hours.
• Cuts to ticket offices rejectedA plan by South West Trains to reduce opening times at ticket offices has been mostly rejected by the government.
• Rail users left 'furious' [video]Furious commuters in Sussex have signed a petition against changes to peak time trains.
• Tube emergency radio rolled outA new emergency services radio for London's Tube network is introduced, more than three years after the 7 July bombings.
• Research hope for new power cellsScientists are attempting to find ways to power cars, mobile phones and laptops in a more efficient way.
• Brown 'dithering over Heathrow'Gordon Brown is accused of "dithering" over a third runway for Heathrow, as anti-expansion protests are stepped up.
• Air France aids Alitalia lift offItaly's troubled national carrier begins a new lease of life with Air France-KLM holding a 25% stake in the firm.
• Eurostar travel hits record levelEurostar ticket sales rise by almost 11% in 2008 with passenger numbers up to a new high, helped by the weak pound.

Department for Transport

• Ministers protect ticket office hours Plans by South West Trains to reduce the opening hours of ticket offices have in large part been rejected by Ministers following public consultation.

Financial Times

• Eurostar sees record passenger numbersPassenger numbers on Eurostar, the cross-Channel high-speed rail service, grew more than 10 per cent in 2008, thanks to improved journey times and a more accessible London terminus
• High-speed trains plan suffers new delayThe controversy-plagued programme to replace Britain's ageing high-speed diesel fleet is facing a fresh setback after the Department for Transport postponed a decision on a preferred bidder

The Guardian

• The airlines' green flights of fancyEasyJet wants to make its fleet environmentally friendly: so why was their chief executive the toughest I've interviewed so far?
• Eurostar ticket sales see record rise• 9.1 million passengers used high-speed service last year • Boost shows preference for trains over flights, says boss
• The end of their worldAt least 700 homes will be destroyed if Heathrow airport gets its third runway. Thousands of other people will be severely affected. Patrick Barkham meets some of those who have most to fear
• 11th-hour cabinet resistance may delay Heathrow expansion announcement• Ministers say environment pledges cannot be ditched • Brown given grilling at meeting with Labour MPs
• Boris's Bus (A Political Journey) Part 13: What Next?City Hall hosts a plenary tomorrow at which the Mayor and Peter Hendy will answer questions about TfL's activities.
• A runway for jobs? It's time aviation's bluff was calledThe boss of BAA, Colin Matthews, said this week that a third runway at Heathrow would "only go ahead if strict environmental limits are met". What does he mean, if? They are not met and he knows it. Nothing on earth is going to stop him wanting his runway.
• Third runway rebels hear from the Labour whipsGovernment whips have embarked on a
• Police seek new rights for searching rail passengersPassengers who buy a London train or tube ticket would automatically be giving their consent to be searched, under proposals now under consideration.Senior British Transport police officials told MPs today that they wanted to change the railways'

The Herald

• Coalition led by Greenpeace buys land earmarked for Heathrow runwayA plot of land on the site of the proposed third Heathrow runway has been bought by environmental campaigners in an attempt to halt the expansion of Britain's biggest airport.

The Independent

• The Big Question: Will the latest Heathrow protest halt the development of a third runway?

The Scotsman

• Who's blaming who for delays on the trains?TO OUTSIDERS, the railways can seem to operate in a parallel universe, full of arcane, Victorian-era jargon and practices, such as "up" and "down" lines and "grandfather rights".

The Telegraph

• Dubai could overtake Heathrow as international hub, business leaders warnDubai could overtake Heathrow as a major international hub if the London airport is denied a third runway, business leaders have claimed.
• BBC staff told to use public transport and not buy champagne for 'talent' BBC staff have been told to use public transport and the corporation's shuttle buses instead of private taxis as part of a new clampdown on expenses.
• Heathrow 'airplot' protest supported by thousands Thousands of people have already become

Times Online

• Greenpeace buys Heathrow land earmarked for airport's third runway Campaigners opposed to a third runway at Heathrow have bought a parcel of the land earmarked for the airport’s expansion and are preparing for a fierce legal battle to defend it.
• In-car hands-free kits 'just as dangerous as mobiles' when driving Using a hands-free mobile phone in a car while driving poses no less danger than a handheld one, because the hazard does not relate to your hands, but with your brain.

Mail Online

• Air France blames cold snap after 15,000 bags go missingAir France has lost more than 15,000 bags - including those of many UK passengers transferring via Paris - after a cold snap caused airport chaos.

ATOC

• National Rail Enquiries and lastminute.com join forces to offer top value hotelsNational Rail Enquiries through its website www.nationalrail.co.uk partners up with lastminute.com to offer a hotel booking service for customers planning their rail journey.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL TENDERS FOR PARTNER ON CROSSRAIL

Transport Briefing

• Eurostar rail travel up 10% in 2008 despite tunnel fireEurostar, the high speed passenger train service that links the UK and mainland Europe, achieved record traveller numbers and ticket sales in 2008 following the first full year of operations on High Speed 1.
• Greenpeace buys Heathrow T6 land to halt expansionGreenpeace has stepped up its opposition to plans to expand Heathrow Airport by announcing that it has bought a parcel of land situated in the middle of the proposed new terminal.
• Crossrail drops Arup team from delivery partner listCrossrail has whittled its project delivery partner shortlist down to four bidders ahead of announcing the winner in the spring.

Birmingham Post

• Going underground?RADICAL options for solving Birmingham’s transportation problems include the possibility of looking yet again at building an underground railway.

Liverpool Echo

• Why car jobs matter so muchNumbers might be at the centre of the ECHO’s campaign to support Jaguar Land Rover – but the reasons behind it are the people who work there. ALEX TURNER reports

London Evening Standard

• TfL faces big shortfall in fares income due to slumpTRANSPORT for London is facing a "significant shortfall" in its fares income as a result of the economic downturn, it was warned today.
• Cabinet row threatens to stall airport decisionA LAST-MINUTE Cabinet row today threatened to delay the go-ahead for Heathrow's third runway.
• Passengers welcome move to curb closure of rail ticket officesPassenger groups hailed a victory in the battle to stop the mass closure of ticket offices by rail companies across London and the South-East
• Thousands sign up to buy slice of third runway siteThousands of people have signed up to join the campaign against the third Heathrow runway by buying part of a field near the airport

Manchester Evening News

• Hospital staff's parking permits axedDOCTORS and nurses are being stripped of parking permits to try and force them to use public transport.

Metro

• Train travel only if youre searchedNo search no ticket. That could be the condition imposed on train or Tube passengers in future, the British Transport Police told MPs on Tuesday.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Recession? Not for Rolls-Royce as firm reveals record salesLuxury car maker Rolls-Royce has announced record sales proving it's still a favourite with the rich and famous.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Concerns over plans for cut-price Forth bridgeBusiness leaders are concerned that a cut-price Forth road bridge will not be able to cater for future traffic levels.
• Row over MSP™s bypass stanceA SCOTTISH Government minister was under pressure last night to resign over claims he has a conflict of interest over an œessential transport project in his constituency which is not regarded as a priority by his colleagues.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds students could be in for an easier ride to UniUNIVERSITY students in Leeds could be moving into the fast lane. Rather than waste time stuck in traffic, students could get to lectures more easily by bicycle “ if plans for
• D-day looms for Leeds transport planAmbitious plans for a £600m public transport revolution in West Yorkshire are set to face their first major hurdle.

Doncaster Free Press

• New campaign for airport jobs BOSSES at Robin Hood Airport have backed a new campaign which could help create thousands of new aviation jobs in the region.

C.N.N.

• Pirates release two ships off East AfricaSomalia-based pirates on Tuesday released a Turkish-flagged ship carrying 4,500 tons of chemicals that was seized two months ago off Yemen's coast, the International Maritime Bureau told CNN.

International Herald Tribune

• The world's most-delayed airportsEuropean hubs are the worst for on-time departures, while India's airports have the most late arrivals.
• Obama near to naming a car czar, and some say it's Steven RattnerRattner co-founded a private equity firm, the Quadrangle Group, and manages the blind trust of his longtime friend Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

New Scientist

• The rise and fall of the metal airshipIn 1844, Parisians with a franc to spare could marvel at the construction of a new mode of transport: a balloon made of brass

Washington Post

• E-car startups try to compete with major companies DETROIT -- Several startup automakers are in hot pursuit of electric-powered vehicles, but they face an uphill road as they challenge major car companies like Toyota and General Motors in the race for the green car market.
• Senator and Cars On Display DETROIT, Jan. 13 -- One of the chief opponents of the Senate's bailout legislation for Detroit automakers created quite a stir at the auto show here Tuesday.

Railnews

• News: China exporting trains ’using western technology’ - claim AS questions are asked about the British Department for Transport’s decision to invite tenders for new trains from three foreign companies — in China, Korea and Spain — the head of Alstom has claimed that Chinese companies are offering trains for export that use technology derived from western suppliers, usually supplied on condition that it is not used outside China.
• News: Eurostar reports record year EUROSTAR had a record year in 2008 — marred only by the effects of the fire in the Channel Tunnel which has restricted services since last autumn.

Transport for London

• New bus route for west LondonTransport for London (TfL) will introduce a new bus route between Central Middlesex Hospital and Maida Hill on Saturday 17 January 2009.

Aviation Industry

• Birmingham school buses to get free wifiServices will be provided using Icomera’s Moovbox systems - basically a shared 3G connection.
• Wincanton: No risk to WEEE operationsLogistics firm Wincanton has said that its Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) operations will not be affected after it admitted that nearly 1,000 jobs were at risk from its food distribution arm.
• Alitalia starts new life as first flights take off Alitalia began its new life as a privatized company on Tuesday, with its first flights taking off without delay despite worker protests seeking to mar the inauguration of the streamlined national carrier.
• Singapore Airlines gears up for its one millionth A380 customer (press release) Another exciting milestone has been set by Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 read more

Other News Sources

• Third runway decision 'this month'The Government is still intending to announce its decision on a third runway at Heathrow by the end of this month, Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman has said.
• Plan to cut hours of rail ticket offices is rejectedPlans by the rail firm of Scottish transport tycoon Brian Souter to cut opening hours of ticket offices were yesterday largely rejected by the UK Government. Stagecoach-owned South West Trains (SWT) ...
• Beijing to spend $1.6 bn on subsidising public transportBeijing, Jan 14 (Xinhua) Eleven billion yuan ($1.6 billion) would be spent on public transport subsidies this year in Beijing to ensure continued low prices for commuters, an official said.
• 5,000 become owners of Greenpeace Heathrow landNearly 5,000 people have become 'beneficial owners' of Greenpeace's plot of land next to the site of the proposed Heathrow runway.
• Calls for rail investment to prevent motorway hellThe government has been accused of failing to respond to demands from the public for a
• Maersk abandons sister’s hubAMP Terminals will mothball its Constanza terminal after Maersk Line switched services to DP World
• Singapore stays on topSingapore remains the world’s leading container port with a volume of nearly 30m teu in 2008, but its leading operator warns of a difficult 2009
• Ship Crews Paid Double to Sail Gulf of AdenAccording to a Jan. 11 report from Reuters, Oil shippers are paying crews double to persuade them to sail through the pirate-infested Gulf of Aden.(Source: Reuters)...
• Panama trade poised for shake-upCONTAINER traffic patterns will undergo a major transformation upon completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2015, according to a new report by Dutch rating and research firm Dynamar.
• Charter renewals take hitDIANA Shipping has announced another new time charter, once again at a fraction of the rate of the previous contract.
• Greenpeace leads gambit to block Heathrow runwayEnvironmental pressure group Greenpeace is spearheading a move to block plans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow airport by buying up the land where it would be built.
• Passenger Focus welcomes decision to save ticket offices (press release) Passenger Focus has welcomed the Department for Transport's (DfT) decision to reject many of South West Train's (SWT) revised ticket office opening hours read more
• Eurostar breaks passenger records Services "outstrip" air travel says operator read more