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

Thursday, 22 January 2009

BBC News

• Porsche's secretHow the luxury German carmaker made billions
• GM loses top sales spot to ToyotaGeneral Motors is no longer the world's top-selling carmaker after it saw 2008 sales fall below those of Japanese rival Toyota.

Department for Transport

• Independent adjudicator appointed to oversee Crossrail construction Transport Minister Andrew Adonis and London Mayor Boris Johnson today announced the appointment of Tony Gregory as the new independent Crossrail Complaints Commissioner.

Financial Times

• Virgin Atlantic loses lie-flat seat fightThe High Court throws out allegations that the carrier's design of its 'Upper Class Suite' was copied by the manufacturer Contour for rivals such as Air Canada and Cathay Pacific

The Guardian

• Railway firms ask Hoon for state aid as years of growth hit the buffersBritain's train operators face a "potentially devastating" blow from the economic downturn and need government assistance to stave off disaster, public transport chiefs warned ministers yesterday.
• Downturn may derail some train firmsA "small number" of railway franchises are in difficulty due to the economic downturn, the civil servant in charge of Britain's train services admitted yesterday.

The Herald

• Cost-cutting review sparks staff fears at airportThe owner of Prestwick Airport yesterday admitted it is carrying out a fundamental cost-cutting review of operations at the Ayrshire airport raising fears that its 500-strong workforce could be reduced.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow decision criticised by airline bossThe managing director of Monarch Airlines has denounced plans to expand Heathrow Airport due to the environmental impact on homes in west London.
• Credit crisis hits plans to ease Thameslink overcrowding The credit crisis has hit plans to ease overcrowding on Thameslink one of Britain's busiest commuter lines.
• Tories: 'road widening schemes ditched by Labour'Motorway widening schemes aimed at cutting delays faced by motorists have been ditched by the Government the Tories have claimed.

Times Online

• Stagecoach admissionDirectors of Stagecoach, the bus and trains group, were among several FTSE company board members who admitted that they had pledged shares in their respective groups against personal loans, ahead of the Financial Services Authority’s deadline of Friday to make outstanding disclosures.
• Toyota overtakes General Motors as biggest carmaker Toyota has become the world’s biggest carmaker for the first time, knocking General Motors off the top slot after a 77-year unbroken period in pole position.

Daily Record

• 240 jobs could go at Prestwick AirportHUNDREDS of jobs are in danger at one of Scotland's largest airports.

Mail Online

• Stagecoach pair in £50m loans pledgeBrian Souter and Ann Gloag, the sibling founders of transport group Stagecoach, revealed they are holding £50m of the company's shares as security against 'personal banking arrangements'.

ATOC

• ATOC comments on Guardian article rail firms ask for state helpCommenting on today™s article in the Guardian Rail firms ask Hoon for state help¦, an ATOC spokesman said: œThe story in today™s Guardian is not an accurate reflection of the discussion which actually took place at the meeting between train operators and the Secretary of State yesterday. 

Network Rail

• MORE VALUE FOR MONEY SOUGHT IN TRACK RENEWALS¢ High levels of investment continue over the next five years ¢ Volume phasing to be adjusted to help deliver more value for money ¢ More enhancement work available

Transport Briefing

• Trent Barton bus investment goes hell for leatherBus operator Trent Barton has pledged to spend £6m on new buses this year, rolling out 43 new vehicles on to five routes in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
• Network Rail puts back track renewal work possessionsNetwork Rail is to defer track renewals while it seeks to implement more efficient ways of working.
• Crossrail picks Channel Tunnel complaints commissionerTony Gregory has been appointed as the new independent Crossrail complaints commissioner, responsible for assisting members of the public who feel they have not been able to satisfactorily resolve issues around building work directly connected with Crossrail.
• Costain prepares for Gerrards Cross Tesco tunnel liftEngineering contractor Costain is preparing to rebuild the infamous Tesco tunnel at Gerrards Cross after securing design approval from Network Rail.
• Banking crisis delays trains for Thameslink and TfLNew train deliveries for Southern, First Capital Connect and Transport for London's Overground concession have been delayed because component suppliers are unable to arrange the credit facilities required to take on extra business.
• Eurostar ups trains following tunnel fire damage repairsEurostar, the cross-Channel passenger train operator, is to restore a full timetable and normal train running speeds on Monday 23 February.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham demands to know if Metro expansion plans are overMinisters have been challenged to say whether plans for a Midland Metro tram extension through Birmingham city centre have been abandoned.

Journal Live

• Nissan boss warns conditions are worst since 1929THE global boss of Nissan yesterday issued a direct plea for Government help as he described the crisis facing car manufacturers as the worst since the Great Depression.

London Evening Standard

• Rail fare rises another stealth tax, say MPsTHE Government was today accused of imposing "stealth taxes" on commuters after the introduction of above-inflation ticket prices. The MP for Bexhill and Battle reminded the Commons debate on rail fares that the Government had repeatedly given assurances that rail fares would rise by only one per cent above inflation
• 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

Manchester Evening News

• Bid to salvage C-charge cashTHE government will be asked to consider new transport proposals for Greater Manchester as the region fights to salvage cash from the failed congestion charge plans. Transport officials met MPs and ministers in London this week in a bid to resurrect the region's case for funds. The conference was aimed at formulating a Plan B after the congestion charge referendum ended in an emphatic `no'.

Newcastle Journal

• Invention: Biofuel from the oceansA straightforward process can break down seaweed into ethanol without taking up valuable land, says a new patent application

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Call to repair city™s potholes before someone is killedAn Aberdeen motorist has demanded that the potholes on the city™s roads be repaired before somebody is killed.

Wales Online

• 4,000 jobs to be created in Bristol Airport expansionBristol International Airport (BIA) today revealed expansion plans which it said would generate up to 4,000 new jobs.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Shake-up looms on bus servicesCHANGES to some bus services across South Yorkshire will take place from the weekend and some routes will be scrapped.
• East Coast rail seat fee planRail passengers could soon have to pay for the privilege of reserving a seat on services on the flagship East Coast Main Line.
• East Coast rail seat fee plan Rail passengers could soon have to pay for the privilege of reserving a seat on services on the flagship East Coast Main Line.

Blackpool Gazette

• £165k to keep Fleetwood to Knott End ferry afloatCOUNCIL chiefs are set to splash out £165,000 to ensure the future of the Fleetwood to Knott End ferry service.

Reading Evening Post

• MP on attack over third Heathrow runwayReading East MP Rob Wilson laid into the Transport Secretary over his announcement on plans to press ahead with the third Heathrow runway.
• Do we need a third runway at Heathrow?A third runway at Heathrow has now been given the go-ahead by the government even though the expansion plans will mean demolishing 700 homes.
• FirstGroup sees its shares slideShares in FirstGroup slid after the firm’s Greyhound bus arm suffered a poor festive season and growth rates in UK rail showed signs of strain.

Sunderland Echo

• Go green to help car industry, says peerGiving customers grants to trade-in their fuel-guzzlers for more greener vehicles could be one way to help Nissan.

New Scientist

• 'Morphing' winglets make for greener aircraftA wing tip that changes shape mid-flight to improve the plane's aerodynamics could reduce fuel consumption and cut noise around airports

Washington Post

• VRE Lines Up For Stimulus Locomotives As Congress and President Obama work out an economic stimulus package that is expected to include billions of dollars for mass transit and rail, one Virginia project that has been pushed by state officials and transit industry executives is the purchase of 15 locomotives for Virginia Railway Express.
• GM gets crucial $5.4 bln in U.S. funding DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp said on Wednesday it had received a delayed payment of $5.4 billion under the emergency funding provided by the U.S. government to keep it in business.
• Toyota Passes GM as World's Largest Automaker Toyota has snatched the title of world's largest automaker from General Motors, speeding past the Detroit front-runner for the first time in 77 years.

Aviation Industry

• Brian King steps downNo sooner had we mentioned the 43 'really good' new buses for Derby-based trent barton, than their managing director, Brian King, announced his intention to step-down.
• Mexician airports to mothball new terminalsTwo major new terminals are being mothballed and a third terminal is being closed in Mexico as the country's airport operators struggle to cope with a steep decline in traffic.
• Global demand for 1st Class travel plummetsPlummeting premium passenger demand has meant that hopes of a global airline recovery have been dashed.

Green Miscellany

• World Transport Ministers Urge Sector To Lead Emissions CutRepresentatives of twenty-two nations met in Tokyo last week to discuss how to reduce GHG emissions - over 20 percent of which are caused by the transportation sector

Other News Sources

• Subsidy saves Sunday busesA BUS service set to be cut back because of low passenger numbers has been saved thanks to the offer of public funding.
• Pressure stepped up on National ExpressA Norfolk MP yesterday joined union bosses to lobby East Anglian commuters about National Express East Anglia's plans to make more than 300 staff redundant.
• Appeal to put the Flying Scotsman back on the railsFIVE years after it was saved for the nation a new SOS has been issued to bring the legendary Flying Scotsman back to the main line.
• Rail improvementsNetwork Rail has outlined its plans to provide a cost effective and efficient roll-out of its £4bn track renewals programme.
• With Airlines Charging For Bags, Golf Clubs, Ski's Consider Shipping Them InsteadAs airlines add luggage fees and travelers worry about airlines
• Luna Road's Eco-friendly Light Systems Illuminate RoadwaysLuna Road Ltd, a company that specializes in the design, manufacture, supply, and installation of the new high-tech
• Stockholm Metro concession awarded to MTR CorporationStockholm Public Transport has awarded MTR Corporation concession rights to operate Sweden’s Stockholm Metro in a HK$20bn (£1.9bn) deal, it was announced today.
• M25 widening scheme could be delayedPlans for a £5bn widening of the M25 could be delayed after it emerged that financial close on the multi-billion PFI deal will not be reached until April at the earliest.
• Seven contractors to share £800M of rail upgrade workNetwork Rail has today selected seven contractors to form a five year framework for £800M of track enhancement work, including work on the Thameslink programme.
• Stobart boss asks government to tax empty runningTinkler suggests taxing empty trucks to help reduce road congestion and cut fuel use.
• Bike, Boat, Car: 3 cutting-edge eco-vehiclesBackpack Bike German Bike ’Der Bergmönch’ folds down into an easy-carry backpack. Weighing in at just 9.5kg and designed for off-road use, it’s ideal for campers, hikers and other adventurous types. It has no pedals, though, so it’s best for those who like climbing hills, but would prefer an easy ride for the descent. Brakes are included, [...]
• Tories launch blueprint for green future David Cameron has unveiled Conservative Party plans to decarbonise the UK economy, if elected.