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

Monday, 09 February 2009

BBC News

• Tube staff anger over snow leaveUnderground bosses have been accused of "hypocrisy" for telling staff they will not be paid for failing to turn up for work during last week's heavy snow.
• Nissan to cut 20,000 global jobsNissan is to cut 20,000 jobs worldwide, 8.5% of its workforce, over the next year because of a sharp fall in sales.
• Bid for £67m bus station fundingA new city centre bus station could be built in Leicester - to cope with an expected 25% increase in bus travel.
• Cash released for new bus stationPlans for a new multi-million pound bus station in Wythenshawe have moved a step closer following a decision by Greater Manchester transport bosses.
• Passengers given bus use warningA bus route in south Cumbria has been reinstated with councillors warning passengers to "use it or lose it".
• Warning over level crossing risksThe number of cases of motorists taking dangerous and illegal risks at UK level crossings is at a four-year high.

The Telegraph

• Rail fares pushed up by Government squeeze on train operatorsRail passengers have been hit with huge fare rises because of the Government's squeeze on train operators, official papers have shown.
• Tornado steam train arrives at King's CrossThe Tornado, built by volunteers at a cost of £3 million, took six hours to travel from Darlington to King's Cross station, where it arrived to cheering crowds.

Times Online

• Toxic 'ghost ship' too dirty for India arrives in Hartlepool A ship regarded as too dirty to be broken up in India has docked in Hartlepool, where it will be dismantled and its toxic contents sent for burial.

Mail Online

• Beware, Big Brother is watching your trips abroad: Government plans to store details of ordinary people's journeys into and out of UK ’Big Brother’ database is being built by the Government to store details of millions of our international journeys for up to ten years. The computer system, housed at a secret location on the outskirts of Manchester, will record names and dates of every movement in and out of the UK by air, sea or rail

The Mirror

• Call for bikers to support bus-lane scheme : BMF backs Mirror campaignWell now. Britain's largest and most influential Riders Rights Group, the BMF, are giving their full support to our campaign to get the London bus lance scheme trial approved permanently.

Transport Briefing

• South Wales rail resignalling project goes to SiemensThe rail infrastructure business unit of Siemens Mobility has won the contract for delivery of the fixed telecoms infrastructure associated with the Newport Area Signalling Renewal project, part of the wider £400m South Wales resignalling scheme.
• Victoria Transport Interchange gains planning permissionWestminister City Council has granted planning consent for property development company Land Securities' Victoria Transport Interchange (VTI2) scheme.
• Local Transport Act beefs up transport authority powersEngland's six metropolitian passenger transport authorities become integrated transport authorities today (9 February) under a wave of reforms triggered by the Local Transport Act 2008.
• Rail level crossing misuse reaches five year highNetwork Rail has reported a 20% year on year increase in level crossing offences with the number of people risking injury or death by crossing in the path of a train at a five year high.
• Rail funding pot gives new hope to line reopening plansThe government has given its strongest indication yet that it will bankroll rail reopening schemes during the next railway control period.
• Rail upgrade to double capacity on North London LineEngineering work begins this weekend on a £326m project to upgrade the North London Line in time for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

London Evening Standard

• Research questions benefits of Heathrow’s third runwayThe battle over Heathrow intensified today after a new study cast doubt on the Government's case for a third runway. Research by the House of Commons library questioned the economic benefits, availability of cleaner aircraft and future demand for flights.
• Dozens of bean counters but nobody in charge of snow chaosThe list of top jobs provided to the Standard includes many with apparently overlapping job titles and descriptions.
• Revealed... the TfL boses who earn more than Gordon BrownTransport for London's top management paid themselves more than £17 million in salaries and bonuses last year, an Evening Standard investigation has found. The disclosure comes as the authority's managers face mounting criticism for their almost total failure to provide bus and Tube service during last week's snowfall.
• Boris cuts a day’s pay for Tube staff kept away by snowMayor Boris Johnson has docked the pay of hundreds of Tube staff who were unable to get to work during last Monday's snow storms.

Manchester Evening News

• Snub over kids' bus faresA BID to ease the recession for families across Greater Manchester by scrapping a 10p bus-fare rise for schoolchildren has failed. Labour transport bosses attempted to halt plans to increase concessionary fares to 80p from April 1.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Granddad’s school bus safety plea wins campaigners’ supportA north-east grandfather’s campaign for changes in the law to improve safety on school buses has been boosted, it emerged last night. Scotland’s Campaign against Irresponsible Driving has thrown its support behind Ron Beaty. The group backed his call for all school buses to carry safety signs and display flashing lights when children are on board.

This Is Local London Network

• Money for better disabled access at London and Surrey railway stationsElderly and disabled passengers are set to benefit from a multi-million pound investment to make it easier for them to use railway stations.

Wales Online

• Time to modernise our public transport systemHE Transport Secretary, Geoff Hoon has a laudable ambition – to make the commuting choices on offer in London available to the rest of the UK.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Station security 'must improve'Norwich railway station has been ordered to improve its security measures after a spot check highlighted a number of issues.
• Clampers target snow-bound carA Bedford man's car was clamped after it skidded on black ice and became stuck in the snow, it has emerged.

Railnews

• News: Network Rail bows to Regulator’s £28.5bn budget DESPITE earlier hints that Network Rail might launch an appeal to the Competition Commission, the infrastructure company has finally decided to accept the Office of Rail Regulation's £28.5 billion rail spending budget for 2009 to 2014.

Aviation Industry

• Network Rail holds review for St Pancras stationNetwork Rail is to hold a pitch for the creative and media planning and buying accounts for St Pancras International Train Station. The review is to be handled by The Observatory.
• First links with MMU on school safetyFIRSTGROUP is working with Manchester Metropolitan University to promote the safety of children travelling on school buses. MMU has pioneered child protection training for schools and colleges across the UK, and is now targeting the short course at the tourism, hospitality, leisure and transport industries.
• Incredible New Bicycles from Around the WorldNow there are three inventions on the market – the bamboo, backpack and all-weather bikes – that will convince even the staunchest bicycle-phobe that cycling doesn’t only save on petrol, parking tickets and gym expenses; no, it’s also cool!
• Stagecoach criticises concession attackTAGECOACH Yorkshire has responded to a claim by Derbyshire MP Natascha Engel that “unscrupulous bus companies” were encouraging their drivers to issue tickets to senior citizens using concessionary passes for much longer journeys than they were actually undertaking.
• Richard Branson takes delivery of V Australia 777Virgin Group Chairman Richard Branson cavorted with bikini-clad cabin crew attendants amid fake palm trees as he accepted a new Boeing 777 at the factory in Everett, Washington.

Green Miscellany

• Bike Lanes Run into Opposition [New York]Protesters showed up in clown suits. Their opponents threatened to barricade a major thoroughfare with school buses. A respected community board member was fired from her leadership post. The debate has involved lost jobs, injury -- and even sex. The source of all this controversy and activism? A bike lane.

Other News Sources

• The House of Commons Library researchers doubt case for expansionPLANS for a third runway at Heathrow struck another blow as research from an impartial body casts doubt on the environmental case for expansion.
• Airport expansion to ’create more traffic’A THIRD runway at Heathrow will cause a “wall” of traffic jams between Henley and London, the town’s MP has warned.
• Network Rail petitioned to clean up scruffy bridgeTHE company running Britain’s railway is being asked to clean up an eyesore Taunton bridge. Paint is peeling on the bridge by Taunton Station, while scores of pigeons living underneath have left the pavement filthy.
• Swanage rail dream comes trueVOLUNTEERS are preparing for the realisation of a dream as the first train runs from London to Swanage since 1972. The special train, called the Purbeck Pioneer, will set off on April 1, 37 years after the last British Rail passenger train ran between Wareham, Corfe Castle and Swanage on the night of Saturday, January 1, 1972.
• Bikes set to use historic North Yorks parklandPROPOSALS to allow cyclists to ride on a historic Harrogate park area will not destroy it for other users a council has stressed.
• Government's East Lancs rail boostCOMMUTERS in East Lancashire have received a massive boost after the Government announced plans to take over funding of the area’s rail network.
• Long-awaited update for Filey railway stationLONG-AWAITED repairs and refurbishments are under way at Filey railway station, following a commitment given by Network Rail.
• Filey at heart of new railway crossing safety trialsFILEY has been chosen to test a new safety system for railway crossings, which could have averted this week's horror smash on the line between Scarborough and Malton.