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

Wednesday, 11 March 2009

BBC News

• Law aims to provide safer tyresManufacturers are to start producing quieter, safer and more fuel-efficient tyres under new European laws. The regulations, to be introduced in 2012, have been welcomed by tyre makers but environmentalists argue they should be brought in sooner
• Sustainable travel plan for cityCardiff has been selected to become Wales' first "sustainable travel town" by the assembly government.
• Disabled train users face detoursSecret filming by BBC South has shown the difficulties faced by wheelchair users when using trains in the region.
• Council asks for post bus return A county council has asked the Royal Mail to reconsider its decision to withdraw post bus services in Surrey.
• Toyota cutting production and payCarmaker Toyota is due to announce production cuts at factories in Flintshire and Derbyshire, as staff face a 10% pay cut.

Department for Transport

• Government endorses plans for high speed rail (North East)Transport Minister, Andrew Adonis has asked HS2 to advise the DfT on extending high speed services into Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland
• Government endorses plans for high speed rail (West Midlands)Andrew Adonis set out what the Government expects of High Speed Two (HS2), the company created to develop the case for high speed services between London and Scotland, and charged initially with bringing forward proposals for a new railway line from London to the West Midlands.
• Government endorses plans for high speed rail (Yorkshire and the Humber)Transport Minister Andrew Adonis set out what the Government expects of High Speed Two (HS2), the company created to develop proposals for a new railway line from London to the West Midlands.
• Government endorses plans for high speed rail (North West)Transport Minister, Andrew Adonis has asked HS2 to advise the DfT on extending high speed services into Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland

Financial Times

• Brussels eyes relief for airlinesThe European Commission yesterday sought to relieve struggling airlines by calling for a temporary suspension of rules that compel them to use flight slots at least 80...
• European airlines Cross-border mergers and acquisitions are as elusive to investment bankers as to the airlines they once flew

The Guardian

• The ever-changing Kings Cross tube [audio]Its full name is Kings Cross and St Pancras, but that's a mouthful and most of us know it simply as "Kings Cross tube". It seemed a good place to start what will, I hope, be an irregular series of audio and also video pieces about London's transport systems. I hope you like the singing Italians.
• Aer Lingus issues profit warning amid economic downturnIrish flag carrier Aer Lingus has issued a profit warning after predicting that a "rapidly deteriorating" market would widen losses this year.

The Scotsman

• 'No blank cheque' for trams pledge as city reveals £215m spentHowever, the city's transport leader told a public meeting there would be "no blank cheque", amid fears thatthe project is running more than a year over schedule and tens of millions of pounds over budget.
• Protest as rail link between Scotland and London cutRAIL passengers will be unable to travel directly between Scotland and London over the next two weekends because both main lines will be closed for engineering work, The Scotsman has learned.
• Toyota to announce fresh cuts in UKJapanese car giant Toyota is expected to announce fresh cuts in the face of falling sales as motor industry officials meet the Government for talks over its £2.3 billion aid s

The Telegraph

• UK drivers acting on CO2Average carbon dioxide emissions fall as buyers choose smaller and more efficient cars.

Press Association

• MPs clash on high speed rail plansMinisters have been challenged to match Tory commitments for a high-speed rail line linking London, Manchester and Leeds.
• Minister grilled over snow chaosTransport Minister Paul Clark will give evidence to the House of Commons Transport Committee.

Reuters News

• First Group agrees technical change to bank covenantLONDON, (Reuters) - British bus and train operator First Group (FGP.L) said on Tuesday it had negotiated a technical change to its banking agreements to reduce the impact of currency volatility on its borrowing covenants.

Highways Agency

• Improved lining and road studs on A1 between Stamford and Grantham, Lincolnshire Nearly 17 miles of the A1 between Stamford and Grantham in Lincolnshire is set to benefit from new white lines and road studs along the centre of the road.
• Public to have their say on plans to tackle congestion on A63 in HullDrivers and residents will have a chance to give their views on proposals to ease congestion and improve safety on the busy A63 Castle Street in Hull city centre when plans go on display at a three day-exhibition in the city.

Mail Online

• Now Ryanair finds way to charge for check-in From May 1 the no-frills airline will levy a £5 fee on its currently free online check-in service, while the charge for registering at the airport will go up from £10 to £20.
• Fears of airport chaos at Easter as Government brings in new security system over holiday Travel firms said any unresolved problems with the e-Borders database, which electronically checks passengers coming in and out of Britain, could hold up check-ins and flights.
• £2,500 to scrap your old car: Ministers back scheme to kickstart motor industry Motorists are to be offered up to £2,500 in taxpayer-funded handouts for trading their old car in for a newer model.

The Mirror

• Latest News: Toyota to announce fresh cuts in UKJapanese car giant Toyota is expected to announce fresh cuts in the face of falling sales as motor industry officials meet the Government for talks over its £2.3 billion aid scheme.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL CALLS FOR APPRENTICESHIP EQUALITY AND REDUCED BUREAUCRACY TO HELP STIMULATE UK ECONOMIC GROWTH

Transport Briefing

• Arriva rolls out Optare bus fleet in north WalesWales' Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones has unveiled a fleet of new buses for Arriva Buses Wales in Bangor.

Birmingham Post

• 'Light touch' deal call to cut delays in transport schemesTransport projects could be better delivered to tighter time scales if the Government grants more power to regional bodies, according to a report.

Derby Telegraph

• Train jobs' claim labelled "unrealistic" and "an exaggeration" by South Derbyshire MPSpeaking in the House of Commons, Mark Todd, Labour MP for South Derbyshire, said the figure was "unrealistic" and "an exaggeration".

Liverpool Post

• Stagecoach invest £1.5m on Liverpool-Preston bus routeNINE buses costing £1.5m will be introduced by Stagecoach North West on a route which has seen passenger numbers increase by 27% in two years.

London Evening Standard

• Firms want Oxford Street buses cut by a thirdBusiness leaders issued a fresh call for a big cut in the number of buses in Oxford Street

Manchester Evening News

• £15m plan for 'Airport City'THOUSANDS of jobs will be generated under a blueprint unveiled today to transform Manchester Airport into a 'mini city' with huge expansion plans for retail, leisure, conferencing and commercial activities across the complex and in the surrounding area. Speaking at the MIPIM property convention in Cannes on the vision for Manchester Airport in the 21st century, development boss John Atkins said a deal had been struck to buy 30 acres from property giant Burford Group on the outskirts of the airport, for a figure understood to be more than £15m.
• Ministers back 200mph rail link MINISTERS have signalled support for plans for a `Crossrail of the North' which will slash rail journey times between Manchester and Leeds to just 25 minutes.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Transport chief fails to appear at meetingA transport boss has come under fire for snubbing residents opposing a £20m high-speed bus route.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Holyrood bid to get railway service back on trackThe Scottish Government will come under heavy pressure to reinstate plans for a commuter rail service for Aberdeen tomorrow.
• Joint effort agreed on Highland transport projectsPreparatory work is to begin on key transport projects across the Highlands after a deal was hammered out at a top-level meeting yesterday.

Wales Online

• Breakfast carriage with star-studded history cancelledSince the 1920s, the First Great Western’s Swansea to London Paddington 7.20am train service has offered first-class passengers the chance to mull over the morning papers as they tuck into a full english breakfast in the Pullman carriage – a sit-down restaurant with silver service.
• Breakfast carriage with star-studded history cancelledSince the 1920s, the First Great Western’s Swansea to London Paddington 7.20am train service has offered first-class passengers the chance to mull over the morning papers as they tuck into a full english breakfast in the Pullman carriage – a sit-down restaurant with silver service.

Carlisle News & Star

• Agreement to start work on Carlisle cycle networkProject leaders have signed an official pledge that a multi-million pound walking and cycle network will be created across Carlisle.

Doncaster Free Press

• Rail safety devices stolen in DoncasterDEVICES designed to warn train drivers of potential hazards on the line have been stolen and another two deliberately damaged.

Reading Evening Post

• Bus firm gets double praiseReading Buses’s parent company is celebrating a double-whammy after being praised in a top green award scheme and being short-listed for a major business award.

Washington Post

• Carmakers Lobbying as They Get Bailout Money General Motors and Chrysler continue to spend millions of dollars on lobbying the same government that is loaning them billions of dollars, as they appeal for more money and seek to influence federal rule-making.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Tritech Rail Wins International Contract Tritech Rail, the UK™s largest rail-only survey and design consultancy, has won a major international contract to upgrade Northern Ireland™s rail network. The company, based in Wigan, has been commissioned to manage the technical aspects of the upgrading of the Londonderry line. The scheme, known as the 'Track Life Extension Project', is a multi million pound investment by Northern Ireland rail network Translink to improve the line and create a faster, more efficient service. McLaughlin and Harvey, one of the biggest civil engineering companies in Northern Ireland, has been comm...

Aviation Industry

• Gatwick welcomes DfT regulatory reviewLondon Gatwick Airport welcomes the Government's consultation on future economic regulation of UK airports...
• February traffic figures BAA's airportsBAA's UK airports handled a total of 9.0 million passengers in February, a reduction of 12.5% against the same month in 2008...

Other News Sources

• Competition to design bus computer gameBUS company Arriva Southern Counties is appealing for budding borough computer game designers to create an official Arriva Buses PC game.
• New Arriva website launches to provide bus-going public with better value travel optionsArriva, one of Europe’s largest transport organisations,has re-launched its UK bus division website. The website redesign follows a major overhaul by leading web design and build agency Freestyle Interactive.
• Campaigners fight plans for £20m bus route between Fareham and GosportThe old railway track between Redlands Lane in Fareham, and Tichborne Way in Gosport, has been earmarked for the scheme and clearance work has already taken place.
• £30m plan to get city types on bikesCOMMUTERS in Cardiff will be able to get around the city on continental-style municipal bikes under a £30million travel plan announced today.
• Croydon commuters urged to pressure Boris Johnson over tram extensionAround 40 people attended the meeting organised by Labour's prospective Parliamentary candidate Gerry Ryan at Stanley Halls, in South Norwood, to launch the "Reinstate Tramlink" campaign.
• Rapid transit system could come to SwindonA £2.8bn bid has been submitted to the Government to cut traffic queues in Swindon, Bath and Bristol.
• Transport minister calls for study into high-speed Manchester-to-Leeds rail linkHigh Speed 2, a company created to develop the case for high-speed rail services, is to look into whether faster trains could also be introduced between Greater Manchester and Leeds.
• MP queries rail contractSOUTH Derbyshire MP Mark Todd has questioned the Government's decision to award a multi-million pound rail contract to a consortium headed by a non-British company.
• Question time briefing: TransportePolitix.com reports on Tuesday's questions to transport ministers, including details on high-speed rail and disabled access at train station platforms.
• End of line for sardine trains?Relief could come more quickly for passengers on Rochdale’s overcrowded trains after the Government announced that it has set up a new company to speed up the building of more than 200 new diesel train carriages.
• The Global Green Initiative: Transportation in TransformationThe Global Transportation Industry is in a state of œtransformation, and domestic and international leaders from industry, government and academia are meeting for three days of dialogue to help evaluate best-of-class solutions in implementing œgreen transportation.
• City scooter hire encourages ’trip chaining’A student in Australia has come up with an electric scooter rental system to make urban travel easier than ever before. The scooter renting system involves foldaway electric scooters being docked at lamppost style paypoints around the city. City visitors can hire a scooter from the paypoint by paying with coins or a credit card. The lamppost docking [...]
• Tritech Rail wins work in Northern IrelandA Wigan firm has been contracted to help upgrade Northern Ireland’s rail network.

Other Subscription Services

• Maersk Line in talks to delay newbuildingsWORLD'S largest boxship operator in negotiations to delay the delivery of newbuildings on order.