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

Saturday, 25 April 2009

BBC News

• Brown pledge on public investmentGordon Brown tells the Wales Labour conference that businesses and families would be supported during the downturn.

Financial Times

• Rail chief warns on high fare pricesPassengers could be
• BAA faces smaller bids for GatwickThree rival consortia are poisted to submit bids for the second largest airport in the UK, which are expected to be in the range of £1.4bn-£1.5bn

The Herald

• Scotland on track for railway renaissance, chief claimsThe head of ScotRail has admitted that passengers

The Independent

• Labour's secret weapon “ PrezzaJohn Prescott, whose tour of Britain in a battle bus enlivened the 1997 general election, is going back on the road, but this time he's using a minibus.

Times Online

• UK car production plunges 51.3%UK car production fell by 51.3 per cent last month, according to industry figures disclosed today.
• Scrappage scheme offers hope to car industry as output hits historic lowsCar manufacturing in Britain slumped by 51.3 per cent in the year to March as carmakers continued to cut back their output.

Reuters News

• Bombardier recommended for Toronto streetcar dealTORONTO, April 24 (Reuters) - Transportation giant Bombardier Inc has been recommended by staff of Toronto's transit authority for a C$1.29 billion ($1.07 billion) contract to provide a fleet of new streetcars to Canada's most populous city.

Daily Record

• New fears over Edinburgh trams fundingFRESH funding concerns have been raised over the future of Edinburgh's trams project, after a multi-million pound extension to the network was shelved.

Belfast Telegraph

• Translink fare hike despite fuel price drop Calls have been made for Translink to justify a hike in bus and train fares set to be introduced in Northern Ireland next month despite falling fuel prices.

London Evening Standard

• New runway for London's Gatwick airportThe prospect of a second runway at Gatwick increased dramatically as it emerged that all three bidders for the airport are including one in their plans
• Gatwick bidders say second runway is vitalThe prospect of a second runway at Gatwick increased dramatically as it emerged that all three bidders for the airport are including one in their plans
• Transport thugs will have to earn free travelA scheme to cut anti-social behaviour on public transport was launched by Boris Johnson

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Dismay at timing of Leeds bus fares increaseBUS giant First was under fire today after announcing a round of West Yorkshire-wide fare rises.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Delight at £45m road link approvalA £45m road link which will pave the way for new businesses and homes has been approved.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• DB Schenker Rail appoints UK road haulage partnersDB Schenker Rail has selected Wincanton and Norbert Dentressangle to be its national road haulage partners.The rail group will provide customers with a fully integrated logistics solution through the partnership agreement.According to the firm, the move is a response to growing demands from customers for a complete door-to-door and port-to-door logistics offering.Stuart Boner, managing director of the DB Schenker Rail network unit, told International Freighting Weekly: "At heart we are a rail freight operator, but this announcement makes us a truly national logistics solution provider...

Railnews

• News: New platform for London’s King’s Cross terminal WORK has started on building a new twelfth platform at King’s Cross station as part of Network Rail’s £450m redevelopment of the historic London station.

Other News Sources

• "Intelligent Transport Systems": using technology to make EU roads saferParliament today backed plans for the implementation of "Intelligent Transport Systems" in the EU road transport sector but insisted on safety issues for vulnerable road users and guarantees for data privacy protection. Compatibility with other transport modes also needs to be ensured, MEPs underlined.
• Towards Low Carbon TransportGovernment launch vision for ultra-low carbon vehicles.
• MEPs agree to bend airport slot rules to help crisis-hit airlinesAirlines will be allowed to keep their highly-valued landing slots at European airports during next year's summer season even if they don't fully use them this year, EU lawmakers agreed. The measure is aimed at softening the impact of the recession on the airline industry, which has seen demand plummet since the start of the economic crisis.
• Shipping in UK 2009 BudgetShipping accountant Moore Stephens said the fact that the 2009 UK Budget does not include any measures which significantly affect the shipping sector could be regarded as good news for the industry. Although the government has been asked to make changes to UK tonnage tax, the 2009 Budget makes no mention of it...
• Roads become public investment priorityPublic satisfaction with roads and highways has dropped below that of public transport, according to the latest instalment of the ICE™s quarterly infrastructure perception survey.
• Bechtel scoops second major Crossrail contractNetwork Rail has this morning named Bechtel as its delivery partner for its £2.3bn of work on the £16bn Crossrail scheme and the Reading station upgrade project.
• Car production plummets by 57%Car and commercial vehicle production fell sharply again last month, official figures showed today
• New cars lose 65% of value in three yearsNew £2,000 car scrapping payments may be a false economy, with many new cars losing up to 65% of their value within the first three years
• TUC reaction to the 2009 BudgetResponding to the 2009 Budget today (Wednesday), TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'There is much to welcome in this Budget, particularly action on youth unemployment, some first steps in creating a fair tax system and better support for the unemployed.'
• Rail chief expresses price concernsTHE chief executive of Network Rail has warned that passengers face being "priced off" the railways. Iain Coucher said it was vital to ask whether ticket-pricing policy was deterring potential passe...
• Congress gears up for big transportation billFILE -- In this March 7, 2008 file photo, Chairman of the House Transportation Committee Rep. James Oberstar, D-Minn., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photos/Susan W...