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

Wednesday, 13 May 2009

BBC News

• Tram line extension is approvedThe Greater Manchester tram line is to be extended in to Oldham and Rochdale as part of an £84m scheme.
• Charge to reserve seats on trainsNational Express is to charge £2.50 for reserving a single, or £5 for a return ticket, from this weekend on its East Coast and East Anglia franchises. The Transport Salaried Staffs Association said the move was "outrageous" and warned it could spark abuse against booking office staff.
• Downturn pushes Nissan into lossJapanese carmaker Nissan reports a net loss for the past year, but the results are better than expected.
• Spain stimulus targets car buyersSpain's prime minister announces new economic stimulus measures, including subsidies for people who buy new cars.
• Hitachi posts record annual lossElectronics maker Hitachi reports a record annual loss by a Japanese manufacturer, after a drop in demand for its products.

Financial Times

• Braemar Shipping posts record earningsThe shipbroking group announces a record £16.2m in pre-tax profits for the full year and delivers positive business prospects in spite of deteriorating market conditions
• Iberia unveils further capacity and job cutsSpanish airline Iberia announces capacity and job cuts as it became the latest airline to report heavy first-quarter losses
• Nissan reports Y234bn year lossNissan Motor reported a Y234bn loss for the financial year to March and warned of more red ink this year, though it predicted that cost cuts would return it to profit in 2010
• Maersk container line loses $555mAP Moller-Maersk could be facing its first full-year loss after its Maersk Line container shipping business lost $555m in the first quarter
• 'Pay-as-you-go' puts Stobart in fast laneStobart, the trucking company famous for its green Eddie Stobart livery, said underlying profits surged last year as the recession forced retailers to find cheaper distributors

The Guardian

• Ten of the best railway cafesBritain's station cafes may have left a bad taste in rail minister Lord Adonis's mouth recently, but not all railway buffets have hit the buffers. Rail experts pick their favouritesThere's a running joke in the film Brief Encounter in which Myrtle, the station buffet manageress, consistently asserts that her sandwiches and rolls are fresh when all the evidence points to them being stale. The joke about British rail sandwiches curling up like dead men's toes ran on and on for decades. Last week, following his much publicised tour of the British rail network, rail minister Lord Adonis put the bo...
• General Motors shares plummetAiling US carmaker sees shares collapse after top executives dump personal stock holdingsThe ailing US carmaker General Motors saw its shares collapse to their lowest level since the Great Depression after six top executives dumped personal stock holdings, fuelling fear of imminent bankruptcy.As GM and the Obama administration continued to plead with reluctant lenders to write off much of the company's $27bn (£18bn) in debt, the shares dived by 29 cents to close at $1.15 , valuing the largest of Detroit's motor manufacturers at barely $700m.At one point, GM's shares fell as low as $1.09, thei...

The Herald

• Network Rail misses target for reducing disruptionNational Rail has missed its annual target for reducing disruption on Scotland’s railways as a combination of bad weather and problems with an £85m signalling upgrade between January and March pushed up the level of delays seen on the network.

The Scotsman

• Rail operator sparks outrage over plan to charge for reserved seatsONE of the main Scotland-London train operators has incurred the wrath of ministers by charging passengers to reserve seats, The Scotsman has learned. The move by National Express East Coast was also condemned by passenger watchdogs and experts, who said it would harm the image of the rail industry by introducing airline-style "hidden charges".

The Telegraph

• Stobart lifts revenue on more cheap cargoThe group, which runs port, air and rail transportation businesses, said it had offset the downturn in Asian imports by minimising empty space in its lorries and increasing the use of high-volume trains to transport goods.

Times Online

• Iberia chairman Fernando Conte says merger with BA will take longer than first plannedIberia has delayed its planned merger with British Airways after reporting a €92.6 million (£83 million) first-quarter net loss and warning that it was unlikely to make a profit this year.

Reuters News

• Singapore NOL falls 4.9 pct after big Q1 lossSINGAPORE, May 13 (Reuters) - Shares of Singapore's Neptune Orient Lines , the world's seventh-largest container shipper, fell as much as 4.9 percent on Wednesday after the firm reported on Tuesday a bigger-than-expected quarterly loss.

Daily Express

• ROAD TO RUIN: BRITAIN’S TEN WORST ROUTES ARE REVEALEDMOTORISTS called for action yesterday to tackle Britain’s crumbling road network. They urged the Government to fund low-cost schemes such as repairing potholes rather than expensive new road projects.
• GM closer to selling European car firmsStricken US car giant General Motors is hopeful of selling Vauxhall, Opel and Saab by the end of the month.

Network Rail

• LOOP LINE WORK PROGRESSING WELL
• LONGER PLATFORMS INTRODUCE 12-CAR TRAINS FROM CAMBRIDGE
• £2.5m INVESTMENT AT HALIFAX STATION
• NEW PLANS FOR CALDERCRUIX STATION APPROVED
• CROSSING CAUTION URGED AT MOORTHORPE STATION

Transport Briefing

• Network Rail gets nod to move Caldercruix stationNorth Lanarkshire Council has granted planning permission for revised plans for the new Caldercruix station, which is being constructed as part of the Airdrie-Bathgate rail link project.
• Alloa rail link celebrates first year of trainsMore than twice as many passengers have travelled on the reopened Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line during its first year of operation than forecasts predicted ahead of the opening in May 2008.
• Congestion charging can benefit business says CBICongestion charging in cities could be worth millions of pounds a year to businesses, according to new research produced for the the CBI and the Freight Transport Association.

Belfast Telegraph

• Shipping firm gets AEO stamp of approval Locally-owned Hamilton Shipping has become the first company in Northern Ireland to be granted Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) status.
• Aer Lingus suspends flights on five Belfast routes Aer Lingus today confirmed that it will be reducing its service from Belfast International Airport this winter but said the suspended flights would return for passengers within four months.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Transport boss Wheeler lined up to take over city financesTHE man in charge of Edinburgh's controversial tram scheme is being lined up to take control of the city council's finances.
• High-fashion bid to urge more women on to two wheelsLYCRA shorts might spring to mind more quickly than stylish skirts and killer heels when it comes to cycling attire. But Edinburgh women are to get on their bikes to prove there is no need to sacrifice style to take to two wheels.

Liverpool Echo

• Transport group Stobart unveils Carlisle Airport offerTRANSPORT group Stobart announced plans to buy Carlisle Airport for £14m today – but said the next year will be one of consolidation as it develops its road, rail, air and ports divisions.
• Merseyrail operator Serco reports strong start to the yearINTERNATIONAL services provider Serco has made a strong start to the year, it said in a trading update today.

Manchester Evening News

• Transport plans revealedSneak preview of today's newspaper story. The opposition council leaders are keen to stress that the government isn't providing new money - simply letting Manchester borrow and bring forward payments for which they would otherwise have had to wait many years. In other words, they don't want Geoff Hoon taking all the credit for a locally-conceived, locally-brokered deal.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Using public transport can save Chichester residents moneyPeople living in Chichester will soon be able to use a combined bus and rail ticket.
• Road survey causes traffic hold-upsMotorists today blasted Portsmouth City Council for bringing traffic to a standstill “ to carry out a traffic survey.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• MSP calls for free bus service to be reinstatedAn Aberdeen MSP has called on the local authority to reinstate a free bus service which used to take pensioners to funeral services at the city™s crematorium.
• Bid to improve pupils™ safety on school busesA bid to give legal force to tougher safety laws protecting pupils travelling on specially-designated and painted school buses will be launched at Westminster tomorrow.
• Case made for Inverness to Heathrow linkAn influential Commons committee will be urged tomorrow to back calls for the restoration of direct air links between Inverness Airport and Heathrow.

The York Press

• How controversial ticket barriers may look at York station RAIL operator National Express East Coast (NXEC) has drawn up fresh plans for ticket barriers at York Station, following widespread criticism of its original proposal.
• Selby council in 'choose us' plea to train makers Hitachi Rail Group COUNCIL chiefs are to urge bosses at a Japan-based company to build a train manufacturing plant in North Yorkshire.
• York-based rail firm to charge more for seatsNational Express East Coast is to introduce seat-reservation charges on some tickets

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Anger over Yorks rail booking feesRAIL travellers will be charged a £5 booking fee to reserve seats on the flagship East Coast Main Line.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Bank holiday weekend rail chaos - Bus service to be provided A rail provider has said it would never expect its passengers to take an 18 hour trek between Kettering and London, despite its ticket website only offering the two marathon r

Peterborough Telegraph

• Rail firm condemned over reservation chargeA fresh row over rail fares has flared after it was revealed that a leading train company is considering charging customers who want to reserve a ticket on its East Coast and

Washington Post

• AP Source: Chrysler to cut 800 dealers on Thursday DETROIT -- Chrysler LLC plans to fire up to 800 of its 3,200 dealers on Thursday, a lawyer seeking to represent the dealers said on a conference call.
• Ford to raise $1.4 billion with 300M-share sale DETROIT -- Shares of Ford Motor Co. tumbled nearly 18 percent Tuesday after the automaker said it will sell 300 million common shares to help fund its health care trust for retired autoworkers and general operations.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New EU legislation frees up process of purchasing vehiclesFrom this month, buying a new vehicle becomes easier within European Union (EU) member states, it has been announced.New EU legislation has come into force that reduces the burden of administration on people choosing to purchase a model in a different country and allows the free circulation of cars."As of today, citizens have less paperwork and fewer procedures to follow if they buy a new vehicle in another EU member state," a statement read.The rules apply to all new vehicles granted European approval from April 29th 2009 and a Certificate of Conformity - which includes envi...

Transport for London

• Brighter lighting saves energy at ticket machinesLondon Buses has introduced light emitting diode (LED) lighting at all of its roadside ticket machines.

Aviation Industry

• British firm wins $38m Haramain railway contractSaudi Arabia has granted Foster & Partners a $38m contract to design four stations for the new high-speed Haramain railway
• UK train network in disarrayAs we have reported over the last few weeks, a number of UK train franchises are under significant financial pressure as the economic downturn continues to hit both costs and passenger numbers.
• Business travel facing fundamental changes  Lovell doubts it will "swing back" after recession read more

Green Miscellany

• Public transport costs undermining green efforts in UKAttempts to cut UK road emissions are being drastically undermined by the cost of public transport, new figures suggest.

Other News Sources

• AirTran Airways announces Wi-Fi service on every flightAirTran Airways has plans to offer wireless, broadband Internet service to passengers on every flight by mid-summer.
• Greater Manchester to get £1.4bn for transport after allGreater Manchester’s transport chiefs have agreed a £1.4bn transport funding deal which will allow them to embark on most of the transport improvements proposed under the region's defeated congestion charging plans.
• Transport ’laughing stock’Closing the Oldham loop line between Rochdale and Manchester for Metrolink improvements will make the area the laughing stock of Europe, says Euro-MP Chris Davies.
• Town centre tram plan still on trackTransport planners are optimistic that Rochdale might still get Metrolink trams in the town centre.
• Serious accidents down 60per cent after Wandsworth road safety schemeA road safety scheme on the Battersea borders has cut accidents by more than 60 per cent in its first year, figures show.
• Babcock's rail division runs into £6m operating lossBabcock International might have had a grand time last year when looked at overall but its rail division was in turmoil – running up an operating loss of more than £6m on turnover of £230m.
• Dundee fury at train feesPlans by National Express to charge passengers for reserving seats on the east coast rail line are to be raised with the Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership (TACTRAN), (writes Brian Allison, local government reporter).
• Police operation targets train and bus passenger safetyA move to crack down on knives and drugs on public transport has been a success, police say.
• The train now standing on platform 1 is the future...HEADS turned on a train station platform as a firm operating a service between Hartlepool and London tested out its latest model. The Class 180 Adalante is one of two identical trains to be added to the Grand Central Sunderland to London service that runs through Hartlepool.
• Cargo theft a big problem on highwaysThe European policy agency says Europe's highways are little better for trucks than the Somali coast is for cargo ships _ both are high-risk areas for hijackings.A new Europol report says organized cr...
• Rail firm will charge £5 for reserving a seatA leading train company has been accused of 'mugging' passengers for starting to charge £5 for reserving a seat, by the ticket clerk's union
• Firm hits back over 'worst rail trip' A rail firm is defending itself after being ridiculed for advertising a 76-mile train journey taking 18 hours.
• Piracy needs 'zero tolerance'THE SHIPPING community must undertake a policy of ˜zero tolerance™ to fight piracy, a security conference in London heard today.
• NOL plunges to huge lossCONTAINER and logistics operator Neptune Orient Lines has suffered huge losses for the first quarter 2009 and believes adverse business conditions will continue for the rest of the year.
• Maersk Line battered by box slumpMAERSK Line, the biggest container shipping unit of AP Moller-Maersk (APM), suffered a $559M net loss in 1Q 09 compared to an $80M profit in the same period last year.
• Hybrid car is number one in JapanA Honda-made hybrid was Japan’s best selling car during April, making it the first petrol-electric vehicle to achieve this accolade. The hybrid Honda Insight, launched in February, sold 10,481 units in April, sending it soaring to top the charts from the 21st place it achieved in March. Honda has advertised the Insight as an affordable hybrid, because [...]
• Avoiding empty running helps Stobart boost profits to £23.9mStrong performances in its road and rail arms helped logistics operator Stobart Group Ltd (LSE: STOB) increase pre-tax profits to £23.9m from £3.5m in a year when it made four major acquisitions.
• Stockport gets bypass boostStockport has scored a multi-million pound victory today in its long-running campaign to win funds for a crucial bypass.
• Firm hits back over 'worst rail trip'A rail firm is defending itself after being ridiculed for advertising a 76-mile train journey taking 18 hours.
• American Airlines introduces a whole new approach to frequent flyer award travel (press launch) Customers Can Combine Various One-Way Awards to Best Meet Travel Needs read more

Other Subscription Services

• Fitzpatrick gives assurance over seafarers bill of rightsGOVERNMENT intends to put the International Labour Organisation’s Maritime Labour Convention on the UK statute books by the end of next year.
• DVB chief 'satisfied' despite 8% profit slideGERMAN shipping bank DVB Bank’s net profit declined by 8.6% to €24.4m ($33.3m) in the first quarter of 2009.