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

Monday, 13 July 2009

BBC News

• Design of 'iconic' bridge on showCouncil bosses say the new bridge is needed to cope with growing traffic congestion on approach roads into Sunderland city centre.
• Patrols tackle rowdy school busesYoungsters causing rowdy behaviour on public transport to and from school are being targeted by police on Teesside.
• Energy policy 'too wind focused'The UK must invest more in nuclear and clean coal energy and put less emphasis on wind power, business leaders say.

The Guardian

• London public transport facing £1.7bn shortfall by 2018, report warnsPassengers confronted by prospect of reduced services and increased fares, London assembly's budget and performance committee says

The Herald

• Missing millions of free bus schemeTransport Scotland has called in police to pursue rogue bus operators who have attempted to defraud millions of pounds through the government's concessionary travel scheme, The Herald has learned.
• Bus firms probed over farres fraudTransport Scotland has called in police to pursue rogue bus operators who have attempted to defraud millions of pounds through the government's concessionary travel scheme, The Herald has learned.
• Miliband admits fuel bills and air fares are set to increaseHouseholds across ­Britain face higher fuel bills, Ed Miliband acknowledged yesterday as the UK Government prepares this week to publish plans for a “green ­revolution”.
• Bus firms probed over farres fraudExclusive: Transport Scotland has called in police to pursue rogue bus operators who have ­attempted to defraud millions of pounds through the government’s concessionary travel scheme, The Herald has learned.

The Independent

• Minister warns Brown over spending cutbacksLord Adonis, the Secretary of State for Transport , has become the first senior minister to launch an offensive against cuts to his major spending plans, ruling out any withdrawal of support for his ambitious high-speed rail line despite growing pressure on the Government to cut some big projects.

The Scotsman

• Whitehall runs up huge taxi billWhitehall mandarins spent more than £8 million on taxis and private car services last year, new figures released have revealed.

The Telegraph

• Lord Adonis warns 200mph rail upgrade should not be abandonedLord Adonis, the Transport Secretary, has warned Gordon Brown not to abandon plans for a multi-billion pound rail upgrade programme as the Government's finances worsen.

Times Online

• Willie Walsh tries to wrestle BA out of its nosediveShareholders in British Airways will arrive at the annual meeting on Tuesday with heavy hearts. The company is clouded in troubles. It racked up a record loss in the 2008-09 financial year, and is on course for an even greater deficit this year as business-class traffic evaporates. It is also on a collision course with cabin crew and ground-service unions, with industrial action likely next month.
• ’Investors back’ BA £500m crisis fundraisingBritish Airways has declined to comment on reports that it has secured shareholder backing for an emergency rights issue of up to £500 million as it fights to secure its future.
• Heathrow-on-Sea set for takeoffLooking out from Southend pier, the Thames estuary is a hub of activity. On a busy day its grey waters are filled with nearly 100 vessels a day, from 1,000ft container ships bearing tons of clothes and other consumer goods to oil tankers, passenger ferries, yachts and speedboats.

Mail Online

• Lord Adonis 'could walk out of Cabinet' if support for £8bn high-speed rail line is droppedLord Adonis has become the first Cabinet minister to issue a clear warning against spending cuts in his department. The Secretary of State for Transport has ruled out withdrawing his support for the ambitious £8billion high-speed rail line linking London to Glasgow, despite mounting pressure on the Government to cut some big projects.

The Mirror

• Whitehall runs up huge taxi billWhitehall mandarins spent more than £8 million on taxis and private car services last year, new figures released have revealed.

Birmingham Post

• City leaders divided over route of a high-speed rail linkBirmingham’s political and business leaders are locked in a furious behind-the-scenes row over plans to bring high- speed rail services to the city.

London Evening Standard

• BA staff plan lemming protest at annual meetingBritish Airways workers will use live lemmings to protest at the firm's cost-cutting plans outside what promises to be a stormy annual meeting tomorrow.

Manchester Evening News

• Future's yellow for tramsTHE future is yellow for commuters on Manchester's tram network as the first of a fleet of new carriages arrived for service.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Bus service savedBUS operator Premiere Travel and Notts County Council have stepped in to save a route between Nottingham and Loughborough.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Fears that rapid rail route may bypass countyThe quango plotting a course for a new high-speed rail line from London to the North has not been asked to consider routing it through South Yorkshire, it has emerged.

Other News Sources

• Boris Island 'could be built within 10 years'Controversial plans for an island airport in the Thames Estuary off north Kent could be feasible, it has been reported.
• High speed rail link may be back on trackHopes that a proposed high-speed rail line would extend from London to Lancashire have received a major boost.
• GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY NOW TESTING AT 75mphLoughborough based Great Central Railway in Leicestershire has just commenced its first testing work at a top speed of 75mph or 120 kmph. Following an approach from a client, the railway gained HMRI / ORR permission to raise its maximum speed from 60mph to 75mph under certain strictly controlled testing conditions.
• Leyland's transport festival hailed a successThousands turned out for Leyland's first transport festival. Thousands of people packed into Leyland to celebrate the town's industrial heritage for two days of action packed events at the festival.
• Wallington to get £2M Transport for London faceliftA £2m facelift is set to improve transport facilities in Wallington town centre in a scheme paid for by Transport for London.
• BA in final bid for deal with cabin crewBritish Airways will this week make a final attempt to force through permanent changes in working practices with its militant cabin crew
• Launch of Motorway of the Sea is delayedThe launch of the first Motorway of the Sea service between France and Spain seems unlikely to meet the planned October deadline, due to political delays.
• On track for success: Dubai unveils the world™s longest Metro(9 July 2009) Dubai’s reputation as a pioneering destination is based on its ability to distinguish itself through constant innovation and its multitude of unique, world-class experiences. And, this autumn the emirate’s world-renown will further be consolidated with its latest ground-breaking project: the Dubai Metro. Set to open on 9 September 2009, this will be the longest fully automated rail transport system in the world.read more

News from Europe

• SNCF to order 35 TGV rail cars for 1b euros: unionsThe French state railway operator SNCF decided on Friday to order 35 new-generation TGV high-speed rail cars costing more than 1.0 billion euros (US$1.4 billion), a union source said.