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

Thursday, 23 July 2009

BBC News

• Congestion charge plans put off A report has ruled out any consideration of a congestion charge for Cambridge until at least 2017. The Cambridgeshire Transport Commission has recommended any charge is not looked at until the county council has secured £500m in government funding.
• Suburb orbital transport rejected A new transport network should not be created in outer London, according to a group that looks at how to improve life in the suburbs.
• £1bn plan to electrify rail lineA £1bn plan to electrify the main rail route between London and Swansea is to be announced by the government.
• Tories deny Heathrow backtrackingThe Conservatives insist they are still opposed to a new runway at Heathrow despite a shadow minister suggesting the issue could be
• First abandons rival takeover bidThe UK's biggest transport firm First Group abandons plans to bid for its troubled rival, National Express.
• Airline complaints 'on the rise'Complaints from customers about the airline industry have risen by 11% in a year, a consumer support group says.

Financial Times

• Electric trains to cut UK travel timesMillions of UK rail passengers are being offered the prospect of faster and more reliable journeys as the government unveils announces plans for to restart major electrification for the first time since rail privatisation
• Airlines face cost rise for emissionsThe world's airlines could face €1.1bn ($1.6bn) in costs for carbon emissions in 2012 under the European emissions trading scheme, a new study has found. The...
• BAA / Ryanair Michael O'Leary is being disingenuous in attacking airport fees. Ryanair's decision to slash winter flights is usual and in response to market forces
• National Express receives second bidBus and train operator reveals new approach after rival operator gives up on takeover citing uncertainty round future of compnay and rail franchises

The Guardian

• New bidder for National Express¢ Suitor believed to be European private equity firm¢ First Group withdraws after Takeover Panel ultimatumNational Express was at the centre of fresh takeover turmoil last night after rival transport operator First Group walked away from making a formal offer for the troubled rail and bus group and another unnamed bidder appeared on the scene.There was intense speculation about the identity of the new suitor, understood be a European private equity company.First Group, which initially approached National Express in June with proposals for an all-share merger of the two businesses, ditched its ...

The Independent

• End of line for diesel trainsSome of Britain's most popular rail lines are to be electrified as part of a £1.1bn project to modernise the network, shunt diesel trains into sidings and help lower carbon emissions, the Government will announce today.

The Scotsman

• £1.1bn rail electrification plannedA £1.1 billion project to electrify two major rail lines in an effort to cut journey times, reduce pollution and boost the recession-hit economy has been unveiled by the Gover

The Telegraph

• Tories deny Heathrow third runway Uturn The Conservatives have been forced to deny a change of policy after a frontbencher hinted that the party might drop its opposition to a third runway at Heathrow.
• Passengers could block Nework Rail chiefs' bonuses under Tory plansPassengers will be given the chance to block the six figure bonuses being paid to Network Rail chiefs under Tory plans to overhaul the company.
• Airlines exploiting booking mistakesPassengers are being left out of pocket by airlines who are cashing in on innocent mistakes made while booking tickets on the internet a report says.
• New carriage plans under review following electrification plansPlans to introduce 1300 new railway carriages to ease overcrowding are to be reviewed following the Government's decision to carry out the biggest electrification scheme in two decades.

Times Online

• Recession brings sharp fall in UK road deaths A decline in car use due to the recession has contributed to a sharp fall in road deaths in Britain.
• National Express receives second takeover approachCrisis-hit bus and coach operator National Express tonight revealed it has received a second takeover approach - just moments after would-be buyer FirstGroup walked away from a possible bid.
• Stagecoach takes up the running for National ExpressStagecoach, the bus and train operator, was linked with a takeover bid for its crisis-hit rival National Express last night as FirstGroup, a third competitor, walked away from a possible deal.
• Six years of disruption under £1bn upgrade of Great Western MainlinePassengers on one of Britain™s busiest intercity routes face six years of disruption while it is electrified under the Government™s low-carbon agenda.

The Mirror

• £1.1bn rail electrification plannedA £1.1 billion project to electrify two major rail lines in an effort to cut journey times, reduce pollution and boost the recession-hit economy has been unveiled by the Government.

Network Rail

• SCOTLAND™S RAILWAY TRESPASS TIME-BOMBScottish families face ’inevitable tragedy’ if young people can’t be persuaded to stay off the railway tracks, Network Rail warned today (22 July).
• ELECTRIFICATION PLANS A GOOD STARTToday’s announcement from the government that it will support Network Rail’s plans for electrification is good news for passengers, the economy and the environment. Network Rail believes this is a good start in what should become a major rolling programme of electrification.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham's Metro extension plan receives Government backingThe Government last night gave its multi-million pound backing to plans for an extension of the Metro system in Birmingham and the Black Country.

London Evening Standard

• Tories deny they plan to drop opposition toTories move to quash talk that they will abandon their opposition to a third runway at Heathrow
• Mayor scraps transport hubs to focus on suburbsPlans for new transport 'super hubs' and a high-speed orbital route around London have been dropped by Mayor Boris Johnson

Metro

• Recession driving down number of road deathsRoa deaths fell sharply last year – partly because people are using their cars less during the economic downturn.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Tram talks break down TALKS between tram and union officials broke down yesterday as both sides failed to reach an agreement over pay and conditions.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Peer ˜sees no cuts™ being made to Scots rail servicesAssurances from Transport Secretary Lord Adonis that he does not see cuts being made to east coast main line services north of Edinburgh were given œa cautious welcome last night.

The York Press

• Train drivers told to slow down after York railway bridge hit by coach TRAINS running through York had to reduce their speed while engineers inspected a railway bridge after it was hit by a coach.

Wales Online

• £600m South Wales to London electric rail link revealed A MULTI-MILLION pound upgrade of the rail line between London and South Wales will be announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown this morning.
• £600m South Wales to London electric rail link revealedA MULTI-MILLION pound upgrade of the rail line between London and South Wales will be announced by Prime Minister Gordon Brown this morning.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Stephen Morris: Prepare for gridlock if buses don't get better GRIDLOCK is one of those terms we use so glibly. Almost any traffic hold-up seems to be described as gridlock. But one day, real gridlock will hit one of our towns and cities. Real gridlock is when the junction capacity in a town centre reaches its limit.

Carlisle News & Star

• Bus and train bosses could be grilled by Cumbrian councilsBus and train bosses could be hauled before Cumbrian councils to explain poor performance under new government proposals.

New Scientist

• How technology will ease our traffic woesThe days of blundering down the road equipped with only the hope that you'll miss the traffic are over – the highways of the future will hold no secrets

Railnews

• News: First Crossrail visitor centre opens Crossrail's first visitor centre will open near Tottenham Court Road in London on Thursday 16 July.
• News: Councillors throw out plans for giant freight interchange PLANS for a giant rail freight depot to be built on the former Radlett Airfield site at Park Street, St Albans have been rejected by St Albans City and District Council for the second time.
• News: BROWN TO ELECTRIFY RAIL INDUSTRY WITH TWO MAJOR NETWORK SCHEMES The Government is tomorrow (Thursday July 22) expected to confirm two major electrification schemes, with decisions on other lines due later in the year.

Aviation Industry

• London Gatwick Airport responds to Mayor of London's strategiesLondon Gatwick Airport has submitted responses to the Mayor of London™s Economic Development Strategy and Transport Strategy “ Statement of Intent...
• Aberdeen Airport developments explainedIf you have passed through Aberdeen Airport recently, or are preparing for a trip, you will certainly feel the impact of our recent capital spend...

Other News Sources

• Stagecoach pair in £18m court battleBrother and sister Brian Souter and Ann Gloag, founders of Stagecoach, are at the centre of a legal dispute after £18m of their fortune disappeared
• Drivers urged to Go GreenerCampaign asks drivers to leave the car at home when they can, particularly for shorter journeys.
• Stansted cutbacks put second runway plans into doubtRyanair has announced a 40% cutback in its winter schedule at Stansted, undermining the case for a second runway according to lobby group Stop Stansted Expansion
• M42 hard shoulder running saves livesTwelve people are still alive thanks to the pilot Active Traffic Management (ATM) system which opened on a stretch of the M42 almost three years ago, the Highways Agency said last week.
• £1.1bn rail electrification planned
• Stobart wins £25m Tesco contractEddie Stobart has won a distribution contract for Tesco's new 910,000ft2 purpose-built import centre at Teesport, Middlesbrough. The agreement, worth around £25m annually, will see Stobart move the bulk of Tesco's non-food products to distribution warehouses throughout the UK.