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

Friday, 24 July 2009

BBC News

• Controversial plan back on track It was the mid 1980s when plans for a Shrewsbury north-west relief road were first discussed.
• Airport expansion plans approved Plans to extend Leeds Bradford Airport, which would double its capacity in five years, have been backed by councillors.
• MP says road delays 'sneaked out' Delays to planned upgrades of trunk roads in the north of Scotland have been "sneaked out" on a government website, an MP has claimed.
• Bendy buses taken out of service A group of bendy buses are being taken out of commission in London by mayor Boris Johnson later.
• Harrabin's Notes: Green transport? In a new column, the BBC's environment analyst Roger Harrabin draws on his experience of a quarter of a century reporting the environment to ask where the "green fairness" can be found in the UK government's low-carbon transport strategy.
• Drivers 'distrust' road tax spendMotoring taxes have been handled so badly that drivers no longer trust what ministers tell them, a Commons report says.
• US Airways and Jet Blue in profitAirlines US Airways and JetBlue have returned to profit but they said an industry recovery was not likely to come quickly.
• One-time gain boosts Ford resultsFord, the only one of the

Financial Times

• Spain™s Cosmen family in NatEx bidThe Cosmen family has teamed up with CVC, the private equity group, to make a joint takeover bid in a deal that could value the debt-laden transport group at more than £500m
• CDC in talks to create public transport groupFrance's Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations, which owns 70 per cent of Transdev, says it has begun exclusive negotiations with Veolia over a proposed merger
• Nat Express bidders look past franchise woesStrongly performing units could be attractive to prospective buyers of the company, which faces uncertainty over its rail and long-distance coach businesses

The Guardian

• In praise of… rail electrification Volk's railway, the oldest electric line in the world, still trundles along Brighton's seafront. When it was built, in 1883, Britain led the world in rail technology: now it lags embarrassingly far behind
• Lord Adonis holds key to National Express takeover The transport secretary, Lord Adonis, could play a role in a takeover of National Express after it emerged that the government must sanction bids for the public transport group's franchises.
• MPs urge voluntary 'pay as you drive' planMotorists do not believe the government's claims that road taxes help cut carbon dioxide emissions and boost public transport investment, according to an MPs' report released today which recommends a voluntary

The Herald

• Stagecoach 'lining up bid' for National ExpressScottish transport giant Stagecoach is rumoured to be preparing to bid for struggling rival National Express after it confirmed an unnamed suitor was circling the business.
• Revealed: The huge delays in upgrading major roadsExclusive: Upgrades to around 30 of Scotland’s major roads are being delayed by up to three years with official figures showing scheduled upgrading on major routes such as the M8, M74, M80 and A9 and many other trunk roads running late.

The Scotsman

• Scots rail and bus firms win top UK transport awards COTRAIL and Stagecoach Bluebird have been named the UK's best rail and bus operators. Scotland's main passenger rail firm and the North-east bus company won the public transport operator of the year accolade at the National Transport Awards in London.

The Telegraph

• British Airways talks with unions break down Fears that British Airways could face a strike rose last night after talks between the airline and unions broke down.

Times Online

• 'Cooling off period' as BA talks with union failTalks between British Airways and Unite, the union, have broken down. Failure of the negotiations, aimed at breaking the deadlock over the airline™s plans to cut thousands of jobs and freeze pay, means that both sides must now abide by a 14-day cooling off period during which time there is no external communication.

Press Association

• Japan train workers check grins with smile meterHer uniform looks good, with striped scarf and blue cap in perfect order, but railway employee Mitsue Endo has one thing to do before she faces the masses — pass the smile test.
• Cosmen linked to National buy-out The largest shareholder in beleaguered transport firm National Express has teamed up with a private equity firm to make a joint £500 million bid for the business, it has been reported.

Reuters News

• National Express gets new bid - reportLONDON (Reuters) - Spain's Cosmen family and private equity group CVC have made a joint takeover approach for National Express, the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people close to the situation.

Network Rail

• NEW CHAIRMAN STARTS AT NETWORK RAILRick Haythornthwaite has taken over as Chairman of Network Rail following the departure of Sir Ian McAllister at the company's AGM held in Bristol yesterday.

Transport Briefing

• High speed orbital transport link rejected by panel A report commissioned by the Mayor of London to examine opportunities for improving links between areas in outer London has backed a 'hub and spoke' approach above expensive new public transport infrastructure that could provide an orbital link around the capital.
• Chiltern moves to update parkway station agreement Chiltern Railways is seeking to renegotiate the Public Service Requirement in its franchise that stipulates how many trains it is obliged to timetable to serve the new Aylesbury Vale Parkway station.
• Four shortlisted to dual A75 Gretna-Stranraer link Transport Scotland has shortlisted four contractors to build the £7.3m stretch of new dual carriageway on the A75 between Cairntop and Barlae.
• Electrification decision questioned by transport chief Transport leaders in South Yorkshire have expressed their dismay that yesterday's rail electrification announcement by the government offered no commitment to electrify the Midland Main Line north of Bedford.
• Transport committee backs voluntary road pricing A new report by the Transport Select Committee has told the government it must improve the way in which it justifies taxes on road users if it is to rebuild public trust.

Birmingham Post

• Transport strategy fails to please campaignersCampaigners and politicians have reacted angrily to government plans to approve a range of road schemes as part of a regional funding bid.
• £2.6m cost of scrapped Tyburn Road bus lane in BirminghamThe final cost of Birmingham’s ill-fated Tyburn Road bus lane will be more than £2.6 million, it has been revealed.

Bristol Live

• Bristol to London line to be electrified The main railway line between Bristol and London is to be electrified at a cost of £1 billion. The work will take eight years and electric trains could be running between Bristol and London by 2017.

Derby Telegraph

• Dismay after region's electrified rail links bid hits the buffers BUSINESS leaders have expressed their disappointment that Derby will have to wait for the electrification of rail links which would have resulted in faster, more reliable train services.

Liverpool Echo

• Train journey times between Liverpool and Manchester to be slashed thanks to rail electrificiationJOURNEY times between Liverpool to Manchester will be slashed from 54 to 30 minutes when the rail line between the cities is electrified.

London Evening Standard

• Fears grow that Tories would delay CrossrailDoubts have emerged about whether the Conservatives will keep London's giant Crossrail project on track and completed on time

Nottingham Evening Post

• Tram chiefs 'committed' to further talks to avert strike Despite the GMB and Nottingham Tram Consortium (NTC) failing to reach an agreement in talks yesterday, it is hoped common ground can be found before the planned action on Monday.
• Council slammed over workplace parking levy consultation NOTTINGHAM City Council was today slammed over its efforts to consult businesses on the workplace parking levy. A report published by the Transport Select Committee has concluded the council's consultation with local firms was "deeply flawed".

Sheffield Star

• Electric line snub shock POLITICIANS and transport chiefs have reacted with disappointment after the Sheffield to London railway line was left out of a £1.1 billion Government plan announced this week to electrify high speed lines.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Sheffield to get four new trams SHEFFIELD looks set to get four new trams after the Government agreed a new transport plan for the region. It is hoped the vehicles will relieve overcrowding by creating more capacity at peak times.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Calls for urgent safety measures on roadA motorcycle driving instructor last night called for urgent road-safety measures after a biker was killed on a Moray road on Monday afternoon.

The York Press

• Transport Minister will listen to plea for East Coast rail route to stay in York TRANSPORT Secretary Lord Adonis has boosted hopes of keeping a railway HQ “ and a hundred jobs “ permanently in York.

Wales Online

• Bus service accepting euros for fares A POPULAR bus service claims to have become the first in Wales to accept the euro as payment.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• West yorkshire bus and train firms face grillingUNDER-fire bus and train companies could be hauled before West Yorkshire councils and forced to explain why they are cutting routes or failing to tackle overcrowding.
• Leeds Bradford airport expansion approvedLEEDS Bradford International Airport is set to double in size and employ up to 2,000 new people following a knife edge vote last night.

Yorkshire Post

• Norman Baker: Don't slam the door on hopes of electric rail boost to region THE decision by the Government to restart a programme of electrification of railway lines some 15 years after it last petered out has rightly been widely welcomed. It is clearly a sensible strategic decision and affirms that railway growth is firmly back on the agenda.
• Cosmen family linked to National Express buy-out THE largest shareholder in beleaguered transport firm National Express has teamed up with a private equity firm to make a joint £500m bid for the business, it was reported today.
• Jobs boost as airport wins fight for huge expansion [with video attachment]LEEDS Bradford Airport is on course to almost double in size after planners give permission for a £28m development expected to create two thousand jobs.

Doncaster Free Press

• Airport reports 'business as usual' despite swine flu alertIT'S "business as usual" at Doncaster's airport as reports of swine flu in the borough continue to flood in.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• There's still a hole lot of trouble on the roadRoad problems have never been far away from the headlines over the past few years.
• Rail travellers go Red Dot Day crazyThey came from all over the region to take advantage of the first ever Red Dot discount train day from Corby to London.

Sunderland Echo

• New interest in troubled National ExpressTroubled bus and train operator National Express says it is being courted by a second potential bidder.

New Scientist

• US vehicle efficiency hardly changed since Model THigh-profile efforts to create fuel-efficient automobile technology have had little impact on average fuel efficiency on US roads, according to a new study

Other News Sources

• Electrification: 'We must be next' RAIL experts have called for the track to Plymouth to be made a priority for electrification after the Government announced it was ploughing £1.1billion into upgrading two other lines.
• Rail electrification delay 'may be costly' Millions of pounds of investment and new jobs could be held up because of a delay in electrifying the Midland mainline.
• Rail services into City must be kept COMMUTERS from Borough Green and West Malling are continuing their campaign to keep rail services into the city.
• MP Raises Cinderella Rail Service FearsFears rail users in Worcestershire may end up with a Cinderella service have been raised by a County MP.
• ’Faster, greener’ rail line for town Reading's rail passengers will enjoy “faster, greener” travel after the Government unveiled its £1.1 billion plan to electrify the Great Western mainline. Transport minister Chris Mole announced the plans at Reading Station yesterday, promising faster running times, more seats and improved reliability with the new electric trains.
• £30m pledge for Tees Valley Metro MULTI-MILLION-POUND plans for a Tees Valley Metro moved a step closer today after they received government backing.
• Backing for £2.5m rail revamp A proposed multi- million revamp of Kidderminster railway station today won the backing of the Government. It is part of a series of major improvements throughout the West Midlands between now and 2014.
• Railway plan is ’too costly’ PLANS to relocate a Cotswold railway station to Broadway have been shelved after the move was deemed too costly.
• Plans for high-speed rail link from Wokingham to Heathrow unveiledA high-speed rail link to cut travel time between Wokingham and Heathrow Airport by nearly an hour is steaming forward. Residents can have their say on the plans from Heathrow for the new Airtrack between Reading and the airport from today.
• Plans for high-speed rail link from Wokingham to Heathrow unveiledA high-speed rail link to cut travel time between Wokingham and Heathrow Airport by nearly an hour is steaming forward. Residents can have their say on the plans from Heathrow for the new Airtrack between Reading and the airport from today.
• Bid to reopen Wootton Bassett train station 40 years on mayor Steve Bucknell has made a bid for the Wootton Bassett railway station to be reopened more than 40 years after the last train stopped there.
• New Kenilworth rail station a step nearer A NEW railway station in Kenilworth moved a step closer this week after contracts were signed to design, build, finance and operate the hub.
• Bus services saved THREATENED bus services in Ledbury and Bromyard have been saved after twice as many companies as expected tendered to run them.
• Rogue Bus Operators Targeted By Extended Warden Scheme BUS wardens are being extended across Glasgow City Council's area to crack down on rogue operators.
• Failed Tyburn Road bus lane in Birmingham cost over £2.6m For the first time, Birmingham City Council has disclosed how much it spent on the bus lane on the busy A38 commuter route before abandoning it after five years because it slowed traffic down instead of easing congestion.
• Boris Johnson promises to help Sutton-Croydon N213 night bus campaigners Boris Johnson was greeted by more than 100 campaigners hoping to save the axed N213 night bus when he came to Croydon on Wednesday night.
• Fares pledge as bus station opens Bath's new bus station was declared officially open today. The £13 million station has been labelled a 'baked bean tin' and a 'busometer' by its critics and sparked protest marches when artists' impressions of the building were first published.
• Airport expansion plea COUNCILLORS should back the expansion of Southend Airport rather than worrying about political point-scoring, MP James Duddridge told the Commons.
• Airport's £28m expansion approved A £28 million expansion plan for Leeds Bradford International Airport to boost passenger numbers and create 2,000 jobs has been finally agreed.
• Treat road users fairly, urge MPs
• Hapag-Lloyd assails loss reportsGERMANY™S Hapag-Lloyd told Fairplay today that losses of nearly $1Bn, reported elsewhere, are wide of the mark.
• All ahead full for boxesBOX SHIPS are speeding up, a sign that the container sector is regaining momentum.
• FreeSeas plots bulker buyFREESEAS has sold 8.7M shares, raising $15.7M in gross proceeds for œthe acquisition of an additional drybulk ship
• Intelligent transport raises privacy concernsThe EU data protection authority has set alarm bells ringing over proposed rules governing intelligent transport systems (ITS), which are aimed at improving road safety but pose potential risks for citizens' privacy.