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

Wednesday, 12 August 2009

BBC News

• Airport expansion raises concerns [video]Residents near to Leeds Bradford airport have expressed concern about plans for expansion and knock-on increases in traffic on the roads and the sky.
• Jobs created by new Ryanair base Ryanair is to set up a base at Leeds Bradford International Airport, creating hundreds of jobs.
• Work set to start at New Street Work on a £598m project to transform Birmingham's New Street station will begin in September.
• Young offenders clear up station Youths convicted of crimes have been cleaning up graffiti at a Leeds railway station to make up for their offences.
• Driverless airport pods unveiled A driverless vehicle, which will move passengers around Heathrow Airport, is being put on display.
• Parking fine surcharge 'unlawful' A credit card surcharge on parking penalty charge notices is "unlawful", a campaigner has said. Neil Herron said a 2.6% administration charge levied by Gloucester City Council meant the penalty exceeded the amount prescribed in law.
• How aviation can clean up its act The aviation industry - a rapidly expanding sector - is looking for ways to secure its fuel supplies without increasing greenhouse gas emissions, says Fred Dryer. In the Green Room this week, he outlines some of the options available to deliver these goals.

Financial Times

• GM™s Volt boasts 230 miles per gallonGeneral Motors revealed that its Chevrolet Volt plug-in hybrid car would boast fuel consumption of 230 miles per gallon in city driving making it far more efficient than existing environmentally friendly cars.
• Hapag-Lloyd summit on next phase of rescueShareholders in German shipping line Hapag-Lloyd have held talks on securing the rest of the €1.75bn it believes it needs to survive

The Herald

• Pirate fear sparks hunt for shipA search is under way for a missing cargo ship after fears it was under the control of pirates as it passed through the English Channel. The vessel and its 15-strong Russian crew have not been heard from since it entered the Strait of Dover.

The Scotsman

• Pirate mystery as ship goes missingThe whereabouts of a cargo ship is unknown amid fears that it travelled through the English Channel under the control of pirates.
• Talks to avert third rail walkoutTalks to try to resolve a rail dispute that threatens to cripple one of the busiest lines into London for two days are due to continue.

The Telegraph

• Mandelson hails scrappage a success The Secretary of State for Business praises the 'cash for bangers' scheme.

Times Online

• Piracy fears off UK coast after cargo ship disappears in English ChannelAs the Arctic Sea entered the world™s busiest shipping lanes she made a routine call to the Dover coastguard giving details of her course through the Channel.
• Which airlines carry kids unaccompanied?The idea of the research by Cheapflights.co.uk came when UK general manager Francesca took a flight to Marseille.
• General Motors aims to recharge image with new electric Chevrolet Volt General Motors’ new Chevrolet Volt electric car, due to start production next year, is expected to get at least 230 miles per gallon or 25 Kilowatt hours per 100 miles, making it the most fuel efficient mass-production vehicle on the road, the company said today.
• Driverless cars with bug-eyed windows, arriving soon at Heathrow The main gallery of the Science Museum contains George Stephenson’s Rocket and a Model T Ford, machines that revolutionised transport in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Daily Express

• Jaguar finance boost TATA MOTORS, the Indian owner of Jaguar Land Rover, said yesterday it no longer needs financial support from the UK Government after securing a loan worth £175million.

Mail Online

• Pirates off the Kent coast? International hunt launched as cargo ship vanishes into thin air

Network Rail

• GRAFITTI CLEAN UP IS REPARATION BY LEEDS YOUNG OFFENDERS

Transport Briefing

• London Underground posts rail renewals framework London Underground has invited expressions of interest in a five year civils framework that will replace the maintenance regime operated by the Metronet BCV and SSL companies which now fall under Transport for London control.
• Chorley rail station and Quaylink secure CIF cash Transport projects that will support house building schemes have been awarded £30m with the government completing the second round of Community Infrastructure Fund awards.

Belfast Telegraph

• Ryanair sets up new base in Leeds Low-cost airline Ryanair is to set up a base at Leeds Bradford International Airport — creating hundreds of new jobs. Related StoriesHotels group cheered by stronger demandDerry call centre puts 335 employees on noticeJune sees 23% rise in UK mortgage approvalsLong-term lending set to become a thing of the pastDividends to be slashed by UK companies

Birmingham Post

• Electric car trial is looking for West Midlands driversDrivers looking to cut their carbon footprint are being invited to test drive the latest electric cars for a year.
• Rising road repair bill needs an extra £1.5mBirmingham City Council will be asked for another £1.5 million next week to help pay for emergency repairs to the city’s road network.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Scrap scheme sells 8,000 cars in WalesA “CASH for bangers” car-scrappage scheme has seen nearly 8,000 vehicles bought in Wales under the initiative.

Derby Telegraph

• Train radios update call A DERBY rail consultancy has urged train operating companies to update their radio systems.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Airport flying as July figures hit all-time high EDINBURGH Airport has continued to buck the economic downturn by enjoying its busiest ever month in July. City leader Jenny Dawe praised the airport's "impressive" performance after the number of international passengers soared.

Liverpool Echo

• Liverpool gets on its bike with seven new cycle routesSEVEN more cycling lanes will appear across the city thanks to a £640,000 European grant.
• Jaguar Land Rover secures new bank loansJAGUAR Land Rover bosses have secured new bank loans – meaning the car giant no longer needs government cash.

London Evening Standard

• Rail clerk gave himself £4,000 in free travel

The News (Portsmouth)

• Ferry company 'to pay for terminal's new £3m pontoon'Gosport Ferry Company look set to pay for the town's new £3m ferry pontoon “ but Gosport taxpayers could pick up the bill if the company's funding falls through.

Wales Online

• Chance to make public transport attractive AST month was perhaps the most significant in transport terms in Wales for many years. Not only was the first National Transport Plan published but it was accompanied by the decision to electrify the railway line from London to Swansea and saw the publication of the cross-border report on transport by the Welsh Affairs Committee at the House of Commons.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Give your Leeds trolleybus views onlineTIME is running out for Leeds residents to have their say on the city's trolleybus plans.
• Jobs boost as Ryanair announces new Leeds Bradford Airport baseLow-cost airline Ryanair today announced it is to set up a base at Leeds Bradford International Airport creating hundreds of new jobs.

Sunderland Echo

• Sunderland's electric car bid gets Wearsiders' backingWEARSIDERS have given their enthusiastic backing to our bid to build electric cars here in Sunderland.

Washington Post

• Clunkers Program Clears Out Car Lots Car buyers flocking to trade in their clunkers have stripped dealerships of inventory over the past two weeks, giving automakers a signal they have eagerly awaited: It's time to make more cars.

Aviation Industry

• Thin Clients, Fat Savings “ The Future of Passenger Check-in IT Faster passenger processing is an ongoing quest for airport operators. So offer a product that not only speeds check-in but has lower operational costs, enhanced security and improved eco credentials through the use of ˜thin client™ technology and it sounds like the perfect solution.
• Ryanair announces base in YorkshireLow-cost airline Ryanair has announced it is to set up a base at Leeds Bradford International Airport creating hundreds of new jobs.

Other News Sources

• British Airport Coaches Launch Free Passenger Internet with Icomera Icomera AB, the world's leading provider of cellular broadband gateways, has announced that UK-based Excel Passenger Logistics has selected Icomera's award-winning Moovbox M200 Mobile Broadband Gateway to provide Wi-Fi connectivity and GPS tracking on buses and coaches serving British airports
• Chiltern line will 'undoubtedly' be a high speed rail option THE EXISTING Chiltern line through Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield will undoubtedly be one of the route options being looked at by High Speed Two, the company drawing up plans on behalf of the Government. v
• Government announces high speed rail would go through Chilterns A NEW high speed rail line is being planned from Heathrow to Birmingham which will certainly travel through the Chilterns and may pass through Gerrards Cross and Denham.
• Bus journey costs more than £1 a mile TRANSPORT campaigners have criticised the cost of bus fares in Exeter after it was revealed the city has one of the most expensive routes in the country.
• Commuters and rail chiefs come face to face at Huddersfield railway station. COMMUTERS came face to face with rail chiefs at a ’Meet the Manager’ session in Huddersfield. The rail bosses came out of their offices to canvas passengers on their plans to upgrade Huddersfield Railway Station.
• £1.4million funding rolls into Chester station Chester Station will receive £1.4million for improvements from the NWDA. The investment will provide new passenger facilities including a waiting room, a second stairway for better access to platforms and new office space at the historic Grade II listed train station.
• Bath busway construction planning bid approved Plans to build a busway along part of the disused Mangotsfield to Bath rail alignment have been approved at a meeting of the local authority's development control committee.
• Heathrow sees last-minute break surgeJuly was Heathrow's third busiest month on record as Britons headed abroad to escape the dismal weather
• Pirate mystery as ship goes missing
• Pirate mystery as ship goes missingPirate mystery as ship goes missing