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

Tuesday, 08 September 2009

BBC News

• New business for local bus firms New bus operators have begun their five year contracts with Somerset County Council running public services routes.
• High-speed rail 'preview' begins Commuters in Kent have begun using high-speed rail "preview" services into London.
• Official car use 'reaches Moon' Miles covered in official cars by Welsh Assembly Government ministers almost doubled in a year, according to the Conservatives. The Tories said figures showed miles travelled in official cars - 214,376 - was almost equal to the distance from the earth to the Moon.
• Crossrail project gets £1bn loanThe Crossrail project which will connect Berkshire to Essex through London receives £1bn in funding.

Financial Times

• Goldman funds take 21% stake in EurotunnelGoldman Sachs Infrastructure Partners opt to convert their bonds in Groupe Eurotunnel into shares to give the transport group a large institutional shareholder for the first time in two decades

The Guardian

• Climate Rush – time to get on your high horse and cartThe petrol-free tour includes visits to Sipson, the village affected by Heathrow's third runway, and is a winning way to stir up support prior to Copenhagen
• Delta flies empty planes across Atlantic Environmental campaigners attack Delta Air Lines over 'ghost' flights to meet Australian quarantine regulations
• Liquid explosive scanner trials under way at UK airports Operators and suppliers keen to see restrictions lifted, but critics say detection is job for humans, not machines

The Independent

• Plot led to liquid restrictions for air passengers The airliner plot is the reason why millions of air passengers are now restricted on how much liquid they can take on board a plane.

Times Online

• Crowded skies as Lufthansa opens bmi booksLufthansa, the German flag carrier, has opened the books at bmi and is offering rivals a chance to conduct limited due diligence on the British airline before a possible sale.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham joins campaign to secure high speed rail lineBirmingham is joining forces with major cities across England to ensure a new high speed rail line is built as planned.
• High-speed French ease against our track record on railwaysAs speculation surrounding the proposed High Speed 2 railway from London to Scotland grows, reporter Paul Bradley takes a ride on France’s TGV from Paris to Lyon.
• Crackdown on crime on the busesPolice have launched a new crackdown on crime on the bus network in Birmingham.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Tram chiefs say work back on track as bridge takes shape Work is currently under way on the crossing which is being built next to the planned Gogar tram depot, a part of the £545 million project which transport bosses say is currently around nine months behind schedule.

Liverpool Echo

• Record number of arrests on Merseyside’s transport networkA RECORD number of arrests were made over the weekend across Merseyside’s transport network.
• Liverpool John Lennon airport: Proposed new security to reduce delaysTHIS is the first image of a planned £12m extension at Liverpool John Lennon airport.

Manchester Evening News

• Trams running on troubled line COMMUTERS were hoping for a smooth ride on Metrolink's troubled Altrincham line today with services back up and running. Engineers have repaired the damage to overhead power lines that stopped trams from operating between Altrincham and Timperley.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Transport group holds Big Day Out The event is a celebration of European Mobility Week and will include transport-related activities for people of all ages. Discount travel vouchers can be downloaded from www.thebigwheel.org.uk/festival or by picking up a leaflet at city venues.

The York Press

• Motorists found to be driving at speeds of up to 128mph on A166 in East Yorkshire A MAJOR crackdown on speeding is to take place after police discovered some motorists were travelling at up to 128mph on a country road.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds Bradford Airport told cut staff car travel or face finesLEEDS Bradford Airport bosses could face tough financial penalties if they fail to persuade more of their staff to get to work by car sharing or on public transport.

Blackpool Gazette

• Free bus ride if you leave car at homeWORKERS were today encouraged to swap their cars for the bus in a bid to make a busy road safer.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Record rail punctuality figures publishedNetwork Rail has announced that 94 per cent of trains arrived on time in Britain during August this year.The organisation's figures for last month also show that year-on-year punctuality improved, reaching a record 91.1 per cent of all services.It is the first time that trains running to time have exceeded 91 per cent over the course of a year and Network Rail director of operations and customer service Robin Gisby claimed that "passengers expect their trains to be on time".He added, that although priorities are altering, "the rail industry recognise that punctuality...

Railnews

• News: Network Rail efficiency savings 'still inadequate' says ORR ONLY two weeks after Network Rail announced 1,800 maintenance jobs are to be cut in a bid to improve efficiency, the UK's rail regulator has said NR's spending plans are

Other News Sources

• Rail firms' punctuality in spotlight More than one in 10 Virgin Trains failed to arrive on time last month, Network Rail figures show.
• Kenilworth and Stratford set for new railway stations? PLANS for two new railway stations in south Warwickshire are moving full steam ahead despite moves for an improved rail network in Coventry hitting the buffers.
• Night bus campaigners to recreate Sutton to Croydon route as protest aginst axed services The campaigners aiming to reinstate the axed N213 night bus were due to recreate the route in a special protest on Tuesday night.
• Boris gets £1bn for Crossrail from Euro Bank THE Crossrail project has received a £1 billion boost from Euro investment. A loan has been agreed by the European Investment Bank, City Hall announced this-morning (Tuesday).
• Regulator threatens action on 'unacceptable' West Coast Main LineThe Office of Rail Regulation has said that Network Rail could still face action over the poor, but improving, performance on the West Coast Main Line.
• Crossrail secures £1bn EIB loanTransport for London (TfL) has secured a massive £1bn loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help fund the giant £15.9bn Crossrail project.
• Talks over rail services disruption
• 'Carrot' car runs on chocs and wine
• EasyJet chooses Dana Dunne as commercial chiefEasyJet has named former AOL Europe CEO Dana Dunne as its new chief commercial officer.
• TfL marketing chief steps downTransport for London group marketing director Nigel Marson is to leave the body at the end of this year.
• Lack of trained engineers threatens low carbon economy Britain's failure to encourage more people into engineering is threatening the country's move to a low carbon economy.