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

Wednesday, 11 November 2009

BBC News

• Seizure threat over parking fines [video]Drivers in parts of London who fail to pay when given three or more parking fines face having their cars seized.
• Hydrogen buses tested on campus Hydrogen-powered buses are to be tested on Wearside as part of a project to develop greener public transport.

Department for Transport

• London Midland FranchiseParliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport (Chris Mole): My right honourable and Noble Friend the Secretary of State for the Department for Transport (Lord Adonis) has made the following Ministerial Statement: The performance of London Midland on 6 September 2009 fell short of its customers’ expectations and was unacceptable to both passengers and Government.

Financial Times

• Some trips to take longer on high-speed line Some journeys between the English regions and Scotland will take longer after a planned London-Birmingham high-speed rail line opens, the company planning a potential route has concluded.
• GM chief promises cash for new-look OpelThe US carmaker promises a more independent European unit and vows to support it with fresh money after a series of meetings with its management and works council
• Tokyo promises loans to Japan AirlinesJapan is to supply emergency short-term loans to keep the carrier in business while a state-backed corporate turnround agency finalises a plan to restructure the airline
• NatExpress launches cash callThe bus and rail operator is to launch a £370m-£375m rights issue on Wednesday, drawing a line under weeks of speculation over its future

The Scotsman

• Public lends head of steam to rail project AN AMBITIOUS plan to extend Scotland's largest heritage railway has won strong backing from local people and politicians.

The Telegraph

• Dean Finch tapped up for National Express boss Dean Finch, the boss of London Underground maintenance company Tube Lines, has emerged as a leading contender to be the new chief executive of National Express.
• 'Trains are too expensive, use coaches instead', rail head tells staff A Network Rail executive told staff to travel by coach to a conference because trains are too expensive.
• National Express readies heavily discounted £370m cash-call National Express, the debt-laden transport group that has been the subject of three takeover approaches, is expected to launch a deeply-discounted rights issue to raise about £370m on Wednesday.

Times Online

• Financial crisis could force bmi out of business in under a yearBritish Midland (bmi) has admitted that it may not be able to continue as a going concern beyond next year in the face of an acute funding crisis at the airline.
• National Express to launch £350m rights issueNational Express is expected to announce its controversial rights issue today as Renfe, the Spanish state rail operator that has been linked with the company™s former East Coast franchise, confirmed that it was planning to enter the British market.

Press Association

• Rail firm ordered to cut cancellations London Midland, which runs trains from Euston, has been ordered by the Government to cut the level of train cancellations and invest in new information equipment after failing to run most of its services on a Sunday two months ago.
• Train company receives reprimand The Government has branded a train company's performance "unacceptable" after staff shortages caused massive disruption to services earlier this autumn.

The Sun

• Rail boss tells staff to use coaches... because train is too expensive NETWORK rail exec told staff to travel by COACH to conference - as train is too dear

Network Rail

• £3.25BN To be invested in Britain's Train StationsNetwork Rail today unveiled its plans to improve thousands of stations across the country in a five year, £3.25bn, programme of investment. At the same time it launched the first ever piece of passenger research targeting stations.
• Improvements Announced for 240 Midlands' StationsNetwork Rail today unveiled its plans to improve two hundred and forty stations in the Midlands as part of a five year, £3.25bn, programme of investment to develop thousands of stations across the country. At the same time it launched the first ever piece of passenger research targeting stations.

Birmingham Post

• London Midland slammed by Government over cancelled trains A rail operator which caused chaos for passengers after it failed to run trains on a Sunday has been criticised by the Department for Transport and ordered to spend millions of pounds improving services.

Derby Telegraph

• Tories hope to force a U-turn over bus lane TORY councillors have officially demanded that plans for a bus lane on a busy Derby road be reconsidered.

London Evening Standard

• Taxpayers hit with £13million bill for empty Eurostar terminal Taxpayers are to be hit with a bill of up to £13million to keep Waterloo's international terminal in mothballs, the Standard reveals today.

Metro

• London Midland ordered by Government to cut cancellationsRail firm told to improve Sunday service, offer thousands of rover and advance purchase tickets and invest in new information equipment.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Zebra crossing marshals to keep buses moving ZEBRA crossing marshals could be employed to prevent shoppers delaying buses on a busy city centre street. Nottingham City Council is considering providing two marshals for an hour a day, during the lunchtime rush on Mondays to Saturdays, at the zebra crossing outside Boots on Lower Parliament Street.

Railnews

• New American locos for Freightliner arrive in Britain The first American GE PowerHaul locomotives for Freightliner have arrived at Newport in South Wales.
• National Express brand stripped from East Coast ahead of handover The National Express brand is already being stripped from East Coast rolling stock. The process began more than two days before the scheduled handover at the end of Friday evening, and some trains were in service from Wednesday without the National Express title.

Aviation Industry

• London Gatwick Airport welcomes increase in passenger figuresOctober 2009 is the first month since May 2008 which has seen an increase in passenger figures, year-on-year...

Other News Sources

• Tube Lines boss tapped for National Express role Media report this morning suggest that Dean Finch, the former FirstGroup chief operating officer and current head of London Underground infrastructure firm Tube Lines, is a front runner to take on the role of chief executive at National Express Group.
• Network Rail to spend £3.25bn on nationwide station refurb Network Rail is set to spend £3.25 billion on over 2,000 station refurbishments across the UK between now and 2014. The rail operator’s spending on stations will vary between thousands of pounds to over £100 million and it will be asking passengers where they think the money should be spent.
• First Capital Connect Strike UPDATED - St Albans MP To Raise Dispute In Parliament ST Albans MP Anne Main has been given the go ahead to raise the First Capital Connect (FCC) dispute, which has led to a 50 per cent cut in Thameslink services today, in the House of Commons.
• London Midland ordered to cut train cancellations RAIL franchise London Midland has been ordered by the Government to cut the level of train cancellations and invest in new information equipment after failing to run most of its services on a Sunday two months ago.
• London Midland cancelled 7,500 trains in one year Union bosses have called on the Government to renationalise London Midland after the train company was handed a notice to improve following more than 7,500 train cancellations in one year.
• Meet The Train Makers, Part 3: TalgoIn 2008, Spanish manufacturer Talgo shocked the world when it announced that it was developing a train called Avril with a top speed of 236 mph. If the company fulfills that objective by next year as currently planned, it could play a major role in the world high-speed rail market, especially in the United States, where it already has a small foothold. For now, however, Talgo remains a marginal player whose fast train products operate in Spain alone.
• Meet The Train Makers, Part 4: The JapaneseWith more than 300 million annual riders, Japan’s Shinkansen trains (better known to westerners as “bullet trains”) carry more passengers than those of any other high-speed rail system. But unlike the equivalent French or German trains, well known as the flagships of their respective rolling stock manufacturers Alstom and Siemens, Shinkansen trains are not associated as the product of any one company. Rather, over the years they have been constructed by a series of mix-and-match consortia of industrial conglomerates. In Japan, high-speed trains are a cooperative effort.
• MP to lobby minister for better road A section of Shropshire’s A5 has been the scene of more than 50 deaths since the case for it being made into a dual carriageway was thrown out.
• Greg challenges Labour MPs over lowering rail fares on nationalised East Coast line Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman Greg Stone has challenged Newcastle's Labour MPs to support Early Day Motion 1852 which has so far attracted support from 83 MPs of all parties. However, none of Newcastle's Labour MPs have signed up, despite the Government's recent takeover of the main East Coast route serving the city.
• Interview Keith Ludeman: Going for growth Keith Ludeman is chief executive of Go Ahead, one of the UK’s large bus and train groups. James Dark spoke to him about his strategy for getting more people to use public transport
• DHL takes over M&S work from WincantonDHL Supply Chain has taken over the road transport element of the Marks & Spencer (M&S) store equipment contract in Uttoxeter from Wincanton.
• Adonis finds London Midland in breach of franchise Transport secretary Lord Adonis has found train operator London Midland to be in breach of its franchise agreement after it was forced to make cuts to weekend services following a shortage of drivers.
• Farcical London Midland situation should never have been allowed to happen – Baker “Passengers have enough to worry about with rising fares and overcrowding, they should not have to second guess whether there will be enough drivers," said the Liberal Democrat Shadow Transport Secretary.
• Lichfield MP calls for long-term solutions for rail passengers Michael Fabricant – who has long campaigned on the standard of services provided to rail travellers in the city – made is comments in response to a statement by Lord Adonis.

News from Europe

• Right time for large wagon order EUROPE: International Railway Systems has announced a contract to supply 'several hundred' 95m3 Zacns tank wagons to leasing firm GATX Rail Europe in 2009-10, with options for more. The exact number of vehicles is not being disclosed.