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

Friday, 20 November 2009

BBC News

• Call to halt station demolition A national charity is urging Network Rail to halt plans which could see the demolition of a Victorian Suffolk station building.
• First test for record solar plane The prototype of a solar-powered plane destined for a record round-the-world journey has made its first trip across a runway.
• Virgin staff strike is called offA planned strike by Virgin Trains booking office staff at five mainline stations on Friday is called off after a legal challenge by the firm.

Financial Times

• Berlin forces up Emirates' business faresBerlin has forced Emirates to raise the prices of business class tickets on flights out Germany as concerns about the Middle East's largest airline grow as it expands into continental Europe

The Independent

• World’s largest high-speed rail system set to seduce China’s commuters The Chinese Government's grand plans to link the entire nation by high-speed electric train are steaming ahead, with 2012 now set as the date when the system will overtake Europe's as the world largest.

The Telegraph

• Cities bid to start national grid for electric carsThe first steps in setting up a national grid dedicated to electric cars has been announced by the Government.

Mail Online

• Revealed: 50 oil tankers loitering off British coast as they lie in wait for fuel price hikes
• Troubled bmi eyes drastic cost cuts Cash-starved airline bmi is set to reveal a series of harsh cost-cutting measures that could include hundreds of job cuts and some route closures.

The Mirror

• Trains, buses face collapse Public transport would collapse under the strain if half Britain's car users switched to greener buses and trains, a report predicts.

Birmingham Post

• Virgin Trains staff call off Friday rush hour strikeA planned strike by Virgin Trains booking office staff at Birmingham New Street and Coventry railway stations has been called off after a legal challenge by the company.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Airport expansion plan decision delayed Bristol International Airport bosses will have to wait until February to hear whether their £150 million expansion plans will get the green light. A decision from North Somerset Council on the airport's proposal had been expected on December 9.

Liverpool Echo

• Ryanair announces extra aircraft for Liverpool John Lennon Airport for new routes to Italy and Poland RYANAIR announced a summer expansion programme for Liverpool’s John Lennon airport today. The Irish carrier will add two extra Boeing 737-800 jets, taking its fleet complement at JLA to eight, to service three new routes and more frequency on four existing routes.

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail paid us £800k too little for property, say Soho landlordsRetired couple attacked Crossrail after they were forced to sell their Soho property to make way for the east-west London rail line
• Commuters saved as Virgin strikes called offStrikes by ticket office staff at Virgin Trains which would have caused travel chaos at Euston tomorrow were dramatically called off following a legal challenge

Manchester Evening News

• Passengers make the most of free trams THOUSANDS of Metrolink passengers were riding trams for free again today after transport chiefs granted them a second fare holiday.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Scott backs railway crossings clarity callLIBERAL Democrat leader Tavish Scott has backed calls by Highland councillors for greater clarity on who is responsible for safety at railway level crossings.

Carlisle News & Star

• Services suspended after train hits tree on Cumbrian main rail lineTrain services are suspended on the West Coast Main Line tonight after a freight train hit a tree at Southwaite.

Reading Evening Post

• Delays expected on Waterloo line until January Flood damage to a railway bridge on the Reading to Waterloo line is expected to disrupt journeys for commuters into the new year.

Other News Sources

• Residents group adopts Birkdale Railway Station A RESIDENTS’ group has adopted Birkdale railway station. Birkdale Civic Society has officially adopted the station. One of the roles of the society is to help improve the local facilities.
• DHL wins £22.5m contract extension for Heathrow Consolidation CentreHeathrow Airport Limited (HAL) has extended its contract with DHL Supply Chain for the operation of the Heathrow Consolidation Centre (HCC) until October 2012. The contract, worth around £9 million a year, will extend the partnership for the consolidation of deliveries to 323 retail and catering outlets, pubs and restaurants within the airport beyond the duration of the London Olympic Games when passenger levels are expected to rise. The new agreement has almost doubled in size for DHL and supports significant investment at the HCC including a new mezzanine floor which will increase capacity and provide additional services to retailers and other airport businesses.
• The Future Is Bright For Prestwick Airport AIRPORT chiefs are optimistic for the future at Prestwick. They insist that the massive 28 per cent drop in passenger numbers in the last year won’t damage the airport’s long term prospects.
• Tram car parks plan ADDITIONAL car parking spaces could be provided for commuters using Metrolink stations at Whitefield and Radcliffe.
• Level crossing complaints reach rail company chiefCOMPLAINTS about level crossing barriers that stay down during rush hour at Ash railway station have reached Network Rail’s chief executive. The barriers close over Guildford Road, a major route between Aldershot and Guildford, for up to 10 minutes on weekday mornings.
• Call to safeguard the future of Hayle railway station MPs Julia Goldsworthy and Andrew George are calling for a meeting with First Great Western and Network Rail to safeguard the future of Hayle railway station.
• MP Seeks Assurances That Train Services On The Great Northern Line Will Not Be Affected By Industrial ActionROYSTON MP Oliver Heald is seeking assurances that rail services will not be interrupted by industrial action in the run up to Christmas. Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Heald asked transport minister Chris Mole if he could reassure commuters using the Great Northern line, which runs through Royston and other stations in Crow country, that there will not be a "rolling series of disputes" in the coming weeks.
• East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy Response London TravelWatch has submitted its response to Network Rail’s draft East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy.
• Norwich NDR decision 'by Christmas' Norfolk could be given a Christmas present from the government of a go-ahead for the Norwich Northern Distributor Route. Transport minister Chris Mole told the Commons last night that it hoped to be able to announce a decision “by Christmas”. It was working hard to resolve outstanding issues and to complete its assessment of the scheme in time for that, he said.
• Meet The Train Makers, Part 6: ChinMore than any other country, China has taken advantage of the recession to pursue a reconstruction of its transportation networks. And with hundreds of billions of dollars slated for construction of new high-speed railways, China’s future increasingly seems to be one that will be defined by its trains.
• Smaller airports pose bigger pollution threat than suspectedWashington, Nov 19 (IANS) Air pollution poses a largely overlooked threat to people living near smaller regional airports, says a new study.
• HS2 boss backs line north of BirminghamA new high speed rail network should serve cities along both the east and west of the UK, a senior government advisor revealed this week.
• 'Transition fuels' to pave way for carbon-free carsAlternative fuels could bridge the transition to low-carbon road transport as electric cars remain a thing of the future, a roundtable at the European Parliament heard yesterday (18 November).
• New £47m rail link for Ipswich A MAJOR engineering project costing up to £47m to enable freight trains from Felixstowe to avoid the Olympic Games site is expected to start next year in Ipswich.
• East of England Development Agency Publishes Report On Carbon Footprint Of Transport In the RegionCrucial evidence published today on transport™s carbon footprint in the East of England will inform future policy development on how the region can start to tackle climate change now.
• Biggest-ever cruise ship unveiledBiggest-ever cruise ship unveiled

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News from Europe

• Swissport wins Munich Airport ground handling licence Swissport International, the world's leading aviation services company, has been awarded a ground handling licence for Munich Airport. Swissport and its local joint-venture partner Losch Airport Service won the corresponding tender process against various well-known competitors. The seven-year licence will enable Swissport/Losch to provide ramp (apron) services at the airport. These operations have now been scheduled to commence on 1 March 2010.
• Germany tells non-EU airlines to raise prices FRANKFURT, Nov 19 (Reuters) - The German government is putting pressure on airlines, including Dubai-based Emirates [EMIRA.UL], to raise business class prices on some routes so they don't undercut European carriers.
• Airlines must pay for delays over three hours AIRLINES WILL have to pay compensation to passengers who experience delays of more than three hours following a ruling from the European Court of Justice yesterday.