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

Saturday, 05 December 2009

BBC News

• GM plans new small car for IndiaGeneral Motors plans to form a new venture with its Chinese partner, SAIC, to focus on the small car market in India.
• UK car sales up 57.6% in NovemberUK car sales rose by 57.6% in November compared with a year earlier, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says.

Financial Times

• Acting GM chief launches major reshuffleThree days after sacking Fritz Henderson as chief executive, General Motors™ acting CEO Ed Whitacre put his stamp on the US carmaker with a major management reshuffle
• China Shipbuilding to launch $2.2bn IPOChina Shipbuilding Industry Corporation, the country's biggest ship equipment maker, said it would raise up to $2.2bn in a Shanghai initial public offering
• Singapore's Tiger Airways plans IPOTiger Airways, the Singapore-based low-cost airline, is planning an initial public offering in January to raise about $500m
• Germany to run northern metroDeutsche Bahn wins a seven-year contract to operate the Tyne and Wear Metro. It will take over employment of the drivers, signallers and other operational staff from April 1

The Guardian

• UK car sales rise 60%New car registrations boosted by government's scrappage scheme and customers wanting to avoid January's VAT increaseCar sales in Britain jumped by nearly 60% last month, boosted by a combination of the government's car scrappage scheme, customers wanting to avoid the upcoming VAT increase and the sales slump seen a year ago.New car registrations increased by 57.6% from November 2008 when sales suffered a steep decline as the financial crisis deepened, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said. The figure reached 158,082, in line with the volumes seen in November 2007, but down...

The Telegraph

• Airport operators call on the Government to drop new tax Questions are raised over 'environmental' aim of Air Passenger Duty. Charles Starmer-Smith reports.

Times Online

• London First calls on mayor to ease pain of rate demand Individual London businesses could pay a smaller contribution to the cost of Crossrail if Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, decides in the next fortnight to reduce the supplementary business rate.
• GM and Chinese partner join forces in IndiaEd Whitacre, chairman and acting chief executive of General Motors, underlined his determination to speed up the pace of change at the troubled US carmaker with a further shake-up of overseas operations and more senior management changes, just three days after he replaced chief executive Fritz Henderson.
• Car sales accelerate as scrap scheme nears endNew car registrations surged by more than 57 per cent last month as buyers rushed to take advantage of the Government™s œcash for bangers car scrappage scheme and the lower rate of VAT.
• Gatwick™s owner unveils changes to improve airportGatwick™s new owners have thrown down the gauntlet to BAA by poaching the boss of Stansted and promising improved service standards at Britain™s second-largest airport.
• General Motors looks for expansion in India as restructuring plan centres on emerging marketsEd Whitacre, the chairman and acting chief executive of General Motors, yesterday underlined his determination to speed up the pace of change at the troubled US carmaker with a further shake-up of overseas operations and more senior management changes, just three days after he replaced Fritz Henderson, the chief executive.

The Mirror

• New Bentley Mulsanne has expensive whiffBritish car-maker Bentley has unveiled its latest motor.

Network Rail

• YOUTHS URGED TO FIGHT AGAINST RAILWAY CRIME IN NEWPORTThe battle to combat rail crimes in Newport, a top hotspot in south Wales, has begun.  St Joseph boxing club will be receiving a £10k funding boost from Network Rail to get more young people taking up new sporting skills and away from the temptation of misbehaving on the railway.
• BOOST FOR BUSINESS AS NETWORK RAIL REVAMPS ARCHES IN NEWCASTLE

Metro

• Scrappage fillip for new car salesNew car sales soared last month as consumers took advantage of the Government's car scrappage scheme.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• German firm wins contract to run Metro trainsMILLIONS of pounds of Government cash will secure the future of Metro, following the selection of a new firm to run the railway, bosses say.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Be brighter, cyclists toldCommuting cyclists who wear dark clothing on the roads have been urged by police to make themselves more visible to motorists.

Wales Online

• Train strike plans could cause 'massive disruption'RAIL services across South Wales face “massive disruption” as hundreds of signalling workers prepare to strike.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: Record breath tests on way for driversPolice aim to carry out a record number of roadside breath tests in the run-up to Christmas.
• Dead Leeds railway worker namedA railway worker who died after being hit by a train near Leeds City Station was today named.
• Proposals for bus contract scheme backed by Leeds MPLeeds MP Greg Mulholland is backing proposals that would force West Yorkshire's bus companies to put the needs of passengers before their own profits.

Sunderland Echo

• Mobility scooter driver over the limitDISABLED Neil McGarley has been banned from the roads after being caught drink-driving on his mobility scooter.

The Shields Gazette

• Nexus under fire over German dealA GERMAN rail company is set to take over the running of Metro services in Tyne and Wear.

Railnews

• News: German bid for Tyne & Wear Metro wins preferred status Deutsche Bahn is the preferred bidder to operate Tyne & Wear Metro from April next year. DB Regio has beaten an in-house bid from Tyne & Wear PTE, which had also won through to the final shortlist. The change has been vigorously opposed by the unions.

Other News Sources

• FTSE close: EasyJet, BA up; RBS down17.00:The Footsie jumped nearly 70 points today in response to surprisingly good US jobs figures, but fizzled back down to moderate gains
• Scottish drivers get cheapest car coverScottish motorists are most likely to get cheap car insurance, while those in the North West and Midlands pay the most, new figures show
• DAF warns over likely price risesDAF is warning that truck prices will have to rise next year to compensate for the fall in Sterling against the Euro, which has pushed the Dutch manufacturer's costs up by more than 36%.
• NI transport regulator must be independent The new regulator of Northern Ireland's O-licensing system must be granted the same independence as Traffic Commissioners (TC) are in the rest of the UK, industry experts argue.
• Twelve firms share £300M Highways Agency packageThe Highways Agency has awarded 12 firms work on its £300M framework for highways construction framework for the North West and West Midlands for the period 2009-2013.
• Int™l Register of Shipping and SCM AgreementInternational Register of Shipping has signed another international bilateral agreement of collaboration. The agreement with Ships Classification Malaysia (SCM) will enhance safety and security in navigation and help prevent marine pollution, as well as promote technical and educational cooperation and encourage joint ventures in ship survey...
• EU Formulates New Road Transport Rules Which Will Lead To Fairer Competition And Less Red TapeNew regulations modernising the rules governing road transport come into force today and are expected to generate administrative savings of €190 million a year. The so-called road package simplifies and clarifies the legal framework for the 900,000 European road transport undertakings engaged in the transport of goods or passengers.
• Green Bus Fund pays out to Manchester operatorsStagecoach Manchester will invest £5.7m in a fleet of state-of-the-art greener hybrid buses with 30 per cent less carbon emissions than standard vehicles.

Other Subscription Services

• French owners close to securing guaranteesUp to €150m to be made available for troubled owners.
• AP Moller-Maersk returns to bond marketAims to raise further $700m