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

Friday, 11 December 2009

BBC News

• Commuters 'snub rail station GPs'NHS walk-in centres near train stations are not popular with commuters and cost too much, say researchers.
• Rise in UK air passenger numbersUK air passenger numbers see their first monthly increase since March 2008, according to airport operator BAA.
• Train drivers to strike over payTrain drivers at Southern Railway are to strike on 28 December in a row over bank holiday pay, their union says.

Times Online

• Electric cars to be spared company-car tax for five years Electric cars will be exempt from company car tax for five years from April and electric vans will be spared capital tax payments.
• Bicycles to go on hire for £1 a day in LondonAnyone brave enough to do battle with the Central London traffic will from next summer be able to hire a bicyle for £1 a day and travel between meetings, parks, restaurants or galleries.

Reuters News

• Southern train drivers to strike over Bank Holiday payLONDON (Reuters) - Train drivers at Southern Rail are due to strike on December 28 in a row over Bank Holiday pay, their union Aslef said on Thursday.

Liverpool Echo

• Alistair Darling speeds up rail electrification between Liverpool, Manchester and PrestonSPEEDY rail services between Liverpool, Manchester and Preston will be delivered within four years.
• Transport minister Sadiq Khan leaves door open for revived Merseytram schemeTHE Government has left the door firmly open for a revived Merseytram Line 1 to the city centre.

London Evening Standard

• Train drivers to strike in Bank Holiday pay rowTrain drivers on some of the country's busiest rail routes are to stage a 24-hour strike just after Christmas in a row over Bank Holiday pay

The News (Portsmouth)

• Southern train drivers set to strikeTrain drivers on the coastal route between Portsmouth and Brighton are to stage a 24-hour strike just after Christmas in a row over Bank Holiday pay, it was announced today.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: Last-ditch talks in bid to head off bus strikesTalks were taking place today in a last-ditch bid to avert a Leeds bus strike.

The Economist

• Expanding Heathrow airport: Clearer skies?Some think aviation can be both bigger and greenerCLIMATE change is not bad news for everyone. To those living beneath the flight paths of busy airports such as Heathrow and Stansted, it brings hope of relief. Schemes to expand these airports to accommodate 570m passengers a year across Britain by 2050, up from 230m passengers today, could not possibly survive plans to cut Britain’s carbon emissions by 80% by the same date, or so residents hoped.Yet last January, to their dismay—and to the outrage of climate campaigners—ministers approved a third runway at Britain’s big...

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Scrappage scheme given carmakers The government's vehicle scrappage scheme has increased registrations of new vehicles in the UK since its launch during a difficult economic period, one expert has claimed.Retail Motor Industry Federation director Sue Robinson declared it has "played a vital role in the stimulation of the motor retail sector" and revealed that the organisation is considering lobbying for the programme to be extended beyond its February deadline.She pointed to data from the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills showing 282,898 orders have been placed via the initiative, which provides ...

Railnews

• News: Major probe announced into rail ’value for money’ The Chancellor of the Exchequer has announced a major inquiry into whether rail is currently offering value for money. Alastair Darling has also confirmed that electrification is to go ahead on the Great Western Main Line and between Liverpool and Manchester.

Transport for London

• Tube pay offer accepted by ASLEF unionSeventy per cent of members vote to accept pay deal.

Aviation Industry

• November traffic figures - BAA's airportsBAA™s UK airports handled a total of 9.9m passengers in November. This amounted to an increase of 0.8% over the same month last year. More significantly it marked the first time since March 2008 that BAA™s airports have recorded a collective increase, and follows a six-month run of gradually improving results
• London Gatwick Airport records positive traffic growth in NovemberFor the second consecutive month London Gatwick Airport has recorded positive year-on-year traffic growth.

Other News Sources

• London Gatwick Airport records positive traffic growth in NovemberFor the second consecutive month London Gatwick Airport has recorded positive year-on-year traffic growth.
• Train drivers to strike after Christmas Train drivers at Southern Railways are to strike on December 28 in a row over Bank Holiday pay.Related StoriesThe Queen gets tough on the paparazziCepia LLC: Hamster toy is safe to Go GoMarco Pierre White serves up Finnish XmasSo beer it is... Merry ChristmasHarry Potter's DVD sales are magic
• London Underground 'Not culpable' for Jubilee overrunsSignalling upgrades on the Jubilee Line are running up to 9 months behind schedule according to Transport for London today, and they are putting pressure on tube upgrade contractor Tube Lines to prevent it from paying shareholders while the upgrade is delayed.
• Can Cars and Bikes Co-Exist?The number of bike commuters has increased and bicycling awareness has grown in recent years. However,accidents are still occurring and injuries are often severe.
• Train drivers to strike over paySome train drivers in England are due to strike in a row over bank holiday pay.
• Climate change fight need not mean end to growth in aviationThe fight against climate change need not mean the end to growth in aviation, according to a report by the Committee on Climate Change (CCC).
• DfT unveils ATOL consultationThe Department for Transport (DfT) has unveiled plans to improve the ATOL scheme in a 12-week consultation launched today.
• China's Rail Programme Receives $1 Billion Boost In Funding From ADBThe People™s Republic of China (PRC) is to receive up to $1 billion from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in a landmark program to support cleaner, safer and more energy efficient railway services in poor southwest regions of the country.