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

Thursday, 07 January 2010

BBC News

• UK bus industry inquiry launchedThe Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has referred the UK's local bus services to the Competition Commission over concerns about pricing.
• True grit... freeze puts salt miners on seven-day weekMore than 30,000 tonnes of salt is being dragged from the bowels of the earth under County Antrim every week as part of the battle to keep the UK's road network open.
• Freeze to hit transport servicesTransport officials warn of further disruption to services as freezing conditions continue to grip Greater Manchester.
• US car firms see sales collapseUS carmakers report plummeting sales of their vehicles in 2009 following a tough year for the industry.
• Excess baggage bill brings down Thai Airways bossThe executive chairman of Thai Airways quits over allegations that he deliberately evaded at least $5,000 in excess baggage charges.
• BA to hold fresh talks with unionBritish Airways is to hold fresh talks with its main union in a bid to avert the renewed threat of strike action by cabin crew.

Financial Times

• BA sees fresh fall in traffic numbersBritish Airways reports another poor set of monthly passenger numbers while low-cost rival EasyJet unveils stronger figures

The Telegraph

• The Thames – could we finally be starting to grasp this magnificient opportunity? “Think of the river as a giant bypass. For passengers, a giant bypass of most of the difficulties in travelling around London – traffic jams, points failures, congested tracks, snow, highly relevant today of course. And for policymakers, for you guys, a giant bypass of every single one of the usual miseries that bedevil your task of improving transport in this city.
• Local bus services referred to Competition Commission by OFTThe Office of Fair Trading has referred local bus services - excluding London and Northern Ireland - to the Competition Commission claiming there was evidence that limited competition was pushing up prices.
• Travel websites crash as thousands log on to check snow disruption Thousands of people searching for travel information amid record snowfall across the UK caused a surge in demand which led many key websites to crash.
• Minister's letter scuppers hope of a deal on ports ratesThe row over back-dated business rates totalling £50m-£75m for Britain's port companies has escalated after the Government gave its strongest hint yet that it is not prepared to compromise on the issue.
• New Cunard cruise liner floated for first time in TriesteThe new Cunard cruise liner Queen Elizabeth, the successor to the QE2, has been floated for the first time in a ceremony in an Italian shipyard.

Times Online

• OFT refers bus industry on poor service and pricesThe Office of Fair Trading (OFT) today referred local bus services across the UK to the Competition Commission, following an investigation that found limited competition is resulting in higher prices and lower quality for customers.
• London Underground must dig itself out of a hole in dispute over upgrade costsLondon Underground has been called before the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Arbiter by the end of the week to explain new information that has emerged about the cost of upgrading the Victoria Line.
• BA and cabin crew to meet with an eye on settlementUnion leaders representing British Airways cabin crew have agreed to hold talks with the airline this week in an attempt to reach a negotiated settlement of a dispute that has threatened to disrupt services.

Press Association

• Commuters sore over rail amenitiesToilets, waiting rooms and train arrival times are the things rail passengers most want to see improved at stations, a report has revealed.

ATOC

• TRAIN COMPANIES SET UP DEDICATED SNOW INFORMATION LINETrain companies have this morning set up a dedicated information line for passengers affected by snow disruption.

Network Rail

• SAMARITANS AND NETWORK RAIL JOIN FORCES TO REDUCE SUICIDE ON THE RAILWAYS

Birmingham Mail

• Travellers stranded as Birmingham Airport shut overnightAirports across the country were battling to reopen today after the blizzard conditions caused havoc for thousands of travellers.

Liverpool Post

• Knowsley Council reduces number of roads to grit due to salt shortageTHE current prolonged severe winter conditions have impacted upon the availability of rock salt across the country. As a result Knowsley Council has reprioritised the roads within its standard road gritting regime.

London Evening Standard

• BA numbers 4.4% down after strike threatBritish Airways enjoyed an encouraging last month of 2009, according to passenger figures
• Gatwick and Luton close with more than 500 flights cancelledThousands struggle home as latest Arctic blast paralyses roads, rail and airports

Nottingham Evening Post

• Grit deliveries will avert shortageNOTTS County Council is expecting a delivery of 800 tonnes of grit tomorrow. This means main roads will be able to be gritted until the weekend.
• Students shoot transport shortCITY students are producing a film on the correct use of public transport. Primary school pupils will also feature in the short film for Nottingham City Transport.
• Consultation opens on bus plugsCONTROVERSIAL traffic restrictions in Gedling will not be removed, despite an election pledge that they would be scrapped.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Transport minister ’in the dark’ LIBERAL Democrats say they are “alarmed” that Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson knew nothing of a plan to reopen a Highland railway station in a strategy document he signed off.
• Call to clear up body scanner confusion THE UK Government is being urged to clarify whether body scanners will be introduced at airports such as Inverness, Dundee, Tiree and Sumburgh on Shetland.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Tories could scupper Yorks bus ActA PLAN to wrestle away control over routes and fares from West Yorkshire's bus companies could be scuppered if the Tories win the next General Election, the YEP can reveal

Yorkshire Post

• Chaos as roads shut and bus services pulledARTCIC temperatures and widespread ice are causing a new round of disruption today as the big freeze keeps its grip on the county.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Hundreds stranded at airportHundreds have been stranded at Stansted after snow forced airport officials to shut the runway.

Other Regional Press

• Fuel costs level outMotorists who shop around for more economical fuel could be wasting their time, claims a study.
• Aberdeen council chiefs to review state of roadsCOUNCIL bosses will carry out a major health check on the state of Aberdeen™s roads “ once the ice finally thaws.

Other News Sources

• MP's bid to help young people access public transport in South GloucestershireAN MP is continuing his fight to help young people access public transport in South Gloucestershire. Northavon MP Steve Webb recently wrote to First Bus about the company reducing the bus fare for young people on the 309 service, which links Bristol city centre with Thornbury via Alveston and Almondsbury
• Passengers still waiting for the looPassengers want to see more station toilets, waiting rooms and better information on train arrival-times prioritised in works to improve small and medium-sized stations. The national passenger watchdog has asked passengers their views on what improvements should be made to small to medium-sized stations as part of planning for the five year National Stations Improvement Programme (NSIP).
• Railway forum demise shows railway industry cannot get it togetherThe Railway Eye blog reports that the Railway Forum has quietly been put to death, even though its website makes no mention of this. Indeed, it still has the smiley face of its director general - a grand title for an organisation with a staff of fewer than half a dozen - Paul Martin stressing that the organisation has membership across the rail industry.
• Expansion plans at Glasgow AirportGlasgow Airport has announced plans to expand ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The Scottish city will be hosting the sporting event in 2014 and the travel hub has revealed it will be spending £25 million on increasing its capacity and improving its road infrastructure. Runway lighting and work on the airfield taxiway will be carried out and passengers will also benefit from a new food court. This year, £12 million will be spent on construction and the remaining amount - £13 million - will be invested into the project the following year. Amanda McMillian, managing director at Gla...
• Staff to go at East Midlands AirportEast Midlands Airport has announced that staff will be made redundant due to fewer flights running from the travel hub.A reduced number of passengers travelling from the airport was also to blame, according to G4S Aviation Services, the organisation responsible for the employment of these staff. Up to 30 security workers could lose their jobs, however, the union Unite has said it will work to ensure as few people as possible are laid off. East Midlands Airport Officials said that the safety of passengers would not be compromised by the move. "The importance of passenger safety remains par...
• Maersk improves weight systemsMAERSK Line is trialling new software that will provide cargo planners with accurate weights of containers.
• Box ship scrapping stays strongMORE vintage container ships have been earmarked for scrapping over the last week at the start of what is likely to be another bumper year for box ship demolition.
• DPW seeks London listingDP World will seek listing on the London Stock Exchange in the second quarter of this year.
• Tallinn's results defy recessionTALLINN in Estonia has reported that 2009 port turnover grew by 8% from the previous year and totalled 1,265Bn kroons ($116.3Bn).