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

Monday, 11 January 2010

BBC News

• Virgin Trains staff plan West Coast Main Line strike Ticket office workers on the West Coast Main Line plan to stage three rush-hour strikes in a row over cutbacks.
• Private parking regulation 'not working' says MP [video]Transport Minister Sadiq Khan has told the BBC that self regulation of private car parking companies 'is not working'.
• Criminals licensed to work as taxi drivers Criminals with convictions for offences such as indecent assault and drug dealing are knowingly being licensed to operate as taxi drivers, an investigation by the BBC programme Inside Out West Midlands has revealed.
• Welsh disabled parking badge scheme to be overhauled Plans to improve the blue badge scheme for disabled parking in Wales has been announced by the assembly government.

Financial Times

• BA faces fresh strike ballotA new ballot on strike action at British Airways will be held this month, the Unite union said yesterday. The union declined to confirm the date of the ballot,...
• Air industry hits at safety measuresAsian airlines and European airport operators have criticised new security measures imposed after the botched Detroit bombing attempt as an ill-judged
• Tanker owners given cold comfortThe freezing conditions across much of the northern hemisphere have brought welcome relief to one group that saw lacklustre earnings or losses throughout 2009 “ the world's oil tanker owners
• Tokyo rejects external funding for JALThe state-backed fund in charge of making Japan Airlines' restructuring plan does not want either Delta or American Airlines to inject capital into the struggling carrier for now

The Guardian

• Motorists face curb on all cars without insurance Motorists have a year to get cover or face fines, even if their vehicles are not used. Are the new rules going too far, too fast?
• High-speed rail plans should benefit us all [letter]Simon Jenkins (High-speed rail will bleed us all for a few rich travellers, 6 January) argues that upgrading existing lines is sufficient to improve north-south rail connections, and a new high-speed line is unnecessary.
• Utility companies forced to share road trenches The London mayor, Boris Johnson, hopes permit scheme will ease traffic congestion

The Herald

• Taxpayers could face bill for millions over ScotRail strike Taxpayers are likely to pick up the tab for a Scotland-wide rail dispute because of a “strike breaker” clause written into the original franchise agreement with ScotRail.

The Independent

• Passenger charged over Heathrow bomb threat An air passenger has been charged with making a bomb threat that grounded a packed jet at Heathrow Airport, police said.

The Telegraph

• The roadworks scam that costs Londoners £1 billion every year Private companies should require a time-limited permit to dig up the roads, says Boris Johnson.
• Snow: Britons urged to 'do their neighbourly bit' as country gets back to work Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, encouraged residents to flout health and safety legislation by gritting the pavements in front of their homes, adding that the conditions demanded "a big dose of common sense and generosity".
• Big freeze to last another week as grit supplies dwindle The big freeze that has disrupted life across the country will continue for at least another week, forecasters have warned, threatening to turn the grit shortage into a full-blown transport crisis.

Times Online

• Chief of Tube Lines in the firing line as the PPP struggles with cut in funding Shortly after Dean Finch arrived in Chicago to run First Group’s American operation, he found a full bullet clip in the executive bathroom of the Laidlaw offices he had just taken over. The police came to the conclusion that since First Group, Mr Finch’s last employer, intended to close down the Laidlaw headquarters, a disgruntled worker might have been minded to use the bullets against First’s head honcho in the US.
• Hydrogen revolution gets a second wind Odourless, colourless and tasteless, hydrogen has been all but invisible in the recent debate about green motoring. In fact, while everyone from car makers to government ministers has been pushing the idea of pure electric and plug-in hybrid cars, hydrogen — once regarded as the most obvious alternative to fossil fuels — appears to have disappeared into thin air.
• Delta and American stall as Japan Airlines heads for bankruptcyA billion-dollar battle between American and Delta to secure a capital alliance with Japan Airlines (JAL) has fizzled out because Asia™s biggest carrier is on a œcountdown to bankruptcy.

Reuters News

• Virgin rail ticket-office staff to strike LONDON (Reuters) - Rail commuters travelling on Britain's busy West Coast line will face rush-hour disruption after ticket-office workers voted to stage three strikes over planned cutbacks.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham to run out grit in 48 hours - table salt ordered for pavementsCOUNCIL bosses have admitted Birmingham will run out of road grit within 48 hours – and have turned to the Government for emergency supplies.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Transport chief's rail-link concerns A Bradford transport chief fears the region is in danger of becoming a œtransport backwater if a proposed fast rail link between Scotland and South of England is built on the west side of the Pennines.

Manchester Evening News

• Council grit their teeth and wait for more salt GRITTING bosses in Greater Manchester are waiting to hear how much extra salt they will get this week as reserves start to run low.

The York Press

• Emergency gritting telephone line for York AN EMERGENCY gritting telephone line has been put in place over this weekend for York residents who need roads and paths treating during the big freeze.
• More rock salt expected in York tomorrow City of York Council is expecting fresh supplies of rock salt tomorrow after it had to resort to rationing rock salt to eke out its existing supplies. The authority warned motorists to take extra care because it was mixing sand with rock salt, which is not as efficient as unmixed rock salt.

Other Regional Press

• Oxfordshire road deaths at 25-year low ROAD deaths in Oxfordshire have plummeted to their lowest level since records began, it emerged last night.

Aviation Industry

• Senators: Punish U.S. officials over airline plotAs the Obama administration begins to address the failings behind the Christmas Day airliner attack, two senators said Sunday the U.S. needs to punish officials, correct security lapses and limit opportunities to join jihad overseas.

Other News Sources

• Anger at bus company as empty vehicles drove past passengers stranded in the snow Anger is mounting in Flintshire, North Wales, after scores of passengers were left stranded in the snow after buses failed to stop to let them board, despite the vehicles being empty.
• Lobby of Parliament in fight to stop rail safety jobs being axed PROTESTERS are to lobby MPs in Parliament to try and stop the axing of 1,500 safety maintenance jobs by Network Rail.
• High-speed rail study handed over The company established to advise ministers on plans for a high-speed rail line between London and Scotland has handed its report to the transport secretary.
• Lancashire stations to be hit by strike Staff at stations in Preston and Lancaster will walk out as part of the action Strikes over plans to shut ticket offices are predicted to cause chaos at Preston and Lancaster train stations this week.
• Cities lose out as salt supplies diverted to rural roads WELSH grit levels have reached “critical levels” it was warned last night, as forecasters predicted the nation could face further snow disruption later this week.
• Transport Minister commends efforts during the big freeze The Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson MSP said Scotland has been "working together" to keep the country moving.
• Lancashire road chief: If it snows again we could run out of gritMORNING UPDATE: A warmer night leaves main roads in Lancashire in their clearest state since for a week as gritting chiefs keep their fingers crossed it does not snow again.
• Govt leaning towards bankruptcy for JALJapan's Government is in favour of Japan Airlines (JAL) entering bankruptcy, and will likely reject offers of financial aid from American Airlines and Delta...
• Green transport becomes more accessible thanks to new vehicle launches A number of green cars will come on to the market in 2010 as green transport options become more accessible.

News from Europe

• Dempsey defends absence during extended cold spell MINISTER'S REACTION: MINISTER FOR Transport Noel Dempsey has defended his absence from the country while on holiday during the extreme weather conditions.