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

Tuesday, 12 January 2010

BBC News

• Transport 'coping' despite freeze [video Sadiq Khan MP]Transport Minister Sadiq Khan has repeated a statement from Lord Adonis on the effects of the prolonged cold weather on the UK.
• Salt shortage talks to continueAgencies in charge of gritting the UK's roads are to meet later to decide what more can be done after local councils agreed to cut their salt use by 25%.
• TfL introduces roadwork permitsA new permit system is introduced by the Mayor of London to reduce disruption for road users across London.
• Tube posters tackle stereotypesLondon Underground (LU) will display posters to help tackle stereotypes about children with disfigurements.
• Probe into rail near miss in snowRail accident investigators look into a near miss involving a freight train and two passenger services.
• Virgin Trains staff plan strikeVirgin Trains ticket office staff plan a series of strikes affecting stations on the West Coast Main Line.
• Doors open at Detroit motor showThe 2010 Detroit motor show gets underway with Ford showcasing its updated Focus compact car.

Financial Times

• US container traffic signals retail optimismThe volume of container traffic going into big North American ports in December showed its first year-on-year rise since the US started sliding into recession two and a half years ago
• Snow takes toll on BAAThe number of passengers travelling through BAA's airports in December fell because of the bad weather, rounding off a tough 2009 for the owner of Heathrow and Stansted

The Guardian

• Boris Johnson blames Margaret Thatcher for roadworks 'disgrace' Boris Johnson today blamed Margaret Thatcher for turning Britain into one of the most "roadwork afflicted nations in the world".

The Herald

• Rail office staff to strike Ticketing staff on a busy cross-border rail route are to stage three rush-hour strikes in a dispute over the introduction of automatic ticket machines.
• Highland villagers’ anger over closure of vital ferry Some of the most westerly communities in the British mainland are predicting weeks of gridlock when the Corran Ferry is suspended, meaning round trips to Fort William will increased by almost 75 miles.
• Air travellers increasingly pick Edinburgh over GlasgowThe gap between Glasgow and Edinburgh airports grew to nearly two million passengers last year as the recession caused the most prolonged crisis the aviation industry has faced, figures published yesterday show.

The Telegraph

• Motorists hit with ghost tickets Motorists across the country are being hit with "ghost" parking tickets as an increasing number of councils are using CCTV to catch offenders.
• British Airways cabin crews pour vintage wine down sink in protest at changes Disaffected crew have resorted to pouring vintage wine down the sink and throwing away unused washbags in protest at changes to working practices.

Times Online

• JAL may leave Oneworld as bankruptcy loomsJapan Airlines (JAL), which is poised to declare bankruptcy and begin a restructuring that would see the carrier slash 16,000 jobs, may also be on the brink of abandoning British Airways and American Airlines by pulling out of the Oneworld alliance.
• Virgin steps up opposition to BA-AA allianceVirgin Atlantic has stepped up its fight against the proposed alliance between British Airways and American Airlines, telling US authorities that the venture should be denied outright.
• China passes US as world's biggest car marketOn the opening day of the Detroit Motor Show 2010 ” a century after the Model T Ford made America forever inseparable from its cars ” China has roared past the United States to become the world™s biggest car market.

Daily Express

• Passenger numbers dive at BAA airportsCOLD winter weather held up a recovery at BAA's British airports towards the end of last year, the Spanish-owned company announced yesterday.

ATOC

• ATOC RESPONSE TO RMT CLAIMSATOC responds to the Rail Maritime and Transport Union™s claims that staff cuts were contributing to problems on the rail network this morning.

Network Rail

• NEW NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS APPOINTED Network Rail announces today enhancement of its board with the appointment of two new non-executive directors - Lawrie Haynes and Janis Kong.

Birmingham Mail

• Midlands councils told to draw up plans to slash gritting routes by 60%SOLIHULL Council tonight revealed it had been asked by Government to draw up plans which would involve reducing the number of gritted roads by 60%.

Bristol Live

• MP demands answers after Severn Beach line closure MP Stephen Williams will meet with First Great Western this week to discuss the closure of the Severn Beach line.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Fears over Newcastle city car park fee risesCAR parking charges are set to rise in Newcastle, sparking claims it’s a stealth tax which will hit city centre shops.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Hopes ball will start rolling on road upgradeA NORTH-EAST councillor wants to œset the ball rolling on improvements to a major road to improve safety and stimulate business.
• Extend lorry drivers™ work hours to help farmers plea Scottish agricultural organisations will press the UK Government today to continue to allow lorry drivers to work extra hours to get fuel and feed supplies to farms.

Peterborough Telegraph

• BAA airports see drop in passengersBAA's airports, which include Stansted in Essex, handled 4.2% fewer passengers in 2009 than in 2008, it has been announced.

Other Regional Press

• Car-free development approvedWATFORD: Plans for a œcar-free development of 12 flats in central Watford have been approved.
• Aberdeen Airport numbers dropPASSENGER numbers at Aberdeen Airport have dropped, new figures today revealed.
• First Aberdeen plans to scrap bus route to ARIFURIOUS bus passengers today said they will be left cut off from Aberdeen™s main hospital.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Norfolk is sneaking a major road through the back door11 January: Norfolk County Council is trying to get planning permission for the first stage of a major road by pretending its a small change to a minor junction. read more

Railnews

• News: Salveson moves from Northern to Grand Central The man who played the lead role in founding the Association of Community Rail Partnerships is on the move again. Paul Salveson is leaving his post at Northern to join open-access operator Grand Central.

Aviation Industry

• December traffic figures: BAA's airportsBAA™s six UK airports handled 8 million passengers in December, down 0.9% on last year. Passengers at airports across Europe and North America were affected by cancellations and disruption arising from fog and snow...
• Aviation emissions must not be allowed to drive carbon budget into the red, say MPsThe management of the carbon budget is as vital as the management of the fiscal budget, says a committee of MPs who have been analysing UK policy to control greenhouse gas emissions. And as emissions from aviation are set to continue growing the Government must ensure that this increase œdoes not impact adversely on the [...]
• Reports: JAL bankruptcy filing nearing; American/Delta bids to be rejectedJapan Airlines is expected to announce within days that it will file for bankruptcy later this month as part of a turnaround plan that will include eliminating 15,600 jobs, according to news reports from Tokyo.
• BA cabin crew could strike in MarchBut bosses hopeful of talks settlement read more

Other News Sources

• More rail staff needed, urges unionA railway union urged the hiring of more staff as it prepared to lobby for a campaign to save maintenance jobs. The Rail Maritime and Transport union warned that Network Rail planned to cut 1,500 jobs. A timetable for a national ballot for industrial action over the cuts is due to be confirmed. and the RMT will seek MPs' support on January 27.
• Rail link could go through DaventryBosses at Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) have said they are "excited" at proposals which could see the building of a freight express link
• "We need £5M to help pay for snow damage" claims roads bossHighways bosses in Northamptonshire will lobby the Government for extra cash to pay for road repairs after damage caused by the severe winter.
• Grit rationing 'not due to poor planning'The Conservatives have claimed that the government's call for less salt to be used to grit roads during the prolonged cold snap is an
• British carbon cutting efforts 'meaningless' The British government is 'falling down' when it comes to delivering effective carbon budgets, an influential group of MPs believe.
• UK should cut carbon by 42% by 2020 Government is on the right track when it comes to cutting carbon but needs to be prepared to make far bigger reductions than are currently thought politically possible.

News from Europe

• Deutsche Bahn Is Interested in Eurostar Stake, CEO Grube Says Deutsche Bahn AG, Germany’s state- owned railway, remains interested in a possible stake in Eurostar Group Ltd, the operator of the Channel tunnel rail link, Chief Executive Officer Ruediger Grube said.

Other Subscription Services

• Port congestion at all-time highCold weather and increased coal demand lead to bulk vessels delays worldwide.
• Clarksons resumes secondhand ship valuationsGuide prices for secondhand ship values restarted as liquidity returns to sale and purchase market.