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

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

BBC News

• Bumpy rideWhy is snow so bad for potholes in the road?
• Japan Airlines shares plunge 45%Japan Airlines shares drop to a record low as investors fear it is headed for bankruptcy, despite an improved offer from American Airlines.

Financial Times

• JAL wins approval to cut pensions by 30%Japan Airlines has won the two-thirds of support it needs from its retirees to cut their pensions by 30 per cent. The approval comes after a 44.8 per cent plunge in the struggling carrier's stock to an all-time low of Y37

The Guardian

• Can the train take the strain? Researchers have analysed the environmental impact of the proposed US high-speed rail system. From environmentalresearchweb, part of the Guardian Environment Network
• Gritting to halve to protect salt stocksReduction necessary to keep key routes open through winter, says transport secretary Lord AdonisThe government has ordered councils and the Highways Agency to reduce gritting levels by up to 50% after admitting that major roads could be closed as salt supplies run dangerously low across Britain.The transport secretary, Lord Adonis, said the drastic reduction in grit use would ensure that key local roads and motorways stayed open for the rest of the winter.With weather conditions improving in some areas, pressure on transport networks has eased, but tonight more snow was forecast over the moors...

The Herald

• Allied team makes start on travel electric dream At the Allied Vehicles factory in Possil, Glasgow, the countdown is well under way for a project somewhat different from the company’s main business of making taxis.
• Road repair cash runs outMotorists have been warned that damage caused to Scotland™s roads by the recent freeze could take years to fully repair after it emerged many councils have already exhausted funds to cope with the ravages of winter.
• Banned bus firm hires Clifford in bid to repair reputationA bus firm that was ordered off the road for trying to imitate Stagecoach services has enlisted the help of publicity guru Max Clifford in an attempt to improve its battered reputation.
• New law bans shining lasers at an aircraftGlasgow has emerged as a hotspot for the dangerous trend of shining laser beams in the eyes of pilots as they take off and land, after new laws were introduced to make doing so a criminal offence.

The Independent

• Councils told to cut their grit use by 50 per cent The amount of grit spread on Britain's icy roads needs to be reduced by up to 50 per cent in an effort to preserve dwindling stocks of salt, the Transport Secretary said yesterday.

The Scotsman

• More roads misery on 'coldest day'The cold snap has returned with a vengeance on what is traditionally the chilliest day of the year as heavy snow, a lack of grit, potholes and freezing temperatures create yet

The Telegraph

• Motorists warned of 'dire' conditions on roads as grit rations halved Drastic rationing will lead to accidents and long delays, motoring groups said, with more snow forecast.

Times Online

• Business big shots: Janis Kong and Lawrie HaynesRick Haythornthwaite, the non-executive chairman of Network Rail, has been strengthening the boardroom™s non-executive team as the company positions itself to be first choice to oversee construction of a new high-speed line.
• Saab, yours for $1 $“ but only if you convince GM about viabilitySaab, the Swedish carmaker, could be sold for a nominal $1, but only if the buyer can convince General Motors that it has a sustainable long-term business plan for the brand.$
• Conservatives set railway battle linesTrain operators would be freed under a Conservative government from Whitehall œmicromanagement when buying new fleets and setting timetables, the Shadow Transport Secretary will promise today.
• Airbus invokes doomsday in plea for cashThe chief executive of Airbus made an impassioned plea yesterday to European governments, including Britain, to bail out its new military transport aircraft or jeopardise the group™s future.

Network Rail

• WORKINGTON RAIL VIADUCT ˜WEATHERPROOFED™
• NETWORK RAIL AWARDS WAVERLEY RENEWAL CONTRACT·         Balfour Beatty wins three year £50m deal

Manchester Evening News

• More misery as trams left crippled DESPITE the thaw Metrolink passengers face further misery after the freezing conditions damaged trams. The M.E.N. can reveal that the very low temperatures have sidelined a number of the units which propel the trams leaving the Bury and Altrincham services effectively cut in half.

Blackpool Gazette

• £100m tram bid hits the buffersTHE £100m revamp of Blackpool's tram network has hit the buffers after the Government ordered an 11th hour review of the plans.

Bucks Free Press

• £48,000 cycle route to link Bourne End and HoltspurA NEW cycleway is to be launched in the summer with one part of the route linking Bourne End to Holtspur.

Carlisle News & Star

• CUMBRIAN UNION BOSS BLASTS TRAIN FIRMS OVER NO PAY THREAT A rail union boss has blasted Virgin Trains and Northern Rail for telling their workers they won’t be paid if they don’t go to work in the bad weather.

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

• Fears over state of Kirklees roads beneath the snowAN opposition councillor has criticised the Labour Cabinet for planning to cut the highways budget by £18m over the next three years.
• Plane worry as airport figures fallThe 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.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Regions must act to improve local transport plans12 January: I've just written to all the regional government offices to ask them to make sure that the latest round of local transport plans have serious targets for cutting CO2 from transport. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Norbert Dentressangle wins Highways Agency dealNorbert Dentressangle has been selected by the UK's Highways Agency for a new warehousing and distribution contract.Under the terms of the four-year deal, the logistics firm will be responsible for storing around 1,500 stock-keeping units on behalf of the Department for Transport's executive agency at its shared-user warehouse in Telford.The choice of Norbert Dentressangle for the agreement followed a competitive tender process and it covers items relating to the maintainance of roadside telephones, electronic signs and cameras serving the UK's network.Highways Agency manager Nigel Dovell said...

Transport for London

• Local cycling boosted as TfL increases grants for community groupsGrants of up to £10,000 now available for cycling enthusiasts keen to promote cycling in their community.
• Invitation to tender issued for redevelopment of Bond Street Tube stationTransport for London (TfL) today confirmed that it has issued the invitation to tender for the redevelopment of Bond Street Tube station.

Other News Sources

• Bid to reopen Sharpness railway line COMMUNITY leaders are supporting a bid for up to £400,000 in lottery cash to help reopen the Sharpness branch railway line.
• London TravelWatch calls for Oyster Extension Permits to be scrapped London’s passenger watchdog has condemned the new Oyster Extension Permits, which allow Oyster Pay As You Go to be used on national rail services, for being “difficult to understand” and has called for them to be scrapped.
• More Tube Line makeovers finished—but disruptions rumble on THE consortium responsible for upgrading the much-troubled Jubilee Line as well as the Northern and Piccadilly lines has this week completed the ’makeover’ to 83 London Underground stations.
• South West Trains promises improved communication after snow chaos South West Trains (SWT) has pledged to improve its communications with passengers, after a number of incidents during last week’s snow storms left people confused and without information.
• Leeds Rail Station Cycle Point Funded in partnership by the Department for Transport, Northern Rail, Metro and Network Rail, the Cyclepoint initiative is based on a well-established and successful Dutch concept of integrated cycle facilities and services based in key rail stations.
• GMITA Praises Operators for Severe Weather Services…Bosses at GMITA / GMPTE have praised the operators of Bus, Tram and Train services for their efforts to maintain a service during the severe weather situation that has and continues to plague the region. . Councillor Keith Whitmore, Chairman of Greater Manchester Integrated Transport Authority (GMITA) said: œOperators have worked hard to keep Greater Manchester moving [...]

News from Europe

• SNCF orders next batch of Régiolis trains FRANCE: SNCF has awarded Alstom Transport its first follow-on order for Coradia Polyvalent multiple-units under the framework agreement for up to 1 000 trainsets which the national railway signed in October on behalf of a consortium of regional authorities.