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

Thursday, 14 January 2010

BBC News

• Councils ignored cheap road saltCouncils spurned the chance to stock up with thousands of tonnes of discount salt for the winter, the BBC learns.
• Consultation on bus station planPeople in Bolton are consulted on plans to move the town's main bus station as part of a £48m programme.
• Anger at 'secret rail fare rise' A transport operator has
• Tube staff vote on strike actionHundreds of London Underground workers are balloted for strikes in a row over rosters and outside contractors.
• Ballot to be held after train rowThe RMT union plans to ballot its members for industrial action following a dispute with ScotRail over driver only trains.
• $10m prizeWho will invent the 100 miles to the gallon car?
• Ford vehicles lead MOT failuresMOT failure rates for cars are revealed for the first time, with the Ford Transit line leading the worst offenders.

Financial Times

• New JAL chief to take a philosophical viewKazuo Inamori arrives at the stricken carrier as a successful entrepreneur with almighty political connections and the serenity of a Zen monk
• Tiger Air offering overcomes doubtsAn initial public offering by the Singapore-based budget airline has attracted institutional investors for all the shares on offer, in spite of initial criticism by some prospective investors

The Herald

• Allied team makes start on travel electric dreamAt 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.

Times Online

• Sarkozy leans on Renault to produce Clios in FrancePresident Sarkozy has moved to strengthen his influence at Renault amid efforts to prevent the French carmaker building the next generation of its Clio model in Turkey.

Daily Express

• BA helps JAL to stay in OneworldBRITISH Airways was swept up in increasingly frantic efforts to keep stricken flag carrier Japan Airlines a member of the strategically important Oneworld airline alliance.

Daily Record

• Credit card firm to reveal how much cash they owed collapsed Scottish airline FlyglobespanA judge yesterday gave a credit card firm three days to reveal if they have £35million owed to Flyglobespan.

ATOC

• ATOC RESPONSE TO RMT CLAIMSATOC RESPONSE TO RMT CLAIMS Responding to the Rail Maritime and Transport Union™s claims that staff cuts were contributing to problems on the rail network this morning, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said: œIt is simply not the case that the rail network is in a state of ˜chaos™ today. The vast majority of train companies are running many more services than last week, although ice and snow overnight have caused delays, some serious, in and around London.

Network Rail

• INVERNESS-PERTH ROUTE REOPENS AFTER A WEEK OF ENDEAVOUR

Derby Telegraph

• £12m pot to repair roadsCOUNCIL chiefs have set aside over £1m pounds to fund road repairs and improvements across the county this month.

Journal Live

• Motor boss Ivan Hodac sparks fear over electric car jobsA BID to bring thousands of electric car production jobs to the region could fail because the Government has not followed up on the North East’s success.

Northern Echo

• Landlord's bid to cut congestion A LANDLORD is hoping to cut congestion in Durham city centre, by encouraging students to carshare.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• More gritters ˜would not make pavements safe™The official in charge of maintaining Aberdeen™s roads claimed yesterday the council could not have made the city™s icy pavements safe even if it had 100 footpath gritters.

The York Press

• Watchdog attacks cost of parking a car all day at York Railway Station THE cost of parking a car all day at York Railway Station has risen by 50 pence to £13.50.

Blackpool Gazette

• D-day looms in tram depot rowA DECISION is expected in the next few days on whether Blackpool's tram depot plans can continue without being delayed by a public inquiry.

The Shields Gazette

• Electric car bid 'lacking power'A BID to bring thousands of electric car production jobs to the North East could fail because the Government has not followed up on the region's success.

Other Regional Press

• Revealed: BoJo continues to snub Kent leaders over 'Boris Island' airportThey may be Conservatives, but that is all Boris Johnson and Paul Carter have in common - as shown by letters seen by KentOnline.
• Aberdeen bus bosses in season-ticket shake-upBUS bosses in Aberdeen were today accused of short-changing passengers after a shake-up of season tickets.

Railway Gazette

• Signalling trial takes Ansaldo STS into Russian marketRUSSIA: Ansaldo STS is to undertake a 2½ year trial of ERTMS-derived ITARUS-ATC signalling equipment in Sochi under a €7·4m contract awarded by the NIIAS subsidiary of Russian Railways which came into force on December 29. Ansaldo STS parent company Finmeccanica and RZD announced plans to co-operate in the development of signalling systems for the Russian market in late 2008, and Sochi has now been confirmed as the location of the trials. The contract is of strategic importance to Ansaldo STS as it marks the company's entry into one of the world's most important rail markets, where it sees ...

Transport for London

• Mayor and TfL announce plans to bring the Capital's cycling revolution to Outer LondonLondon's 'Year of Cycling' gets underway as 12 Outer London boroughs are selected as Biking Boroughs. There are 2.4 million 'cycleable' journeys made in Outer London every day.

Aviation Industry

• United Airlines raises baggage fees, following Delta and ContinentalIn this July 21, 2009 file photo, passengers check in at the United Airlines ticket counter at Logan International Airport in Boston.
• Chinese carriers return to profit; concerns remain over competition, fuelChinese airlines earned a collective profit of CNY7.4 billion ($1.08 billion) in 2009, a big turnaround from the CNY31.8 billion net loss suffered in 2008, CAAC Vice Minister Wang Changshun revealed yesterday at the regulator's annual conference.

Green Miscellany

• The electric car that beats snow and even rivers With snowy conditions on British roads a continuing challenge for many motorists, it is timely that a Korean car manufacturer has this week launched an electric car designed to tackle most onditions on land and water. read more
• Ultimate snow bicycle “ add caterpillar tracks to your bike A kit that transforms any bicycle into a caterpillar track-driven snow bike may become a useful piece of kit for British cyclists if the weather we have experienced over the last 10 days becomes an annual event.read more

Other News Sources

• Possibility of industrial action looms at ScotRail over proposed driver-only trains ScotRail staff are to be balloted on industrial action over the company's plans to have driver-only trains on its new £300 million Airdrie to Bathgate line.
• Assembly Members welcome Olympic chief’s public transport commitment Green and Liberal Democrat members of the London Assembly have welcomed a call by Mayor of London Boris Johnson for members of the International Olympic Committee to use public transport during the 2012 Games.
• London transport plan More action is needed by the mayor of London to create a low-carbon transport network over the next decade, according to the London Assembly Transport Committee.
• Japan picks veteran industrialist as new JAL CEOJapan's government has asked a veteran industrialist, Kazuo Inamori, to step in as the new chairman of Japan Airlines as the carrier is restructured.Inamori,...
• Green transport becomes bigger priority for vehicle manufacturers Car manufacturers are making efforts to ensure that new models can be run more efficiently.
• First Minister Of Scotland Says That Green Investment Can Build ProsperityScotland's financial sector is ideally placed to create the means to develop major green energy projects, First Minister Alex Salmond said last night in a speech entitled Choosing Scotland's Future as part of the Edinburgh Lecture series.
• Morgan Est out of running for £300m Bond Street tube job Morgan Est has dropped out of the race for the £300 million Bond Street tube station redevelopment leaving three teams in the running.