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

Friday, 22 January 2010

BBC News

• Runway extension given go-ahead Go-ahead has been given for a runway extension at an Essex airport but planners must now refer proposals to the government before work can start.
• Air France offers free second seat to obese people Air France is to offer a free second seat to obese passengers "for their own comfort", the airline has said.
• Rail franchise views are sought across east of England Rail passengers in Cambridgeshire, Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk are being consulted on services in preparation for a round of new franchise awards.
• Network Rail apology over Moreton level crossing death The family of a woman killed on a level crossing have received a "full and complete apology" from Network Rail.
• Transport blamed for Derby's failed World Cup bid Derby lost its bid to host 2018 World Cup football matches partly because of weak transport links between Pride Park and the city's accommodation.
• Engineers 'can learn from slime mould' Fungus-like slime mould could help engineers design computer and mobile communication networks, a new report says.
• Crash fears over rail job cuts A union has called for Network Rail to scrap plans to cut 1,500 maintenance jobs after a report's findings into safety in the wake of a train crash.
• Decision day on Clyde ferry route A decision is due later on the future of the last passenger ferry service across the River Clyde.
• Adonis 'Flying Scotsman' rail vowLord Adonis vows to introduce a Flying Scotsman-style rail service to cut London to Scotland journey times.

Financial Times

• Drop in coal demand weighs on US rail groupsUnion Pacific and BNSF unveil results badly affected by declining demand for coal, consumer products and the problems of the US industrial sector
• Continental Airlines posts surprise profitUS carriers signalled that the sector was on the 'long and slow road to recovery' after Continental Airlines posted a surprise fourth quarter profit and Southwest Airlines reported its 37th consecutive year of profitability.
• EasyJet raises guidance despite freezeEurope's second-largest no-frills carrier says December's extreme weather conditions had cost it £8m and that it remains cautious about market recovery in spite of raising its profit forecast

The Guardian

• We can't rely solely on airport body scanners There are many terrorist tactics for which we have no answer. We need a more co-ordinated strategy

The Herald

• Thorough review of E-Clear pledgedThe accountants appointed to clear up the affairs of a credit card transaction company implicated in the collapse of Scottish airline Flyglobespan promised a œthorough investigation amid reports that the company owes creditors nearly £100 million.
• Glasgow to King™s Cross direct rail link to endDirect train services between Glasgow and London on the East Coast Main Line will be scrapped but connections to Leeds and Sheffield improved under revised timetable proposals promoted by Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.
• Decision day for future of Renfrew FerryA decision will be made today on whether a historic ferry service that dates back 500 years should be cut following a spending shortfall.
• Full steam ahead for Flying Scotsman service The Flying Scotsman, one of the most iconic names in rail travel, is to be revived as part of Government plans to reduce journey times between Edinburgh and London to less than four hours.

The Scotsman

• 'Flying Scotsman' to London in 4 hours PASSENGERS were yesterday promised the fastest regular Edinburgh-London rail journeys next year – but at the expense of fewer stops at several other stations.

The Telegraph

• Is FirstGroup the worst company in Britain? That sounds about right FirstGroup, the rail and bus operator, has produced nothing, except fury and poverty in its customers and fat profits for its shareholders, writes Andrew Gilligan.
• Restaurant cars return to East Coast Main Line Dining cars are to be reintroduced on one of Britain's major rail routes, under plans unveiled by Lord Adonis, the Transport Secretary.

Times Online

• EasyJet cashes in on search for valueBaggage charges, priority boarding fees and in-flight food and drink purchases by so-called œbudget air travellers all gave a huge lift to easyJet.
• Toyota recalls 2.3 million cars in USToyota's once sparkling reputation for quality and reliability suffered another splintering blow after the iconic Japanese automaker announced a recall of 2.3 million vehicles in the United States.
• Fortunes turn for Buffett rail company The slump in US rail freight volumes seen in the past year and a half has begun to stabilise, one of the country’s biggest rail operators said, providing further signs of economic recovery.
• Fortunes turn for Buffett rail company The slump in US rail freight volumes seen in the past year and a half has begun to stabilise, one of the country’s biggest rail operators said, providing further signs of economic recovery.

Daily Express

• Sales rise means smooth ride for easyJetBUDGET airline easyJet yesterday hailed another increase in passengers and revealed that more than half its business now comes from outside the UK, writes Philip Waller.

Daily Record

• Edinburgh to London in four hours to be key part of improved rail servicesA NEW rail service connecting Edinburgh and London in four hours is to be a key part of improved services across three rail franchises, the Government said today.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham City Council turns to Twitter for help in finding snow potholesCOMMUTERS are being urged to go online and tweet their pothole problems direct to city road repair teams.

Journal Live

• Businesses urged to pave way for electric cars in North EastBUSINESSES have been urged to help pave the way for the introduction of electric vehicles across the North East.
• Row erupts over 'small road craters' in NorthumberlandA ROW has erupted in Northumberland over the action being taken to tackle the plague of potholes which is facing drivers following the recent big freeze.

Liverpool Post

• Southern bias threat to Liverpool superport planAMBITIOUS plans to turn Liverpool into a world superport are threatened by a southern bias in rail investment, MPs were told yesterday.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Faster services for East Coast Main Line PASSENGERS using the busy East Coast Main Line are set to benefit from faster and more frequent journeys as well as better stations and catering.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Residents ready for another battle to save bus serviceRESIDENTS in south west Sheffield are gearing up for another fight to save a bus service.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Airport to showcase holiday destinationsINVERNESS Airport is holding a special show next month to highlight the number of foreign destinations that are available from the north.
• Stagecoach takes over lease of Farraline Park bus stationBUS company Stagecoach in the Highlands has taken over the long-term lease of Inverness bus station.
• Cost of A947 improvements rises sixfoldTHE cost of proposed safety measures, drawn up nearly 20 years ago to tackle the death toll on a notorious north-east road, has risen sixfold to almost £60million.

The York Press

• More trains and faster journeys promised for York rail passengers on East Coast Main Line A GROUND-BREAKING new timetable on the East Coast Main Line will mean more trains and faster journeys for York passengers.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds and Sheffield: Government pledges better rail servicesThe Government has promised passengers improved services on three rail franchises, under proposals which would see a direct line from Glasgow to Sheffield and Leeds.

Doncaster Free Press

• Bus fare increase sparks complaintsPASSENGERS are being "short-changed" by Doncaster's biggest bus company following inflation-busting fare increases, a resident claims.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Government pledges better rail servicesThe Government has promised passengers improved services on three rail franchises, including a key London to Essex route and a line from the capital to Norwich.

Sunderland Echo

• Electric car revolution is underwaySunderland's green revolution is hitting the streets.

Other Regional Press

• Campaigners fear Crediton link road delay THE completion of Crediton's new link road may be put back to 2015 according to Devon County Council™s draft budget.
• Economy gains pace thanks to high-speed trains, minister toldGovernment minister Jonathan Shaw has learned that the new high speed rail link has provided a 'quantum leap' for east Kent's economy.
• Easy Riders cycle ride in FebruaryEASY Riders, a group for people new to cycling, will be going on an easy-paced ride from Emley to Clayton West on Saturday, February 6.
• Glasgow loses direct rail link to King™s CrossLabour is to push ahead with controversial plans to scrap direct train services between Glasgow and London King™s Cross.

New Scientist

• Designing highways the slime mould waySlime moulds mimic real road networks between oat-flake

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New rules unveiled for rail franchisesUnder a new system unveiled by the Department for Transport, rail franchisees will face greater penalties if they walk away from contracts.The government has revealed that franchise agreements in the future will last for a minimum of ten years, with additional investment rewarded by deals of up to 22 years, up from a current average of around eight years.Designed to boost innovation within the UK's rail sector, the move will also place stronger incentives for performance on train operators, encouraging them to focus on passenger growth.Announcing the plans, transport secretary Andrew Adonis re...

Railnews

• Adonis gives First Capital Connect one last chance THE GOVERNMENT'S tolerance of disruption on the Thameslink route of First Capital Connect is almost at an end. In his plainest statement about FCC's problems so far, transport secretary Andrew Adonis has warned that FirstGroup will face penalties and could lose its franchise unless services remain fully restored from now on.

Transport for London

• Artist Dryden Goodwin brings talking heads to the Jubilee lineGetting Paul McCartney through the ticket barrier, the Tube driver who looks like Boudicca reminiscing about driving the old 1930s stock trains and the baby nicknamed 'Jubilee' by staff who were present at its unexpected birth at Kingsbury station.

Aviation Industry

• Young people live well with support from Southampton AirportSouthampton Airport has supported Fairbridge Solent™s ˜Live Well Project™ with funding from BAA™s own charity, The BAA Communities Trust. Over 120 local young people from disadvantaged backgrounds have taken part in activities which are specifically designed to grow their self-confidence, develop team building skills and gain knowledge of how to live independently, as part of their long-term personal development programme with Fairbridge Solent.
• Ryanair cuts Dublin flights by a fifthRyanair is slashing flights by a fifth at Dublin this summer blaming rising airport charges and a government travel tax, it emerged today.

Green Miscellany

• Car numbers will double to 2 billion, but few will be electric A new study by the University of Oxford predicts that the number of cars on the world™s roads in twenty years will double to 2 billion, but that electric vehicles will account for only a small percentage of the overall fleet in the medium to long-term.read more
• Car running costs: the saloon that loses £10,000 a month in depreciation If you spend more buying your car than the price of a house you may well be unconcerned by day-to-day running costs, but according to car valuation specialists Parkers Guides, the £300,000-plus Maybach 62 loses in its first year an eye-watering £127,000 in depreciation.read more
• Aston Martin Cygnet may sport electric motor The Aston Martin Cygnet, a concept city car that shares its running gear with the Toyota iQ, has taken another step towards production amid speculation that the finished article could be a battery-powered electric vehicle.read more

Other News Sources

• Maersk Line offers free transport of UN aid to HaitiA P Møller-Mærsk has donated free transportation for...
• Government pledges better rail servicesThe Government has promised passengers improved services on three rail franchises, under proposals which would see a direct line from Glasgow to Sheffield and Leeds.
• Two Become One With £15m Airport Terminal InvestmentsBirmingham Airport is about to embark on a £13m investment to merge its two terminals into a single facility to improve its passenger flows and operational efficiency. It will lead to a larger centralised passenger security search area, an enlarged meeting & greeting arrivals point, and an improved shopping and catering offer in both landside [...]
• VW uses object recognition systemVolkswagen™s Autoeuropa factory in Palmela, Portugal, is using the same technology as that used to dock spacecraft to control its automobile assembly line.
• MPs out to force First Capital Connect to improve train services : 17:05 - 21 January 2010MPs are putting further pressure on First Capital Connect to improve its services after periods of disruption over the past few months. North East Bedfordshire MP Alistair Burt is supporting a Commons Motion signed by 16 of his colleagues designed to brin...
• Ferry service's future adriftTransport chiefs decide whether to save historic Yoker to Renfrew ferry service at River Clyde.
• Firms needed for DfT™s quiet delivery pilotThe FTA, along with the DfT and the Noise Abatement Society, are looking for retailers and logistics firms to take part in their Quiet Delivery Demonstration Scheme.
• RMT demands a halt to rail maintenance job cuts as new report shows six out of ten key track safety recommendations after Grayrigg derailment either not implemented or not fully implementedRAIL UNION RMT today called for an immediate halt to plans to axe up to 1500 safety critical rail maintenance jobs as a new report for the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) revealed that six out of ten key safety recommendations on track inspection and repair, following the fatal derailment on the West Coast Mainline in Feburary 2007, have either not been implemented at all by Network Rail or have not been fully implemented to the satisfaction of the Office of Rail Regulation(ORR).
• 'Farce' as high cost roadway crumblesTaxpayers could be left with a bill of more than £250,000 to fix a Northampton street which was resurfaced at huge cost less than six months ago.
• Toll tunnel could link Shetland IslesShetland Island Council is considering using tolls to fund a £34M tunnel between Shetland mainland and the Isle of Bressay.
• Rise in potholes could lead to more road maintenance PFIsRoad damage caused by recent bad weather could lead to more local authorities opting for privately financed road maintenance contracts to obtain cash to address repairs and a backlog of work.
• Birmingham airport seeks support for high speed lineBirmingham International airport is trying to derail London Heathrow airport™s bid for a third runway by lobbying for extra capacity.
• Blackwall Tunnel toll could fund bridgeTolling London™s Blackwall Tunnel could fund a new Thames crossing, according to business lobby group London First.
• Tube Lines and LU in battle over upgrade costsTube Lines and London Underground (LU) were this week locked in a bitter dispute over the cost of upgrade work on the Victoria, Jubilee and Northern Underground lines.
• Manchester Airport wins award - then loses itManchester Airport has won a second award this week (January 20th), including the title of best regional airport at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards. The ceremony, which took place in Mayfair, London last night, saw the travel hub receive a football-sized trophy.However, the globe was stolen from the Manchester Airport staff's table while they were celebrating, according to the Manchester Evening News. Andrew Cornish, managing director of Manchester Airport told the publication that he was "surprised" that someone took their award, however, he added that they were delighted to have wo...
• Birmingham Airport merger 'to improve passenger experience'Those who travel from Birmingham Airport may benefit from an improved passenger experience at the travel hub thanks to new investment plans. Birmingham Airport has announced that it will create enhanced shopping and eating facilities and provide a more efficient passenger flow through an investment of £13 million. The travel hub's two terminals will be merged into one to create a more centralised base. "Our goal for 2010 is to improve the passenger experience and these projects will create a smoother journey through the terminal and improve our overall efficiency," said the chie...
• Faster rail travel pledge for NorwichTrain passengers can expect quicker journeys between Norwich and London and more carriages at peak time under plans unveiled by the government yesterday.
• Virgin Trains confirm interest in bidding for East Coast Main LineVIRGIN Trains revealed yesterday that they plan to bid to take over running the East Coast Main Line between Edinburgh and London.
• First Capital Connect row continues THE Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) has joined the battle to strip First Capital Connect (FCC) of its franchise.
• Four in the hunt for Hounslow™s £1.4bn roads maintenance dealAt least four firms are in the running for the London Borough of Hounslow™s 25-year highways maintenance PFI contract - worth up to £1.4 billion.
• Birse bags £7m Windsor road upgradeBalfour Beatty subsidiary Birse has won a £7 million contract for maintenance and improvement work on the Windsor and Eton relief road.
• Business travellers vote online check-in ˜innovation of the decade™ Followed by Wi-Fi, flat beds, notebooks and the Eurostar read more

Other Subscription Services

• UK ports policy draft gets thumbs downPort bosses say national port policy statement should not go out in its present form.
• Maersk takes delivery of Volkswerft-built tugYard hands over anchor handling tug Maersk Launcher to Maersk Supply Service.