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

Sunday, 21 February 2010

BBC News

• London Overground shuts for Olympics upgrade workPassengers using the London Overground face disruption after a section was closed for a £236m upgrade ahead of the Olympic Games.
• County Durham's grit supply 'dwindling' Durham County Council says it may have to further reduce gritting operations because it is struggling to obtain additional salt supplies
• Crash still disrupting EurostarEurostar services between London and Brussels will not resume until 2 March over two weeks after a fatal crash in Belgium.
• RMT agrees to talks with bossesTalks will be held next week in an effort to end a dispute which has resulted in rail workers in Scotland striking.

Financial Times

• Stakeholders boost prospect of SAS saleThe Scandinavian airline moves closer to being put up for sale as Denmark and Norway join Sweden in saying they were willing to offload their stakes in the troubled carrier

The Herald

• New SPT officials in expenses rowStrathclyde Passenger Transport is facing a fresh crisis, with allegations against its new chairman and a senior official after a week that saw the travel quango lose three of its top personnel.
• Meeting hope to stop Lufthansa strikeGermany’s pilots union offered ­yesterday to meet with the chief of Lufthansa AG to try to head off a four-day strike beginning tomorrow that could affect thousands of travellers.
• Talks planned to resolve rail disputeTalks will be held next week in a bid to resolve an industrial dispute which saw Scottish rail workers walk out yesterday.

The Independent

• Green jet fuel takes offFollowing several successful biofuel-powered flights around the world, UK flag-carrier British Airways (BA) has announced that it will use low-carbon "green" jet fuel to power part of its fleet from 2014.

The Scotsman

• New Forth bridge bill to soar by millionsTHE cost of the new Forth Road bridge has been inflated by tens of millions of pounds because designers plan to build extra-wide hard shoulders.
• Transport quango granted a year to sort itself out after expenses scandal A SCANDAL-hit transport quango has been given a stay of execution of just over a year, Scotland on Sunday can reveal.
• Glasgow Airport 'more likely' to be sold as trade lags EdinburghPRESSURE on BAA to sell Glasgow Airport is set to intensify after new figures revealed it is lagging behind Edinburgh in winning new airlines and passengers.
• City sticks by rail company despite industrial unrestTHE strike hitting ScotRail this weekend amid a barrage of other negative consumer publicity for owner FirstGroup's UK rail arm has been brushed off by the City.
• First ScotRail: On the battle lineAS A high-flying female in the male-dominated transport sector, Mary Grant is used to fighting her corner. But when she was promoted last May from managing director of First ScotRail to oversee FirstGroup's entire trains division, she would have been forgiven for hoping that some battles – in particular the tortured negotiations with trade unions – were behind her.

Times Online

• Peter Rogers, chief executive of BabcockThe 62-year-old has spent seven years transforming the defence services group. Now he wants to buy rival VT. But can he persuade investors?
• Taxi! Take me to a green empireCambridge graduates Tom Pakenham and Jonny Goldstone plan to expand their Green Tomato Cars firm into other eco ventures
• Crash victim’s idea for a safer commute The ideal commuting machine would combine a motorbike’s ability to beat the traffic with the stability of a four-wheeled vehicle. At least, that’s the vision of Nick Shotter, who has developed a four-wheeled vehicle he calls the 4MC.

Daily Record

• Anger as EasyJet tell disabled passenger: Prove you're deaf A DEAF woman has accused easyJet check-in staff of asking her to prove she couldn't hear.

Birmingham Mail

• Ministers row over route new high speed rail link between London and Birmingham will take CONSERVATIVES have signalled they may reject a new high speed rail route between London and Birmingham proposed by the Government.
• New man at top at Jaguar Land Rover NEW Jaguar Land Rover boss Ralf Speth arrived in the West Midlands on the day of his appointment along with Tata Motors supremo Carl-Peter Forster.

Journal Live

• Chance to gain from Government’s green push THE North East has a “five-year window of opportunity” to make the most of the Government’s green power push, a renewable energy group claims.

Liverpool Post

• Sefton children learn about dangers of anti-social behaviour of railway lines PRIMARY school children learned about the dangers of anti-social behaviour on railway lines.
• Wirral businessman’s bid to save Liverpool's Royal Iris A BUSINESSMAN has revealed he is in negotiations with the owner of the Royal Iris to buy the much-loved historic former ferry.

Sheffield Star

• Changes to one of Sheffield's busiest bus routes - detailsRESIDENTS are being asked for their views on proposed road improvements to one of Sheffield's busiest bus routes.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Scheme to ease traffic near shops could be droppedCONTROVERSIAL plans to divert traffic away from a busy shopping area look set to be dropped after protests from residents.

The Shields Gazette

• Buses Are Getting Better wins awardTRANSPORT bosses are celebrating after scooping a top award. Nexus won a national marketing award for its Buses Are Getting Better promotion in Tyne and Wear.

Washington Post

• GM, Chevy crossover successes fueled by compromise Electricity and other alternative fuels will play a big role in the automobile industry by 2025. But

Other News Sources

• Japan's Transport Ministry reportedly reviewing country's car safety recall systemTOKYO (AP) - Japan's transport ministry is reportedly considering a review of the country's car recall system as Toyota Motor Corp. battles accusations it may have delayed action on drivers' complaints.
• Full speed ahead for train planSupporters have hailed a huge railway investment that will speed up Wigan's trains.
• Talks next week in bid to resolve rail strikeVIDEO: Announcement as workers stage first of three 24-hour walk-outs.
• East Lancashire train ticket prices go 'off the rails'TRAIN passengers in East Lancashire are being ˜shortchanged™ if they buy return tickets to Greater Manchester, a councillor claims.