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Monday, 22 February 2010

BBC News

• Transport investment must not be cut, says BCC Spending on key UK infrastructure projects, including a third runway at Heathrow, must not be cut despite tight public finances, research suggests.
• BAA posts big loss after Gatwick sale UK airports operator BAA has reported a big loss for the full year 2009 as the forced sale of Gatwick and falling passenger numbers hit performance.
• Belfast City Airport use brush to de-ice plane Facilities at George Best Belfast City Airport have been described as "third world" after staff had to use brooms to clear ice from a plane.
• Norfolk and Suffolk bridge repairs restore rail links Rail links across Norfolk and Suffolk are to be restored on Monday morning after vital repairs to river bridges are completed.
• Eurostar breakdown sparks rescueMore than 700 passengers had to be rescued after a Eurostar train from Paris to London broke down in Kent.
• Aerospace deals 'at 10-year low'The value of mergers and acquisitions activity in aerospace and defence has hit its lowest level in a decade, says a report.
• BA strike ballot results imminentBritish Airways is expected to face fresh threats of strikes by some cabin crew, when the results of a ballot are revealed.
• Lufthansa four-day strike beginsA four-day strike by pilots at Germany's national airline Lufthansa is expected to cause widespread disruption.

Financial Times

• BCC makes case for key projects The British Chamber of Commerce has identified 13 key transport projects it believes are desperately needed across the country and which should be carried out in spite of the perilous state of the UK's finances.
• BAA losses hit £822m on Gatwick sale BAA, the largest operator of airports in the UK, said on Monday its pre-tax losses had widened last year due in part to a loss of £277.3m from the sale of Gatwick.
• Go Ahead aims for fast-track resultsRail has become such an important pre-election issue that Thursday 's announcement of half-year results at Go-Ahead , the company running the UK's first...
• Lufthansa pilots' strike beginsMore than 4,000 pilots started industrial action after last-minute talks fail to avert one of Germany's most bitter industrial conflicts

The Guardian

• Pope enters airport body scanners row Benedict addresses plans for 'virtually naked' passenger images, telling airport bosses personal integrity must be safeguarded
• The right route for high-speed rail [Letter]The Conservatives are right to await the outcome of the general election before committing to their preferred route for the next stage of high-speed rail (HSR) between London and Birmingham (Tory fears of vote backlash put high-speed rail in doubt, 19 February). This is a huge infrastructure decision and will require long-term support.
• Train ticket shake-up could mean end of the line for £1,000 fare Review of fare policy aims to narrow gap between cost of cheapest and dearest tickets
• Hydrogen taxi cabs to serve London by 2012 Olympics • New taxis developed by Lotus and Intelligent Energy • Hydrogen tanks can travel for 250 miles at up to 81mph
• BA cabin crew push for strike actionPassengers face prolonged travel disruption next month if ballot endorses industrial action British Airways passengers face prolonged travel disruption next month as cabin crew push for a strike lasting at least 10 days if a ballot endorses industrial action.The Unite trade union announces the result of a strike poll tomorrow and officials are expecting a yes vote from more than 12,000 BA cabin crew in a dispute over staffing cuts. Despite having a 12-day Christmas strike blocked by legal action last year, disgruntled air stewards appear determined to send another defiant message to the airli...
• Eurostar train fails again, leaving 700 strandedPassengers have to transfer to a rescue train as under-fire service breaks down on the way into LondonEurostar suffered another setback last night after hundreds of passengers became stranded when a train broke down on its way into London.British Transport Police said a rescue train was sent out to pick up about 700 passengers after the train stopped running near Ashford in Kent at around 10pm.One passenger who was returning from France told Sky News from the train that it suddenly came to a stop and the lights on the train went out.

The Herald

• Fare revamp would ease cross-Border train overcrowdingOvercrowding on long-distance train journeys between‚Scotland‚and England‚would be eliminated by relaxing government regulation of ticket prices, the head of Virgin Trains has claimed.

The Scotsman

• Capital being ruined by poor first impressions, says Irvine ONE of Scotland's leading tourism and events experts will today warn that the nation's capital is being let down by its "average" airport, a "clapped-out" main railway station and the "disgraceful" state into which its most historic street has been allowed to decline.
• New Forth crossing 'will bring benefits worth £6bn' A REPLACEMENT Forth road bridge should be a priority during the next five years because it will bring a £6 billion benefit to the economy, according to the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC).
• New Forth crossing 'will bring benefits worth £6bn' A REPLACEMENT Forth road bridge should be a priority during the next five years because it will bring a £6 billion benefit to the economy, according to the British Chamber of Commerce (BCC).

The Telegraph

• BAA pre-tax losses more than double to £822m BAA, owned by Spanish builder Ferrovial, saw its pre-tax loss widen by 154pc, up from a loss of £324.2m in 2008.
• BAA pre-tax losses more than double to £822m BAA, owned by Spanish builder Ferrovial, saw its pre-tax loss widen by 154pc, up from a loss of £324.2m in 2008.
• Eurostar train breaks down again leaving passengers stranded in the dark Eurostar faced fresh embarrassment after a commuter train from Paris was left stranded due to an electrical fault.

Times Online

• BAA losses reach £822 million on Gatwick sale BAA, the airport operator that owns Heathrow and Stansted, fell deeper into the red today after it was forced to take a £665 million charge on the sale of Gatwick and the cost of servicing its pension deficit.
• EasyJet maintenance company shuts down at StanstedSR Technics, the maintenance company that oversees the easyJet fleet, is to close operations at Stansted airport, throwing 345 aviation engineers out of work.
• BA strikes likely after result of crew ballotLast-ditch talks over the weekend failed to lead to a truce in the dispute at British Airways over the reduction of cabin crew members introduced by the airline last November.

London Evening Standard

• Government 'has to spend on Crossrail and Heathrow'Spending on projects such as Crossrail and a third Heathrow runway should be prioritised after the general election despite concern over public finances, according to research today.
• Recession knocks BAA to £821m loBAA, owner of Heathrow and Stansted airports, lost £821.9 million last year because fewer people took flights during the recession.
• Lufthansa pilots on four-day strikeMore than 4,000 pilots at Germany's Lufthansa airline launched a four-day strike early on Monday which is expected to cause headaches for travellers around the world.
• 700 rescued as Eurostar breaks downMore than 700 passengers had to be rescued from a stranded train as cross-channel firm Eurostar suffered its latest embarrassing service breakdown.
• BA faces renewed strike threatBritish Airways will face a renewed threat of strikes by its cabin crew when the result of a ballot is announced.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Rail's better deal THE Campaign for Better Transport has long campaigned for lower train fares and has support from 59 MPs for this campaign. Alas not a single MP from greater Nottingham has endorsed this campaign
• Major delays to St Pancras after derailment AN investigation is underway after an East Midlands Trains service derailed on Saturday. A train from St. Pancras to Sheffield suffered a "mechanical failure" at East Langton, north of Market Harborough

Yorkshire Post

• Business group backs spending on key transport improvements Spending on key road, rail and airport improvements should get priority after the General Election despite fears over the UK's creaking public finances.

Aviation Industry

• Bombardier Opens Third U.S.Commercial Aircraft Service CenterFri, 19 Feb '10 Bombardier Aerospace today announced that it has added a third commercial aircraft service center to its growing customer support network worldwide.
• BA strikes likely after result of crew ballotLast-ditch talks over the weekend failed to lead to a truce in the dispute at British Airways over the reduction of cabin crew members introduced by the airline last November.
• Lufthansa Preparing for Strike Monday as Pilots Refuse to Drop Pay DemandDeutsche Lufthansa AG is preparing for a strike by its pilots tomorrow after their union failed to drop a demand for the airline to extend pay and conditions to foreign-based crews.

Other News Sources

• Rail campaigners seek main line's returnCOUNTRYSIDE campaigners have called for a feasibility study to be carried out into reopening the former Southern Railway line from Exeter to Plymouth. Much of the route – through Okehampton and Tavistock – was closed in the 1960s leaving only one main line from Exeter to Plymouth and Cornwall.
• Osborne completes Network Rail car parks Osborne has completed two major West Midlands multi-storey car parks (MSCP), jointly worth over £18M, for Network Rail and Virgin Trains.
• Merseyside rail commuters see record service RAIL passengers on Merseyside are enjoying the most punctual service “ever seen in this country”, according to Network Rail.
• Key transport projects would deliver £85 billion benefit to UK economyPrioritising thirteen crucial transport projects over the life of the next Parliament - twelve regional and one national - would bring the UK economic benefits worth a massive £85 billion, according to research by the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).
• Minister visits revamped £600,000 Hythe train stationA REVAMPED train station was visited by a Government minister. Chris Mole, transport minister with responsibility for railways, yesterday saw the improvements made at Colchester’s Hythe Station.
• Sky's the limit as thousands apply to work as Emirates' cabin crewThe allure of life at 40,000 feet shows no sign of abating with Emirates Airline recently enjoying one of its highest turnouts for a cabin crew recruitment day in Europe. Close to 400...

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