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

Saturday, 27 February 2010

BBC News

• A driver fined for blowing his nose has the case droppedA businessman who claimed he was fined by police for blowing his nose while driving has the case against him dropped.
• Intercity trains upgrade delayedPlans to replace the ageing fleet of intercity trains have been postponed after running into difficulties, the transport secretary says.

The Guardian

• Intercity trains upgrade postponed¢ £7.5bn contract for 1,400 new carriages will now be subject to independent review ¢ Conservatives claim that Department for Transport has 'badly let down' passengersA £7.5bn contract to replace Britain's ageing intercity train fleet has been postponed after the government blamed the state of the debt markets and slow growth in passenger numbers for creating uncertainty over the deal.Rail industry sources claimed that the delay to a deal for 1,400 new carriages was the result of the dire state of the public finances and said it would leave some of Britain's busiest long-distance routes at the...

The Herald

• Plans to replace intercity trains derailed by funding problemsRail passengers have been dealt a major blow after plans to replace ageing intercity trains were deferred and subjected to a new value-for-money test.
• Most trains will run on strike dayScotrail plans to introduce replacement bus services on four routes to cope with 24-hour strike action planned for Monday but will run nine out of 10 trains as normal.

Times Online

• Plans for new intercity fleet hit the buffersPlans for a new fleet of intercity express trains that would provide 21st-century travel for rail passengers, as well as safeguard and create up to 12,500 jobs, have fallen apart amid acrimony.
• Recession and tighter public spending are good news for SercoSerco demonstrated yesterday that the recession and tighter public spending limits can be good for business. The support services group, which operates the Docklands Light Railway in East London, runs prisons and handles air traffic, reported a 30 per cent rise in pre-tax profits.

ATOC

• Train companies repsond to Government's postponement of new rolling stockATOC responds to the news that the Intercity Express Programme is to be delayed.

Birmingham Post

• High speed rail could bridge North-South divide Average salaries in the West Midlands will increase by £700 a year as a result of high speed rail, a new inquiry has claimed.

Journal Live

• East Coast Main Line upgrade postponed HOPES for 500 North East jobs and a faster rail link to London appeared dashed last night as a £7.5bn overhaul of the East Coast Main Line was postponed.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Snow brings third day of travel disruption Roads were impassable, dozens of schools were closed, ferries were cancelled and broadband went down as snow brought a third day of disruption in the Highlands.
• Travellers on world™s best rail route get better viewsTRAVELLERS undertaking the world™s greatest rail journey are missing out on some of the views of Scotland™s breathtaking scenery because of trackside shrubs and trees.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Intercity trains upgrade postponedPlans to replace the ageing fleet of intercity trains have been postponed, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis announced today.

Other Regional Press

• Kenilworth train station plan moves step closer PLANS for Kenilworth rail station are moving full steam ahead.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Work on aircraft carriers 'demonstrates skill of UK industry'Work has commenced on two new aircraft carriers in Portsmouth - and according to defence secretary Bob Ainsworth, they exemplify the skill and professionalism of the UK's industry.The naval base is to be the home of both Queen Elizabeth Class carriers and construction is already underway in Newcastle, Glasgow, Devon and Rosyth.Some 3,000 jobs will be created throughout the supply chain and 8,000 will arise in the manufacture of the ships' hulls.The project in Portsmouth aims to complete a section of the hull, using 6,000 tonnes of steel, measuring 70 metres by 40 metres and housing machinery, ...

Railnews

• News: Government backs away from IEP decision The Government has postponed any decision on the Intercity Express Programme until after the General Election. The transport secretary Andrew Adonis admitted this morning that “there has been a reduction in the capacity of the debt market to support the transaction as originally envisaged, and passenger growth has also slowed”. The project is now to be the subject of an independent review. The news places a question mark over how much longer the HST fleet will now be expected to continue.

Aviation Industry

• BAA and Competition CommissionToday, the Competition Appeal Tribunal ordered that the Competition Commission's decisions in their report of 19 March 2009 relating to the common ownership of airports, be quashed...
• Scottish business leaders to act as ambassadors for Glasgow Airport'Glasgow Gateway' initiative designed to promote airport across UK and Europe...
• London Mayor challenged on City AirportMayor of London, Boris Johnson, has been challenged by the elected members of the Greater London Asemably (GLA) over his support for growth at City Airport. The press release from campaign group  Fight the Flights the GLA members and is reproduced below. What the press release does not address is why Boris Johnson is opposed to expansion at Heathrow [...]
• Discussions over new aircraft standards, while keeping some perspective on BA™s biofuel promisesIn the past two weeks, we™ve been working on national, European and international policy issues. Following on from the UN meeting that agreed a significant tightening of the NOx standard for aircraft (with the hope of  reducing air pollution near airports), Tim met with the Executive Director of the International Council on Clean Transportation, to [...]

Other News Sources

• BA cabin crew agree to delay strike dates decisionBritish Airways cabin crew have agreed to postpone setting a date for the strikes amid hopes of a deal being struck over staff cuts.
• Eurostar services to resume on Monday 1 March Eurostar services between the UK and Brussels will resume on Monday 1 March, when the high-speed lines near the site of the recent train accident will re-open.On Saturday and Sunday there will be 5 direct services between the UK and Brussels. In addition, to ensure that customers get to their destination these services will be reinforced by a shuttle coach service between Lille and Brussels. Over the weekend, trains will be leaving Brussels 20 minutes earlier than the advertised time and customers will be informed of this change to the timetable. All of Eurostar's other services to Paris, Dis...
• South West Trains slammed for drive towards un-staffed stations to maximise profitsRAIL UNION RMT today slammed Stagecoach, owners of the South West Trains franchise, for a new round of staffing costs that will leave ticket office closed at evenings and weekends at 24 station across Surrey, Hampshire, Wiltshire and Dorset.
• RMT confirms dates for ballot for national rail operations staff industrial action over reductions in safetyRAIL UNION RMT today confirmed that a ballot for national industrial action involving Network Rail operations staff across the country will begin next Thursday - 4th March.
• Committee slams capital Crossrail funding burdenThe London Assembly transport committee has slammed funding plans for Crossrail, claiming that the capital has been burdened unfairly with the project's costs.
• Transport study set to support Gainsborough growth strategyTransport specialists are to examine how to avoid traffic congestion swamping a growth point town.
• Town rail link funds soughtThe government should rethink investment policy for small rail schemes that provide new links between towns, MPs have said.
• Norwich fast train pluggedBusiness and regeneration groups in Norwich have launched a campaign for a train service to link the city to London in 90 minutes.
• Rail fares and franchises: Westminster Hall debateMPs debated stability of franchise operators and inadequate passenger support services
• Conservatives set out their plans for high speed railThe Tories this week hit back at suggestions that they were playing party politics with high speed rail by opting out of cross party discussions on building a line from London to the Midlands and the North.
• London to Sheffield focus for Network RailNational rail track operator Network Rail has published plans to reduce journey times between London and Sheffield as part of its East Midlands Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS).
• Cabin crew vote for strike action at British AirwaysCabin crew members at a UK airline have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action in a dispute over company impositions, changes to working practices and reductions in crew numbers.
• Crossrail drivers to take cyclist awareness trainingCrossrail is investing in cyclist awareness training for 3,500 lorry drivers who will be involved in the mammoth seven-year construction project.
• Cuts to bus service 'could hit vulnerable people' CUTS to bus services in Elmbridge which could hit the independence of elderly people have finally been revealed.
• Campaigners' Heathrow challenge 'misconceived' A CHALLENGE to the government's decision to back a third runway at Heathrow Airport has been labelled as "misconceived" at the High Court.
• Heathrow Airport passengers to enjoy paperless boardingPassengers at Heathrow Airport will soon be able to take advantage of the latest boarding pass technology from Continental Airlines.The airline will be the first carrier to offer paperless boarding for flights from the UK to the US.Boarding passes will be delivered electronically to passenger's mobile phones or PDA's, eliminating the need for paper tickets.Martin Hand, Continental's vice president of reservations and ecommerce, said that the new service is a response to consumer demand."Customers have told us this is the type of product improvement they want and we will continue to expand...
• BAA to keep Stansted, Glasgow and Edinburgh airportsBAA has won its appeal against the Competition Commission after a tribunal ruled yesterday that it can keep Stansted, Edinbugh and Glasgow airports.

Other Subscription Services

• Intercity Express decision passed to next governmentTransport secretary Andrew Adonis has ordered a review of the £7.5bn Intercity Express project and said no contract will be signed ahead of the General Election later this year.In a statement to...