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

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

BBC News

• Taxis in Bournemouth win CCTV parking exemptions Taxis drivers in Bournemouth have won a battle with the council to be allowed to drop off and pick up customers at bus stops without being fined.
• First set for Aberdeen bus times inquiry Aberdeen transport company First is to be investigated amid claims services in the city are regularly late.
• Thieves steal customer help points at Bristol stations Two customer help points have been stolen from stations on the Severn Beach rail line in Bristol.
• London Green Party's record candidates for election The Green Party has launched its London council election manifesto with a record number of candidates.
• UK responds to EU noise directive The UK government has responded to the EU Noise Directive by publishing a long-delayed noise policy statement.
• Ex-Underground chief Tim O'Toole in Tube Lines talks London Underground's (LU) former managing director is in talks with maintenance firm Tube Lines to be its chief executive, BBC London has learnt.
• Brown says BA strike 'deplorable'Prime Minister Gordon Brown says a planned strike by British Airways cabin staff is
• BA hopes to fly 60% during strikeBritish Airways has announced contingency plans to fly 60% of its customers during the first planned strike by cabin crew.
• Doubts cast on US 'runaway Prius'Toyota casts doubt on claims one of its cars failed to stop, after a widely-publicised account of a

Financial Times

• Brown: planned BA strike 'deplorable'The planned strike by British Airways cabin crew is 'unjustified' and 'deplorable' and should be called off, Gordon Brown said, in the government's strongest condemnation of the walkout so far
• Port crisis as rates bills add pressureA company boss has claimed his business was bankrupted by an incorrect tax bill as it became the latest casualty of a steep rise in backdated rates in England's ports.
• Union offer to suspend planned BA strikeUnite offers to suspend a British Airways strike, saying it would look at calling off the walkout if the airline reinstated a settlement proposal withdrawn last week

The Guardian

• British Airways strikers face terminal five ban Airline's main base at Heathrow is on private land, but pickets are expected at seven other locations around airport
• Raise the Euston Arch – and get railway architecture back on track Plans to redevelop the London station could include the resurrection of its much-missed Doric gateway. Let's hope so
• BA vows to fly 60% of passengersUnite union says it will suspend walkouts if BA puts a previous offer back on the table for negotiationBritish Airways has pledged to fly six out of 10 passengers to their destinations during a looming cabin crew strike next weekend, as the dispute escalates into a political row between the Unite trade union and Gordon Brown.Unite has offered to suspend the strikes due to begin on Saturday if BA resubmits a peace offer. Tony Woodley, joint general secretary of Unite, told Sky News:

The Herald

• 90% of Scots BA flights will be hit by strikeScotland will be cut off for thousands of air travellers this weekend after British Airways said just 10 out of 108 flights would take place between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and London Heathrow because of the Unite strike over pay, job cuts and working conditions.

The Independent

• BA plans to keep 60% of passengers flying British Airways today announced emergency plans to leep 60 per cent of its customers flying during the planned cabin crew strike this weekend “ either on its plane or other airlines “ as the dispute threatened to hit Labour™s general election campaign.

The Telegraph

• Transport Policy: General Election 2010 UK transport policy in the general election 2010: Key issues, the latest news and Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative transport policy overview.
• British Airways dispute Question and Answer British Airways has announced plans to keep much of its operation running during the planned strike by its cabin crew.
• BA strike union wants to 'reclaim Labour for the workers' Unite, the union behind the British Airways strike, is using its multi-million pound political operation to "reclaim the Labour Party for the workers", a union document has disclosed.
• Gordon Brown condemns BA strike, but not its union backers Gordon Brown has condemned the planned strike by British Airways workers, but avoided criticising the union behind it.

Times Online

• High-speed rail will not solve the real problems with transport We should improve our many underfunded suburban services before spending £30 billion on links between London and the North
• Transport for London: escalating issues Last week a reader wondered if the financial and environmental benefits of switching off an escalator at Victoria Tube station were worth it
• BA strike - 30,000 passengers a day will be hitTens of thousands of people face travel disruption when British Airways cabin crew go on strike this weekend, according to revised schedules published today by the airline.
• Work starts on building huge port on ThamesA giant dredger will begin construction today of the first new deep-sea port in Britain for 25 years, designed to accommodate the biggest container ships from the Far East.
• Prius production is cut after Toyota sales fall by up to 60%The worldwide collapse in sales of Toyota™s bestselling Prius has forced the Japanese car giant to make a significant cut in production.

Network Rail

• NEW LOOK NEW STREET COMES TO LIFE

Birmingham Post

• Huge replica model shows how Birmingham New Street Station will look A huge model of how the front of Birmingham's New Street Station will look in five years time has been unveiled by engineers.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Wrexham’s unclassified roads in need of repair NEARLY a quarter of all unclassified roads in a North Wales county are in a bad state of repair a report has revealed.

Journal Live

• Potholes go untreated as councils have budgets slashed THOUSANDS of potholes will be left untreated as the Government plans secret transport spending cuts.

London Evening Standard

• Former LU boss Tim O'Toole in line to run Tube LinesHighly respected former London Underground boss is set to become chief executive of maintenance firm Tube Lines
• Fuel prices 'heading for new high'Petrol prices will reach record levels this year, according to research by the AA.

Sheffield Star

• £93m for transport budgetTRANSPORT bosses in South Yorkshire have set their £93 million budget for the next 12 months.

Wales Online

• Virgin Atlantic to create 200 jobs in Swansea AIRLINE Virgin Atlantic is to create 200 call centre jobs in Swansea, the company has announced.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Checks on buses reveal problemsPolice have been checking school buses for potentially dangerous defects to make sure children travelling on them are safe.

Other Regional Press

• Airport plans grounded by governmentJust days after a controversial airport expansion was approved the corks have gone back in the champagne bottles.

Washington Post

• No easy answer for the Toyota problem Lately it seems that each day brings another report of a driver's terrifying experience with an out-of-control Toyota. There have been at least four congressional hearings in as many weeks.

Campaign for Better Transport

• CBI's plans would not solve congestion problems15 March: The Confederation of British Industry has published a report outlining its strategy for cutting congestion. There's some interesting ideas, but most of their solutions focus on clearing everyone out of the way while they drive ever further. read more

Aviation Industry

• BA pledges to fly 60% of passengers British Airways plans to get 60% of passengers to their final destination during the first three days of the upcoming cabin crew strike, due to start on Saturday. read more

Other News Sources

• Transport for London to remove Countdown bus signs in RichmondCommuters could face an uncertain wait for the bus after plans were revealed to remove countdown signs from stops across Richmond.
• High speed rail plans 'lack ambition' - say 2M GrouA coalition of councils opposed to Heathrow expansion said the Government’s high speed rail plans “lack ambition” and will not provide passengers an alternative to short haul flights.
• High speed rail dream a boon for Wigan Britain's high speed rail dream could also boost Wigan train services. Consultation is now starting over the 250 mph route from London to Birmingham with a future extension to Scotland via Manchester/ Liverpool ... with another branch to Sheffield and Leeds.
• Local trains hit by underfunding A RAIL watchdog has condemned the lack of investment by the Department of Transport in Swindon and the south west trains.
• Exeter transport plans go on show RADICAL plans to improve Exeter's transport system went on display yesterday — and received a mixed response.
• Cycleway to strengthen the Guild Wheel routeWork is getting underway on a £750,000 footpath and cycleway which will link Preston city centre with the rolling countryside.
• Summit talks to smooth the way to less disruption on London™s roads 12 March, 2010 Three quarters of all roads in capital to be covered by London Permit Scheme early next year A major summit attended by the Mayor™s Office, utility companies working in the capital, Transport for London, and the boroughs will discuss how to improve the flow of traffic in the capital today (12 March).  Seven more of London™s boroughs are expected to commit to introducing the capital™s roadworks permit scheme at the summit. The Mayor™s transport advisor, Kulveer Ranger, will also urge boroughs to sign up to the Mayo...
• Air New Zealand Increases Domestic Capacity Air New Zealand will be significantly increasing domestic seat capacity due to growing demand and the expected impact of the Rugby World Cup from January next year. Air New Zealand General...