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

Monday, 12 April 2010

BBC News

• Work on station roof due to begin Network Rail will begin the £130m upgrade to Waverley Station on Sunday. More than 28,000 clear glass panels will be installed in the 34,000m sq roof over three years, flooding the station with natural light.
• Views sought on transport issues in Surrey People are being urged to help shape Surrey's new transport plan.
• Rail strike negotiations resumeNegotiations to resolve disputes between rail maintenance workers and Network Rail will resume later.
• BA bosses face price-fixing caseThree ex-British Airways executives and one current employee are due to appear in court charged with price fixing.
• Rail workers on three-day strikeSome Scottish rail workers are due to take part in a three-day walkout, which starts just after midnight on Monday.

Financial Times

• Rolls-Royce gives Derby its drive There have been few winners among the UK’s industrial cities in recent years but Derby stands out for the strength of its local economy.
• Branson attacks watchdog over BA-AA pactSir Richard Branson has lashed out at competition authorities in Brussels for what he claims is the 'lazy' and 'misguided' way they are treating a planned alliance between British Airways and American Airlines
• Foreign airlines eye Macao licenceThe coveted opening potentially offers overseas airlines an opportunity to establish a presence in the world's largest gambling market

The Guardian

• RMT resume strike talks with Network Rail Negotiations held at conciliation service Acas in effort to avert industrial action over threat to 1,500 jobs

The Herald

• EU loophole gives big business a licence to pollute Big businesses are in for a pollution and profit bonanza because of loopholes in the European scheme to limit climate emissions that will see giant corporations make billions of pounds and pump millions of tonnes of carbon into the atmosphere.

The Independent

• Privatise motorways and A-roads, says think-tankA revolutionary plan to scrap car tax and give all citizens tradeable shares in England's major road network was unveiled by a think-tank today.

The Scotsman

• Talks to resume over rail disputeTalks aimed at averting strikes by thousands of rail workers in disputes over jobs and working practices are set to resume.

The Telegraph

• General election 2010: Transport minister Sadiq Khan in election expenses row Senior Labour minister Sadiq Khan has been accused of abusing House of Commons expenses to support his election campaign.
• Train firms to be forced to sell cheapest tickets under Labour plans Train companies are to be forced to sell passengers the cheapest ticket available, under plans to be unveiled in the Labour manifesto on Monday.

Times Online

• Questions over Richard Branson as BA four face courtSir Richard Branson is set to be dragged into the trial of four British Airways executives accused of price fixing.

Mail Online

• Pensioners face five-year wait for a bus pass after 'sneaky' rule change

Bristol Live

• Delays ahead: Year-long £3m scheme to tackle chaos at M-way junction WORK on a multi-million pound scheme to ease congestion on Portishead's traffic-clogged motorway roundabout will start this year.

Liverpool Post

• Transport secretary Lord Adonis commits Labour to second bridge across River Mersey THE second bridge over the River Mersey is on course to get the final go-ahead from the government by July.

London Evening Standard

• Eurostar bounces back after pre-Christmas travel chaosChannel Tunnel high-speed train company Eurostar has bounced back from the low point of its catastrophic pre-Christmas breakdowns, it was revealed today.
• Talks to resume over rail disputeTalks aimed at averting strikes by thousands of rail workers in disputes over jobs and working practices are set to resume.

Nottingham Evening Post

• 'More money needed for hospital bus service' MORE investment is needed to improve a bus service which connects Nottingham's two main hospitals, a patients' group says.

Washington Post

• Study: Flying went smoother for passengers in 2009 WASHINGTON -- Some things did go right for airline passengers last year: Planes were more likely to land on time and bags less likely to get lost.

Other News Sources

• National Express chief buys as takeover speculation boosts transport sector Dean Finch, the newly appointed chief executive of National Express, has taken a maiden stake in the company through the purchase of 68,275 ordinary shares at an average price of 218.06p. Admittedly he was also awarded a hatful of National Express shares as part of Deferred Awards granted in connection with his recruitment, so it's doubtful if his initial foray could be labeled 'indicative'.
• Eurostar owners to privatise groupOWNERS of Eurostar are moving to set up the high-speed train service as a standalone company after years of negotiations.
• WALTHAMSTOW: Station earmarked for regeneration WALTHAMSTOW Central Station is set to be transformed under plans for £500m investment by Network Rail and construction firm Kier.
• Network Rail's behaviour branded 'arrogant' after installing barbed wire fence at Teddington station without warning A new barbed wire fence at a railway station has failed to impress residents and commuters.
• New talks to try to prevent Sussex rail strike Talks aimed at averting strikes by thousands of rail workers in disputes over jobs and working practices will resume tomorrow.
• Lancs tram jobs will get go-aheadBosses behind a project to create more than 100 tram-building jobs in Lancashire have insisted the plans ARE on track “ despite consultants saying buses should be used instead

News from Europe

• Consultants for new rail lines to be paid €50,000 IARNROD Eireann is to pay consultants €50,000 to come up with ways to tell the public that the capital will have two DART lines, even though they will not open until at least 2018.