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

Wednesday, 14 April 2010

BBC News

• Heathrow third runway divides parties in Hayes [BBC Election 2010]The expansion of Heathrow airport is a contentious issue for the former Labour-run constituency of Hayes and Harlington in west London.
• First Great Western to have first on-board TV service The first on-board TV service for train travellers in the UK has begun.
• Driverless trains in Subway plan A £400m revamp plan of Glasgow's Subway system could see staff numbers cut and the introduction of driverless trains and upgraded stations, it has emerged.
• Sheffield station ticket barrier plans put on hold Ticket barriers will not be installed at Sheffield railway station before a new footbridge is built, Transport Secretary Lord Adonis has announced.
• Gloucester to Bristol rail users to have extra service Rail passengers using the Gloucester to Bristol route will have an extra morning service from the end of May.
• Candidates' concern over GM plant in Luton Concerns over the Vauxhall plant at Luton, owned by General Motors (GM), and job losses are huge issues for the voters of Luton South.
• High fuel prices cost communities in Montgomeryshire High prices at the fuel pumps have a particular impact on people in rural areas who depend on their vehicles. In constituencies like Montgomeryshire, where the provision of public transport is limited, cars are a lifeline for families, businesses and the elderly.
• Warwickshire protest meeting over high speed rail link People unhappy at plans to build a high speed rail link through Warwickshire have been staging a protest meeting.
• £1.6m pothole repairs loan agreedWrexham councillors agree to borrow £1.6m to help repair road potholes caused by the winter freeze.

Financial Times

• Evergreen to order 100 new container shipsAsia's second-biggest container shipping line has signalled its determination to reverse a long-term decline in market share by announcing plans to place the first...
• Brighter skies for BMI after restructuringBMI British Midland is expected to remain in one piece and halve losses this year after a sweeping overhaul, following doubts last year over its ability to continue as a going concern

The Herald

• Thumbs up for Subway plansBusiness leaders and politicians have welcomed plans to spend £290 million upgrading Glasgow™s Subway in the first modernisation of the network for 30 years.
• Souter™s firm bids for ferry routeBrian Souter, the co-founder of the Stagecoach bus empire, is trying to take over the Caledonian Macbrayne ferry route between Gourock and Dunoon.

The Telegraph

• Motoring group calls for road signs to have bigger lettering for older drivers Road signs should carry larger lettering to help Britain's ageing motoring population, a leading motoring organisation has said.

Press Association

• Train premieres on-board TV service The first on-board TV service for train travellers has been launched. The seat-back service, which passengers pay for, has been introduced on some high-speed trains operated by the First Great Western (FGW) rail company.

Network Rail

• BOLTON FOOTBRIDGE FIRST
• NEW AND IMPROVED STATIONS ARRIVING SOON AT AIRDRIE AND DRUMGELLOCHWork begins on state-of-the-art new station at DrumgellochMajor improvements for Airdrie, including easier access and new platformScotRail introduces replacement bus services to minimise disruption

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Railway extension to Corwen could be abandoned PLANS to extend a North Wales railway may have to be abandoned.

Journal Live

• Rail line shift THE East Coast rail franchise could be run by a workers' co-operative under Labour.

Liverpool Post

• Prime Minister Gordon Brown to look again at Liverpool's Merseytam scheme GORDON Brown yesterday pledged his government’s full support in putting Merseyside at the forefront of future car production.

Sheffield Star

• Minister solves row over train station footbridge barriers TRANSPORT Secretary Andrew Adonis last night revealed he had negotiated an end to unpopular plans for ticket barriers at Sheffield rail station.

Sunderland Echo

• Labour Party's transport pledge Improving public transport in Wearside and support for turning Northern Rock back into a building society are among Labour's election promises.
• Meetings on bus changes Passengers can learn more about plans to improve their bus links at a series of meetings starting today.

Other Regional Press

• Essential work planned after bridge delays ESSENTIAL repairs will be carried out on the Knutsford Road swing bridge after it stuck open this morning.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Conservative manifesto launched13 April: The Conservative manifesto is out today, confirming their opposition to expanding Heathrow airport and to reforming transport appraisal. But where's the new toll roads proposal? read more

Other News Sources

• Pete Waterman’s Crewe-based rail scheme attracts business MUSIC mogul Pete Waterman was in Crewe to promote a new apprenticeship scheme which will provide skilled railway engineers.
• Platforms to be extended in Wandsworth borough stations Network Rail have announced that platforms are to be extended at Putney, Wandsworth Town and Clapham Junction railway stations, work which is hoped will ease overcrowding during peak times.
• Labour backs Heathrow Airport runway plansThe Labour party has said that it would back the creation of a third runway at Heathrow Airport if it wins the upcoming general election.In its manifesto the party said it would be supporting the extension to the travel hub, but would not be backing plans for any other developments at UK airports, including a second runway at Stansted Airport.It is thought that if the third runway is constructed, an extra 20 million passengers will pass through Heathrow Airport each year.The plans received a setback earlier this year when a judge ruled that it must undertake another public consultation on the ...
• easyJet criticises Liverpool Airport securityLow-cost airline easyJet has criticised the security measures in place at Liverpool Airport, saying that it is causing severe delays.Liverpool Airport released a statement in the Daily Post last week asking passengers to arrive at least two hours before their flight to allow enough time to pass through security.easyJet spokesman Andrew McConnell said that the carrier wants the airport to take on more security personnel to improve the situation."Telling people to arrive earlier is not good enough. It is time the airport put its hand in its pocket and employed more security staff," he ...

News from Europe

• Tram projects planned in northern France FRANCE: A consortium comprising Systra, Inexia, Eccta, Ilex and Urbanica has been appointed to manage two tram projects in northern France. The contract was awarded by the Artois-Gohelle local transport authority, which is responsible for public transport in an area comprising 115 towns and villages with a total population of 600 000.