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

Friday, 16 April 2010

BBC News

• Iceland volcano: UK flights grounded for second day Thousands of flights across the UK are to remain grounded for a second day as ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland continues to drift across Europe.
• Volcanic ash disrupts air travelBirmingham International Airport suspends flights due to dense clouds of volcano ash spreading from an eruption in Iceland.
• Airport 'eerie' amid ash chaosAberdeen Airport is virtually deserted as all flights are cancelled due to ash from the Iceland volcano eruption.
• Bombardier gets aircraft orderThree jet aircraft have been ordered from Bombardier by a Uruguayan airline.
• Tories deny Crossrail accusationsThe Conservatives are accused of breaking a manifesto pledge after they refuse to guarantee Crossrail's future.
• Dust from volcano closes airportsAll flights to and from Scotland's airports are grounded as a plume of volcanic dust drifts across much of northern Europe.
• Flight block boosts rail bookingsTravel firms see a booking surge as passengers seek alternative travel methods after flights in and out of the UK are suspended.

Financial Times

• Volcanic ash grounds European flightsHundreds of thousands of passengers were stranded across Europe yesterday as a huge cloud of ash from a volcanic eruption in Iceland drifted over the north of the...
• Continental and United restart merger talksNews that the airlines have re-opened discussions that broke down almost two years ago comes days after United revived talks of a possible tie-up with US Airways
• Struggling operators count cost of disruptionThe clouds of volcanic ash caused widespread disruption to international travel but analysts were divided over how much it would cost the aviation industry

The Guardian

• Crossrail 'could be scrapped', admits Tory spokeswoman Shadow minister Justine Greening says Conservatives support Crossrail in principle but cannot guarantee the future of the cross-London rail link

The Herald

• Travellers seek alternative transport after all UK flights groundedTravellers hit by the shutdown of UK airports were quick today to look for other forms of transport to take them abroad.
• Passengers examine insurance small print over compensationPassengers caught in today™s airport shutdown will now face a struggle for compensation.
• Oil services chief™s £2m windfallThe managing director of an Aberdeen oil services firm has joined the expanding ranks of the city™s millionaires after selling the business he runs to a rival firm.

Times Online

• Red light in the cab will keep Stagecoach drivers green on the busesBus drivers are being told to ease off the gas, change gear less often and brake less violently. And a flashing light system in the cab will tell them how they are doing: green for safe and efficient; amber for less efficient; and red for poor driving.
• France gives boost for cleaner carsPSA Peugeot-Citroën will replace almost a third of the plastics used in its cars with green materials by 2015, to reduce the ecological footprint of the French company™s vehicles over their lifespan.
• Airlines set to lose more than £100m if chaos continuesShutting down Britain™s airspace could cost airlines more than £100 million if the disruption carries on into the weekend.

Network Rail

• RAIL TRANSFORMATION ON NORTH COTSWOLD STRIDES FORWARD

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Councillors give night flight warning Airport bosses are being warned that further breaches of night-flight rules will not be tolerated.
• 535 cars seized in blitz on illegal drivers Police have seized more than 500 illegal vehicles from the streets of Bradford in a six-month crackdown on rogue drivers.
• Passenger woe as ash forces cancellations Passengers were going nowhere at Leeds-Bradford International Airport today as flights were cancelled due to the ash cloud caused by Iceland™s volcanic eruption.

Journal Live

• Beith admits A1 dualling will take a back seat THE Liberal Democrats are not supporting an immediate upgrade to the A1 through Northumberland, a party elder yesterday admitted.

Liverpool Post

• Iceland volcano eruption ash cloud closes Liverpool John Lennon Airport (GALLERY) NO flights will depart or arrive at Liverpool John Lennon Airport (JLA) until at least 1pm today, after a cloud of volcanic ash disrupted Britain’s air traffic control.

London Evening Standard

• We can offer no guarantees for Crossrail, Tories admitFuture of Crossrail has been thrown into doubt after the Tories admitted they could not commit to the £16 billion project

Sheffield Telegraph

• Victory in battle to keep station open CAMPAIGNERS were celebrating a 'victory for democracy' this week after plans for ticket barriers at Sheffield rail station were dropped. Transport Secretary Lord Adon

The News (Portsmouth)

• More bike spaces for commuters at stationsScores of new cycling spaces are to be created by a railway firm to help commuters.

The York Press

• Man's rail death sparks fresh Jarvis rowA war of words has broken out between Network Rail and union staff, after an engineer died.

Burnley Express

• Would-be MPs urged to back Clitheroe-Skipton rail linkA CLITHEROE businessman is calling on local election candidates to back his campaign for a new rail service ... and he isn't afraid to put his money where his mouth is.

Carlisle News & Star

• More trains on time on West Coast mainline - report More trains were on time on the West Coast mainline last month.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Work to begin on £5m bus projectWork will soon begin on a multi-million-pound bus lane designed to cut congestion and provide a faster service between two towns.

Other Regional Press

• Winter shutdown for Minehead to Ilfracombe bus link A BUS service between Ilfracombe and Minehead is being axed during the winter months.
• £45m road network plan set to drive area's regenerationHOPES of regenerating the area's economy have been boosted by news that £45 million will be spent on a new road network linking Camborne, Pool...
• Can Wendy resurrect airport rail link plan?John Swinney has been challenged to use cash given by the Chancellor in last month™s budget to pay for the Glasgow Airport Rail Link.
• Volcanic ash shuts Aberdeen AirportTHOUSANDS of Aberdeen travellers faced disruption today after a cloud of volcanic ash closed Scottish airports.

New Scientist

• Carbon flakes brush up for cheap solar cellsA photosensitive dye made from a tweaked form of graphene has been used to make a solar cell – more work could make these cells super-efficient
• Green machine: Rethinking internal combustion enginesIt may never be loved by environmentalists, but the internal combustion engine could improve its reputation as polluter-in-chief – here's how

Railnews

• News: Infrarail visitors up as optimism returns On the final day of Infrarail at the NEC in Birmingham, organisers Mack Brooks have revealed exclusively to Railnews that visitor numbers were up by some 6% on the first two days of the show, at around 3300. Mack Brooks said that the trend was 'very encouraging', and confirmed pre-show predictions.

Transport for London

• Exit and interchange only at Oxford Circus on weekday mornings London Underground (LU) is advising passengers who use Oxford Circus Tube station that vital work to replace three of the station's escalators will mean that on weekdays before 10:30, between next Monday 19 April and summer 2011.

Aviation Industry

• American Airlines preps for more business travelAmerican Airlines is sharpening its focus on the premium-travel market as the economy recovers and corporations increase their travel budgets, committing billions to buy new jets and upgrade its business-class cabins.

Green Miscellany

• New breakdown recovery service for electric bicycles In response to the increasing popularity of electric bicycles in Britain, the ETA (Environmental Transport Association) has created a specialist electric bicycle breakdown recovery service. read more
• As a cyclist, what is your number one gripe? Cars and lorries passing too close The threat of your bike being stolen Cold weather Poor road conditions (potholes etc) Lack of cycling facilities

Other News Sources

• Rail chiefs complacent, says MSPMSP Willie Coffey has lashed out at Network Rail after the agency attributed the death of a teenager on Gatehead level crossing to “misuse of the level crossing”.
• Rail chiefs complacent, says MSPMSP Willie Coffey has lashed out at Network Rail after the agency attributed the death of a teenager on Gatehead level crossing to “misuse of the level crossing”.
• Rail chiefs complacent, says MSPMSP Willie Coffey has lashed out at Network Rail after the agency attributed the death of a teenager on Gatehead level crossing to “misuse of the level crossing”.
• Maersk Line to improve punctuality rate Danish container shipping company Maersk Line aims to improve its punctuality rate to 95% by the end of 2010, Logistics Finland informs. Maersk sees punctuality as one of the new competitive parameters. Maersk's present rate is 60% which is among the best in the business. Maersk Line will cooperate with its partners in the industry and make changes to its services to improve the punctuality rate.
• Bikes targetedCYCLISTS riding without lights at night are being targeted by police in Longlevens. Police are continuing to monitor cycling offences in...
• Residents welcome £2.5m A46 road schemeResidents in Brockworth hope a £2.5million roadwork development will put an end to 40 years of misery.
• Improving the Evidence for Setting the Reimbursement Rate for Operators Under the Scotland-Wide Older and Disabled Persons Concessionary Bus SchemeThis research derives new, independent estimates for the additional cost and discount elements of the Scottish reimbursement rate for the National Concessionary bus scheme.
• 20mph speed reduction planned for Worthing A blanket speed reduction on residential roads could be introduced if new proposals get the go-ahead.
• New Terminal Sixt Opens at HeathrowSixt rent a car, one of Europe's largest independently owned car hire companies, are pleased to announce their arrival in all Heathrow Airport terminals.
• £65,000 boost for university bicycle security University bosses and police are hoping to stamp out bike thefts around Preston's university by erecting a secure bike shed and new bike lockers.
• EU 'must double spending on energy projects'Report says improving Europe™s energy infrastructure and the removal of fossil fuels from the electricity supply are only ways to meet emissions targets.
• Tories 'could scrap Crossrail'A Conservative government could ditch the £16bn pan-London Crossrail project
• FINNAIR appoints APG GA in 11 markets for GSA service APG Global Associates has been appointed by the Finnish National Carrier FINNAIR as their General Sales Agent (GSA) in the following countries: ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, BOSTSWANA, CHILE, MEXICO,...

News from Europe

• Tatas' Corus eyeing wider EU market for supplying longer railsPARIS: Tata Steel's European arm Corus today said it is looking at the European market for supplying longer 108-metre rails to tap the growing demand for high-speed rail lines.
• Bulgarian companies selected to build north Sofia Metro lineTwo Bulgarian companies, Consortium BKS Centre – Balkanstroi and Metro Build 2010, have been selected for the construction of the north line of the Sofia Metro, a process which has to be completed inside 24 months, Stroitelstvo Gradut weekly reported on April 12 2010.
• HAFAS User Conference sets the course for the future of travel by bus and train176 participants, 87 companies, 14 countries – these are the facts and figures of the HAFAS User Conference 2010. All these customers of the Hanover-based software company HaCon followed this year's invitation to the 13th HAFAS User Conference on April 13th and 14th in Hanover. There they have learned about the latest product developments around the leading timetable information HAFAS. The so far unmatched statistics reflect the high status of the annual meeting in Hanover.