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

Saturday, 17 April 2010

BBC News

• Birmingham Airport remains closedFlights from Birmingham Airport remain suspended due to clouds of volcanic ash from an eruption in Iceland.
• City airport shut until SaturdayAsh cloud will keep Cardiff airport closed until at least early Saturday, grounding 50 more flights.
• Boys 'prefer cars from early on'Research suggests that girls naturally prefer dolls and boys cars from as young as nine months old.
• £8.2m freight boost for MontroseA new deep water berth is to be created at Montrose to divert freight services from the roads and cut emissions.
• That'll be 650 quid mate... one taxi driver's 'volcanic' windfallA record trip for the taxi driver who got a £650 fare to drive businessmen to London
• Transport museum set for big moveThe Glasgow Transport Museum is set to close its doors for the final time after 22 years to make the move to its new riverside location.
• Go-ahead for £290m Subway revampA £290m revamp plan for Glasgow's ageing Subway system is approved by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.
• Airlines reject compensation dealEurope's scheduled airlines have rejected a European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruling over compensation to delayed travellers.
• Nowhere fastHow will the airlines get their flights back on track?
• Airlines count volcano ash lossesDisruption caused by European airspace closure will cost airlines at least $200m per day, the industry's governing body warns

Financial Times

• Ash cloud travel chaos hits airline sharesAirline stocks tumbled as travel chaos caused by a huge cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland worsened in northern Europe and officials warned that the disruption could continue into next week

The Guardian

• John Cleese's £3,300 taxi fareVolcanic ash cloud forces comedian to travel 1,000 miles by cabHe's more famous for a sketch about a Norwegian blue parrot than a Norwegian taxi, but John Cleese may have to change his routine. The actor and comedian reportedly took a cab from Oslo to Brussels on Friday costing 30,000 kroner (£3,300) after he was stranded, along with thousands of others, in the Norwegian capital by the volcanic ash plume from Iceland.Cleese was in Norway to appear on the Scandinavian talkshow Skavlan when the cloud descended, closing airspace around the city.
• Volcanic ash cloud grounds flights until Monday¢ Northwesterly winds continue to spread vast plume of ash ¢ Airspace closed over UK, France, Belgium and ScandinaviaThe no-fly zone across much of Britain after Iceland's huge volcanic eruption this week is set to remain in force over the weekend, placing yet more strain on road, rail and ferry networks already struggling to cope with thousands of stranded passengers.Lord Adonis, the transport secretary, who met officials at the Civil Aviation Authority, Met Office, and National Air Traffic Services today, said:

The Herald

• Subway upgrade given the green lightPlans for a £300 million modernisation of Glasgow™s Subway system have been given the go-ahead.
• Flights land in Scotland as sky clearsA handful of flights returned to the skies over Scotland yesterday, but forecasters warned that a fresh plume of ash from the erupting Icelandic volcano could hit the country over the weekend.
• Airspace remains closed as plume sweeps across south-eastern EuropeThe unprecedented closure of European airspace is set to extend into next week as the plume of ash continues its south-easterly sweep across Europe, leaving fleets of aircraft grounded.
• Fourteen injured as tour coach veers off A9 and overturnsFourteen people were hurt when a coach carrying elderly tourists from England veered off the A9 in the Highlands after colliding with a lorry.

The Independent

• Air travel chaos drags on into the weekend Flights from London and much of the rest of Britain will remain grounded until at least lunchtime today because of the cloud of volcanic ash looming over northern Europe, air traffic controllers confirmed last night.

The Telegraph

• Volcanic ash disruption leaves thousands of Britons marooned abroad Thousands of Britons were left stranded abroad while those at home saw their travel plans wrecked after the plume of volcanic ash drifting over British airspace from Iceland grounded flights for a second day.

Times Online

• Profiteering? It™s just supply and demand, say rail and ferry firmsTravel companies have denied profiteering from the volcanic dust cloud as stranded holidaymakers face paying premium fares to get home after the Easter break.
• Thousands stranded as volcanic dust cloud covers UKTens of thousands of airline passengers remain stranded around the world today as the volcanic dust cloud that cut off British airspace threatens to remain until the middle of next week.

Reuters News

• Volcanic ash grounds flights for third dayLONDON (Reuters) - Large parts of Europe enforced no-fly rulings for a third day on Saturday because of a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano that has caused the worst air travel chaos since the September 11 attacks.

Mail Online

• 14 injured, three seriously, after car ploughs into town's busy market stalls
• Something strange at Britain's airports... the sound of silence

The Mirror

• CAR CRASH VICTIM'S BODY NOT FOUND FOR 4 MONTHS Cops abandoned search
• 1,200 TRAIN JOBS 'SAVED' A rescue plan could save the 1,200 jobs lost last month after the collapse of the rail maintenance firm Jarvis, it was revealed last night.
• Heathrow residents say peace is blissful People living under the Heathrow flightpath are enjoying the peace and quiet after two days without planes flying overhead.

Network Rail

• ENGINEERING WORK CANCELLED TO ALLOW EXTRA TRAINS IN RESPONSE TO AIR CHAOSNetwork Rail has cancelled weekend engineering work on long distance routes, to enable opertors to offer better and more services for stranded passengers.

Birmingham Mail

• Volcanic cloud chaos: Birmingham Airport airlines start cancelling more flights RYAINAIR tonight became the first operator to cancel all flights until Monday as the volcanic ash cloud over England threatened to cause travel havoc for days to come.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Whitney Houston forced to take ferry to Ireland from North Wales The 46-year-old star, who is in the middle of her Nothing But Love world tour, said she opted for the boat yesterday after no-fly orders shut down airports across Ireland and the UK.
• Bus route had four passengers in month AN UNDERUSED bus service between Mold and Lixwm could be axed.

Liverpool Echo

• New plans to prevent abuse of blue badge parking scheme PEOPLE who misuse the blue badge parking scheme could have their cars towed away if new proposals get the go-ahead.

Liverpool Post

• Merseysiders counting the cost as volcanic ash cloud grounds flights at Liverpool John Lennon airport MERSEYSIDERS are counting the cost of the volcanic ash cloud which has grounded flights across northern Europe.

London Evening Standard

• Network Rail poised to save 1,200 Jarvis jobs
• Eruption blows hole in airline balance sheetsThe value of Europe's leading airlines has plunged by millions of pounds in the City over fears that the impact of the volcanic cloud could last for several more days
• Hopes dashed for air travellersTravellers are enduring more misery as a cloud of volcanic ash once again forced the cancellation of flights in and out of the UK.

Metro

• Hopes dashed for air travellersTravellers are enduring more misery as a cloud of volcanic ash once again forced the cancellation of flights in and out of the UK.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Newcastle Airport shut by volcano 'till at least 7pm' NEWCASTLE Airport will remain closed until at least 7pm on Saturday due to the volcanic ash cloud, aviation authorities have said.

Sheffield Star

• Bus driver robbed by masked manA SHEFFIELD bus driver was robbed of his takings by a masked man who threatened him with violence unless he handed over cash.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Fife-Dundee road upgrade set to start next month A multimillion-pound project to upgrade road access from Fife to Dundee will begin next month.
• Harbour gets grant for deep-water berth to expand shipping services Harbour bosses at Montrose have been handed a multimillion-pound grant to create a new deep-water berth that could significantly reduce freight traffic on the roads.
• Quay shapes up as metal beams lifted into placeThe latest phase in a massive expansion of one of the north-east™s busiest ports swung into action yesterday.
• Scottish no-flight ban lifted but ash cloud chaos goes onTravel chaos caused by the ash cloud is set to continue around the UK well into today but restrictions have been eased at Scots airports “ at least for the moment.
• Elderly tourists injured as coach plunges off road A massive rescue operation was launched yesterday after a coach carrying elderly tourists plunged down an embankment following a collision with a lorry.

Wales Online

• Passengers calls for ’Welsh Rail’ re-nationalised service PASSENGERS will today call for the Welsh rail network to be re-nationalised to create a miniature version of the old British Rail.

Carlisle News & Star

• Plea not to drive across Workington's new road bridge A plea has been made for motorists not to drive across Workington™s new temporary road bridge as soon as it opens “ to avoid congestion.

Chester Standard

• Life of hell for new road residentsDESPAIRING residents whose houses are next to major roadworks claim their lives have been made hell by noise and dust.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Train drives into rubbish on trackA train ploughed into branches and ballast which had been thrown onto a railway line by yobs.

Sunderland Echo

• Man jailed following fuel scam A man who took part in a large-scale fuel card scam has been jailed for 18 months.
• Train services busy following volcanic ash weather The following statement has been released by Grand Central rail services:

The Shields Gazette

• Bus shake-up to start on SundayA RADICAL shake-up of bus services in South Tyneside will begin to take shape this weekend.

Other Regional Press

• Restrictions imposed after Harlequin workers blamed for parking problemsHarlequin employees are causing parking chaos in north Bushey roads, forcing the council to intervene with new restrictions, say residents.
• Reductions to Tidcombe bus service A POPULAR Tiverton bus service is to scrap two of its regular trips.
• Fuel prices highest in the South WestFUEL prices in the South West are the highest in England, a report published today reveals. The AA Fuel Price Report for April shows petrol...
• Skybus beats the gloomAs a massive cloud of ash from Iceland's volcanic eruption plunged Britain into travel chaos, it was business as normal for a tiny Westcountry...
• Great days of GWR steam remembered MEMORIES of the glory days of steam-hauled express trains between Oxford and London were revived today when Great Western Railway Castle class locomotive No 5043 Earl of Mount Edgcumbe steamed into the city.
• 12 injured in coach crashA coach carrying 33 people overturned on the A9 in a horror crash today which left 12 injured, four seriously.

C.N.N.

• Volcanic ash disrupts more flights across EuropeVolcanic ash from Iceland jammed up air traffic across Europe over the weekend, with British Airways canceling all flights to and from London on Saturday and Irish budget carrier Ryanair suspending flights to northern Europe until Monday, the airlines said.
• Developments in volcanic ash affecting air travelHere are the latest highlights regarding problems for air travel caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland:

International Herald Tribune

• Air Travel Chaos Deepens Into WeekendTravel chaos around the world, caused by a volcano in Iceland, grew with little reprieve seen for the weekend.

Washington Post

• Impact of volcanic ash surfacing for US businesses NEW YORK -- Overnight shipping, airlines and tourism were just some of the businesses that faced a second day of disruptions as a cloud of volcanic ash emanating from Iceland grounded thousands of flights to and from Europe.
• Volcanic ash grounds Europe flights for third day LONDON (Reuters) - Large parts of Europe enforced no-fly rulings for a third day on Saturday because of a huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano that has caused the worst air travel chaos since the September 11 attacks.
• Toyota to recall 600,000 Sienna minivans WASHINGTON -- Toyota Motor Corp. said Friday it was recalling 600,000 Sienna minivans sold in the United States to address potential rusting spare tire cables that could break and create a road hazard in the latest safety problem to strike the beleaguered automaker.

Railnews

• News: Adonis in talks with rail operators over ’volcano reliefs’ The transport secretary Andrew Adonis has revealed that he has held emergency talks with rail operators to provide extra trains while the volcano dust air crisis goes on. Aviation disruption is now expected to continue until next week after the Icelandic eruption on Wednesday spewed ash 11km high into the atmosphere.

Aviation Industry

• Air pollution: a quiet killerLiving near an airport can have serious health consequences. In December last year we reported  on research from the German Environment Agency which found that men exposed to aircraft noise have a 69% higher risk of being hospitalized for cardiovascular disease, while women who exposed to aircraft noise during the day are 172% more likely [...]
• Volcanic ash leaves the skies quiet, but work at AEF continuesWith all flights into and out of the UK grounded as a result the ash clouds from an Icelandic volcano eruption, the skies have been very quiet for many AEF members for the past 48 hours! All the same, we™ve been continuing our work on the draft noise action plans and considering what action to take [...]

Other News Sources

• Rail maintenance job hopes amid rescue planUnion leaders have raised hopes that a rescue plan could save the 1,200 jobs lost - many in Yorkshire - following the collapse of rail maintenance firm Jarvis.
• Ash cloud may affect air traffic for up to 6 monthsLONDON: A huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano caused further air travel chaos across Europe yesterday, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded.
• £70 million set for North Cotswold lineNetwork Rail forging ahead to start work on a £70 million scheme to improve the North Cotswold line
• Figures show rise in new car registrationsFigures from the European Automobile Manufacturer™s Association show that new car registrations in the EU for March 2010 were 10.8 per cent higher compared to March 2009.
• Elderly tourists escape serious injury in bus crashVIDEO: Fourteen people including the driver were injured when the coach overturned near Dalwhinnie.
• Scotland's air network reopens after volcano chaosVIDEO: Hopes for an end to travel disruption as Icelandic planes arrive at Glasgow airport.
• Motorsport firm's $10m prize goes up in smokeA county motorsport firm has vowed to rebuild its revolutionary electric car after a factory blaze destroyed the prototype and dashed the company's hopes of walking away w
• 200-tonne truck drives through county...at just 4mphA 200-tonne truck will crawl through Northamptonshire on Sunday morning to deliver a new electrical transformer to the National Grid site in Grendon.
• Taxi beats volcano ash cloud to take executives to SwitzerlandThe travel chaos which has seen flights grounded due to clouds of ash from a volcanic explosion in Iceland, benefited a Northampton taxi firm when a desperate group of busines
• Top News: Effort Under Way to Repeal California High-Speed Rail Bond MeasureOfficials in five cities will consider whether to throw their weight behind an effort to ask California voters to repeal the bond measure that launched the high-speed rail project.
• East Lancashire hauliers struggling with fuel pricesEAST Lancashire™s hauliers say they are struggling with sky-high petrol and diesel prices.
• Preston woman to skipper boat made of bottlesMade from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles and other reclaimed plastic, Jo Royle, 30, from Haighton, Preston, is taking on an epic sailing challenge with a difference.
• Flights remain grounded A cloud of volcanic ash has once again forced the cancellation of flights in and out of the UK.Related StoriesHundreds evacuated as Icelandic volcano eruptsVolcano grounds flights until FridayAir travel chaos: How you are being affectedHealth advice as ash lands on British soilUK planes grounded for second day
• Costa Rica dockers on strike for union rightsDockers in a Costa Rican port embarked on strike action this week as part of a long and bitter struggle to see their union rights upheld.
• Air cargo at a virtual standstill across northern EuropeAirports shut as danger to aircraft from ash cloud spreads
• Disruption to UK airports today. Due to the continuing disruption at UK airports, road users who are planning to fly today are advised to first check with their departure airport or airline, before travelling on motorways or major
• Business on-hold as ash cloud casts its shadowThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) fears the cost to business “ and consumers “ will escalate as the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud casts its shadow further. With goods such as fresh produce and pharmaceuticals reliant on air freight, the impact could be widespread, with some retailers warning that consumers could see depleted shelves by early [...]
• Andover Road closure: braced for worse to come RESIDENTS and retailers are bracing themselves for the full impact of one of Winchester™s busiest routes being closed.
• Grounded airline fears ash damage from quick return to flight At least one airline grounded in the European areas affected by the volcanic ash cloud is worried that it might be pressured to fly again before the risk...
• PICTURES: Finnish F-18 engine check reveals effects of volcanic dustImages released by the Finnish air force have highlighted the current risk to aircraft posed by Iceland's ongoing volcanic eruption ...
• Bristol Airport to receive new easyJet routeseasyJet will soon be offering flights to more distant destinations from Bristol Airport with the addition of a new aircraft.The low-cost airline has added an A320 carrier to its fleet, which will open up a number of medium-haul locations from the airport for the first time.Earlier this week, easyJet launched a service to Cyprus from Bristol Airport and from July the Canary Islands, Crete and Bodrum and Dalaman in Turkey will all be added to the list.Sophie Dekkers, easyJet's commercial manager, said: "The arrival of our first A320 into Bristol offers more choice for customers. As Bristol'...
• Suspected pirate vessel destroyedA SPANISH warship has destroyed a suspected pirate mother ship off Somalia, EU NAVFOR said today.
• B&Q awards Wincanton £4m contract expansion Wincanton has been awarded a contract by B&Q to become the sole transport partner of the retailer's entire product range in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
• Warning over Norfolk coastal car crimeA spate of thefts from cars parked at beauty spots on the north Norfolk coast has prompted a warning for motorists to secure their vehicles.
• Aviva backs Norwich to London rail improvementsNorfolk's biggest business has thrown its weight behind the Norwich in 90 campaign for faster and more reliable train services to the capital.
• Air travel chaos continues - but some insurers pay outThe chaos caused by the volcanic eruption in Iceland looks set to continue over the weekend, with thousands of planes likely to remain grounded - but a growing number of insurers last night agreed to pay out to stranded passengers.
• Silver lining: volcanic ash means clear skiesResidents on major flight paths have been experiencing an eerie calm as a result of the Icelandic ash cloud. John Stewart, chair of the anti-airport expansion group HACAN Clear Skies - who lives in southwest London - says it's an ill wind that blows no one any good.
• Aeroflot and Megafon Introduce Mobile Telecommunications On BoardRussia's biggest air carrier JSC Aeroflot Russian Airlines and first all-Russian mobile operator JSC MegaFon have agreed to install MegaFon's base stations on Aeroflot's aircraft. For the first...
• RYANAIR EXPECTS CURRENT FLIGHT CANCELLATIONS TO CONTINUE Ryanair, today (Fri 16th April) confirmed that based on current meteorological forecasts, and the continuing emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere over Iceland, it has decided to cancel...
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