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

Thursday, 29 April 2010

BBC News

• Bus driver is sacked for readingA bus driver filmed reading a small book while a driving a bus in Birmingham is sacked.
• Stagecoach figures get rail boostTransport group Stagecoach announces performance figures ahead of expectations despite winter problems.
• Forth Ports shuns fresh takeover bidEdinburgh-based Forth Ports rejects a third takeover bid from a trio of its shareholders, who valued the company at £640m.
• Delays ahead for M60 worksA large stretch of Manchester's orbital motorway is going to be dug up again - for the second time in four months.
• Road named for aviation pioneerA road is named in honour of the first man to fly from London to Manchester - on the 100th anniversary of the achievement.
• Honda sees profits and sales riseJapanese carmaker Honda reports a profit for the first three months of the year, following losses a year ago.
• Shell profits up 50% on oil priceOil giant Royal Dutch Shell sees quarterly profits jump by nearly 50% thanks to higher oil prices and expansion in its business.
• Japan Airlines makes route cutsJapan Airlines, which entered bankruptcy protection this year, plans to end 45 international and domestic routes.

Financial Times

• Tube Lines’ input helps Amey advance A substantial contribution from Tube Lines, the London Underground maintenance company that has been at the centre of a funding dispute, helped Amey UK, its majority owner, report annual pre-tax profits of £105.6m ($160.4m) – a rise of 70 per cent from a year earlier.
• Forth Ports rejects Northstream offerThe UK port operator says the latest bid from the consortium of £14 a share “ up 4.5% on the £13.40 it tabled in February “ falls far short of the company's value
• UAL heads set for windfall in event of mergerThe top five executives at UAL Corp, parent of United Airlines, stand to make millions ofdollars in cash and shares if their company merges with Continental Airlines, according to an analysis of the carrier's regulatory filings

The Guardian

• Ealing Central and Acton: Crossrail questions Labour candidate for Ealing Council Rupa Huq:

The Herald

• Airlines ˜struggled before ash crisis™European airlines were struggling to recover from a deep recession in aviation even before they were hit by a six-day shut down of airspace earlier this month, an industry body has found.

The Scotsman

• Full steam ahead for Stagecoach as trains boost performance A STRONG performance led by its domestic rail operations will see full-year figures at Stagecoach come in ahead of expectations, the company said yesterday.

Times Online

• Hybrid superbus This is an exciting project to deliver a beautifully designed, environmentally friendly vehicle
• Stagecoach rides out recession When Stagecoach tried its hand at operating an amphibious bus across the Clyde this year, it was anything but plain sailing. The “amfibus” stalled when it hit the water and the trial had to be called off. The company has since ditched the idea of rivalling the Renfrew ferry.
• Forth refuses third bid from group led by rival portsForth Ports has rejected its third takeover offer in as many months from a group of its own shareholders.
• Virgin ˜blew the whistle over price-fixing cartel with BA™ to win race for immunityVirgin Atlantic was so scared of American regulators that it admitted running a cartel with British Airways without being sure it had committed an offence, a court was told yesterday.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham driver sacked after reading at wheel of double decker A BUS driver caught on camera reading a book at the wheel of a double decker has been fired, his bosses confirmed today.

Birmingham Post

• Theresa Villiers admits Tories won't reveal high speed rail plans until after Election The Conservatives have continued their pre-election policy of keeping tight-lipped over plans for a £17 billion high speed rail link between Birmingham and London.

Liverpool Echo

• Stagecoach positive after Virgin Rail stake drives improved revenues PUBLIC transport group Stagecoach increased its earnings forecasts today on the back of improved trading in its UK rail division.

London Evening Standard

• Mayor calls for tougher driving tests as seventh cyclist dies on London’s roadBoris Johnson has called on the Government to change driving tests so motorists are forced to pay greater attention to cyclists.
• Boris Johnson's Routemasters branded a waste of money at £7.8m for five busesBill for Boris Johnson’s new generation of Routemasters has come in at £7.8 million for just five buses
• Fuel duty 'a major tax concern'National Insurance rises are less of a taxing problem to voters than high petrol prices, according to a survey.

The York Press

• Cyclists invited to register bikes CYCLISTS in York have another chance to register their bikes on a new police registration system, as the city™s war on cycle crime steps up a gear.
• Redundant York Jarvis workers demonstrate outside Network Rail's London headquarters MORE than 250 redundant Jarvis workers and their supporters staged a demonstration today outside Network Rail™s London headquarters.

Other Regional Press

• Bizarre New Mill wrangle over unwanted bus stop - read the full story here BUS company workers were sent packing after trying to install a new shelter on a road with no day time bus service.

Railnews

• News: Airline ash crisis caused major surge in rail travel The aviation crisis caused by the Icelandic volcanic eruption has boosted rail passenger figures by as much as seven times on at least one route, and operators believe that some of the stranded airline passengers rescued will now stay with trains in future.

Aviation Industry

• JAL reveals major route restructuring; 45 slashed in addition to prior cutsJapan Airlines announced that it will cut 45 routes by the end of September as part of a radical shakeup intended to return it to profitability and sustainability.

Other News Sources

• Study into new door-to-door transport scheme ​Researchers in Bath are investigating whether an ambitious door-to-door public transport system could be created to reduce congestion and pollution.
• Transport plans move forward PLANS to regenerate Chard are continuing to make steady progress – and there could be good news just around the corner for motorists.
• Transport secretary backs better trains A campaign for a better rail service between Norwich and London won the backing of transport secretary Lord Adonis yesterday after he travelled the route.
• Brighton's first bendy bus enters service Brighton and Hove Buses bought four of the extra-long vehicles after the Conservative Mayor of London Boris Johnson was elected on a promise to get rid of them from the capital.
• Retro-reflective markingsRoad safety charity, Brake is encouraging all companies with trucks in their fleets to sign up to the campaign group REFLECT™s voluntary code of practice on the fitting of retro-reflective markings. John Leech MP has also called for fleets to sign the code, in a Parliamentary Early Day Motion. Ellen Booth, Brake™s Campaigns officer, said: œThe case [...]
• A11 will be dualled - Lord AdonisTransport secretary Lord Adonis promised the people of East Anglia that the vital dualling of the final stretch of the A11 will be completed if Labour returns to power - and work could still start this year.
• Eurostar to replace Leisure Select Rail operator Eurostar is introducing a new class of service, Standard Premier, to replace its Leisure Select carriages.