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Friday, 28 May 2010

BBC News

• Group pulls bid for Forth PortsA consortium wanting to take over Edinburgh-based Forth Ports withdraws its proposed offer blaming
• London in low carbon market bidA 'Green Enterprise District' spreading across six boroughs is created to to help London be a low carbon economy leader.
• Tube busking auditions resumingLondon Underground begin a month of auditions for musicians hoping to win themselves a coveted busking licence.
• Collapsed airline's debt revealedCollapsed airline Highland Airways' debts run to more than £3.2m, documents prepared by its administrators have shown.
• BA talks adjourned until FridayBritish Airways and the Unite union have put their latest talks on hold until Friday as the cabin crew strike enters its fourth day.
• £30m sits unused on travel cardsAlmost £30m has been left unused on Oyster pay-as-you-go (PAYG) for at least a year, the BBC learns.

Department for Transport

• Transport StatisticsThe Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics
• New motorcycle helmet ratings published as website unveiledNew safety ratings for motorcycle helmets were announced today by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning as he unveiled a new website to give motorcyclists the best advice and information on choosing a helmet.

The Herald

• Main roads to close warning unless repair burden liftedA major privatisation of maintenance on Scotland™s local roads is needed to avoid a rapid deterioration in their condition, the head of a body representing council transportation chiefs has claimed.
• Hole in council repair budgets brings warning of road closuresFor motorists inured to the dilapidated state of Scotland™s local road network, last winter showed that things could still get worse.
• Plan to privatise maintenance of local roads gets mixed reaction from MSPsA call for the maintenance of local roads to be privatised to avoid their rapid deterioration has had a mixed reaction from Scotland™s political parties.

The Scotsman

• BA talks resume as strike continuesTalks aimed at ending the bitter British Airways dispute are to resume as a strike by cabin crew enters its fifth day.

Times Online

• After 75 years the driving test hasn’t really changed much When Mr J. Beene signalled with his right hand and pulled out on to the road on June 1, 1935, he would have had an inkling that he was about to make motoring history.

The Mirror

• Network Rail an early test for new politics and Philip Hammond God help the jobless, because the Tories won’t. They don’t even know who their Employment Minister is.
• BA talks resume as strike continues Talks aimed at ending the bitter British Airways dispute are to resume as a strike by cabin crew enters its fifth day.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Roman artefacts found on new Porthmadog bypass route ARCHAEOLOGISTS have unearthed evidence of Roman-era occupation on a new bypass route.
• Bid to stop Wrexham Council's school bus charge fails A LAST-ditch bid to block a controversial policy to make hundreds of pupils pay to use school buses has failed.

Liverpool Post

• Steve O'Connor honoured at Liverpool Daily Post business awards THE winner of the top prize at this year’s Liverpool Daily Post’s Regional Business Awards was last night unveiled as millionaire haulier Steve O’Connor.

London Evening Standard

• New Transport Secretary pledges to end chaos of Heathrow queuesEXCLUSIVE: Frustrating queues at Heathrow will be abolished in a radical shake-up of Britain’s biggest airport
• Crossrail stations may be scrapped in £5bn cuts threatCrossrail could be slashed by £5 billion under drastic plans being considered by the Government
• BA talks resume as strike continuesTalks aimed at ending the bitter British Airways dispute are to resume as a strike by cabin crew enters its fifth day.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leed: Bid to preserve tramride down memory laneEngineers are attempting to save a reminder of the days when Leeds had one of the earliest and most efficient public transport systems “ carrying up to three million people a

Other Regional Press

• Newport councillors make new plea for Ebbw Vale rail link NEWPORT councillors reiterated the urgent need for a rail link between Newport and Ebbw Vale, saying the city is being bypassed because it is easier for passengers to travel to Cardiff.
• Video: Flybe to launch Manchester flightsAirline Flybe is to launch a service to Manchester from Manston from the autumn.
• Angry residents demand cut in speed limit at Weymouth roundabout AN ANGRY resident fears a pedestrian will be killed after road chiefs rejected his calls for a lower speed limit at a busy Weymouth roundabout.
• Coventry and Bedworth get summer bus service to Drayton Manor Park A SPECIAL summer bus service is being laid on from Coventry, Bedworth and Nuneaton to Drayton Manor Park.
• Bikers encouraged to book riding session to cut accidents BIKERS are being encouraged to book a riding session before riding with a heavily-loaded motorcycle on a UK holiday this summer.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Road schemes dropped as cuts begin to bite27 May: The roads programme's been slashed in the first round of cuts: a portent of good tidings to come, or just coincidence? read more
• Packed trains? Not a Government priority27 May: In opposition, the Conservatives criticised the Government for taking its time about ordering the 1300 extra train carriages it promised in 2007. Now it seems the orders are being delayed altogether. read more

Railnews

• News: 'No decision' on Thameslink rolling stock The Department for Transport has denied reports that government budget cutbacks have led to the cancellation of the order for new Thameslink rolling stock.

Green Miscellany

• The electric bicycle breathalyzer: The bike you can™t ride drunk A group of engineers from Taiwan believes that drink riding is likely to be such a problem in the future that electric bikes will need a built-in breathalyzer.read more
• 2010 London Freewheel bicycle ride date is 5th September On Sunday 5th September 2010, an estimated 70,000 cyclists will take to traffic-free streets as part of this year™s London Freewheel, the annual cycling event currently branded as ˜Sky Ride™ as part of a sponsorship deal. The event forms part of London™s ˜Year of Cycling™, the mayor™s £116m-initiative that includes funding for the London Cycle Hire scheme, Cycle Superhighways, training, promotion, guided rides and education.read more
• Under-inflated car tyres cost drivers £440m British motorists are paying £440m in unnecessary fuel bills each year because they fail to keep their car tyres properly inflated.read more

Other News Sources

• Nearly $80 million in high-speed rail funds delivered to states The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that nearly $80 million in grants have been delivered to states as part of President Obama's historic high-speed and intercity passenger rail program. These grants will go toward the development of a brand new Recovery Act funded high-speed rail system in Florida aswell as critical upgrades to existing passenger rail service throughout the country.
• Russia to make new electric trains with GermanyRussia will produce the next generation electric trains with the help of a German rail company.
• English High Court Permits Air Transport Association Legal Challenge to EU Emissions Trading Scheme to Proceed WASHINGTON, May 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Air Transport Association of America (ATA), the trade organization for the leading U.S. airlines, said today that it was pleased that the English High Court will allow ATA permission to proceed with its legal challenge to the unilateral extension of the EU emissions trading scheme to international aviation. The High Court will shortly refer the case to the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg for a ruling on the validity of the EU law.
• Solar energy system installed at San Jose airport Canadian Solar said Thursday that it has completed a roof-mount photovoltaic solar electric system at the new rental car center and public parking garage at Mineta San Jose International Airport in California.
• Int'l air traffic slumps in April due to impact of volcanic ash: IATA International passenger traffic slumped by 2.4 percent in April as a result of massive flight cancellations centered in Europe following the eruptions of an Icelandic volcano, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) said on Thursday.
• Traffic lights 'confusion' revealedMore than half of drivers do not know the order in which traffic lights change, a study has found. Updated on 27/05/2010 08:46:40. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Toyota faults may link to 89 deathsThe US government has said sudden acceleration problems in Toyota vehicles could be linked to 89 deaths over the past decade. Updated on 27/05/2010 08:46:40. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• EVs 'won't alone cut CO2 emissions'Use of electric vehicles alone will not make a significant impact on Britain's carbon emissions, a report has warned. Updated on 27/05/2010 12:21:32. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Stena Line Announces Early Return for Stena HSSStena Line has announced that due to an increased demand, the HSS Stena Explorer will commence service on its Holyhead - Dun Laoghaire route a month early.
• Housing development residents increase use of public transportLondon residents in mixed-use housing developments have increased their use of public transport by almost half since 2003, according to a new study.
• Campaigners demand Bristol Airport inquiryCampaigners opposing the expansion of Bristol Airport have demanded a public inquiry after North Somerset Council approved the plans.
• DHL chief slams slow-steaming'Poor ocean carrier performance' has forced rethink of supply chains
• Mayor unveils £30m plans to kick-start London™s ˜Green Enterprise District™ 27 May, 2010 - 10:00 The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, the chief executive of Siemens, Andreas J. Goss and the Mayor of Newham Borough Council, Sir Robin Wales, today announced a plan for Siemens to invest £30 million in a new landmark building in East London, comprising an exhibition and conference centre. This is set to be built and operational by early 2012 and is the flagship project of a new Green Enterprise District, also announced by the Mayor.  p...
• Making London™s transport network accessible for all 27 May, 2010 - 10:00 What is it like to navigate London™s public transport network if you have a disability or reduced mobility?  How successful have current measures to improve accessibility been “ and what more needs to be done? The London Assembly Transport Committee is examining how the experience of people with reduced mobility[1]  on the capital™s Tubes, buses and trains could be improved.  This includes people in wheelchairs, older people, and people with buggies and young children. ...
• Birmingham Airport 'almost as easy as Heathrow Airport for Londoners'Birmingham Airport has said that the government's transport plans have highlighted that there are many options for travellers other than Heathrow Airport.In its coalition programme the new government said that it would be cancelling the development of a third runway at Heathrow Airport and would not allow any additional runways at Gatwick Airport and Stansted Airport.BAA have now official withdrawn their planning applications for expansion at the London facilities.The west midlands travel hub said that journey times are only 70 minutes from London Euston and that "the majority of Londoner...

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News from Europe

• Syrian-Slovak Cooperation in Transport Discussed 2Damascus -Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri discussed on Monday with Slovak Minister of Transport, Posts and Telecommunications Lubomir Vazny cooperation and the historic friendly relations between Syria and Slovakia, as well as the mutual desire to expand them in all fields .
• EU Industry Ministers Call for Harmonized EV Charging and Safety Standards by Mid-2011European industry ministers in an EU Competitiveness Council meeting in Brussels yesterday voiced their support for the European Commission’s strategy for clean and energy-efficient vehicles, which was published last month (earlier post).
• Drivers trained in new EU directive If you are a professional bus or truck driver you now have to undertake one day of training per year under a new Driver CPC EU Directive.
• To combat climate change - travel less, transport conference told Leipzig, Germany - In order to combat climate change and ensure mobility for increasing populations, individuals need to cut unnecessary journeys, global transport policy-makers were told in Leipzig Thursday. The International Transport Forum, a global policy think-tank led by the OECD, is meeting for its annual summit until May 28.

Other Subscription Services

• LU looks at adding Piccadilly works to SSL contractLondon Underground managing director Mike Brown has indicated that he will consider tacking work to upgrade the Piccadilly line on to the sub-surface resignalling contract, scheduled to be awarded...