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

Thursday, 24 June 2010

BBC News

• Police warning to railway level crossing risk takers Motorists continue to put their "lives on the line" by taking risks at level crossings, police have warned.
• Councillor backs full tram routeEdinburgh's transport convener Gordon Mackenzie stresses he is
• Derry airport in new partnershipCity of Derry Airport announces it is to enter into a new partnership with a private firm.
• Tube workers start 48-hour strikeA 48-hour strike by Tube maintenance workers begins after the High Court rejects a legal challenge to stop it.
• Severe disruption to rail routesMainline trains in and out of London Paddington are severely hit after 300ft (90m) of signalling cable is stolen in west London.
• Electric car arrives at VauxhallVauxhall's prototype electric car arrives at its Ellesmere Port plant from the firm's Luton base.

Department for Transport

• The Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: Road Statistics 2009: Traffic, Speeds and Congestion
• The Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics: Reported Road Casualties Great Britain Main Results: 2009

Financial Times

• Tube staff strike on three linesStaff responsible for maintenance work on three of London's busiest underground lines were last night set to start 48 hours of strike action, despite a court challenge...
• Stagecoach dragged down by weak US salesA slowdown in demand for charter and sight-seeing bus services in North America has dragged down annual results at Stagecoach, the UK-based transport group. Stagecoach...
• EasyJet accuses its founder of 'fishing'Lawyers representing the airline tell the High Court that Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou is 'fishing around for a test' to determine whether some activities are non-core
• Stagecoach chief calls for bus pass reprieveSouter challenges the government to slash roadbuilding rather than concessionary bus fares for the elderly as the industry braces for further cuts to the transport budget

The Guardian

• Crank up your pedal power to see more of Cardiff Cycling around Cardiff gives another perspective of the city which cannot be had by four wheels or feet
• Cardiff transport plans aim to change city's behaviour Cardiff Council has pledged to change the city's travel behaviour in the next two years and promised a 'brushed up' bus station by Christmas.
• High court bid fails to stop tube strike London Underground bosses still claim they will run a full service despite the 48-hour maintenance strike on three lines
• Stagecoach pleads for fare subsidies to be protected from budget cuts Stagecoach boss Souter wants DfT to target road-building
• Evening News trams report provokes strenuous denials Edinburgh Trams and Councillor Gordon Mackenzie publish their denials of newspaper's exclusive story about tram routes on social networking sites

The Independent

• High Court refuses injunction to halt Tube strike in LondonLondon commuters heading home late last night faced major disruption after the High Court refused to grant an injunction to stop a 48-hour strike by Tube maintenance workers.

The Scotsman

• Tram chiefs say section won't be scrapped TRAM chiefs in Edinburgh have denied reports that the route east of the city centre to Newhaven will be scrapped.

The Telegraph

• Budget 2010: CGT rise is 'death sentence commuted', says Brian SouterThe multi-millionaire founder of Stagecoach has likened the Government's decision to raise capital gains tax to a top rate of 28pc to a reprieve for a condemned man.
• Ryanair and Thomas Cook worst short-haul airlines, Which? says The hidden charges of low cost airlines have been criticised by Which?, the consumer watchdog, as Ryanair and Thomas Cook come bottom in a survey of short-haul carriers.

Reuters News

• D.Bahn in talks on access to UK high-speed railwayBARCELONA (Reuters) - German state rail operator Deutsche Bahn AG is in talks with Britain about running its trains on the country's only high-speed railway, in a move that could break rival Eurostar's monopoly.
• Strike by Underground staff can go aheadLONDON (Reuters) - A strike by maintenance staff on the Underground can go ahead Wednesday, after a High Court judge said he did not have enough information to grant an injunction preventing the action, the rail operator said.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Saddle up for a cycle festival A major festival to highlight the benefits of cycling is being held this weekend.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Exclusive: Trams set to stop at York PlaceEDINBURGH'S tram line will only run from the airport to the city centre under a new deal set to be struck to rescue the embattled project.

Liverpool Post

• Transport group Stagecoach boosted by rail prospects, including Liverpool links with London and Norwich PASSENGER levels have improved by 20% over the year on Virgin Trains, including its Liverpool to London link.
• Vauxhall Ampera electric car ’will revolutionise market’ THE new director of Vauxhall’s Ellesmere Port plant says the new Ampera electric car will “revolutionise” the electric vehicle market.

Metro

• Tfl tube strike 2010 goes ahead after High Court refuses to block actionA 48-hour strike by London Underground maintenance workers has begun after the High Court refused to grant an injunction to prevent the stoppage.

Newcastle Journal

• Go-Ahead says outlook hard to predict BUS and train company Go-Ahead says it is trading as expected but the outlook for next year is harder to predict.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Free breakfasts for those who cycle to work FREE breakfasts will be given to people who cycle to work as part of National Bike Week. They just need to go to the Wheelie Big Breakfast stand in Old Market Square with their bicycles between 8am and 10am tomorrow.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Spy camera plan hailed in rail crossing safety driveHighland MSPs have welcomed the introduction of a spy camera vehicle as part of a drive to reduce the number of accidents at open rail level crossings in the region.

Wales Online

• Rail travellers happy but toilets still poor STATION facilities and train toilets remain a bugbear for South Wales rail passengers despite a rise in overall customer satisfaction, a new survey has found.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Tram scheme at end of the line [letter]THERE seems to be some confusion regarding the Cator Lane land pledge between the city and county councils. Councillor Urquhart in her letter (Your Views, June 17) says: "Any part of this land not permanently required for the tramway will be returned to open space use."
• Passengers signal their satisfaction with train companyRail passengers have given their backing to East Midlands Trains after a survey showed a big leap in satisfaction with their services.

Wall Street Journal

• Japanese Firms Set Rail Pact TOKYO—Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Hitachi Ltd. said Tuesday they have reached a basic agreement to cooperate in the railway-systems business in overseas markets so they can more effectively compete against larger overseas rivals.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Overcrowding crisis is not to be ignored23 June: In 2007, the previous Government promised, and failed, to provide 1,300 extra train carriages to reduce overcrowding on the rail network. Now it's unclear whether the Conservatives will succeed where their predecessors didn't. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Will electric vehicles be popular with business fleet users?It could be the case that exports and logistics businesses across the UK increasingly take up electric vehicles - and one manufacturer has claimed it has created a motor that will prove to be efficient and reliable. The Vauxhall Ampera was recently used by the company for a 175-mile road trip that was designed to underline the longevity available with such motors. Duncan Aldred, managing director at the brand, said that the Ampera "will prove that running an electric car no longer means being anxious about charge levels after the first few miles".He added that the model will ...

Aviation Industry

• Tunnelling our way to safety: Heathrow™s baggage teams reach record safety milestoneA £250m project to create a network of underground baggage tunnels beneath Heathrow Airport has become the safest tunnelling project ever recorded.
• Airlines push EU to revise volcanic ash policies The Assn. of European Airlines called on European transport ministers, who are meeting in Brussels today, to endorse the organization's "New European Approach" to volcanic ash-cloud management.

Other News Sources

• Improved First is praised by its passengers RAIL passengers have praised First Great Western, claiming it has made a "significant improvement" over the past year.
• MHI, Hitachi team to rival rail triumvirate Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Hitachi Ltd. have reached a basic agreement to work together in marketing, building and servicing urban railway systems overseas. The move puts them in fierce competition with the rail industry's Big Three — Germany's Siemens AG, Canada's Bombardier Inc. and France's Alstom SA.
• CSeries orders at Farnborough could boost Bombardier stockFor Bombardier Inc. to rally investors and send its stock price soaring again the company is going to have to make a splash at the Farnborough Air Show in England next month, where many airlines are expected to compete for attention through order announcements.
• Bike Friday - Cycle in Style On Friday (25 June 2010), as part of Bike Week 2010, Bike Friday are inviting people in Greater Manchester to join one of the Bike Friday cycle routes and ’Cycle in Style’ to highlight how well style and function can be combined when cycling to work or for leisure.
• Five in line for £20m Crossrail Bond Street worksFive contractor teams are in the running for a £20 million advanced works package for the construction of the Bond Street Crossrail station.