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

Wednesday, 30 June 2010

BBC News

• Advisors urge new UK climate policies Major changes in policy are still needed to meet climate targets despite emission cuts brought about by the recession, say government advisors.
• The race for green transport [video]As the latest design for a green low-energy car goes on display, Newsnight's science editor Susan Watts asks whether the latest emissions targets from the EU could lose public support for environmental measures.
• Northern Line evening closures cancelled on the Tube Planned closures on the Northern Line, which would have seen Tube trains stopping early on weekday evenings through the summer, have been cancelled by Transport for London (TfL).
• City car charging points set upThirty-six charging points for electric cars in Coventry and Birmingham are installed across the cities.
• The 'most dangerous' roads in the country identifiedHalf of all fatal road crashes occur on just one-tenth of UK roads, the Road Safety Foundation says.
• Tata Motors plans to raise $1bnTata Motors announces plans to raise 47bn rupees ($1bn) to help cut debt and expand the business.
• Toyota starts hybrid productionProduction of the new Toyota Auris Hybrid car has begun in Derbyshire.
• Tesla shares up 40% on first dayUS electric car maker Tesla Motors has seen its shares rise by more than 40% on their first day of trading.

Department for Transport

• New powers to tackle dangerous vehiclesIncreased powers to crack down on dangerous trucks and coaches were set out today by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond.

Financial Times

• Air passenger traffic bounces backThe number of passengers carried by the world's leading airlines has returned to levels before the start of the global recession in the first half of 2008
• Ryanair to cut winter capacity in UK by 16%Budget airline chief says cutting the number of aircraft at its main Stansted base to 22 will mean the loss of 2,500 jobs at the airport in a full year
• Nat Express may keep control of rail linesThe bus, rail and coach group says that it is in talks to extend its East Anglia and c2c franchises, suggesting it has wasted no time in building bridges with the new government

The Guardian

• National Express backs government's possible rail ticket price rise National Express chief says DfT right to warn passengers that it may scrap a fares cap that limits price increases
• Bus cuts drive Americans back to cars The BP oil spill may make people reconsider their dependency on cars – but budget cuts are limiting public transport options
• UK will miss carbon emissions targets 'unless government takes urgent action' Committee on Climate Change says policies required within next year to reform electricity market and home efficiency
• Transport for London challenges mobile developers: get us on our bikes New datasets released to prompt creation of mobile apps that will help people find available cycles when hire scheme starts on 30 July

The Herald

• Airport has new routes worth £16m to the economy in its sightsGlasgow is pursuing a series of new international air routes with potential economic spin-offs of £16 million, as it emerges the Scottish Government is to be lobbied again about reintroducing the fund to attract airlines to Scotland.
• Drivers more likely to be killed on Scots roads than rest of UKScotland has the most dangerous main roads in the UK and is failing to target resources at improving high-risk routes, a leading safety charity has claimed.
• RAC backs mandatory tests for older driversOlder drivers should face compulsory tests to ensure they are still safe to get behind the wheel, a leading motoring organisation has claimed.
• Row over director packages at FirstBoard members of Aberdeen-based train and bus company FirstGroup face a grilling from shareholders at its annual investor meeting next week over controversial six-figure payments to two directors.

The Independent

• Air travel recovers to "pre-recession" levels Air travel in May jumped above pre-recession levels for the first time, according to data released June 29 by the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
• Plans for early Tube closures scrapped Planned early closures of weekday evening services on a busy Tube line this summer have been cancelled, Transport for London (TfL) said today.
• Emission cuts threatened by economic recovery Britain is not on course to meet its climate change targets for reducing carbon emissions, the Government is bluntly warned today.

The Telegraph

• Britain's rail franchising model needs changing, National Express chief says National Express' new chief executive has said that it would take a change in the franchising model to convince him that the company should attempt to rebuild its position in the UK rail market.
• Questor share-tip: National Express is a buy For most of last year, National Express appeared not so much a transport company as a branch of the entertainment industry.
• UK must take radical action to meet climate change targets, watchdog warns Britain needs to build twice as many wind farms every year, put more than a million electric cars on the road and insulate every home in the country in order to meet ambitious legally-binding climate change targets, Government advisers have warned.
• Public transport is good for your health and your wallet, according to scientists Switching to public transport could help you lose nearly half a stone a year in weight, new research suggests.
• Airport body scanners 'could give you cancer' Airport body scanners emit radiation up to 20 times more powerful than previously thought, a scientist has warned.

Daily Express

• Jobs warning as Ryanair cuts flightsRyanair yesterday cautioned that up to 2,500 jobs were at risk as the company blamed passenger and airport taxes for its decision to slash UK capacity by 16 per cent from this November.

Mail Online

• Airport body scanners deliver radiation dose 20 times higher than first thoughtThe controversial use of full body scanners in airports could lead to an increase in skin cancers, according to leading scientists.

Network Rail

• RAIL INVESTMENT NEEDED TO KEEP LONDON NUMBER ONE
• WORK STEPS UP ON NEW WEST HAMPSTEAD THAMESLINK STATION

Birmingham Mail

• Tamworth bus ban for pets lifted after complaints A DOG ban on Midlands bus routes has been reversed following complaints from passengers.

Birmingham Post

• Centro to continue battle to get Metro extension in Birmingham Public transport body Centro has vowed to continue to fight for a major extension of the Midland Metro line in Birmingham.

Liverpool Post

• Deeside gets first hybrid car engine plant outside Japan A DEESIDE factory will build the engines for Europe’s first ever full hybrid fuel car which was officially launched yesterday.

London Evening Standard

• Ryanair cuts flights in row over tourist taxBudget airline Ryanair is to slash its flights by almost a fifth
• One in 10 UK roads are 'high risk'As many as 10% of Britain's motorways and A-roads present an unacceptably high risk to drivers, a major report has revealed.

Manchester Evening News

• Cancer fears raised over controversial airport body scanner A top U.S. scientist is calling for more research into the airport body scanner after questioning the amount of radiation it delivers to parts of the body.
• Airport beats stress – with lessons in hanging baskets Airport bosses are reducing staff sickness and stress with sessions on everything from making hanging baskets to photography. Hundreds of workers “ from senior managers to coach drivers “ are being given time away from their desks to take part in the sessions at Manchester Airport's learning centre.

Metro

• One in 10 UK roads are 'high risk'As many as 10% of Britain's motorways and A-roads present an unacceptably high risk to drivers, a major report has revealed.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Blow for Gosport as village bypass faces long delayA plan to build a Stubbington bypass is unlikely to get the go-ahead for at least 15 years.

Blackpool Gazette

• Fylde coast trams back on trackTHE tram link between Cleveleys and Fleetwood will be restored on July 26.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow challenges the West End for value Heathrow is launching the next phase of its brand development programme with a new advertising campaign to promote the range of brands and fantastic value offered by Heathrow™s shopping outlets on Monday 5 July 2010

Other News Sources

• Rail experts hold meeting in Taunton TRANSPORT experts from around the country are meeting at the Albemarle Centre in Taunton on Saturday for a conference to discuss how the railway network can be developed.
• Firm plugs into green transport IT could be the beginning of the end for dirty diesel lorries at one Bicester firm as it makes a move towards electric technology.
• Airlines collect 33% more from baggage [USA]The nation's 10 largest airlines collected nearly $770 million from baggage fees in the first three months of the year, a 33% increase over the same period last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
• Electric vehicles 'will soon be common' in London Mayor of London Boris Johnson has pledged that electric vehicles will become popular in the city.
• Fares rip-off will blunt high-speed rail's green potential, says RMTTHE GREAT rail-fares rip-off will undermine the green potential of high-speed rail under short-sighted Con-Dem government plans to sell off Britain's high-speed rail link, Britain's biggest rail union says today from its annual conference in Aberdeen.
• Stagecoach to expand passenger smartcard optionsStagecoach Group has announced a major expansion in the use of smartcard technology on its bus and rail services in the UK.
• Lufthansa gears up for late summer re-launch of in-flight InternetStar Alliance member Lufthansa has begun flight-testing its 'FlyNet' in-flight Internet service in preparation for re-launch within several weeks.
• FAA proposes new icing rules for aircraft, engines and systemsThe US FAA today proposed new regulations that would require aircraft and engine manufacturers...
• Electric car charging points unveiled in Coventry A NEW network of charging points for electric cars is being unveiled in Coventry today.
• European Commission: Air Passenger rights Awareness Campaign Why is the European Commission launching a campaign to raise awareness of passenger rights? Although the European Union has made great strides in recent years in ...
• Stelios may float Easy brands The founder of Easyjet is to float two more of the Easy brand on the stock exchange, according to reports in the financial press.