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

Friday, 16 July 2010

Cogitamus

• Cogitamus Welcomes Garvan Walshe Cogitamus Limited today announced the signing of Garvan Walshe as its new Associate Consultant. Garvan joins Cogitamus after establishing a distinguished track record as a Conservative ...

BBC News

• Royal opens new FirstGroup basePrincess Anne formally opens bus and rail operator FirstGroup's new £20m headquarters and bus depot in Aberdeen.
• Musical performances for Glasgow Airport travellersBands and solo acts begin competing for a £1,000 music prize by performing for travellers at Glasgow Airport.
• Plans for 'green' buses on Scots roads by next year Electric-hybrid buses could be seen on Scotland's roads early next year, a Falkirk bus manufacturer has said.
• Free bus passes face quicker reform amid budget cuts Plans to increase the age at which people in England can claim free bus passes could be brought forward by several years, it has emerged.
• Lawyers to settle runway claimsResidents fighting for compensation over Manchester Airport's second runway are to have their claims settled.
• London MPs urge Hammond to protect Tube, worth '£66bn' A cross-party group of London MPs has warns the transport secretary and the London mayor to protect the Tube from cuts.
• Ryanair sorry for 'Pinocchio' adsRyanair chief Michael O'Leary apologises to Easyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou for depicting him as Pinocchio in adverts.
• Volvo calls for emission opennessThe Swedish carmaker Volvo calls for greater openness about all harmful emissions from cars, not just CO2.
• Boeing reveals possible 787 delayBoeing cautions that the delivery of its new 787 Dreamliner aircraft might be delayed until next year.

Financial Times

• Business leaders hit at tougher CO2 targetBusiness groups called the proposals œabsurd, œalarming and œnaive, after ministers wrote in the Financial Times on Wednesday that the EU should cut emissions by 30 per cent by 2020, instead of the current target of 20 per cent
• Oneworld secures EU green light on tie-upsBrussels competition officials formally clear the global tie-up between British Airways, American Airlines and Spain's Iberia after concessions offered by the three carriers
• Privatisation benefits African portsOperators apply their know-how to improve efficiency and technology to win customers but investments are still needed to improve landside infrastructure and ease customs procedures

The Independent

• EasyJet founder wins Ryanair libel payout EasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou accepted undisclosed libel damages today over Ryanair advertisements which accused him of lying.

The Scotsman

• Yet more confusion over airport drop-off charge JUST two weeks into the unfolding saga of the proposed £1 drop-off charge at Edinburgh airport and another reason has emerged for its introduction, until now not made public.
• Rail arguments [letters]I DOUBT if the sterile arguments against opening certain railway lines makes good use of these pages. Many communities want their train services back, but there are always those who wish to deny them. Do they have their own hidden agenda?
• Terry Murden: Does green transport benefit the passenger? EFFORTS to make us use greener forms of transport rain down from all sources, not least the UK government with its various programmes and strategies backed up with this fund and the next.

The Telegraph

• Ryanair's Michael O'Leary tells Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, Sorry I called you a liar Ryanair chief executive apologises ''unreservedly'' for adverts that depicted the Easyjet founder as lying about punctuality statistics.
• Paper boarding pass set to disappear The humble boarding pass is becoming the latest victim of the aviation industry's drive towards a paperless future
• Ministers vow to tackle airport delays Ministers have vowed to tackle queues to get in and out of the country at Britain's major airports.

Press Association

• Crossrail will be 'value for money' The £16 billion Crossrail project will generate "high value for money", MPs have been told as it emerged that almost £800 million of public money has been provided to the scheme.

Daily Express

• Ryanair says sorry for its Easyjet Stelios slurRYANGIRL chief executive Michael O'Leary yesterday apologised and paid libel -damages to easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou for falsely calling him a liar and portraying him as Pinocchio.

Mail Online

• Now wait five more years to get your bus pass: Millions face means test to get free travelTransport ministers plan to save money by quickly raising the age at which older people get free travel from 60 to 65.

The Mirror

• Free bus passes for over-65s only Elderly people will have to wait longer to get free bus travel after it was revealed that Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has decided to press ahead with a planned increase in the entitlement age from 60 to 65.

Birmingham Mail

• Dudley drivers rubbish a survey which claims that theirs is the fourth most car-friendly town in the UK LOCALS have rubbished a survey which claims Dudley is the fourth most car-friendly town in Britain.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Smart cards to be launched by Brighton and Hove Bus Company Smart cards for bus passengers will soon be introduced in Brighton and Hove.
• Bus journey pride must be built on Bus operators in the district should be rightly proud that a poll of passengers has rated them the second-highest in the country for user satisfaction.
• Survey says west Yorkshire has second-highets rates services in country West Yorkshire has the second most highly-rated bus services in the country, a survey has found.

Liverpool Echo

• New report highlights need for second Mersey crossing AROUND £160,000 is lost to the region’s economy for every hour the Silver Jubilee Bridge between Runcorn and Widnes is closed, new figures reveal.

London Evening Standard

• London MPs: Tube upgrade is worth £78bn to economy George Osborne came under pressure to safeguard investment in the Tube today after a cross-party group of London MPs warned it was critical to the economy.

Metro

• EasyJet's Stelios Haji-Loannou wins damages from Ryanair over lying slurEasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou accepted undisclosed libel damages today over Ryanair advertisements which accused him of lying.

Newcastle Journal

• Photograph released to highlight crime on railway tracks THIS shocking photograph of a youth balancing between overhead railway lines in Sunderland was released yesterday to highlight the problem of crime on the tracks.

Nottingham Evening Post

• County Hall cabinet agrees to free school buses despite criticism A DECISION to provide free transport for secondary school pupils to attend any school they wish within a 25-mile radius of their homes has been agreed by Notts County Council.
• Disabled people help with DVD for bus driver awareness training NOTTINGHAM City Transport and Nottingham Mencap are working together to film a training DVD to help bus drivers support people with learning disabilities.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Tram gate trial to stay in force for 12 monthsA TRIAL reduction in operating hours of Sheffield's Hillsborough tram gate is to continue “ despite opposition from bus and tram chiefs.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Bus station pick-up and set-down scheme is welcomedABERDEEN South Labour MP Anne Begg last night has welcomed talks on a new pick-up and set- down point for disabled people using Aberdeen Bus Station.
• Airports firm takes heart despite declineThe company running the Highlands and islands airports is encouraged by June™s passenger figures, despite a decline of 1.6% on the previous year.
• Royal opening for new First headquarters and bus depotThe Princess Royal officially opened the new First bus headquarters and depot in Aberdeen yesterday.

The York Press

• Call to penalise First bus company A LEADING York councillor has claimed bus operator First should be penalised for rising ticket prices, poor punctuality and the withdrawal of services.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Easyjet founder wins libel payout from RyanairEasyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou accepted undisclosed libel damages today over Ryanair advertisements which accused him of lying.

Other Regional Press

• Top marks for West Yorkshire's busesNew survey reveals high satisfaction levels among passengers.
• Bicester relief road on target to open in 2013 A LINK road set to bring traffic relief to Bicester is on target to open in 2013.

Rail-News.com

• Angel Trains announces bond issueAngel Trains Group, through its subsidiary The Great Rolling Stock Company Limited, has issued £800m of bonds as part of its long-term debt refinancing programme.
• Network Rail and Crossrail sign up to The Infrastructure ShowNetwork Rail and Crossrail have signed up as client partners for the Rail Hub at the newly launched Infrastructure Show, taking place 18-20 October 2010 at NEC, Birmingham. The Infrastructure Show is designed to offer the civil engineering community a networking platform to debate and discuss the issues facing today’s major construction and delivery projects.
• Britain’s biggest investment in green hybrid bus technologyStagecoach today (15 July 2010) launched Britain’s biggest single investment in green hybrid bus technology.
• Transport Minister opens new Metrolink depotTransport Minister Norman Baker met Greater Manchester’s transport leaders today to open the newly-extended Metrolink tram depot at Queen’s Road.
• VINCI confirmed as builder and operator of the biggest railway project in EuroRéseau Ferré de France (RFF) has confirmed that VINCI, has been awarded the concession for the high-speed line between Tours and Bordeaux.
• Station billboards scan passengersDigital advertising billboards that are fitted with cameras, to distinguish the age group and gender of passengers looking at them, are being rolled out at a number of railway stations in Japan. The information is then used to tailor adverts to suit passengers passing through the stations at certain times of day.
• Council invites expressions of interest to operate tramHertfordshire County Council has invited expressions of interest to operate trams over the 6 1/2 mile Watford Junction to St Albans Abbey branch.
• Minister sees Britain’s new busiest station take shapeTheresa Villiers today helped lay the foundations of London’s next major transport hub in a visit to Farringdon station.

Railnews

• 'Concorde of the rail' is revealed by British designer A LEADING British transport designer has unveiled his idea of Britain's next-generation high speed train. The sleek double decker has an 'extreme nose section', and offers many different features on board, including private 'pods' for special purposes.
• Irish Rail: a story of rags to riches - but what does the future hold? RAILWAYS in Ireland have undergone a remarkable renaissance in the past six or seven years. Irish Rail used to have some of the oldest rolling stock in Europe -- now the fleet is among the newest. Timetables have been transformed, with the former long gaps between trains -- even on intercity routes -- having been replaced by frequent services. Railnews went to Dublin to get the latest from managing director Dick Fearn. With the economic downturn now threatening the national economy, what are the prospects for Irish railways now?

Transport Focus

• Bus Passenger Survey [pdf document]It is important that we start from an understanding of passengers’ satisfaction with their local bus service. So as part of our ongoing nationwide programme of bus passenger satisfaction research we surveyed passenger satisfaction in 14 areas – a mix of metropolitan, urban and rural areas to reflect the different type of journeys that passengers make. This involved asking over 18,500 passengers about the bus journey they had just taken. The sample also covered a variety of bus operators and transport authorities.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON BRIGHTON’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1300 passengers in Brighton think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 92%, with the major operator in the area, the Brighton & Hove Bus Company’s services rated 92%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON BRIGHTON’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1300 passengers in Brighton think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 92%, with the major operator in the area, the Brighton & Hove Bus Company’s services rated 92%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CAMBRIDGESHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1000 passengers in Cambridgeshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 88%, with the major operator in the area, Stagecoach’s services rated at 87%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CORNWALL’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 800 passengers in Cornwall think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 90%, with Western Greyhound’s services rated at 95% and First’s rated at 87%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON CUMBRIA’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 850 passengers in Cumbria think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 88%, with the major operator in the area, Stagecoach’s services rated at 87%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON HAMPSHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1350 passengers in Hampshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 90%, with Stagecoach’s services rated 90%, First’s 88% and Bluestar’s 87%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON HAMPSHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1350 passengers in Hampshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 90%, with Stagecoach’s services rated 90%, First’s 88% and Bluestar’s 87%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON MANCHESTER’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1900 passengers in Manchester think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 84%, with Arriva’s services rated 86%, Stagecoach’s 85% and First’s 84%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON MEDWAY’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 890 passengers in Medway, Kent, think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 89%, with Kings Ferry’s services rated 94% and Arriva’s 89%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON MERSEYSIDE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1900 passengers in Merseyside think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 88%, with Arriva’s services rated 87% and Stagecoach’s 86%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON PLYMOUTH’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1200 passengers in Plymouth think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 90%, with Plymouth Citybus’s services rated 90% and First’s 90%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON SHROPSHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 950 passengers in Shropshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 85%, with the major operator in the area, Arriva’s services rated 85%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON SOUTH YORKSHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 2000 passengers in South Yorkshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 86%, with Sheffield Community Transport’s services rated 98%, Stagecoach’s 88% and First’s 84%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON STOKE-ON-TRENT’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1000 passengers in Stoke-on-Trent think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 85%, with the major operator in the area, First’s services rated 83%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON SWINDON’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 950 passengers in Swindon think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 91%, with Thamesdown Transport’s services rated 93% and Stagecoach’s 88%.
• PASSENGERS HAVE THEIR SAY ON WEST YORKSHIRE’S BUSESAs part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 1800 passengers in West Yorkshire think about their bus services. Overall satisfaction was 91%, with Transdev’s services rated 96%, Arriva’s 93% and First’s 89%.
• PASSENGERS GIVE BUS SERVICES A MIXED RECEPTION As part of its drive to improve bus services and make a difference for passengers, the independent watchdog Passenger Focus has found out what over 18,500 passengers in 14 areas of England think about their bus services. This report is the biggest single survey of bus passenger views ever to be published in England. Brighton (92%), Swindon (91%) and West Yorkshire (91%) scored the highest for overall satisfaction, while Greater Manchester (84%), Stoke-on-Trent (85%) and Shropshire (85%), despite achieving good scores, were rated lower.

Aviation Industry

• Fly From Stansted... Park At StanstedPark at Stansted, and jet away safe in the knowledge your vehicle is in the only official parking for Stansted Airport approved by Essex Police. That's the message from Airport bosses to anyone tempted by illegal car park options this summer.
• Ryanair apologises to Stelios and easyJet in print adsRyanair has taken out prominent ads in today's Daily Telegraph and Guardian apologising for a previous ad which referred to easyJet founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou as
• Alitalia joins transtlantic partyThe transatlantic joint venture between Air France, KLM and Delta now accounts for 26 percent of air freight capacity on the trade lane following the arrival of a fourth carrier, Alitalia.

Other News Sources

• Take a seat mum, I won the Crossrail design competition A Leeds University student has won a national competition with a seat design for London's new Crossrail stations. Michael Berwin, 22, applied for the competition as part of his master's in product design
• Crossrail will be 'value for money' The £16 billion Crossrail project will generate "high value for money", MPs have been told as it emerged that almost £800 million of public money has been provided to the scheme.
• McCabe Blasts East Coast And Ministry Of Transport Over New Rail Timetable ONLY two East Coast rail services currently running to London via Motherwell will remain after a new timetable comes into force in May next year. The confirmation of the ’Eureka’ timetable proposals was met with dismay by Hamilton South MSP Tom McCabe this week who pointed out it would reduce the options available to Lanarkshire commuters travelling to Edinburgh from Motherwell.
• More Shropshire train services are running on time Train operators serving Shropshire and the West Midlands had more services arrive on time last month than in the same period last year, new figures released by Network Rail have shown.
• First glimpse of 250mph high speed future for Birmingham THIS is the stunning new vision of how Birmingham-bound high-speed trains might look as they thunder through the Midlands at 250mph.
• Don't neglect Piccadilly Line, business chiefs warn Government THE Piccadilly Line must be saved from devastating cuts to help boost the British economy, business leaders have warned.
• Read Hammond Crossrail letter on 'contingency options' for cuts Building has obtained Transport Secretary letter that casts fresh doubts over whether Crossrail will be scaled down
• Passengers 'dissatisfied' with servicesPassengers in South Yorkshire are some of the most dissatisfied bus users in the country, a survey has found.
• TfL throws brake on marketing agency reviewTransport for London has called a halt to its marketing roster review until it has completed a wider audit of its marketing needs and budget.
• Priestman Goode creates high-speed train conceptPriestman Goode has designed a high-speed train concept in an attempt to convince the Government to back the introduction of new rolling stock to the rail network.
• Micheal O'Leary says sorry to Sir Stelios for 'Pinocchio' adsRyanair chief Michael O™Leary has apologised œunreservedly to Easyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou over ads that Ryanair ran featuring Stelios as Pinocchio and suggesting he was lying about Easyjet™s punctuality.
• Blackburn 'third most car-friendly town'BLACKBURN is the UK™s third most car-friendly town according to new research from a car insurance company.
• New cycle lanes proposal is axedPLANS to create new cycle lanes have been axed after civic chiefs were forced to cut £250,000 from their transport budget due to the squeeze on public spending.
• 'Green' bus staff praisedA NATIONAL bus operator has recognised its Hartlepool workers for their efforts in going green.

News from Europe

• Siemens joint ventures to supply Desiros and modernise yards RUSSIA: Siemens is to form joint ventures to supply 240 electric multiple -units and modernise 22 marshalling yards under memoranda of understanding signed when German Chancellor Angela Merkel met Russian President Dmitry Medvedev for talks in Yekaterinburg on July 15.
• DB Regio awarded Warnow-Netz operating contract GERMANY: The Land of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has awarded incumbent DB Regio a new 13-year contract to operate Warnow-Netz regional services. Announced on June 30, the contract will be implemented in two phases and will eventually cover the operation of 4 million train-km a year.