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

Saturday, 17 July 2010

BBC News

• British tour operator collapsesBritish tour operator Goldtrail collapses, leaving thousands of holidaymakers abroad, the Civil Aviation Authority says.
• Software 'cuts rail delays' in EUMore trains are running on time in Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland thanks to new technology to manage schedules, the EU says.
• Motorists 'need drink warnings'An alcohol counsellor says people should be made to attend lessons on the dangers of drink before taking to the road.
• White line workmen hurt in crashTwo workmen are injured in an apparent hit-and-run incident while they painted markings on a road in Fife.
• Tube strike threatened over cutsLondon Underground could be hit by a large strike as a union announces it is to ballot 10,000 members.
• Mile high classBombardier predicts the revival of the business jet
• Mission to find the greenest carMarc Cieslak joins the Bridgestone Eco Rally from Brighton to London, which showcases the latest in environmentally friendly car manufacturing.
• Last UK-made Micra rolls off lineThe last Nissan Micra to be produced in the UK rolls off the production line on Wearside before manufacturing is switched abroad.
• Bus pass age rise may come fasterThe age at which people in England get a free bus pass could go up from 60 to 65 sooner than previously planned.
• Unite union to ballot BAA workersUnite is to ballot more than 6,000 members for strike action at BAA's six UK airports, including Heathrow, in a dispute over pay.

The Herald

• Airliner orders to top £2 trillion in 20 yearsThe number of planes run by world™s airlines will almost double over the next 20 years, aircraft giant Boeing has forecast.
• Flights chaos fears as BAA staff vote on strike actionAir travellers face the threat of the biggest disruption yet this year after union chiefs announced that more than 6000 airport workers are to be balloted over UK-wide strike action, which could bring Scotland™s three main airports to a standstill.
• Work due near fatal crash sceneSafety improvements are due at a roundabout where a pensioner drove on to a dual carriageway in the wrong direction and crashed into an oncoming car, killing two teenage girls who were on their way home from holiday.

The Independent

• Cameron urged to 'come clean' over free bus passes David Cameron was accused today of betraying his pledge to protect free bus passes for the elderly after it emerged that hundreds of thousands of pensioners could have to wait up to an extra five years before they are eligible.

Reuters News

• Union to ballot BAA staff on strike actionLONDON (Reuters) - The Unite union has given airport operator BAA seven days notice of its intention to hold a strike ballot in a dispute over pay.

Daily Record

• Road worker critical in hospital after being hit by alleged hit and run A ROAD worker has been left critically ill in hospital after he and a colleague were hit in an alleged hit and run incident while repairing the A92 last night.

Mail Online

• Respected GP 'bit policeman after he asked her for breath test'Dr Jane Hornsey, 52, fought with PC Jason Payne at the roadside after losing control of her vehicle and careering into a wall.

The Mirror

• British tour operator Goldtrail collapses leaving holidaymakers stranded in Greece and Turkey A British tour operator collapsed leaving thousands of holidaymakers abroad, the Civil Aviation Authority confirmed.

Network Rail

• HISTORIC RAIL VIADUCTS ON TRACK FOR REFURBISHMENTNetwork Rail carrying out vital renovation and strengthening works at Enterkin Burn and Crawick viaductsScotRail providing replacement bus services between Kilmarnock and Carlisle from Sunday July 25 to Sunday August 1

Birmingham Mail

• Crime down by 19 per cent on Midland Metro THE introduction of uniformed patrols on the Midland Metro has seen crime fall by 19 per cent, transport chiefs have said.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Assembly Government seeks new tenders for North-South air link THE search for an airline to link North to South Wales for the next four years is under way.
• Airbus on target to deliver at least 20 superjumbos this year AIRBUS says it is on target to deliver 20 or more of its A380 superjumbos this year.

Journal Live

• Threat to incentive requires assessment COALITION ministers considering whether to dump a £5,000 incentive for electric cars have failed to assess the regional impact of such a move, it has emerged.

Liverpool Echo

• Family speak out over travel nightmare at Liverpool John Lennon Airport A DAD was locked on a plane bound for southern France with his 18-month-old son – while his anguished partner and dad were trapped in Liverpool airport’s departure lounge.

London Evening Standard

• Bikers' bid to prevent £1 Westminster parking fee crashes in High CourtWestminster council wins landmark legal battle over charging motorcyclists to park in the street
• Airport workers to vote over strikeThe prospect of more passenger flight disruption has loomed after the Unite union announced it was balloting 6,000 members for strike action at BAA's six UK airports in a dispute over pay.
• Taking off at Heathrow, the iPhone check-in
• 16,000 stranded as tour firm foldsThousands of holidaymakers have been left stranded abroad after a British tour operator collapsed.

Sheffield Star

• News In Brief: Top award for rail operatorSOUTH Yorkshire local rail operator Northern has enjoyed success at the Railway Industry Innovation Awards.
• Opik supports Segway martyr PhilipTHE first man in Britain to be prosecuted for using a Segway on the pavement received some extra support at his court hearing - in the shape of former Lib Dem MP Lembit Opik.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Business leaders call for trial cut in fuel dutyBusiness leaders have joined calls for a pilot scheme to cut duty on fuel in selected remote areas of Scotland.
• Air traffic controllers blamed for ˜near miss™An air ambulance and helicopter œcrossed paths after air traffic controllers provided the pilots with inaccurate information, according to a report.
• Scots flights may be hit as more strikes announced Flights in and out of three Scottish airports could be grounded yet again after the Unite union warned that more industrial action was looming.

The York Press

• Pair use stick to rob man on cycle track TWO men threatened a walker with a stick before robbing him in broad daylight on a York cycle track.
• Anger at ˜ninth bus fare rise in 7 years™ BUS passengers in York will have to pay more, after the city™s main operator announced it was increasing fares by up to ten per cent.
• City of York Council cuts to hit road schemes THE full impact of cuts in transport spending in York has been revealed “ and cyclists, pedestrians and motorists will all be affected.

Wales Online

• Assembly allays free bus pass worries A GREAT bus divide has been created between England and Wales after the Assembly Government insisted it would not be following the UK Government’s lead of raising the age of free travel.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• First loses Leeds bus services battleTransport giant First has lost control of a string of bus services in Leeds, it was revealed today.

Blackpool Gazette

• Parents beg police to step in over speeders at schoolTERRIFIED parents begged police to step in after seeing cars speeding past primary school gates.
• Woman trapped under bus in Blackpool POLICE were forced to close several busy Blackpool streets after a cyclist was trapped under a bus.
• Plug pulled on Blackpool Airport flightSUMMER flights to Bulgaria from Blackpool International Airport have been axed.

Burnley Express

• Water shortage leads to closure of Leeds and Liverpool CanalA BOAT hire firm based in Burnley is heading out of town following British Waterways' decision to close the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

Carlisle News & Star

• Whitehaven residents want action to slow down motorists People on a Whitehaven estate are living in fear that somebody is going to be killed on their roads by speeding motorists.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Warning issued after danger pranks on the railways put lives at riskBritish Transport police have issued warnings that yobs are putting lives at risk on the railways after a number of dangerous pranks in Northamptonshire.

Sunderland Echo

• End of the road for the Nissan MicraAfter 18 years, three models and more than 2.3million vehicles, today marks the end of production for the Micra at Nissan in Washington.

The Shields Gazette

• Toon fans warned over drink on trainsFOOTBALL fans from have been warned they will not be allowed to take alcohol on trains when they travel to Newcastle United's pre-season friendly at Carlisle.

Other Regional Press

• Speeding motorists confronted by young school pupilsPupils confronted speeding motorists outside their Bushey school today to quiz them on their reasons for driving too fast.
• Strike threat at airport THE prospect of summer holiday hell is today looming for thousands of travellers from Southampton Airport after it emerged staff could strike.
• Jailed: boy racers who killed cyclistTwo Kent men have been jailed for their part in the manslaughter of a bank worker who was thrown from his bicycle and killed as they raced along a road.
• Ryanair to cut county flights BUDGET airline Ryanair will cease operations from Bournemouth Airport for three months this winter.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Free bus travel only works if we protect bus services16 July: Free bus passes have enabled millions of older people to retain their independence. But they only work if there are buses to use them on. read more

Railnews

• News: Potters Bar inquest hears safety warning from union The inquest into the 2002 derailment at Potters Bar, which claimed the lives of seven people, has heard a warning from a rail union that current cutbacks are making the railway more dangerous again.

Railway Gazette

• Fourth order for CRH1 high speed trainsCHINA: The Ministry of Railways has ordered an additional 40 CRH1 Zefiro high speed trains from the Bombardier Sifang (Qingdao) Transportation joint venture at a cost of 5·2bn yuan, Bombardier announced on July 16. The eight-car trains will have a top speed of 250 km/h and capacity for 604 passengers, with a 'VIP car' incorporating 1st class seats. Deliveries will begin in September this year and run to May 2011. The order is worth 2·5bn yuan for Bombardier, and means 1 280 CRH1 cars have now been ordered.

Aviation Industry

• Per-plane tax – the story so farPer-Plane Duty (tax) The issue of a per-plane duty (PPD) to replace APD (air passenger duty) has been rumbling on for a couple of years and is still not resolved.    Following a pressure from NGOs such as AEF and the LibDems, the previous government announced in 2008 that there would be a switch to PPD.  [...]
• Germany proposes new aviation taxIt is not just Britain that is considering new aviation taxes. In June, Germany proposed a tax on departures to raise 1 billion Euros pa.� The tax would be set at 13 euros for trips less than 2,500 kilometres away and 26 euros for longer trips. The tax would be introduced in Jan 2011, but [...]
• AirlineReporter.com: Boeing, Alaska Airlines and Others Work Towards Using Sustainable BiofuelsAlaska Airlines 737-800 with special Boeing livery Alaska Airlines, Boeing, Portland International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, Spokane International Airport and Washington State University are working together to promote aviation biofuel development in the Pacific Northwest.
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• BA relaunches iphone app Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow...
• BAA under strike threat Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow...

Green Miscellany

• The bicycle lock that calls your iPhone to say it™s been smashed American inventor Steve Hunt has designed a bicycle lock that, if tampered with, calls you on your smart phone. read more

Other News Sources

• Public to play key role in future of public transportDuring its first year the Committee will be taking evidence from a range of stakeholders, including young people, on the issues relating to public transport in their region.
• Wait five more years for your free bus passMillions of pensioners will have to wait an extra five years for a free bus pass under secret plans to cut their perks
• Emergency crews called to two accidents as wet weather wreaks havoc on the roadsUPDATE: Five people have been taken to hospital following crashes in Edinburgh and Midlothian.
• UK biofuels failing eco standardsBiofuels in vehicle tanks across the country are failing to achieve a 50% government target, a report has revealed, with only a third meeting environmental standards. Updated on 16/07/2010 13:28:03. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• A £300K feasibility study into an iconic' transport system for NorthamptonshireAn'iconic' mass transport system' could soon be created to link all of the major towns in Northamptonshire.
• Lower job cost for trolleybus schemePlanned Leeds trolleybus network eight times as efficient at creating jobs as Crossrail, Metro Vice Chairman tells BBC
• Crossrail 'offers value for money', says VilliersTransport minister Theresa Villiers said the £15.9bn Crossrail project will generate œhigh value for money after it emerged the scheme has already received almost £800M of public money.
• High-speed Rail Stations Urged for Airports in ChinaChina is not doing enough to prevent high-speed trains killing off domestic intercity flights, transport executives said in Hong Kong.
• Putting Some 'Mute' in Your 'Commute' on NJ TransitNJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein today announced plans to conduct a 90-day pilot program to test the feasibility of offering
• Prime Minister pops in on easyJet staff David Cameron quizzed by airline
• Highways Agency ups carbon reduction measures The Highways Agency is to switch off the lighting on a section of the M6 in a bid to cut carbon emissions.
• Nationwide port shutdown following docker death in AustraliaWorkers in Australia took part in a 24-hour nationwide port shutdown this week to express their anger over the death of yet another waterside worker.
• Pirate attacks on the decreasePreventative measures working, but pirates are moving further afield
• Airbus and Boeing see orders rise, output fall during first half of 2010The
• First-class airport lounge for pets opens in GermanyA new luxury airport lounge with a difference has been opened at Frankfurt Airport in Germany.Lufthansa Airlines has created a new airport lounge exclusively for the use of pets travelling with first-class passengers on the carrier's flights.If a layover at Frankfurt Airport exceeds two hours the pets will be transferred to the facility, which has trained vets on hand to deal with any issues and ensure the animals are fit to continue with the journey."Our animal lounge provides individual care, professional expertise and an environment designed to ensure ultimate comfort for the 14,000 ho...
• Heathrow Airport staff to be balloted over BAA strikeHeathrow Airport could see its services disrupted again this summer as Unite has announced its intention to hold a strike ballot among airport staff.The union said that it is giving airport operator BAA seven days' notice of a strike ballot to establish whether industrial action will be taken over pay increases.Currently staff are being offered a one per cent pay rise, plus an additional half per cent subject to conditions, after taking a pay freeze in 2009.BAA owns Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport, Southampton Airport, Glasgow Airport, Aberdeen Airport and Edinburgh Airport in the UK.Unite'...
• Free bus pass age expected to riseTransport secretary Philip Hammond decides to press ahead with an increase in the entitlement age from 60 to 65
• Policeman guilty of careless drivingA Lowestoft special sergeant has been found not guilty of dangerous driving, but guilty of an alternative charge of careless driving
• MP throws backing behind Diss link roadSouth Norfolk MP Richard Bacon has thrown his support behind a long-running campaign to ease traffic congestion at a Diss industrial estate. Town councillors have been pushing for five years for an access at the top of Vince's Road to alleviate pressure on the traffic-choked A1066 Victoria Road.
• CAA Steps In To Protect Customers of Goldtrail Travel LimitedThe Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has taken steps to protect customers booked with Goldtrail Travel Limited after the company ceased trading this evening.
• 16 killed in Pakistan bus massacre16 killed in Pakistan bus massacre
• Boris Johnson fights transport budget cutsMayor of London Boris Johnson has pitched himself into a battle with the government over plans to cut free bus travel in the capital, Political Correspondent Cathy Newman discloses, as pensioners face a crack down in free travel.