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

Saturday, 24 July 2010

BBC News

• Veiled Muslim 'refused bus ride'Two Muslim women claim they were refused a bus ride in London, as one of them had her face covered by a veil.
• Motorway upgrade delay questionedScottish ministers are accused of causing unnecessary delay to a plan to complete the M8 motorway.

Financial Times

• BA calls for 32 airlines to share legal pain The airline seeks to bring others into court proceedings in a move to help protect itself against possible compensation payments over price-fixing charges

The Guardian

• Airport staff's strike vote threatens holiday chaosMillions of airline passengers face the threat of severe disruption at the UK's largest airports during the August bank holiday weekend after the Unite trade union launched a strike ballot at BAA.

The Telegraph

• Driving over potholes 'can save fuel'Known as GenShocks, the contraptions will mean that motorists will no longer just worry about their suspension, but regard every jolt as potentially cutting the cost of a visit to the filling station. This is because the devices not only absorb the impact from driving over rough surfaces but convert it into electricity as well. The power generated from the bumpy ride is then used for the myriad of devices which rely on electricity from the car's alternator – such as headlights, windscreen wipers and sound system.
• Brussels plans to test drivers on environmental friendlinessBraking suddenly, revving the engine or wasting fuel by being too heavy on the accelerator pedal could prove costly. This is because Brussels wants to include “eco-driving” – cutting carbon emissions at the wheel – in the practical driving test.

Mail Online

• Easyjet criticise rivals, but it's not all rosy for their own companyThe schools have knocked off and the holiday season is upon us, so, before leaving home, check you have everything.

The Sun

• I knocked up a £90,000 supercar in my garage MECHANIC spent 3½ years and £70,000 building this 150mph roadster from scratch

Birmingham Mail

• Transport Secretary Philip Hammond is to meet Midland residents affected by planned high speed rail lines TRANSPORT Secretary Philip Hammond is to meet residents affected by planned high speed rail lines when he tours the proposed route to Birmingham.
• Land Rover comes bottom in reliability survey. MIDLAND-made Land Rovers have finished rock bottom of a reliability study published by Which? Car magazine.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Fault puts brake on train passengers A drive to increase passenger numbers on the new rail service between Bradford and London has been hindered by mechanical problems with one of the trains that runs on the route.
• M62 plan is held up by review Plans to cut congestion by allowing traffic to use the hard shoulder of the M62 motorway near Bradford have been delayed.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Zapcat powerboat weekend comes to Prestatyn HUNDREDS of extreme sports fans are expected to flock to North Wales this weekend to see racing speedboats battle it out on the waves.

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail 'disappointing' in apprentice numbersCrossrail is accused of undermining the Government’s promotion of apprenticeships
• Transport pay-offs up to £700,000Government transport chiefs have received pay-offs of up to £700,000
• 14m cars hit the roads for as school holidays startGreat summer getaway begon across the capital as state schools start their summer holidays
• Muslim students 'banned from London bus for wearing a veil’An investigation is launched after two women say they were thrown off because one was wearing a face covering

The News (Portsmouth)

• Southampton Airport workers balloted over strike actionHoliday-makers flying from Southampton could face major disruption after airport staff were urged to vote to go on strike during the summer holidays.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• ScotRail fined more than £750,000Train operator First ScotRail was fined more than £750,000 for failing to meet performance targets last year.
• Airport workers in ballot on strike actionWorkers at six UK airports “ including Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow “ are being balloted over strike action.

The York Press

• Trader™s anger as York streets shut for races A BUSINESSMAN has complained about the closure of York city centre streets for cycle races tomorrow, claiming local businesses were not consulted.
• MEP Timothy Kirkhope in row over bus cash A YORKSHIRE MEP has claimed local bus services could be threatened if they are subjected to the same passenger compensation rules as major airlines.

Carlisle News & Star

• Changes to traffic system delayed CHANGES to the traffic system in Carlisle city centre have been delayed for one week by bad weather.

The Shields Gazette

• South Tyneside takes green routeSOUTH Tynesiders are getting on their bikes to cut their carbon footprints.

Other Regional Press

• Red diesel cars at Devizes and Pewsey end in crusher Three cars were seized within 24 hours in the Devizes and Pewsey area after police officers found that they were being used on public roads with red diesel.
• Green Building Products cut bus station washroom costs with new toilets SPENDING a penny at Huddersfield bus station is even cheaper ... for bus station bosses.
• Grand Central plans rail link from Mirfield to London A TRAIN company wants to set up a direct rail service from Mirfield to London.
• ˜We™re fully committed to Aberdeen bypass™ says Transport MinisterTRANSPORT Minister Stewart Stevenson today blasted rumours Aberdeen™s long-awaited bypass could fall victim to budget cuts.

Green Miscellany

• Toyota to sell Tesla-powered electric car An updated version of the all-electric Toyota RAV4 EV, a vehicle that was available to lease in America from 1997 to 2003, is to be developed with help from Tesla. Toyota expects to mass-produce the new car by 2012.read more
• Wapping Changes to London's Metro When I first found myself in Wapping London Underground Station around forty years ago it was dark and dank. It even had water running down its walls. The train serving the station was so old a member of the station staff had to kick more than one door to make them close. If the doors didn™t close the train wouldn™t move. And it took awhile to get moving.read more

Other News Sources

• Government to ensure active women participation in shipping sectorMrs Juliana Azumah, Minister of Women and Children's...
• Delhi Metro orders 40 subway cars from BombardierCanada's Bombardier Transportation has won orders to supply 40 MOVIA type subway cars to Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) at a cost of $55 million.
• Scotland™s train and station quality annual performance results An annual report of ScotRail™s quality of rail and passenger services has been published today.read more
• Brighton and Hove faces new parking crawckdown Thousands of motorists are set to have their cars towed away if they fail to pay parking fines.
• FTA and TfL sign cycling agreementThe Freight Transport Association (FTA) has ensured the road transport industry will be consulted on future cycling schemes in the capital by signing a cycling concordat with Transport for London (TfL).
• Cattle hides haulier disqualified for poor maintenance The Welsh arm of a cattle hides haulier has been disqualified from holding an O-licence for 12 months due to its poor maintenance record.
• RMT warns of axed services as train operators are given green light to scrap unprofitable routes in new franchise planRAIL UNION RMT warned today that new franchise plans, smuggled out by the Government in a barrage of ministerial announcements yesterday, will give train operators 'flexibility' to axe services, cut train capacity and frequencies and stop at fewer stations in order to maximise profits. RMT is describing the plan as a 'blueprint for a new round of Beeching-style cuts to the UK's rail services.'
• PD Ports nominated for global port awardPD Ports Shortlisted for Lloyd's List and IFW Awards
• Truck Driver Fatigue Can Have Deadly ConsequencesA review of federal hours-of-service rules may have implications for trucking accidents, a major highway safety issue.
• pteg says time to decentralise on local rail
• Two years of roads work miseryMoorists will face almost two years of reduced speed limits at a busy motorway junction from today.
• High-speed route focused on communities, says HammondThe route of the proposed high-speed rail project will be decided with œmaximum sensitivity to communities along the line, transport secretary Philip Hammond has said.
• UK to develop St Helena airportThe government is to spend tens of millions of pounds building an airport on the tiny island of St Helena, it has been revealed.
• Blackburn link road fate hangs in the balance THE FATE of Blackburn™s long-awaited link road hangs in the balance because the project has again fallen foul of conservationists.
• BA in legal move against 32 price-fix carriersCarrier wants other 'cartel' members to share compensation payouts
• FTA asks government to study tolls impactFresh from securing a commitment from the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) to look into the economic impact of tolls on the Severn Crossing, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) has sought the same action from Westminster to explore the impact of ever increasing toll prices on businesses in south west England. Ian Gallagher, FTA™s Head of [...]
• Tube upgrades and Crossrail must happen in full and on time 23 July, 2010 - 11:18 Echoing calls from the Mayor and business leaders, the London Assembly Transport Committee has today written to the Secretary of State for Transport to urge the Government to protect vital investment in the capital™s transport network. Val Shawcross AM, Chair of the Transport Committee, said: œDespite the pressure on the public purse both the upgrade of the London Underground and the construction of Crossrail must go ahead “ in full, and on time.   360-house-th...
• FARNBOROUGH: Austerity doesn't mean end to investment: MinisterIt's no secret the UK government, like its opposite numbers around the world, is having to
• Heathrow Airport's high-speed rail link will follow northern extensionA high-speed rail link at Heathrow Airport will only be introduced after the network is extended to the north of England, according to a report. According to Lord Mawhinney, who was commissioned to review the airport's transport links, there was "no compelling case" for a direct link immediately. Diverting the London to Birmingham high-speed route via Heathrow was not likely to be good value for money, he explained. However, once the network is extended beyond the Midlands, the case could become more pervasive as it would enable fast access from the North and Scotland to the airport....
• British Airways introduces mobile app to speed up check-in at Heathrow AirportBritish Airways has produced a new app for the iPhone that it hopes will speed up check-in. Customers will be able to download their boarding pass and use their smartphone to check-in and confirm their plane seats. Instead of having to print a boarding pass out, travellers will now be able to store the information on their iPhone. At present the feature is only available on Heathrow to Edinburgh flights. By the end of August, it is anticipated that the app will work for all domestic flights, with it becoming available for long-haul routes next year too. Other features the app will include are ...
• Flybe expansion could lead to new routes from Cardiff AirportAn expansion plan from Flybe, Europe's largest regional airline, could lead to an increase in the number of European flights from Cardiff Airport. It could result in more business flights to Germany, France and other European destinations from the airport. In the deal, which is potentially worth £3.25 billion, Flybe airline would buy around 140 aircraft. It already operates flights from the airport to 11 destinations including Paris, Belfast and Edinburgh. Jim French, Flybe chairman and chief executive, said: "Flybe is delighted to announce this significant order of 35 Embraer 175 ai...