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

Saturday, 31 July 2010

BBC News

• Boris welcomes bike 'smackeroonies'London Mayor Boris Johnson sells the benefits of the London bike hire scheme to the world media.
• London saddles up for bike hireA bike hire scheme designed to encourage thousands more cycle journeys in central London begins.
• Coroner raises rail safety fearsA coroner raises ongoing safety fears as an inquest jury blames a points failure for the Potters Bar train crash.
• Ash cloud cost firm £45,000 a dayThe grounding of flights because of volcanic ash cost an airports operator £45,000 every day.

Financial Times

• Rivals poach customers after months of strikesWhile all airlines were affected by the ash airspace closures, none had to deal with the protracted strikes by BA's flight crew that some competitors claim have led to a big shift in business away from the airline
• Strikes and ash take their toll on BAAfter losing almost £1bn in the past two years, the flag carrier said pre-tax losses for the three months to the end of June had been £164m

The Guardian

• Potters Bar criminal case reopensRail watchdog to look into criminal charges after jury says maintenance failures led to accident in which seven diedThe official rail regulator, the Crown Prosecution Service and British transport police are to reopen investigations into whether criminal proceedings could be brought over the deaths of seven people in the Potters Bar rail crash eight years ago.The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), the independent safety watchdog, today told the Guardian it was to look again at the crash. In October 2005, the CPS said no charges of manslaughter by gross negligence could be brought.Today's announ...

The Herald

• Strikes and ash send BA profits tumblingBritish Airways has reported a first-quarter pre-tax loss of £164 million after disruption caused by cabin crew strikes and the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud, but remained upbeat for the full year, pointing to signs of recovery in its business.

The Independent

• First London. Now the rest of Britain? The streets of central London got a little more crowded yesterday as 5,000 gleaming bicycles swarmed across the capital as part of Boris Johnson's mission to steer the city towards a two-wheeled revolution.
• Potters Bar rail crash could be repeated, says coroner Seven people died in the Potters Bar rail crash as a result of a points failure caused by track inspection and maintenance failures, an inquest jury concluded yesterday.

Reuters News

• Potters Bar coroner warns of risk of more fatal rail crashesLONDON (Reuters) - A coroner warned that there remains a risk of further fatal rail disasters in Britain after an inquest ruled on Friday that a train crash which killed seven people in 2002 was caused by a points failure.

Daily Express

• BA will break even this year says Willie WalshBRITISH Airways chief executive Willie Walsh yesterday said there was

The Sun

• Boris bike plan hits the road CYCLE hire scheme is launched in London as Mayor Boris Johnson hails it as a 'new dawn'

Belfast Telegraph

• BA £164m in red due to strikes and ash British Airways said today that cabin crew strikes and Iceland's volcanic ash cloud had sent the beleaguered airline £164m into the red for the three months to June 30. Related StoriesConcerns raised over banks' reliance on state guaranteePlans to phase out DRA met with angerFamily-run food firm eyes bigger slice of the marketMetro bank a fascinating case study in what customers really wantRecovery doubts linger as lending remains stagnant

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Low Moor station plan is spared budget cut Plans to build a new rail station in south Bradford appear to have escaped Government spending cuts.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Strikes could hit Holyhead line as rail crews support sacked colleague POTENTIAL rail strikes could hit the Holyhead line after a row broke out between union officials and Virgin over the dismissal of a member of staff.

Journal Live

• Pensioners’ passes face axe in Metro cuts METRO passes for pensioners are likely to be scrapped as transport bosses prepare for multi-million pound funding cuts.

Liverpool Post

• RMT union in strike call to Virgin Trains Liverpool staff over staff dismissal LIVERPOOL’S Virgin Trains staff will be balloted on strike action after a Lime Street-based caterer was allegedly dismissed while recovering from injuries suffered in an on-train attack.

London Evening Standard

• I fear another Potters Bar, says judgeRail passengers are still at risk eight years after the Potters Bar rail crash, a judge warned
• Charges considered over Potters BarProsecutors are considering whether criminal charges could be brought over the Potters Bar rail crash after an inquest concluded that a points failure lay behind the disaster.

The News (Portsmouth)

• Second phase of bus link is planned COUNTY council leaders are already planning the second phase of a controversial bus link .

The York Press

• Network Rail plans to remodel Holgate Junction near York StationUpdated: PLANS to ease the strain on a œbottleneck rail gateway to York Station could move forward after proposals for new signals were drawn up.
• Police in hunt for £4,500 mountain bike POLICE are appealing for witnesses after an expensive mountain bike was stolen from the University of York.

Wales Online

• Unfair for railway strategy to ignore Wales THE UK coalition Government has indicated a desire to improve the economic standing of regions outside the powerhouse of London and the south-east of England.
• New state of repair for Newport’s Transporter Bridge THE iconic transporter bridge reopened in Newport yesterday having been shut for three years because of safety concerns.

Bucks Free Press

• Don't cut social services in favour of roads, Lib Dem warns A LIBERAL Democrat has hit out at moves to slash funding for social services but keep cash for road repairs.

Other Regional Press

• Villagers 'cut off' by loss of bus service ANGRY villagers near Coventry say they have been “cut off” from society because of changes to their local bus services.
• One day to go until £1 bus travel for under-19s!£1 bus travel for under-19s throughout West Yorkshire in August with Metro Active.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• London's Cycle Hire scheme could influence rest of UKThe Barclays Cycle Hire scheme introduced to London could influence other UK cities to follow suit, it has been suggested.Writing for the Guardian, Helen Pidd noted that although the capital's initiative is not the first implemented in the country, it may have a knock-on effect.

Railnews

• News: Criminal probe may restart after Potters Bar verdict Criminal proceedings may be started following the verdict of the jury at the Potters Bar crash inquest that faulty points caused the derailment which killed seven people in May 2002.

Aviation Industry

• Strikes and ash extend BA lossesBritish Airways has revealed a steep loss for the April-to-June quarter after being hit by cabin crew strikes and disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland.
• New Rules Target Regional Airline PilotsWashington.Responding to the death last year of 49 Continental Airlines passengers near Buffalo, New York, Congress passed legislation Friday requiring increased training and experience for regional airline pilots.
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• Easyjet punctuality sparks rowEasyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou has threatened to take away Easyjet's right to its branding unless major improvements are made in its punctuality.read more

Green Miscellany

• Boris Bikes are go! 5,000 bicycles now for hire in London London™s long-awaited mass cycle hire scheme has launched today with 315 docking stations and 5000 bikes available.read more
• Electric bicycles set to revolutionise cycling Electric assist bicycles are set to revolutionise cycling in Britain, according to the Environmental Transport Association (ETA).read more

Other News Sources

• RMT condemns London Underground threat to rip-up job protection agreement as union's ballot over station staffing and safetyTUBE UNION RMT today condemned a threat by London Underground to rip up an existing agreement on job protection as 'blatant intimidation and provocation of members who are currently balloting for action over tube safety and the threat to 800 station-based staff posts.'
• RMT to ballot for action over sacking by Virgin Trains of victim of horrific on-train assaultRAIL UNION RMT confirmed this morning that it is preparing to ballot staff on Virgin West Coast for strike action and action short of a strike following the dismissal of a member after a period of absence following an horrific on-train assault.
• Leeds trolleybus backers meet minister in fund defence questLeeds civic leaders have met transport minister Norman Baker in a bid to save the new generation transport trolleybus project.
• High-speed rail case spurs airport doubtPlanners have welcomed Lord Mawhinney's report on high-speed rail links to Heathrow Airport but stressed the need for a station in central London.
• London 2012 road network plan publishedA new information document detailing how London™s road network will operate during the Olympic Games in 2012 was published yesterday.
• Transport minister strikes out on bridge hitsBridge strikes, frequently caused by lack of driver awareness of bridge heights, is costing the public purse around £500,000 a year.
• Clear Channel helps advertisers target cyclistsClear Channel has developed a series of advertising opportunities to help brands target cyclists, to coincide with the launch of the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme in London today (30 July).
• New car emissions dropped 5%Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows the carbon emissions produced by new vehicles in the UK has dropped.
• £4m transport centre unveiledA NEW £4m transport interchange has been unveiled for Hartlepool “ and experts are predicting it will improve the job-hunting prospects of town people.
• Potters Bar coroner warns of more carnageA coroner warned of more potential carnage on the railways last night as an inquest jury blamed a points failure for the deaths of seven people when a King's Lynn-bound train derailed at almost 100mph.
• Potters Bar coroner warns of more carnageA coroner warned of more potential carnage on the railways last night as an inquest jury blamed a points failure for the deaths of seven people when a King's Lynn-bound train derailed at almost 100mph.
• Welsh council to maintain road for private firmA œunique agreement in which a Welsh council maintains a road on behalf of a private contractor has been renewed.
• British Airways upbeat despite £164m lossBritish Airways reports a quarterly loss of £164m after disruption caused by cabin crew strikes and Iceland’s volcanic ash cloud, but strip that out and there are blue skies ahead, aviation expert John Strickland tells Channel 4 News.
• Potters Bar rail crash caused by unsafe pointsAn inquest finds that the 2002 Potters Bar rail crash, which killed seven people, was caused by poor maintenance. As Carl Dinnen writes, the verdict raises safety questions.
• 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
• Siemens backs concepts and solutions for sustainable ship operation Rising costs, greater competitive pressure and ever stricter environmental regulations are driving new developments in shipping and shipbuilding that are designed to protect the environment and increase energy efficiency. Profitable trading and environmental compatibility are not mutually exclusive, but a competitive factor. Siemens Marine Solutions will be showcasing solutions for shipyards and ship operators at the SMM 2010 Trade Fair, under the motto
• UPS sets new automotive goal to improve fuel efficiency by 20 percent UPS has set a new automotive goal to improve the miles per gallon (MPG) performance of its entire U.S. package delivery fleet by 20 percent between 2000 and 2020.The goal was announced today as UPS released the latest annual update of its corporate Sustainability Report, available at ups.com/sustainability.The new goal builds on gains UPS already has made by increasing its U.S. MPG 10% between 2000 and 2009 and applies to a U.S. ground fleet of 60,000 vehicles.
• Ryanair to Rescue Aer Lingus Strike Hit Passengers Ryanair today (30th July) assured Aer Lingus' few remaining passengers that they can avoid being hit by the latest round of Aer Lingus' strikes this autumn by snapping up one of Ryanair's...
• Ryanair Condemns Useless Aviation Regulator Ryanair today (30th July) called for the resignation of useless aviation regulator, Cathal Guiomard, as he today ignored the Aviation Appeals Panel recommendation to introduce differential...
• Ryanair's Optional Checked-In Bag Fees Ryanair today (30th July) confirmed that its optional checked-in bag fees will return to €15 (per bag) and €25 (for heavy bags) for travel from 1st Sept onwards on all routes except...