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

Thursday, 19 August 2010

BBC News

• Tube staff to strike in jobs rowMembers of a second union vote to go on strike over proposed job cuts on London Underground.
• Leaked video shows runaway trainA video showing how close a runaway Tube train was to a full passenger train in front of it is leaked to BBC London.
• Double-whammy for Kiss travellersScores of holidaymakers affected by the collapse of Kiss Flights were also hit by the failure of Goldtrail last month.
• Kiss passengers return homePassengers with travel firm Kiss Flights arriving back home from their holidays at East Midlands airport say they were lucky to get back.
• Maersk swings to half-year profitThe world's largest container shipping firm, AP Moller-Maersk, returns to profit, thanks to a recovery in container volumes.

Financial Times

• Container industry's ship comes inMost obvious cause of the industry's recovery is the simple improvement in volumes of containers moving amid an improving world economy
• Maersk raises full-year profits forecastShipping and oil conglomerate buoyed by surging container shipping demand and a high oil price
• DP World benefits from rebound in trade Dubai port operator sees first-half profits improve 17% as it benefits from the effects of a rapid rebound in volumes in world container trade
• Latin American airlines to mergeLeading Latin American airlines LAN of Chile and Tam of Brazil have announced plans to merge amid rising airline demand in the region.
• Sharp upturn in use of shipping containersThe upturn in the trade, boosted by traffic of goods to and from emerging economies, has been so strong that analysts say that it has caught many by surprise

The Scotsman

• Stagecoach revenues soar but it stays silent on rail fare increases PERTH-based transport group Stagecoach cheered investors yesterday with a strong trading update unveiling across-the-board revenue increases as it stonewalled speculation that rail passengers face swingeing fare increases next January.

The Telegraph

• Stagecoach profits stay on track Despite concerns over possible changes to fuel duty rebates and concessionary fares on buses, as well as cutbacks to the rail budget, Stagecoach said profits remained on track, with analysts forecasting about £187m pre-tax for the year.
• French railway gaffe sends sleeper train from Spain off course Tourists travelling on a sleeper train from Spain to Italy woke up nearly 200 miles away in Switzerland after French railway staff made a signalling mix-up in Lyon.
• Network Rail hits back over Coucher brother claims Network Rail has accused a union chief of running a smear campaign against two of its senior executives in an escalating row between the company and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association.

Daily Express

• Stagecoach on right roadSTAGECOACH hailed a bounceback in its bus and train business yesterday and highlighted its strong finances, sparking speculation it could hit the acquisition trail.

Mail Online

• Britain's most expensive bus lane: Council forks out £3.2m for just 100 metres A council was blasted today over plans to build Britain's most expensive bus lane - which will cost £3.2 million for just 100 metres. The lane, measuring just eight bus lengths, will cost a staggering £32,000 per metre.

The Mirror

• Shares in transport giant Stagecoach rose 2% yesterday Shares in transport giant Stagecoach rose 2% yesterday after bosses said business was on the road to recovery.

The Sun

• 'Hypocrite' airport union in pay freeze UNITE - threatening airport chaos on BAA salaries - imposes freeze on own staff

Birmingham Mail

• Action group meets in fight to stop high-speed rail near Lichfield A PUBLIC meeting is to be held by a new action group fighting to halt plans for Britain’s second high-speed railway over fears it will blight their homes and destroy swathes of Staffordshire countryside.

Liverpool Echo

• Boost in West Coast rail revenues for transport group Stagecoach BUS and train group Stagecoach reported a 7% jump in rail revenues today as a recent trading revival on its major commuter routes gained strength.

Liverpool Post

• Passenger growth on Virgin Trains West Coast link benefits transport group Stagecoach TRANSPORT group Stagecoach has benefited from a 13% uplift in passenger volumes on Virgin Trains’ West Coast mainline route. Stagecoach owns a 49% stake in Virgin Trains, which links Liverpool’s Lime Street station with London.

London Evening Standard

• Hundreds of speed cameras to enforce 20mph zones in LondonHundreds of average speed cameras could soon be installed on roads in London and may even replace speed humps

Manchester Evening News

• Trams could be running on Altrincham line in the morning claim GMPTE Suspened tram services between Altrincham and Old Trafford are expected to resume in time for tomorrow's morning rush-hour, transport bosses have announced.

Metro

• Tube strike given go ahead by second unionA London Underground strike became more likely last night when a second union backed industrial action.
• Council's 'spy car' hides away from road to catch vehicles on yellow lineA council has unleashed a 'spy car', giving parking enforcement officers plenty of scope to catch naughty drivers “ about 2.4m (8ft), it seems.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds bus services shake upLong-suffering bus users in Leeds were today told to brace themselves for a controversial shake-up of services.

Other Regional Press

• Synthetic fuels firm sees shares soar SHARES in a synthetic fuels specialist rose sharply after a promising progress report on its key technology.
• Cutbacks hit bus and Subway linksTransport chiefs are to axe 50 jobs because of Government cutbacks which could badly affect bus and Subway services.
• New Aberdeen bus lane could run from King Street to Union StreetA MAJOR new bus lane for Aberdeen could run from King Street to Union Street, the Evening Express can reveal today.

Other News Sources

• Alex Neil speaks out over Plains railway concerns ALEX Neil agrees that he “made representations” to Network Rail regarding concerns over the proposed Plains footbridge. However, the Central Scotland list MSP insists that he did not campaign for its removal, but merely for further consultation between Network Rail and village residents.
• Airtrack plans on hold after funding fears A faster rail link between Wokingham and Heathrow Airport that could have caused serious traffic chaos at the town’s railway station has been delayed due to funding doubts.
• Transport Minister to visit St Albans TRANSPORT Minister Teresa Villiers will visit St Albans City Station next week to celebrate completion of its extended platforms as part of a £5.5 billion Thameslink upgrade programme.
• WiFi on Arriva CrossCountry coming soon! Not.Regular readers will recollect that Arriva singularly failed to deliver on its CrossCountry franchise commitment to fit WiFi to their HST and Voyager fleets by the 11th November 2009.
• Train crash: Police probe history of crossing POLICE are to investigate the history of a level crossing where a train collided with a tanker leaving 21 people injured.
• Last chance to comment on Broxbourne transport plans RESIDENTS have until Sunday (August 22) to voice their opinions on plans to improve travel and transport in Hoddesdon and Broxbourne.
• Cuts proposed to public transport services in Ryedale CHILDREN and those on the lowest incomes in rural areas of Ryedale will be penalised by cuts to public transport, it has been claimed.
• RMT renews call to scrap level crossings after Sudbury crashRAIL union RMT today renewed its call for a programme to eliminate level crossings following last night's collision between a passenger train and a lorry outside Sudbury in Suffolk.
• Bids invited for £250m North Yorks highways dealNorth Yorkshire County Council is inviting contractors to bid for a 10 year £250 million highways maintenance contract.
• “Kiss Good Bye to High Fares” - Ryanair Launches £69 Rescue Fare for Stranded Kiss PassengersRyanair today (18th Aug), launched a £69 (one way incl taxes and charges but excluding baggage fees) rescue fare for passengers stranded abroad by the bankruptcy of Kiss Flights yesterday. This...
• MANCHESTER AIRPORT IS OFFICIALLY ’A380 READY'With only two weeks left before the first Emirates A380 lands at Manchester Airport on 1st September, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has officially certified Manchester Airport as ’A380...