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

Thursday, 26 August 2010

BBC News

• A new station but will it still be called Blackfriars? News reaches me from the Lib Dems that they have got assurances from Network Rail that they are considering renaming Blackfriars.
• Limit street signs, councils toldThe government urges councils in England to cut unnecessary road signs, railings and advertising hoardings in a bid to make streets tidier and safer.
• Peak rail times 'are confusing'Some train companies are accused by Which? magazine of confusing passengers by charging for peak fares outside of busy times.
• Forth Ports eyes new acquisitionsForth Ports announces a big increase in first-half profits and reveals it is seeking to acquire other ports businesses.
• First Tube strike date announcedThousands of Tube workers are to begin a series of monthly strikes on 6 September in a row over job losses.

Financial Times

• Outlook improves for Forth Ports Profitability has improved slightly to £16.9m in the first half, in spite of continued sluggishness in demand in some of the company's core areas

The Guardian

• Cycling without brakes? You're breaking the law Common sense would suggest you'd be mad to cycle without brakes, but it can be done by skilled riders – although not legally
• London Underground strike dates set Rolling walkout by tube drivers, engineers and station staff over 800 job losses start on 6 September
• Aviva fails to peddle bike insurance with bungled PR stunt Insurance company planted bikes in well-known theft hotspots across London, but the thieves didn't turn up

The Independent

• Tube strike series 'seriously damaging' The Government tonight warned that a series of planned strikes by thousands of London Underground workers in a row over jobs would be

The Scotsman

• Councils urged to cut down on signsThe Government is urging councils to cut street clutter by getting rid of unnecessary signs, railings and advertising hoardings.

The Telegraph

• Tube strike threatens chaos for millions Millions of commuters face travel chaos after two rail unions announced a wave of strikes on the London Underground.
• Train companies extending peak charging hours, survey finds Peak train services are starting as early as 3pm in some parts of the country as train operators try to push up income.
• Motorists offered bribe to give up parking permits Motorists are to be offered a £200 bribe to surrender their residents’ car parking permits under proposals being drawn up by Brent Council in North London.

Network Rail

• RAIL MINISTER SEES THAMESLINK PROGRESS AT ST ALBANS AND BLACKFRIARS

Birmingham Post

• High speed rail link worth £1.5bn-a-year to Birmingham, says Centro chief Birmingham’s proposed high speed rail link with London would generate £1.5 billion-a-year for the city when it opens in 2022, according to backers of the project.

Liverpool Echo

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport soars ahead of rival airports LIVERPOOL John Lennon Airport has seen the largest increase in passenger numbers of any UK airport.

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail service achievements praised by joint operator Serco GLOBAL services provider Serco praised its UK rail interests in its half yearly report today, particularly its Merseyrail set-up which it jointly runs with Dutch rail company Abellio.

London Evening Standard

• UK Rail Minister see Thameslink Progress at St Albans and BlackfriarsUK Rail minister Theresa Villiers visited St Albans station on Tuesday to mark the completion of platform extensions which will allow longer trains to call at the station from December 2011.
• How the Thames bridge station is going to lookComputer-generated images of the first London railway station to span the Thames were released today as passengers were warned of an eight-week closure over Christmas.
• Boris bike station by Waterloo is the most used in LondonThe most and least popular Boris bike docking stations are revealed highlighting the levels of demand from commuters

Manchester Evening News

• Don’t sack rail guard who snubbed me A disabled passenger who filmed a train guard apparently refusing to help him board says the man should NOT be sacked “ but should be retrained. Father-of-one Qamar Khaliq, 35, was at Piccadilly trying to get a train home to Guide Bridge near Audenshaw when he says the conductor refused to lower the ramp for his motorised wheelchair.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Tough moves to ease Elgin™s trafficCouncillors backed a raft of changes yesterday to improve congestion and road safety in Moray towns.

Yorkshire Post

• East coast rail travellers pay peak rate in afternoon Some train companies are charging peak rates well outside busy travel times, according to Which? magazine.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Councils urged to cut down on signsThe Government is urging councils to cut street clutter by getting rid of unnecessary signs, railings and advertising hoardings.
• Call to boost road maintenance The Government should give more priority to maintaining existing transport infrastructure than building new capacity, a survey of transport managers and experts has revealed.
• City residents consulted on transport plan Peterborough's chiefs are to plan transport to match their target of 25,000 new homes and 20,000 new jobs in the city during the next 20 years.

Other Regional Press

• Orders flood in for Countryman ORDERS for the new Mini Countryman are flooding in from across Oxfordshire “ more than three weeks before the car hits the showrooms.
• 1750 cabbies write protest letter over schools switchEvery Glasgow Hackney driver has written a letter of protest over council moves to switch some schools business from black taxis to private hire cars.
• Bus firm bid to find story starChildren are being invited to come up with a bus-themed short story for an Arriva Scotland West talent contest.

Other News Sources

• Crossrail delays awarding tunnelling contracts Two main tunnelling packages have been put back from mid-2010 until 2011 The award of tunelling contracts for London’s Crossrail has been delayed until next year.
• Maghull North railway station plans scrapped due to funding cuts Plans for a £7.2million Maghull North railway station are set to be scrapped after Merseytravel announced they will need to save £10million from their budget.
• BROMLEY: Bromley South to get lift access before Olympics LIFT access is finally set to be installed at a major transport hub in time for the Olympic Games.
• CEO awarded prestigious fellowshipOne of the logistics trade™s dynamic leaders has been recognised by the whole of the industry. Michael Conroy, Chief Executive Officer of Palletforce PLC, has been awarded a prestigious fellowship from The Chartered Institute of Logistics. He was appointed CEO at Palletforce, the UK™s leading palletised distribution network, two years ago and has overseen the [...]
• New shipping company enters Indian market According to a report carried by The Times of India, Nexus Bulk Operators has entered the shipping business, with plans to begin commercial operations by September 15th. read more

News from Europe

• Hupac takes Crossrail stake SWITZERLAND: Intermodal specialist Hupac has acquired a 25% stake in Crossrail, the Swiss -based rail freight operator which is active in Switzerland Germany, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands.