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

Saturday, 18 September 2010

BBC News

• Beware of splinters: Man's wooden bike record hopeA man from Norfolk is hoping to enter the record books by recording the world land speed record on a wooden bicycle.
• Three rail ticket raiders jailedThree members of a Bedfordshire family are jailed for thefts from rail ticket machines across four counties.
• Clever cars to mean safer drivingThe growing number of chips in cars will make them smarter and safer to drive, predict experts.
• Raids on 'illegal fuel plants'Customs official seize nearly 12,000 litres of illicit diesel and arrest four men in raids in west Belfast and County Armagh.
• Boy who fled cycle test arrestedOne of two boys who absconded from a secure unit in Salford by riding off while taking a cycling test is arrested.
• Water and wire spark 'bomb scare'Two bottles of water and a phone charger spark a security scare at Manchester Airport.
• Gang attack teenager at bus stopA 15-year-old boy is seriously injured after being stabbed at a bus stop in Glasgow by a group of up to four teenagers, police say.
• Boeing signs $3.7bn Russia dealUS aerospace giant Boeing announces a contract worth $3.7bn to sell 50 of its 737 planes to Russian Technologies.
• Vauxhall van contract to continueThe future of a car plant in Luton looks to have been secured after a contract to work on vans was extended.
• Venezuela airline halts flightsVenezuela's state-run airline Conviasa says it is suspending all its flights after one of its planes crashed earlier this week killing 17 people on board.
• US airlines create global leaderUnited Airlines and Continental Airlines are cleared to merge, creating the world's largest carrier.

The Telegraph

• Motorists encouraged spy on rogue drivers Motorists are being encouraged to spy on each other and report incidents of antisocial driving to the police under a new scheme.

Daily Express

• Invensys China dealCHINA'S need to build underground railways to cope with rising city populations and transport pollution will be targeted by engineer Invensys after sealing a partnership deal with Chinese train rolling stock manufacturer CSR yesterday.

Mail Online

• Looks like a bomb to us... no wonder they shut Manchester airport for three hoursWith cables, a bottle and a mobile phone, it's little wonder this package alarmed security staff who called in bomb disposal experts at Manchester Airport today.
• Drunk school bus driver who sliced roof off double-decker avoids jailGurdeep Singh Sagoo was three times over the drink-drive limit when he 'forgot' he was driving a double-decker in Lanley, Berks.
• Public finally gets to try out new 'saddle class' seats (however, some found it a rather tight fit)Appearing rather squashed, people were strapped into the 'Skyrider', which could be used by budget airlines to cram in more passengers, as it was unveiled in America.
• Big Brother fears as motorists are urged to spy on each otherA police campaign to persuade motorists to spy on each other has been condemned as an extension of the ‘Big Brother’ state that is open to abuse.

Network Rail

• ˜CLASS OF 2011™ FROM WEST ANGLIA URGED TO CONSIDER A RAIL CAREER
• LIME STREET STATION IS THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY

Belfast Telegraph

• Diesel most expensive in Northern Ireland The AA today urged the Government to shelve next month's hike in fuel duty after warning that motorists face a new upswing in pump prices. Related StoriesPrivate sector job cuts bite in NIHousing market concern amid cutsNorthern Ireland housing market concern amid cutsNYSE to set up Belfast outpostNorthern Ireland tops UK diesel price league

Birmingham Mail

• Notorious clamping firm Midway Parks Ltd ordered to pay up £445 by the small claims court A NOTORIOUS clamping firm has been ordered to stump up hundreds of pounds after illegally pouncing on a vehicle car a Birmingham pub.
• No more licenses for black cabs in Birmingham NO new black cabs will be licensed to operate in Birmingham for three years following a report which found there were more than enough to meet customer demand.
• High speed rail tickets will cost as little as £20 JOURNEYS between Birmingham and London on the planned high-speed rail route could cost as little as £20 each way, a report has claimed.
• Birmingham Airport runway scheme back on track BIRMINGHAM Airport is set to finally build its long-awaited runway extension.

Liverpool Post

• Two people knocked down by buses in Liverpool city centre A WOMAN had a lucky escape after she was knocked down by a bus at a busy city centre bus station.
• Lime Street Station wins double Rail Awards success LIME Street railway station received a double accolade at the National Rail Awards ceremony.

Manchester Evening News

• Lawyer quits as councillor after drink-drive arrest A barrister has resigned as a Manchester councillor after being arrested for drink-driving. Emily Lomax suffered minor facial injuries in a three-car crash in Rusholme on Tuesday evening.
• Men were killed as they changed tyre on M6 Two workmates killed on the M6 were changing a tyre when they were hit by a lorry, police believe. It is understood Philip Cawley, 39, and Thomas Southward, 69, were on the hard shoulder of the motorway carrying out the repair when tragedy struck.
• Investigation after police car left on double yellows An investigation has been launched after a police car was left on double-yellow lines and facing the wrong way on a one-way street. The Vauxhall Corsa was photographed on Wood Street in the shadows of Manchester magistrates court.
• Relief of motorist cleared by a jury of racially abusing traffic warden Michael Butterworth, 40, was alleged to have hurled expletives at a Tunisian-born civil enforcement officer, after returning to his car in Hulme to find a parking ticket but was cleared by a jury.
• Revealed: Bottles of gripe water sparked Manchester Airport evacuation Two bottles of gripe water and a mobile phone charger packed in a passenger's hand luggage sparked the security scare at Manchester Airport that led to the closure of Terminal One for three hours, the M.E.N. can reveal. Police have released the X-ray image taken of the bag as it passed through security scanners. It shows the bottles alongside the phone charger and its wiring.
• End of the road for motorist Mabel after 81 years' driving with no penalty points Mabel Bradbury, from Heald Green, started driving in 1929 and has never been stopped by police or had any points on her licence. She has decided to give up driving at the age of 100 after more than eight decades on the road.

Sheffield Star

• Motorists risk fines in battle to stop illegal street parking MOTORISTS in Chesterfield face a £30 fine if they continue to park on access-only roads near the town's new football stadium and Tesco store.
• Denise joins authoritySouth Yorkshire Integrated Transport Authority has appointed a new vice-chairman to its board following the death of Sheffield Council leader Jan Wilson.
• Travel back in time at rally A SOUTH Yorkshire Transport Rally is to be held in Meadowhall coach park tomorrow featuring older and more recent buses, commercial vehicles and cars, plus transport related s
• Road police honoured for seizing £10m criminal assets A REGIONAL roads policing team has seized assets worth £10 million from criminals over the last two years.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Mearns welcomes 20mph proposals An Aberdeenshire community has welcomed proposed measures to improve road safety in their town.

The York Press

• 4,000 free bus tickets on offer for Car Free Day CAMPAIGNERS are hoping the streets of York will be a quieter place with the city™s second Car Free Day.
• Police warn they are FIT to tackle the drug-drivers DRUG users driving on the region™s roads are more likely to be caught and brought to justice following a specialised policing training programme.

Bucks Free Press

• London Mayor invited to Chesham to discuss rail staff cuts BORIS Johnson has been invited to attend a public meeting in Chesham next month after residents raised concerns about planned cuts to staff levels at the town's station.

Burnley Express

• Hapton boating firm boss 'relieved' as canal reopens BOATING firm bosses have spoken of their relief after being able to return to East Lancashire.
• Leeds and Liverpool Canal reopensBRITISH Waterways has announced the phased re-opening of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal will begin today.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• 30 jobs lost at haulage firmJobs have been lost after a Wellingborough haulage firm closed its doors.
• Bricks fell from railway bridge on to car's roofA motorist has spoken of her horror after bricks fell from a railway bridge and smashed into the roof of her car.

The Shields Gazette

• Taxi driver fined for having baton and stun gunA TAXI driver caught carrying an extendable baton in the glove box of his cab has been spared jail.

Other Regional Press

• High-speed rail New research shows how a direct route to the north via Yorkshire will bring major economic benefits.
• Chance to name Corsham's new bus service An improved bus service is to operate around Corsham, and locals are being given the chance to choose the name of the service.
• Take care when buying a new motor COMPLAINTS about second hand cars have soared 18% in a year, says Consumer Direct.
• Enjoy this fantastic day of nostalgia on the buses Buses old and new will be descending on Marwell Park, near Winchester, for a major historic vehicle rally, tomorrow.
• Sheriffs' grant gets valleys group on their bikes A BIKE hire shop in the Valleys set up to empower the local youth community is using a £1,000 grant from the Gwent High Sheriffs' Community Fund to further its work.
• Card payments set for Severn bridges “ but only for Ryder Cup A SYSTEM for drivers to pay Severn bridge tolls by debit or credit card will be in place by the Ryder Cup, it was announced yesterday.
• Festival to celebrate joys of city canalWaterwalkerz “ transparent globes for walking on water “ will be one of the highlights of this year™s Bigman festival at Maryhill Locks in north Glasgow.
• Cycle path plan for the Bridge to NowhereBicycle fans will be saddling up this Saturday to celebrate a new dedicated bike route linking Glasgow city centre to the West End.
• A37 crash: 'Speed limits for a reason' A MOTORING group has urged drivers to stick to the speed limit after it emerged the fatal crash would not have occurred had Peter Girton been travelling within the road restrictions.
• A37 crash: Death driver walks free A LORRY driver charged with causing death by careless driving after a horror crash that killed an elderly couple has walked free from court.

International Herald Tribune

• Fun With Rental Bikes in LondonEven before a rental bike system opened to the public in London this summer,
• Toyota Settles Suit Over High-Profile Calif. CrashSANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) -- Toyota Motor Corp. has settled a lawsuit brought by relatives of four family members killed in a high-speed crash near San Diego that galvanized attention around safety flaws of Toyotas and led to the recalls of millions of cars, a report published Friday said.

Washington Post

• UAL, Continental shareholders approve airline deal -- The biggest airline in the world will have the United name, Continental's globe logo and potentially far-reaching effects on air travel.

Campaign for Better Transport

• We support London™s busesFunding for London™s bus network is under threat, and this week I spoke at a union rally outside city hall in defense of the capital™s buses. read more

Aviation Industry

• New cookbook features plane foodDo you enjoy the food you eat on airplanes? If so, then Singapore Airlines has a cookbook for you.
• Boeing to speed up 737 production, againBoeing Co.'s decision to hike its single-aisle 737 production rate a second time reflects the aircraft manufacturer's confidence that operators will continue to scrap their old planes for more fuel-efficient alternatives.
• Continental and United Shareholders Overwhelmingly Approve MergerStockholders of both Continental Airlines and United Airlines on Friday morning overwhelmingly approved their planned merger to create the world's largest airline, the companies announced.
• Iberia's Romero Says Demand for Long-Haul Flights RisingSept. 17 -- Antonio Romero, chairman of Iberia Lineas Aereas De Espana SA, speaks about the outlook for demand, the global economy and the proposed merger with British Airways Plc.
• Cathay's Tyler Sees `Continued Strength' in Cargo MarketSept. 17 -- Tony Tyler, chief executive officer of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd., talks about growth in passenger and cargo transport in Asia and prospects for reducing emissions from air travel.

Green Miscellany

• Lighting up the Sky In order to save costs, a number of county governments are turning some street lights off at night “ the Highways Agency is also cutting lighting on some motorways in the small hours.read more

Other News Sources

• Red signal for Virgin TrainsIt looks like Virgin Trains picked the wrong man to annoy when a string of its staff rather let down Simon Middleton at Crewe station recently. Mr Middleton is in the process of promoting his book, Bu...
• $20 million for study into high-speed railTHE Federal Government is serious about developing a high-speed rail network, federal Infrastructure Minister Anthony Albanese says.
• Patients and visitors face charges of £4 per hourHospitals will be free to charge patients fees of up to £4 an hour to park their cars, the Coalition has announced
• Hospital parking charges to be keptThe government has ruled that hospitals in England can continue to charge patients for car parking after ministers admitted that scrapping the fees would be too costly. Updated on 17/09/2010 09:04:05. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Driving stresses 'test' couplesThe stresses of driving are proving to be too much for 36% of couples who have more arguments behind the wheel than anywhere else, according to a survey. Updated on 17/09/2010 10:59:06. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Nottinghamshire MP calls for Commons debate on future of CrossrailLabour MP for the Nottinghamshire constituency of Bassetlaw John Mann has called for MPs to debate the prospect of scrapping the £15.9bn Crossrail project.
• Balfour wins Irish road contractConstruction firm Balfour Beatty has been chosen as the preferred bidder for a major road scheme in the Republic of Ireland, it has announced.
• SeaFrance eyes three-month extension to administrationCash injection to rescue ailing ferry operator needs EC approval
• FedEx to axe 2,000 jobs and 100 service centresCutbacks in US a bid to arrest spiralling losses of freight division
• Truck manufacturers face price-fixing probeAuthorities swoop on Mercedes offices as another freight sector comes under the cartel spotlight
• Extra travel service for eventGREAT North Run bosses are encouraging people to use public transport on the day of the race to try to avoid congestion.
• Anger over bus pass refusalAN angry mum has slammed council chiefs after her daughter was rejected for a free bus pass because her family live just 100 yards too close to her school.
• Libyan Airlines takes first A320 delivery Libyan Airlines has taken delivery of its first of seven CFM International CFM56-powered Airbus A320s. The aircraft is fitted with several rows of convertible...
• Heathrow Airport wins Carbon Trust awardHeathrow Airport has been recognised for its efforts to cut energy use with a new award. The airport was awarded with the Carbon Trust Standard after saving enough energy in the last three years to power more than 6,300 homes for 12 months. Heathrow Airport improved its carbon efficiency by 12 per cent, despite turnover increasing by 31 per cent. Savings came from careful management of heating, cooling and ventilation in areas such as Heathrow Airport lounges, check-in areas and baggage pick-up points. In addition, investment in renewable energy projects such as biomass generators is helpi...
• SeaFrance ruling delayedFERRY operator SeaFrance has been given a further four months to improve its financial situation by the Paris court of commerce.
• 16/09/2010 - Weekly newsletter on Mobility and Transport in Europe
• ERTMS Newsletter
• Nottingham hailed greenest transport city
• Green Party Leader Caroline Lucas MP Proposes A New Commission For Environmental RightsCaroline Lucas MP last evening called for the creation of an Environmental Rights Commission to help individuals and communities fight to protect their environment from pollution and over-development.
• Norfolk MPs back A11 duallingThe dualling of the last nine-mile stretch of the A11 returned to the top of the political agenda in Norfolk tonight when more than 100 people packed a meeting to support completion of the work.
• Hopes high that Tour of Britain will return to NorfolkThe boss of the Tour of Britain cycle race says yesterday's huge crowds in Norfolk mean the event has a good chance of returning to the county next year.
• Vinci wins £8.3m Heathrow jobVinci has won an £8.3 million contract with BAA to refurbish Heathrow™s Terminal 3 baggage and immigration hall.