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

Saturday, 02 October 2010

BBC News

• Many councils 'waiting for grit'Almost one in five councils in England and Wales does not yet have the road-gritting salt it needs for this winter, a survey suggests.
• Government to scrap M4 bus laneThe controversial M4 bus lane is to be scrapped at the end of the year, the Transport Secretary Philip Hammond confirms.
• BMW dealing with recall 'quickly'Rolls-Royce chairman and BMW executive Ian Robertson tells the BBC the company is resolving its 350,000 car recall 'quickly'.

The Herald

• UK recovery doubt as manufacturing growth slows downWorries that UK economic recovery is running out of steam were fuelled yesterday by a survey revealing manufacturing growth slowed to its weakest pace in 10 months in September.

The Independent

• M4 bus lane to be scrappedAn unpopular bus lane on a busy motorway, introduced by John Prescott in 1999, is to be scrapped.

The Scotsman

• Answers urged over school bus crashParents have demanded answers after six children were taken to hospital and 13 others were treated for minor injuries after a bus with school pupils on board overturned into a

Daily Express

• BAA in Naples dealHEATHROW and Stansted owner BAA is selling its stake in Naples Airport in a e150million (£129million) deal.
• Stagecoach boss Brian Souter: No stalling on the road to recoverySTAGECOACH boss Brian Souter tells Peter Cunliffe why he is optimistic about the economy

Birmingham Mail

• M5 closed for 45 minutes after woman climbs on to motorway bridge Police closed the M5 in both directions after a woman climbed to the edge of a motorway bridge.
• Rail repairs mean trains from Birmingham to Dorridge can't stop at Acocks Green RAIL passengers travelling from Birmingham towards Dorridge on London Midland trains will not be able to call at Acocks Green from tomorrow for two weeks.

Sheffield Star

• Jailed: Cable thieves caused trains mayhemTWO thieves who caused 127 trains to be cancelled and created 20 hours of delays for commuters when they stole railway cabling from the Sheffield to Leeds mainline have been l

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Couple on their bikes for charityAn Aberdeen couple have notched up more than 3,000 miles in the saddle as they cycle to one of the world™s poorest countries for charity.
• Inverness Airport™s handiest plane parking area too weak for big jets The aircraft parking area closest to Inverness Airport terminal entrance is too weak to take some heavier passenger jets, the operators admitted yesterday.
• Scotland wins Cabinet allies in fight to save defence jobs Defence Secretary Liam Fox™s battle to save two aircraft carriers being built in Scotland has been backed by senior Liberal Democrat members of the coalition government.

Wales Online

• Demand for road-gritting salt leaves councils short WELSH councils have yet to receive all the road-gritting salt they need from suppliers for this winter because of high demand across the UK, the Local Government Association (LGA) revealed today.

Other Regional Press

• Roadworks warning for main Aberdeen route DRIVERS in and around Aberdeen were today warned they faced major traffic disruption in the weeks ahead.

Railway Gazette

• Eurostar picks Velaro to expand fleetEUROPE: Recently-restructured cross-Channel operator Eurostar International is understood to have selected Siemens as preferred bidder to supply additional trainsets to operate an expanded route network, with the decision due to be confirmed at a board meeting on October 1. Eurostar has been looking for some time at introducing services to Amsterdam and Köln, particularly in the light of Deutsche Bahn™s objective of operating from Frankfurt to London by 2013. Having decided that it would not be possible to fit its existing power cars with additional train protection equipment, Eurostar invit...

Transport for London

• London Underground chief urges RMT and TSSA leaderships to call off 'pointless' strikeWriting in today's Metro newspaper the Managing Director of London Underground, Mike Brown, has urged the leaderships of the RMT and TSSA unions to call off their 'pointless' strike on London Underground (LU) that is scheduled to begin on Sunday evening.
• Initial works start on two more continuous, direct cycle routes for Londoners Two new Barclays Cycle Superhighways routes to launch in summer 2011 - from Wandsworth to Westminster, and Bow to Aldgate
• Strike will not stop London from moving, vows Transport for London Ninety three per cent used public transport to beat the last strike Extra bus and river services to help Londoners get to work Mayor calls on union leaderships to call off pointless strike

Other News Sources

• Wincanton appoints Eric Born to the boardWincanton has appointed Eric Born as an executive board member, with immediate effect.
• Salt supplies already low, LGA warnsCouncils look abroad to stock up on their salt supplies in the face of increasing demand
• 01/10/2010 - Weekly newsletter on Mobility and Transport in Europe
• Cranes stand idle at Great Yarmouth's outer harbourThey were heralded as symbols of an exciting future for Great Yarmouth's outer harbour when they arrived by ship in May last year. But for 17 months, the towering £7m container cranes have remained idle on the port's PSA quay because of the grim economic climate.
• Scheme of the Month - Links to Schools, Bournemouth In 2009 Bournemouth Council was awarded a substantial grant by Sustrans as part of their œLinks to Schools programme, funded by Cycling England and the DfT. The wider community also benefits from the new links which enable people to walk or cycle to work, schools and shops with greater ease and safety. The new infrastructure [...]
• UK manufacturing exports hit 10-month lowUK manufacturing continued to slow in September, with exports orders falling to a 10-month low for the first time in a year. 
• New rail record at Port of Felixstowe The Port of Felixstowe has set a new rail record, handling a total of 10,764 containers (16,209 TEU) by rail in the week ending 26th September 2010. The previous record of 10,582 units was achieved in the same week last year. The increased volumes follow a number of track and equipment improvements made over the past two years, including a 39-metre extension of the South Rail Terminal to accommodate 22-wagon trains, a major line refurbishment of the same terminal over the New Year 2008/9, and a second brand new Rail-Mounted Gantry Crane in August this year. David Gledhill, Chief Executiv...

Other Subscription Services

• Second phase Cycle Superhighway delivery beginsContracts have been awarded and preparatory works have begun on the third and fourth London Cycle Superhighways.CS2 will run from Bow to Aldgate while CS8 will link Wandsworth to Westminster - both...
• Belfast to clear roads for public transportRoad space in Belfast city centre is to be reallocated to public transport under new plans set out this week.Transport minister Conor Murphy launched a consultation process on a traffic strategy...
• Southern rail station name change agreedSmitham railway station in Surrey is to be renamed Coulsdon Town.Croydon Council and local campaigners claim that Smitham does not accurately reflect the location of the station in the centre of...