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

Wednesday, 03 November 2010

BBC News

• Edinburgh tram chief David Mackay resigns post The chairman of Edinburgh's beleaguered trams project, David Mackay, has resigned with immediate effect.
• Exclusive: Tube bosses beware, Boris is watching! More problems on the Tube this morning in particular on the Met Line where faulty track means there is a speed limit on trains.
• Unions begin third Tube walkoutCommuters are facing further disruption on London's Tube network as a third 24-hour strike over job cuts takes place.
• Stagecoach's profits 'on track'Stagecoach says it is on schedule to meet profit targets after a rise in revenues at both its bus and rail operations.
• Hitachi surges back into profitElectronics firm Hitachi reports a return to profit in the three months to September, reversing big losses made a year earlier.
• No 'knee-jerk' answer to air plotThe International Air Transport Association warns governments not to overreact to last week's bomb plot using cargo aircraft.

Financial Times

• Economic recovery drives Stagecoach Stagecoach said ticket sales rose in the first five months of its financial year as economic recovery – however modest – spurred demand for bus and rail travel.

The Herald

• Bus company to hit fare dodgers with a £60 fineThousands of bus passengers face fines of up to £60 if caught with the wrong ticket under plans by Scotland™s biggest operator to œget tough with fare dodgers.

The Independent

• Tube staff walk out as discontent sweeps through public sector A new wave of strike action across the public sector began last night with massive disruption to the London Underground, as 11,000 staff began another 24-hour walkout that will affect millions of commuters. A Bonfire Night strike for firefighters also looms on Friday, as no progress was made during talks with brigade officials yesterday, according to sources close to the discussions. Tensions rose when two demonstrators were injured during the latest round of industrial action by the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), after they were hit by vehicles trying to break the picket line.

The Telegraph

• Stagecoach bullish on UK markets despite Coalition spending cutsStagecoach, the transport group, has claimed it is seeing "no obvious signs" of a slowdown in its UK bus and rail operations, striking a bullish tone about the economy despite the Government's spending cuts and tax increases.

Daily Express

• Charges for extras lift Ryanair profitsPROFITS at Ryanair took off thanks to fare rises and charges for extras such as on-board drinks but the no-frills airline warned of more ticket price hikes and route cuts.

London Evening Standard

• Lords win push for Boris bike station close to ParliamentBoris bike docking station to be placed close to Parliament after demands from members of the House of Lords

Sheffield Star

• Bus firm in safety awardBUS company First South Yorkshire has won a national award after reducing major accidents at one of its depots to zero.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Airlines will work with government over new freight security measures Airlines pledged last night to work with the UK Government to accommodate new security measures announced by Home Secretary Theresa May following the Yemeni plane terror plot.

This Is Local London Network

• Balham biker goes into Transport for London's record books A Balham biker has gone into the cycling community’s record books by becoming the rider of the one millionth Barclays cycle hire journey.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• West Yorkshire: Have your say on future of public transportPeople in West Yorkshire are being given the chance to have their say on the future of transport in the county.

Blackpool Gazette

• Blackpool flights to be divertedFLIGHTS packed with holidaymakers are being diverted away from Blackpool Airport as a row with budget airline Jet2.com escalates.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Transport: London Underground strikesTuesday, 9.55am: Commuters travelling through London face a travel nightmare during 2 days of strikes affecting London Underground.

Other Regional Press

• Inquiry: New rail link promises Oxford to Marylebone in 66 minutes AN INQUIRY into a new £250m Rail service linking Oxford and London opened yesterday with the promise of an extra two trains to the capital every hour.
• Rail scheme heads for the sidings A MAJOR rail scheme to improve journeys between Swindon and Kemble could go-ahead after the country’s debt is reduced, the Government has said.
• Network Rail bosses want to shut off city's High Street level crossing to motorists RAILWAY crossing barriers in Lincoln's High Street should be permanently shut to road users, according to Network Rail.
• Bus station ˜is still our top project™County Hall chiefs today insisted they are committed to funding a new bus station in Preston - despite the prospect of job losses and £180m budget cuts.
• New train plan stays on track Eurostar will press ahead with its order for new German-built trains after a court dismissed a French bid to halt the deal.
• Bus company to hit fare dodgers with £60 fineBus passengers in Glasgow face fines of up to £60 if caught with the wrong ticket under plans to œget tough with fare dodgers.

Railnews

• News: Rail growth continues to defy downturn in economy New trading figures from one franchise operator suggest that rail is continuing to shrug off the effects of the economic downturn. The news comes after the government gave operators greater latitude to increase fares in January.
• News: Eurostar new trains row may not be over yet Eurostar's apparent victory in court over a challenge to its new trains order from Alstom may not have settled the matter. Alstom said that it is continuing to ’pursue alternatives’ after failing to gain an injunction stopping Eurostar’s purchase of Siemens trains.

Railway Gazette

• Arriva awarded 10-year Polish operating contract POLAND: On October 26 Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship selected incumbent Arriva RP for a 10-year contract to operate local passenger services on non-electrified routes from December 11. Arriva's bid included a lower subsidy than the rival tender from Przewozy Regionalne, the former PKP regional train business. A joint venture of Arriva and PCC Rail won an initial three-year contract to operate the routes from December 2007. Piotr Calbecki, Marshal of the voivodship, said the longer duration of the new contract will enable Arriva to invest in rolling stock and ticketing. The operator is now kn...
• Suburban expansion in Madrid, Barcelona and SevillaSPAIN: Under its 2009-15 investment programme for the Madrid suburban network, the Ministry of Development has awarded study and design contracts worth a total of €22m. Prorail Ingenieros Civiles is to design the Humanes “ Illescas extension of route C5, including track doubling, electrification and two stations, while Técnicas Reunidas is to study options from the southern terminus of route C4 at Parla to Torrejón de Velasco. A contract to develop options for a line from Alcobendas-San Sebastián de los Reyes to San Augustín del Guadalix has been awarded to Investigación y Control de C...

Aviation Industry

• Southampton Airport show their support for the Natwest Island Games 2011Southampton Airport is proud to support the NatWest Island Games 2011 which is taking place on the Isle of Wight next year...
• Charges for extras lift Ryanair profitsPROFITS at Ryanair took off thanks to fare rises and charges for extras such as on-board drinks but the no-frills airline warned of more ticket price hikes and route cuts.
• Airlines expand Wi-Fi servicesThere's a new battle in the air in the never-ending competition to attract business travelers.
• Finnair offers iPads to passengersFinnair has started handing out Apple iPads for passengers to use on flights to Hong Kong, after a bumper third quarter
• Alitalia reports strong Q3Alitalia has announced double-digit profits for the third quarter of 2010
• Emirates' profits rise 351%Emirates has reported a net profit of $925 million in the first half of this fiscal year, up from $205 million in H1 2008/9
• Austria to introduce eco-taxAustria looks likely to follow its neighbour Germany and introduce a departure tax in the near future.

Other News Sources

• Ferry service saved with new operatorBristol's commuter ferry service has been saved. A new operator - Number Seven - is now running the most popular end of the service. The previous provider, Bristol Ferry Boat Company, bowed out last week following a long and highly-valued connection with the commuter service. It will continue to run its leisure harbour trips which do not require council support.
• Will London’s transport network be up to the demands of the 2012 Games? How will London’s transport network cope with the extra pressure from the 2012 Games? Will Londoners be able to get around as normal, and are businesses anticipating and preparing for any impact on their day-to day operations?
• Dubious 45-minute claim?He made one: and for a good number of years British Rail made one, too, which continues to be made today. We're talking about the journey time on northbound trains between London King's Cross and Peterborough stations. Inter-city trains operating for East Coast and before that National Express East Coast, GNER and British Rail have a timetabled journey time between the two points of 45 minutes.
• Pledge2DriveSafely workshopsOne in three crashes involves a vehicle being driven for work. That’s three deaths a day involving company vehicles. Road safety charity Brake’s Pledge2DriveSafely workshops can help stop these deaths. Launched in 2007, the Pledge2DriveSafely workshops successfully train those with company driver experience to deliver powerful Pledge2DriveSafely messages and campaigns to people who drive to [...]
• Stobart to spend £5m on 265 trailersStobart Group is set to spend £5m on new trailers after it agreed a funding deal with Barclays Corporate Asset Finance.
• Scheme of the Month - Bristol™s Biggest Bike Ride Bristol™s Biggest Bike Ride is one of the UK™s biggest free non-competitive cycling events. People from Bristol and surrounding regions come together for a celebration of cycling. It™s the one day of the year cyclists have the opportunity to ride under Bristol™s iconic Suspension Bridge on a major road closed to traffic especially [...]
• Airports Council International celebrates 20th anniversaryDirector General ACI Angela Gittens, in her address to the 20th world annual assembly of airports, has called on ACI members to rally behind several new initiatives, making the association's...
• Airports launch new safety initiative At the ACI World Annual General Assembly today, airport representatives voted unanimously to launch a new safety advancement initiative that will ensure that airports contribute proactively to...