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

Monday, 29 November 2010

BBC News

• Maglev carriage sold for £25,100A Maglev carriage, used to shuttle passengers from Birmingham Airport to a nearby railway station, raises £125,000 for charity at auction.
• More warnings as freeze continuesFreezing temperatures overnight lead to more than ten school closures and further warnings of ice on roads.
• Chaos as heavy snow hits ScotlandRoads and transport links across Scotland are hit hard by more heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
• Free disabled parking could endOldham Council is planning to scrap free parking for disabled blue badge holders in its car parks.
• Fresh snow brings more disruptionRoads and transport links across Scotland are hit hard by more heavy snow and freezing temperatures.
• Fourth Tube strike gets under wayThousands of London Tube staff begin a 24-hour strike from Sunday evening over plans for hundreds of job cuts.

The Guardian

• Britain was built on its railways. Now we can't even run them Trains are green and should be comfortable, fast and convenient. That they're not is a national disgrace. My father worked for British Rail and in the 1970s I overheard an argument he had with a travelling salesman who lived down the road. Emboldened by a couple of sherries at our house, this chap advocated – rather rudely, I thought – the complete abolition of railways. He would replace them with buses, which he thought more efficient. My dad said: "And would you run them along clear, straight roads?" "Ideally, yes," said the salesman. "And would the buses be very regular?" "They would," said the man, "they could come in a constant succession." "Well then," said my dad, "that's called a train." That shut the salesman up (for a while), and when he went home, my dad said: "Typical Tory."

The Herald

• Scotland™s a whiteout ... and it could cost millionsTravel

The Independent

• Government runs up record parking fines David Cameron's promised drive to cut the cost of government cars is being undermined by his ministers running up record levels of parking fines.
• Tube strike chaos adds to winter travel misery Commuters battling the wintry weather faced more travel disruption today thanks to the latest strike by London Underground workers.

Daily Record

• Heavy snow causes major road closures across Scotland as winter arrives MOTORISTS across Scotland faced treacherous conditions today after heavy snow hit much of the country overnight.

Mail Online

• Britain faces commuter chaos as temperatures hit -17C in coldest November since 1985Forecasters expect snow to hit London and the Home Counties tonight, while motoring groups predict a ‘nightmare’ today with roads blocked by snow and ice.
• Christmas train chaos: Half our railways to be affected by 10 days' engineering workAs many as 22million people are expected to travel by rail over the festive period, but dozens of shutdowns will turn simple journeys into multi-change trips.

Derby Telegraph

• First superjumbo takes off after RR engine problems THE first Qantas A380 superjumbo to fly since the airline's planes were grounded after a Rolls-Royce engine failed landed safely at Heathrow Airport yesterday. It touched down at the airport at about 6.05am having travelled from Sydney via Singapore. A Qantas spokesman said the flight

Journal Live

• Nissan Leaf is a finalist in European awards NISSAN’S Leaf, the world’s first mass- produced electric car, has been shortlisted for a prestigious industry award.
• Newcastle Airport deal was 'hard to justify' TAXPAYERS in the North East were prevented from having any say on a major airport refinancing deal which could land the region with debts worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

London Evening Standard

• Commuters struggle with Tube strike in freezing conditionsCommuters battling the wintry weather faced more travel disruption today thanks to the latest strike by London Underground workers
• Tube strike: Which lines are running on the UndergroundTransport for London claim Tube services are running on nearly all lines this morning, despite the Underground strike

Metro

• Tube strike 'has put London into lockdown'Travellers are being 'misled' over the impact of the latest strike by thousands of Tube workers, according to unions. It was claimed the fourth walkout in recent months was the most effective yet.

Sheffield Star

• Schools closed - and more snow on the wayPublic transport is getting back to normal but several schools are closed today as South Yorkshire braces itself for more snow.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Road, rail and air chaos as Scotland shivers in snow Planes were grounded, roads closed and trains and bus services cancelled yesterday as the heaviest November snowfall for 17 years brought continuing misery in the north and north-east.

The York Press

• York in gridlock as snow keeps fallingUpdated: TEMPERATURES plummeted to minus 13.9C in North Yorkshire this weekend, as the continuing snowfall caused chaos on the roads.

This Is Local London Network

• TUBE: Passengers facing fourth strikeLONDON Underground passengers are facing up to a fourth Tube strike this morning.

Wales Online

• Matt Withers: No one gains from failing to electrify our trains WHO comes out of the decision to kick the electrification of the Swansea to London rail line into the long grass looking good? No-one, that’s who. Not the UK Coalition Government, who are in danger of letting some of the ’anti-Welsh’ accusations levelled from this side of the Severn Bridge stick. Some of the mudslinging has been of the student politics variety, with the new government being accused of being ’anti-Welsh’ before its ministers had even prised their red boxes open for the first time.
• Early winter sets a November record for Wales of -17.3ºC WALES will be gripped by a near week-long icy blast bringing double-figure sub-zero temperatures and threatening a repeat of last winter’s gritting crisis on the roads, the nation was warned last night.

Carlisle News & Star

• Sellafield advises day workers to stay at home Sellafield has advised day employees to stay at home until it is safe to travel today (Monday) in a bid to avoid congestion on the roads after heavy snowfall last night.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: Bus routes face the axeCONCERNS have been raised that dozens of bus routes serving communities across Suffolk could be cut next year.
• Suffolk and Essex: Snow causes chaos - and worse to comePOLICE have today issued a warning to drivers asking them remain careful and wary on the roads as snow blankets the region.

Other Regional Press

• Three die in horror on roadsFamilies have been left devastated by a weekend of tragedy on Lancashire’s roads.
• Motorists fined for using access road as a short cut THREE motorists were fined for using an access-only road as a short cut.
• Man hurt in Yorkshire M1 snow crash A DRIVER was fighting for his life in hospital after he was hit by an out of control car in snowy conditions on the M1.
• Roads closed as snow and ice cause havocPOLICE and gritting crews were today battling the elements as more snow was forecast in the coming days.
• More snow on the way as temperatures fall t.rowe@bepp.co.uk More snow is forecast this week as the West shivers in Arctic conditions which have at least provided photographers with picture-postcard shots. An inch of snow blanketed fields on high ground at the weekend. The Quantock Hills in Somerset experienced some of the heaviest downfalls. And heavy snow in the north led to Yeovil Town's FA Cup second round tie against Hartlepool United being postponed, despite

Washington Post

• Why the TSA pat-downs and body scans are unconstitutional The protest on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving was called National Opt-Out Day, and its organizers urged air travelers to refuse the Transportation Security Administration's full-body scanning machines.

Railnews

• News: Icy spell causes disruption – with more to come Snow and ice are causing increasing disruption to ScotRail services, while East Coast has introduced an emergency timetable because of snow in the Scottish borders and north east of England.

Transport for London

• LU sets out Tube services it intends to run despite strikeSome planned station closures, but services expected to run on all but one of London's Tube lines. Passengers should check before travelling at tfl.gov.uk. Fourth pointless strike 'will achieve nothing whatsoever'.
• TfL condemns unions' refusal to continue constructive talks TSSA and RMT leaderships walk away from offer of six-week safety review. Unions intent on disrupting Londoners despite more than half of post reductions already achieved.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways Launches New Route from London City to ChamberyBritish Airways is extending its route network from London City Airport this winter with a new flight from London to Chambery, the gateway to the French Alps.
• Airlines that give the most bang for your buckIf you are looking for the airline that is going to give you the most bang for your buck, a.k.a. the best value for your dollar, you are going to find that there is a lot of competition out there today.

Other News Sources

• Redspottedhanky Warns Train Travellers of Increased Need to Book EarlyRedspottedhanky is warning train travellers to shop around and book early following the announcement by the Association of Train Operating Companies of 2011 fare increases.
• Texting While Trucking: Don't 'Go Down Gambling'Despite bans on texting while driving, traffic crashes caused by distracted driving continue to climb, according to a new study.
• RAC warns motorists of treacherous conditions as call-outs surgeMotorists heading home tonight are advised to check local weather reports and traffic conditions as the bad weather spreads across to other parts of the UK - with Wales, Northern Ireland, the South-West, East Midlands and the East of England also set to experience heavy snowfalls. Updated on 26/11/2010 16:51:28. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Callouts surge as snow, ice and cold hit motoristsRAC has had an exceptionally busy Sunday morning, already attending thousands of callouts due to the snow and cold weather. Updated on 28/11/2010 12:00:00. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Rail freight link will take 3/4 million lorries off A14A £60m upgrade of the rail freight line between Felixstowe and Nuneaton will take up to 750,000 lorries off the congested A14 by 2030, according to Network Rail.
• Pay-as-you-drive truck insurance launchedHauliers will be able to cut insurance bills by 25% using a
• Mitcham Goods Vehicle Test Station to close in 2011The Mitcham goods vehicle test station will close by July 2011 following an announcement by The Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA). The closure is part of the agency™s plan to take the testing of trucks and buses closer to the customer and to deliver testing in the form of Authorised Test Facilities (ATFs). ATFs [...]
• Weather brings Scotland to a standstillSevere snow is continuing to cause chaos across the country as schools are closed and road conditions remain treacherous.
• Commuters to be hit by tube strikes Commuters will travel disruption as thousands of London Underground workers will start a 24-hour strike tonight.
• CEVA™s CEO gives upbeat assessment of logistics market prospects In an interview at eyefortransport's recent 8th European 3PL Summit in Brussels, John Pattullo, CEO of CEVA Logistics, said he was very upbeat about the prospects - not just for his own company but also for the sector as a whole. read more
• Norbert Dentressangle acquires TDG for €235m Norbert Dentressangle has signed an agreement with DouglasBay Capital to acquire 100% of the shares of Laxey Logistics, a holding company that owns TDG. read more
• Kerry Logistics acquires majority stake in ADCO Shipping & Forwarding Hong Kong-based Kerry Logistics has acquired a controlling interest in Rotterdam, The Netherlands-based ADCO Shipping & Forwarding. read more
• Government Response to the Environmental Audit Committee 'Air Quality' Report PublishedFirst air quality policy document from the coalition Government launched
• Kerry Logistics Takes Controlling Interest in ADCO Shipping and Forwarding Kerry Logistics has acquired a majority shareholding in ADCO Shipping and Forwarding BV, a privately held company, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. ADCO was founded in 1983 and is a leader in ocean freight forwarding in Holland. The addition of the company strengthens Kerry Logistics™ platform in northern Europe and complements its existing network of offices across the continent.The ADCO management team brings a wealth of experience to Kerry Logistics™ forwarding business in Europe. ADCO also operates warehousing and distribution services from its warehouse in Rotterdam in additi...