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

Wednesday, 19 January 2011

BBC News

• 'Road train' trials get rollingTechnology that links vehicles together into semi-autonomous 'road trains' undergoes its first real world tests in Sweden.
• First splashes cash for pool bidPlans for an Olympic-sized swimming pool for Aberdeen receive a £100,000 funding boost from FirstGroup.
• Warnings of a rural 'fuel desert'A motor industry lobby group warns that filling stations could disappear completely from large parts of Scotland.
• Airport pulls back on expansionEdinburgh Airport says there is no need to consider a second runway for another 20 years as it unveils its development plans.
• Cheap rural fuel 'not in Budget'The government will not be able to introduce a discount on fuel in rural areas in its March Budget as some had expected, the BBC understands.
• Tube leaves with driver door openAn automated Tube set off with passengers as the driver opened his cab door to let another staff member in.
• Boeing postpones Dreamliner againBoeing postpones the delivery date for the first of its new 787 Dreamliners again, this time until the third quarter of 2011.

Department for Transport

• UK and Irish Ministers agree reform for funding of Irish LightsUK Shipping Minister Mike Penning and Irish Minister for Transport Noel Dempsey have reached an agreement that will see aids to navigation off the coast of the Republic of Ireland wholly funded from domestic sources there by 2015-16.

Financial Times

• Opec moves to keep oil bulls at bayThe oil cartel has an ace up its sleeve it lacked in 2008: enough spare capacity to boost output substantially
• Green transport boosted by £560m fund English local authorities will be able to seek funding for cycle routes, better pedestrian facilities and other environmentally friendly transport schemes from a £560m fund to be announced
• 'Air fare rises to offset higher fuel cost'Rising oil prices are a growing burden for US airlines but efforts to pass on higher costs to passengers should help sustain the fragile recovery under way since late 2009
• Trucking driven by new-found confidenceRecent acquisitions in the North American trucking industry “ viewed as a bellwether for the overall economy “ underscore a spirited recovery in a sector hard hit by the recession
• Hutchison plans $6bn IPO for ports armHong Kong conglomerate controlled by billionaire Li Ka-shing is to spin off its port holdings in Hong Kong and southern China in a Singapore initial public offering

The Guardian

• Segways banned from footpaths as rider is first in UK to be fined Man, 51, fined for riding electric vehicle on Barnsley pavements, but judge says road use should be contemplated
• Waterloo underpass poem to be restored Eurydice by Sue Hubbard, which was painted over by Network Rail contractors, is being replaced after Facebook campaign
• London Underground: advertising and morality [blog]Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy (Lab) has received a letter from London Mayor Boris Johnson (Con) about those Wonga ads on the Tube system. You'll recall that just before Christmas Creasy and others took issue with LU and TfL for accepting the company that deals in high interest short term loans as its sponsor for free travel on New Year's Eve.

The Independent

• Hundreds of bus services to be axed as councils cut subsidiesHundreds of bus services, including vital links to remote rural areas, are to be scrapped or scaled back because of the squeeze on public spending, The Independent has discovered.

The Scotsman

• Airport's wings are clipped by global downturn SCOTLAND'S busiest airport has drastically scaled back expansion plans in the face of the global economic downturn and is not likely to need a second runway in the next 30 years, it emerged yesterday.

The Telegraph

• More 20 mph zones planned More 20 mph zones and bus lanes could be put in place in towns across the country under Government plans to cut carbon emissions. The proposals will form part of the Local Transport White Paper which will be unveiled today by Norman Baker.
• Segways banned from pavements and roads as rider fined £75 Segways cannot be ridden legally on roads or pavements in Britain following a judge’s ruling in a test case.

Reuters News

• Government plans £560 million local transport fundLONDON (Reuters) - The government plans to set up a 560 million pound fund to develop green local transport schemes over the next four years, it said Wednesday.
• London mayor backs report calling for new hub airportLONDON (Reuters) - London Mayor Boris Johnson has called for a new airport to be built in south-east England after a report said Heathrow was losing out to European rivals, reigniting the debate on London's airport capacity.

The Mirror

• Eurotunnel profits jumped a quarter last year to £617million A RECORD number of Britons went on holiday to Europe in their cars last year.

Birmingham Mail

• Ring and Ride bus service faces cuts amid grant fears BIRMINGHAM’S lifeline Ring and Ride bus service for the elderly is facing cuts after transport budgets were squeezed.

Derby Telegraph

• Independent tramway would serve us better THE fact that a company is seeking European grant money to reopen the disused railway line from Derby to Ripley through Little Eaton is good news but seems a bit late in the day.

Journal Live

• What's the big secret? Ministers keep secret most overcrowded trains [blog]Hard-pressed commuters would doubtless like to know given they having to fork out for soaring fares. And taxpayers might like to know as well given the bill they are footing for the railways.

London Evening Standard

• £560m fund for green travel plansA £560 million fund to encourage green transport initiatives is at the heart of a local transport White Paper from the Government.

Metro

• Regeneration fund bid for Castleford Transport Interchange Metro and Wakefield Council are this week submitting a £14.3m Leeds City Region bid to the Government’s new Regional Growth Fund to enable work on a new Castleford Transport Interchange to go ahead.
• A driverless car is on the road aheadThere's one place you can™t read your Metro “ driving along the motorway at high speed. But that™s set to change.

Nottingham Evening Post

• 'Cheapskate' revamp of station ignores real issues say councillorsA £250,000 revamp of the area outside Beeston railway station is

Sheffield Star

• Trains could run between city centre and Deepcar RESTORING passenger train services between Sheffield and Deepcar "would not require a great deal of work" according to a report commissioned by enthusiasts campaigning to reopen the line.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Bid to prevent 10 per cent West Yorkshire rail fare increaseTransport bosses in West Yorkshire are locked in talks with the government to avert a crippling 10 per cent rail fare hike next year.

Yorkshire Post

• White paper: Whitehall offering £560m aid for green transport COUNCILS will be invited to bid for cash from a £560m Government fund for green local transport schemes under plans to be revealed today.
• Campaign to keep Yorkshire moving must drive forward as times change EVERY time Ray Wilkes steps out of the front door of his Saltaire home and looks down towards the lush walls of the Aire Valley, he can see the fruits of his labour.
• Report paves way for villagers to commute by steam COMMUTERS in part of Yorkshire could soon have the option of travelling to work on a famous steam railway. The Worth Valley Joint Transport Committee (JTC) has published a marketing study concerning the viability of returning daily passenger services on the internationally-famous steam heritage Keighley & Worth Valley Railway (K&WVR) in West Yorkshire.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Get greener in the new yearWITH 2011 in full swing, businesses and workplaces will be looking for ways to save cash and be kinder to the environment this year.

Other Regional Press

• Fuel tax blamed as bus company EYMS 'left with no choice' but to put up fares AN East Yorkshire bus company has raised passenger fares to cope with the increased tax on fuel. Peter Shipp, from EYMS, said he was left with "no choice" but to reluctantly put up prices.
• The many reasons why we have had to increase bus fares WE HAVE just announced our bus fares are to rise on January 22 and I mainly blame big rises in the cost of diesel and Government fuel tax.
• Prestwick Airport To Meet With Transport Minister, Keith Brown Scotland's airport operators are to be invited to a forum with Transport Minister Keith Brown to review winter weather resilience in a bid to ensure Scotland stays open for business during periods of extreme weather.
• UK & World News: £560m fund for green travel plans A £560 million fund to encourage green transport initiatives is at the heart of a local transport White Paper from the Government.
• Boris warns airport plan could go aheadHugely controversial plans for a £40bn off-shore airport in the Thames estuary could still take off.
• Solar-powered traffic bollards for Huddersfield ECONOMICAL new traffic bollards are to be used on Huddersfield’s roads.

Railnews

• News: Network Rail launches review of signallers’ training Network Rail is reviewing the way new signallers are trained, because it believes the present arrangements are inflexible and unnecessarily time-consuming.

Aviation Industry

• American, priceline sign direct ticket dealAmerican Airlines says it signed a deal with priceline.com for the tickets site to use American's in-house technology to access its fares.
• Ryanair to appeal œillegal� boarding pass fee rulingFollowing a court ruling in Spain that Ryanair™s £40/€40 fee for issuing boarding cards is illegal, Ryanair has said it will fight the decision

Green Miscellany

• Bicycle bible for electric two-wheelers A new book, Electric Bicycles is an invaluable guide for prospective buyers and enthusiasts alike, according to the Environmental Transport Association (ETA).read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow Express launches iPhone ticket app Travellers using the Heathrow Express can now have tickets sent directly to their iPhone, via a new app which also includes live service updates.
• Crossrail funding moves a step closer Mayor of London Boris Johnson today published proposals for consultation that would, through the planning system, seek contributions from most new developments in the capital towards the costs of delivering Crossrail.
• Atkins wins Danish high speed rail contractAtkins has been chosen as part of a consortium to design the first stretch of high speed enabled rail line in Denmark.
• Boris renews support for new London airportLondon mayor Boris Johnson has backed a report calling for a brand new south-east England airport.
• Boris backs calls for new airportLondon Mayor Boris Johnson has backed a report calling for a brand new south east England airport.
• Plans for new South East airport slammedPlans to build a major new airport in South East slammed
• Edinburgh Airport may install artworkPassengers travelling through Edinburgh Airport may soon be treated to artworks from the city's galleries.The National Museum of Scotland and the Scottish National Portrait Gallery are currently holding discussions with representatives from the travel hub about loaning works for the airport's international arrivals area, the Scotsman reported.Bosses from Edinburgh Airport hope that the works of art will show arriving passengers what the Scottish capital has to offer."We're investing in this area as we understand the responsibility we have as one of the main gateways to Edinbur...
• Russia-Belarus dispute cuts EU diesel supplies Russia will not restart oil supplies to Belarus, halted due to a pricing row, until at least 20 January, when the heads of both governments are scheduled to meet, official sources announced today (18 January).