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

Wednesday, 02 February 2011

BBC News

• Concern at student transport planPeople living in rural communities say they are concerned by Gwynedd council plans to charge students aged over 16 to travel to schools and colleges.
• Region 'needs' £2.5bn metro linkSouth east Wales needs a
• Container ships 'avoiding' EgyptThe unrest in Egypt leads to some container ships being re-routed as vessels look to bypass Egyptian ports.
• BP reports annual loss of $4.9bnThe cost of cleaning up the Gulf of Mexico oil spill pushes BP into its first annual loss since 1992, but the firm restores dividend payments.

Department for Transport

• New powers to help councils redraw the mapLocal authorities will be given greater control over how their roads appear on maps and satnav systems - helping them to better direct traffic - under bureaucracy-cutting proposals set out today by Local and Regional Transport Minister Norman Baker.

Financial Times

• Qantas prepares for push into AsiaAlan Joyce, chief executive, talks to FT.com about the impact of grounding its A380 fleet, higher oil prices, the airline's focus on Asia and 'The Oprah Winfrey Show'
• Jetstar still the growth engine for QantasSince its launch in May 2004, the Australian unit has grown into the Asia-Pacific's largest low-cost carrier, and has also differentiated itself from its parent company

The Herald

• Winter speed limit for freight trainsRail accident investigators have recommended new speed limits during winter weather after finding that a runaway freight train was only 75 seconds away from colliding with a passenger train last winter.

The Independent

• BA man 'in plot to blow up aircraft'An Islamic extremist with a job as a British Airways computer expert conspired with a radical preacher to blow up an aircraft bound for America, a court heard yesterday.

The Telegraph

• Lorry drivers face £9-a-day UK road charge Lorry drivers face being charged £9 a day to use the country's roads, under plans being drawn up by ministers.
• British airports get first holographic helpers Two UK airports have become the first in the world to introduce holographic announcers.

Press Association

• Water bus tested on Loch Lomond A water bus has been put to the test as part of plans to reintroduce the service to Loch Lomond

Daily Express

• ADULTS ONLY FLIGHTS AIRLINES were yesterday urged to introduce adults-only flights after a survey found that noisy children were passengers’ pet hate.
• LORRIES FROM EUROPE FACE £9 A DAY TOLL FOREIGN lorry drivers could be charged £9 a day to use the roads in a bid to help the UK haulage industry, Whitehall sources revealed yesterday.

Mail Online

• British Airways worker Anwar al-Awlaki: 'Islamic extremist planned to blow up US flight'Bangladesh-born Rajib Karim, 31, is accused of ­plotting with terror mastermind Anwar al-Awlaki to commit a ­‘spectacular’ atrocity leading to ‘widespread loss of life’.
• Petrol prices: Wholesale price falls 2p in a month but the cost you pay RISESRetailers are profiteering by refusing to pass on falls in the price they pay for fuel. And in a further slap in the face for British motorists, almost every other European country has seen fuel prices fall.
• BP announce £3.1bn loss and go into the red for first time in 20 yearsThe loss, put down to the impact of the massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico a year ago, was broadly in line with analysts' predictions.

The Sun

• Get cabin crew job, blow up B.A. plane A BRITISH Airways worker was given secret orders from a terror chief urging him to get a cabin crew job so he could blow up a US-bound jet, a court heard yesterday

Network Rail

• NEW CHAPTER FOR NETWORK RAIL AS DAVID HIGGINS STARTS WORK AS CHIEF EXECUTIVE

Belfast Telegraph

• Belfast is second UK choice for investors Belfast is the UK's second most attractive city for foreign investors, the UK Trade and Investment Department has claimed. The department said Northern Ireland attracted more than 220 inward investment projects, generating nearly 21,500 jobs. The figures emerged as UK Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green visited Northern Ireland, where he met representatives from Bombardier and Citigroup. The firms employ 6,400 people between them.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Action call as five die in 17 days in terrible toll on roads A fire chief has issued a stark warning to drivers to take more care after fire crews attended five death crashes in the space of 17 days in January.

Derby Telegraph

• Airport is set to welcome first plane of new fleetTHE first of a new fleet of aircraft ordered by Thomson Airways is expected to fly into East Midlands Airport today. Thomson is taking delivery of 22 Boeing Next Generation 737-800 aircraft between now and the summer of 2013. The arrival of the first aircraft at the Castle Donington airport marks the start of deliveries. Managing director Chris Browne said:

Liverpool Post

• Passengers helped after two buses crash into each other in West Derby TWO buses crashed into each other as commuters travelled to work along a busy city street this morning.

Manchester Evening News

• Armed police quiz dad in ’naked’ scanner row at Manchester Airport A dad was quizzed by armed cops after refusing to use a ˜naked scanner™ at Manchester airport. Steven Bradshaw, 53, was pulled to one side when he told a security guard the controversial machine was ˜Big Brother technology™ and ˜invasive™.

Metro

• Airlines urged to introduce 'adult-only' flights for business class passengersAirlines are being urged to introduce adult-only flights after an industry-wide survey discovered noisy children were the biggest issue for well-off passengers.

The York Press

• Road crossing concerns during York repair project PARENTS and children struggled to cross a busy York road unaided “ despite an offer by Yorkshire Water to fund a temporary lollipop person.

Bucks Free Press

• National convention for Stop HS2 campaignEXPERT speakers will line up together at a national convention against the Government's plans for High Speed 2 this month.

Other Regional Press

• Ferry terminal jobs in jeopardy amid fear of delay and fund cuts Doubts surround controversial plans to build a terminal at Penzance harbour after it emerged the proposal could be delayed by at least a year. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has asked a Cornwall Council-led partnership to cuts costs before signing-off cash for a new link between the Isles of Scilly and the mainland.
• Spring 2012 launch for London Cycle Hire east expansion CYCLE hire bosses have confirmed the scheme will be expanded into east London by spring 2012.
• £6million bid to boost transport network in South Oxon A BID has been made for £6m of Government funding to improve the transport network in south Oxfordshire, to pave the way for more than 8,000 new jobs.
• Tory London Assembly candidate Sachin Rajput 'will leave cabinet post' if elected THE Tory candidate for the London Assembly has vowed to resign from Barnet Council's cabinet if he is elected in 2012.
• Stratford rail passenger picks up first-class Virgin Trains prize A RAIL passenger from Stratford has picked a complimentary pair of first class tickets as part of celebrations marking Virgin Trains’ 250 millionth passenger on their west coast service.

Other News Sources

• BA worker 'conspired to bomb plane'An Islamic extremist who landed a job as a British Airways computer expert conspired with a radical preacher to blow up a plane bound for America, a court heard.