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

Saturday, 05 February 2011

BBC News

• Winds add to M4 rugby traffic jamHigh winds added to traffic problems, with 25-mile long tailbacks on the M4 ahead of the Wales-England rugby international in Cardiff.
• £500,000 railway extension boostA two-mile extension of the Llangollen Railway is a step closer with hopes the first passengers will be able to travel to Corwen next year.
• SPT 'delays' top job appointmentA transport authority which was mired in an expenses scandal is under fire over a top official's salary.
• Car sales fall 11.5% in JanuarySales of new cars in the UK fell for the seventh month in a row running in January, according to the SMMT.
• BA raises fuel surcharge by £12British Airways says it will increase its fuel surcharge on long-haul flights for the second time in three months.

Department for Transport

• £45.5M Savings Give Boost To Transport ImprovementsNine local transport schemes were given the go-ahead today after £45.5m (14%) of savings were identified, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond announced.

Financial Times

• Hammond will hire rail reformersPhilip Hammond is to hire a team of academics and executives from the rail industry to advise him on how to reform Network Rail, the state-subsidised owner of the tracks
• British Airways raises fares for second timeBritish Airways passengers face another rise in fares after higher oil prices forced the airline to increase fuel surcharges for the second time in as many months

The Herald

• Scots are warned to brace themselves for floodingSCOTLAND has been warned to brace itself for flooding today as the damage clear-up begins after a second day of hurricane-force winds caused chaos to householders and the transport network.
• Tram report ˜watered down™KEY elements of a critical report on the future of Edinburgh™s crisis-hit tram project were watered down by Scotland™s public spending watchdog, it has been claimed.

Reuters News

• Virgin Atlantic to pay overdue airport fees to BAALONDON (Reuters) - Virgin Atlantic said it would pay to BAA fees it had withheld over the part closure of London's Heathrow airport late last year after the airport operator said it would take legal action to recover the cash.

Daily Express

• Thomson Airways launches next generation of 737sBRITISH tour operator Thomson Airways began the biggest fleet overhaul in British aviation history this week, when the first of its 22 new Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s landed at East Midlands airport.

Belfast Telegraph

• UK's services sector back to 'pre-snow' growthThe powerhouse services sector returned to growth in January after December's snow, making it more likely that the UK will avoid a double-dip recession, according to a new survey.Related StoriesApple a day style credit card scamNorthern Ireland building trade remains slowest in UKGlobal legal firm Allen & Overy outsources to BelfastCaterer Compass serves up strong revenuesTaggart brothers in £1bn lawsuit against Ulster Bank

Birmingham Mail

• Proposed Birmingham and London high-speed rail link branded a 'white elephant' The new high-speed rail link proposed to run between Birmingham and London has been branded a
• Mayor 'needed' to boost Birmingham says Lord Adonis BIRMINGHAM desperately needs a directly-elected mayor to sort out chronic unemployment and transport problems, a government expert has claimed.
• Call to rescue Walsall train link with London A FORMER West Midlands transport chief has challenged train operators to step in and rescue a service which links the north of Birmingham and the Black Country with London.

Birmingham Post

• Virgin Trains aims to match high quality customer service of Wrexham & Shropshire Virgin Trains has vowed to fill the high-quality customer service void left by the collapse of the Wrexham & Shropshire railway company.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford passengers raise bus cuts concerns Potential cuts to services and expensive fares were among concerns raised about bus travel during a consultation at Bradford Interchange.

Other Regional Press

• Revealed: Full list of at risk bus servicesTHE Chronicle & Echo can today reveal the full list of bus routes which could be at risk under county council plans to cut service subsidies.
• Council debates rail-link impactA FULL debate will be held by Northamptonshire’s local authority on how a high-speed rail link will affect the county following calls for action from those living near the proposed route.
• Passengers told to expect disruption to bus services on SaturdayNO bus services will serve the town centre or Bury Park bus stops on Saturday due to road closures for the English Defence League protest.
• Rail Link still on trackThe Croxley Rail Link is just one step away from realisation after passing the Government's latest hurdle.
• Approval for new Leeds Station entranceScheme will mean quicker and more convenient daily access to train services.
• Leaked documents show engineers preferred alternative route for HS2 rail line ENGINEERS behind the controversial HS2 rail line believe the government’s preferred route is wrong.

Global Rail News

• European rail chiefs propose concrete measures for the future of railThe CEOs of the three major European rail associations met today in Brussels with European Commission Vice-President Siim ...

Railway Gazette

• Government confirms local transport project funding UK: Following a review which has brought a 14% reduction in the total cost, on February 4 the Department for Transport confirmed the allocation of funding that will enable nine rail and other local transport projects to go ahead. Additional schemes have been invited to bid for funding which is to be allocated by the end of the year. The schemes which are now funded are worth more than £365m, with an overall DfT contribution of £275m. The rail projects are: Midland Metro light rail extension through central Birmingham to New Street station and replacement of the existing tram fleet, plus a ne...

Transport for London

• TfL to refund passengers affected by Canary Wharf disruption this morningTfL to refund passengers affected by Canary Wharf disruption this morning

Other News Sources

• RMT demands halt to cuts as LU bulldozes through job losses on Sunday at end of week of tube chaosTUBE UNION RMT today repeated the demand for an end to the London Underground cuts programme as the system grinds towards the end of a week of chaos that has seen repeated failures on the Jubilee, Metropolitan, Central and Victoria Line's as a combination of cuts, infrastructure failures and mismanagement from the top conspire to drag the network into a spiral of failure.
• Hammond backs transport schemes after savings foundNine local transport projects have been given the go-ahead after the councils involved found savings of £45.5m.
• Increase in sales of cars with low CO2 emissions The market share for cars with lower CO2 emissions is continuing to increase, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders says.
• Global roll-out of electric vehiclesAutomotive manufacturers, electric equipment suppliers and utilities have been brought together to accelerate a global roll-out of Electric Vehicles (EVs).
• Manchester Airport to get new control towerA new air traffic control tower, which will be the second tallest in Britain, is due to be built at Manchester Airport.The multi-million pound tower should be completed by 2013 and will be installed in place of the current facilities for air traffic control, near to the north fire station.National Air Traffic Services (NATS) carries out air traffic control at Manchester Airport and will have its offices in the base of the new building.Tim McDermott, Manchester Airport's operations director, said: "This new air traffic control tower will offer 21st century facilities that will be a fan...
• Car sales hit skids but green models accelerateSales of new cars suffered heavy falls in January as the VAT rise kicked in, although drivers showed increased interest in green cars
• BA tops up fuel surcharge againBritish Airways has slapped its second fuel surcharge rise on long-haul passengers in less than two months as it passes on the soaring cost of oil
• Report calls for £17bn rail link to be scrappedThe new high-speed rail link proposed to run between London and Birmingham has been branded a
• UK emissions trading system reopens after £100M loss The UK's emissions trading system reopened this morning (February 4) after a Europe-wide shut down which cost business at estimated £100 million.
• Transport schemes worth over £365m given the go aheadNine local transport schemes worth over £365 million have been given the go-ahead after local authorities identified savings totalling £45.5 million, transport secretary Philip Hammond announced today.
• Wi-Fi grows to over 50% of mobile web connections Bango reports surge in Wi-Fi usage driven by smartphone sales and rich media consumption from mobile devices.03/02/11

Other Subscription Services

• Croxley rail, Kingskerswell, NUCKLE and SERT move upPromoters of 45 transport schemes are to compete for funding from a £950m pot with a decision on each project expected by the end of 2011.The government on Friday (4 February) transferred 23 'Pre...