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

Thursday, 10 February 2011

BBC News

• The Jubilee Line & the trains that can't reverse? [blog]It may have settled down for now, but if you're a Jubilee Line commuter you can, I'm afraid, expect more problems as the new systems bed in and gremlins are ironed out.
• Further disruption on Central Line Central Line passengers faced further disruption a day after the boss of London Underground apologised for problems on the same line.
• Cuts to school transport in Suffolk planned Students in Suffolk could be affected by plans by the county council to change transport to schools.
• Nottinghamshire's free travel scheme to continue Almost £10m has been secured by Nottinghamshire County Council to continue its free travel scheme for over-60s and disabled people.
• 'Game-changing' rail investment urged in Wales A senior executive at one of Wales' most successful companies says he fears the nation will be held back unless there is major rail investment.
• Pilot unaware of plane evacuationThe pilots of a plane which landed at Glasgow Airport were

Financial Times

• Piracy 'out of control' after hijack near GulfSomali piracy is 'spinning out of control into the entire Indian Ocean' after a tanker was hijacked in one of the vital sea lanes carrying oil supplies out of the Gulf

The Herald

• Road to Central Station could pave way to £275,000 windfallFOR a property worth an estimated £275,000, the views aren™t great and the development prospects non-existent.

The Scotsman

• Trams fiasco: these things happen all the time, claims new chairman THE bitter wrangle which has all but halted Edinburgh's tram line construction is not that unusual, new project chairman Vic Emery has told The Scotsman.
• Motorway services 'rip off drivers'Drivers are being ripped off by "greedy" motorway service retailers, according to a survey by What Car? magazine.

Press Association

• Trams delay 'dereliction of duty' Scotland's national transport body is guilty of "dereliction of duty" for failing to intervene to stop Edinburgh's tram project going over-time and over-budget, MSPs have claimed.

Mail Online

• The excuse arriving at platform one is... DEW on the line as rail passengers endure more misery We have all heard about leaves on the line and the 'wrong type of snow'. But rail bosses today added a novel excuse to their list of reasons why trains are delayed - dew on the line.
• High street chains double food prices at motorway service stationsWH Smith, Marks & Spencer and Burger King have been accused of taking advantage of millions of motorists who have little alternative if they want to stop to eat.

The Mirror

• Motorway services 'rip off drivers' Drivers are being ripped off by

Belfast Telegraph

• Dew on tracks blamed for rail delay After "the wrong kind of snow" and "leaves on the line", train travellers have been given a new reason for delays - dew on the tracks.

Journal Live

• Drivers get first glimpse of Nissan Leaf DRIVERS have been given their first glimpse of an award-winning car which will eventually be built in the North.

Liverpool Post

• Merseytravel pulls out of deal to buy theatre and tramway A PLANNED new tramway in Wirral and the sale of a key arts centre are under threat after passenger transport authority Merseytravel decided to pull out of the deal.

London Evening Standard

• Motorway services 'rip off drivers'Drivers are being ripped off by

Nottingham Evening Post

• Campaigners want three or four new tram routes by 2026 CONCERNS have been raised that Nottingham's transport plans for the next 15 years do not include a firm commitment to expanding the tram network.

Wales Online

• ’Progressive transport agenda needed to meet disabled needs’ DISABLED people in Wales are too often unable to use public transport, a report by a cross-party group of AMs says today.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Firm flys high with airport technologyMARKET Deeping-based air traffic management company Northrop Grumman Park Air Systems has launched Airport Realtime Collaboration (ARC), a technology and services capability for the implementation of collaborative decision making solutions in airport operations.

Other Regional Press

• £37,000 study into station reopening bid A FEASIBILITY study with a £37,000 price tag will be carried out investigating the possibility of reopening of a railway station in Soham.
• Last three days for West Yorkshire bus talks PEOPLE across West Yorkshire have just two more days to give their opinions on a draft plan that will set out the county’s transport priorities for the next three years.
• Discounted bus fares could be axed in Huddersfield CUT-PRICE bus fares foryoungsters in Huddersfield could vanish.
• Motorway bus lane scheme is haltedA plan to allow buses to use the hard shoulder on a Glasgow motorway in a bid to ease rush hour congestion has been suspended.

Global Rail News

• Atkins wins West Midlands signalling contractNetwork Rail has awarded a major signalling upgrade contract to Atkins. The project, worth over £13 million, will see new signalling equipment designed and installed on a stretch of line between Stourbridge and Hartlebury in the West Midlands. The work forms part of Network Rail™s £350 million investment to improve operational flexibility and increase capacity in the region by renewing life expired signalling and track assets. Atkins has been appointed as principal contractor tasked with ...
• Northern Rail all set to deliver DofE programmes to studentsIn May 2010, Northern Rail announced that they were set to officially become an Operating Authority licensed to deliver DofE programmes and grant Duke of Edinburgh’s Awards. December saw David Wilkinson, Northern Rail Community Safety Manager and Martyn Guiver, Head of Crime Management for Northern, receive the rail operator’s Official Operating Licence from the Duke himself. The licence is the first for any rail operator in the world and will deliver awards through Station Adoption and ...
• Tyne and Wear Metro chooses Westermo SDW-550 for on-board communicationsThe Tyne and Wear Metro system, connecting Newcastle, Sunderland and surrounding communities in north-east England, was Britain™s first modern urban mass transit system. An important part of the £350m ‘Metro: All Change’ modernisation programme, which is now underway, was the selection and installation of a customer information system in the 90-strong metrocar train fleet. This was to provide more clearly audible pre-recorded announcements and the same message will be displayed in carriages to aid hearing ...
• Thales UK™s rail signallers keen to promote National Apprentice WeekSome of Thales UK™s youngest rail signallers have been sharing their thoughts in time for this week™s National Apprentice Week (7-11 February). Organised by the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS), the nationwide event attempts to show companies the benefits of offering young people much-needed training and job opportunities. James King (17) and Tommy Ward (21) are two of 16 apprentices working for Thales UK™s transportation systems business while also attending London™s City of Westminster College. Apprentices ...
• TfL launches drive to bring through the next generation of transport workersTransport for London (TfL) is continuing in its commitment to deliver more than 2,500 apprentices across the Capital’s transport infrastructure working in partnership with its contractors and the London boroughs. During National Apprenticeship Week (7-11 February) TfL is calling on London boroughs and major transport and construction companies to create the next generation of transport workers. In support of the Mayor of London’s apprenticeship campaign TfL has committed to deliver more than 2,500 apprenticeship positions ...
• Great Central Railway in bid for £2.5m fundingUp to 200 new jobs and an 18 mile long heritage line could be created if a bid for £2.5m by the Great Central Railway Development Company is approved by the Government Regional Growth Fund. The company’s aim is to reconnect the 2 sections of operational Great Central Railway, which would also involve bridging the Midland Main Line near Loughborough station in Leicestershire. This would link Leicester with Ruddington and the National Rail network. It ...

Railnews

• News: Delayed DLR extension should open this spring The delayed Docklands Light Railway extension from Canning Town to Stratford should open in the spring, and test trains are now running. Originally, it had been planned to open the line last year.

Aviation Industry

• Virgin business route expansion on holdVirgin Atlantic has ruled out adding any more new destinations this year, fuelling speculation that expansion plans are on hold pending a possible sale or merger
• The future of Virgin AtlanticVirgin Atlantic's future is under review following global airline industry consolidation. David Churchill explores the options
• KLM upgrades short-haul premium cabinKLM will introduce a revamped short-haul business class with the start of the summer season next month.
• Travel industry urged to address green agendaCompanies must approach cost and carbon reduction in the same way if targets are to be met, warn industry experts
• Airline revenues to doubleAirline earnings from unbundled items are set to double this year, with business travel buyers facing increased costs as a result

Green Miscellany

• Bluetooth electric bicycle goes on sale The first electric bicycle to feature wireless throttle and brakes has this week gone on sale for £1250. read more
• Car buyers care about CO2 emissions by default Only 0.1 per cent of prospective car buyers consider the environmental impact of CO2 emissions more important than other factors when choosing a new vehicle. read more

Other News Sources

• Tube Lines awards Capgemini £10.5m outsourcing contract London Underground firm Tube Lines has signed a three-year, £10.5m IT outsourcing deal with Capgemini.
• BAA 'months away' from decision on Airtrack THE thorny issue of the proposed Airtrack rail link for Heathrow Airport was up for discussion during a meeting last week between council bosses, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond and rail chiefs.
• Boris Johnson marks start of new energy from waste plant A chilly grey car park in Dagenham was the rather uninspiring backdrop to what was, in fact, a rather inspirational event; the start of works on the UK's biggest low carbon waste plant.
• Contractor sought for £130m Midland Metro extensionA contractor is being sought for a £130 million contract to extend the Midland Metro tram line through the Birmingham City Centre.
• Aéroports de Paris installs multi-currency cash dispensers for the first time The first multi-currency automated teller machines have just been installed at Paris- Charles de Gaulle airport. These cash dispensers will allow passengers to withdraw euros, US dollars and...