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

Thursday, 24 February 2011

BBC News

• Airport 'near to London with HS2'Birmingham Airport says the proposed new high-speed rail link may be a solution to runway capacity problems in the South.
• Advice on rail fares 'inadequate'Rail users are paying higher fares than they need to because of poor training for station and National Rail Inquiries staff, says Which?
• Easyjet jobs boost for EdinburghBudget airline Easyjet is to create 60 jobs with the introduction of a fifth aircraft at Edinburgh Airport.
• New tram cash plea not ruled outEdinburgh Council has not ruled out asking ministers for more taxpayers' cash to finish the city's troubled tram project.

Financial Times

• Risk off as crude breaches $119 in frantic tradingAsian shares were lower for a fourth consecutive day as the escalating crisis in Libya dampened risk appetite amid growing concerns that higher oil prices could derail the global economic recovery
• Maersk warns on container shipping reboundOperator of the world's largest container ship fleet, which announced $5bn net profits for 2010, provides evidence container shipping's sharp post-recession rebound is losing speed
• Business welcomes Birmingham rail linkJust days before a wide-ranging consultation opens into the plans, 69 businessmen have welcomed the project, saying it will give a much-needed boost to the British economy

The Herald

• Scots hit in pocket by huge variety of rail fares RAIL passengers could be missing out on massive savings on fares, with a survey conducted by The Herald finding huge discrepancies in the price of tickets depending on whether they were purchased online, by telephone, or at a station.

The Independent

• Video: Government to spend £100 million on potholes The Government is to provide more than £100 million of extra money to deal with potholes on roads.

The Scotsman

• FirstGroup nets $30m Atos deal to revamp IT network Aberdeen based transport operator FirstGroup yesterday signed a $30 million (£18.5m) deal with IT company Atos Origin to make the bus and train firm's computer systems globally compatible.
• Sitting in your car worse for heart than drink or overeating Travelling by car or bus is the trigger of more heart attacks than alcohol, caffeine or over-eating, a new study has revealed. It found time spent in vehicles sparked 7.4 per cent of all cardiac cases - more than physical exertion, at 6.2 per cent, and alcohol and coffee, both on 5 per cent.
• Tram contract was deemed fit for purpose by legal firm Councils chiefs obtained a legal letter indicating that a contract to build Edinburgh's trouble-hit trams scheme was "fit and for purpose", MSPs have been told.
• Drivers cut speed to save hundreds of pounds MILLIONS of drivers are reducing their speed on the motorway in a bid to save money at the pumps, according to the AA.
• Train staff failing to sell passengers cheapest fares Passengers are still not being offered the cheapest rail tickets due to poor advice from rail staff and the industry's official information line, consumer campaigners claimed today.
• MSP claims that glamour projects rob roads of cash Glamour transport schemes like the new Forth replacement crossing may become unaffordable in future as budgets fall, MSPs warned yesterday.

The Telegraph

• BAA owner Ferrovial returns to profit after disposals The Spanish owner of British airports operator BAA returned to profit last year as a series of disposals helped it boost earnings and cut debt.
• Half of all rail ticket advice is wrong Passengers looking to find the cheapest ticket, either from a clerk at a station or from National Rail Enquiries, the telephone helpline, were frequently given incorrect information about how to save money. In some cases passengers could have ended up spending more than £100 more than they needed to.

Mail Online

• Heart attacks: Cycling to work is one of biggest causesAs any city cyclist will know, riding your bike in heavy traffic can be, metaphorically speaking, a heartstopping experience.

The Mirror

• Train fares advice at stations or national rail inquiries seldom leads to cheapest ticket, study shows RAIL passengers are missing out on the cheapest fares because of poor advice from staff, an undercover study reveals today.

Network Rail

• GO-AHEAD™S LUDEMAN TO JOIN NETWORK RAIL AS NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Belfast Telegraph

• Earnings on rise at BAA in face of air travel disruptionAirports operator BAA said it delivered a
• Wrightbus wins £55m Arriva deal for 334 buses County Antrim bus builder Wrightbus has won an order from Great Britain for 334 new buses. Related StoriesSpotify calls the tune in online music warsOver 40 jobs lost as Sunday Tribune fails to find buyerBelfast restaurant Bengal Brasserie fined over food hygiene and fag buttsMy inspiration ... Kyle Johnston, head of technical sales Leaf ConsultancyNorthern Ireland has lowest UK sick leave

Birmingham Post

• High speed rail noise will effect less than 5,000 homes, Government claims Up to 4,860 homes will experience additional noise as a result of a high speed rail line from London to Birmingham, the Government will admit next week.

Derby Telegraph

• Relations 'at lowest ebb' after fall-out by council and bus firmRELATIONS between the city council and Trent Barton have hit rock bottom following a councillor's accusations that the company's plans to pull a service from the bus station were vindictive. Jeff Counsell, managing director of Trent Barton, said his company's relationship with the council was at its
• Fees to be charged at railway station car parks to help fund improvementsCAR parking charges are to be introduced at nine stations on the railway line which goes through Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Prices at Ambergate, Duffield, Uttoxeter, Whatstandwell, Blythe Bridge, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longton, and Stamford, will be £2 daily. East Midlands Trains said it was introducing the charges from spring to help fund a multi-million-pound station and fleet improvement programme. David Horne, the firm's commercial & customer Service director, said charging was
• Airport is a step closer to providing its own bio-fuel to power terminalTHE UK's only airport willow farm is about to celebrate its first birthday – and bosses are delighted with how the first 12 months have gone. More than 390,000 trees will eventually be planted by East Midlands Airport on land between Castle Donington and Hemington, which covers an area the size of 52 football pitches. The first of three phases of planting started last March. Those trees are now being trimmed to encourage them to grow and, next month, the second planting will take place, with the airport hoping to harvest its first crop in 2013. The wood will be chipped, dried, then b...

Edinburgh Evening News

• German contractors blast 'spin' from tram bossesTHE German construction giants at the centre of the Capital's tram dispute have hit back against the "spin" of project bosses in a new submission to MSPs.

Liverpool Echo

• London to Liverpool Lime Street train went the wrong way A RAIL passenger has called for an inquiry after a Virgin train intended for Liverpool went the wrong way – ending up heading to Warrington.
• CCTV catches Mersey bus drivers using mobile phones at wheel, skipping stops and running red lights Mobile phone used at the wheel and driver skipped stops

Yorkshire Post

• Rail travellers pay over the odds as staff left baffled by fare deals, says Which?TRAIN passengers are missing out on the best deals on fares because of poor advice from station staff and the national rail inquiry service, according to Which? magazine.

Other Regional Press

• Audit: Commuters don't deserve compensationRail passengers aren't entitled to season ticket discounts despite widespread complaints, an audit's revealed.
• Full speed ahead for £180m A8 upgradeMSPs approved the final piece in the west of Scotland roads jigsaw as they voted to upgrade a stretch of the A8, east of Glasgow, to motorway status.

Global Rail News

• South West Trains aims to provide greener trainsSouth West Trains, the UK™s biggest commuter rail franchise, has announced the start of a brand new initiative which is designed to cut energy consumption on ...
• FirstGroup awards global IT contract to Atos OriginAtos Origin, an international IT services company, has announced that it has signed a new five-year deal worth more than $30 million with FirstGroup, the leading ...
• London™s Blackfriars Station “ Delivered through dedicationLondon™s Blackfriars Station reopened to the public on 17th January 2011 following an eight-week closure that facilitated the installation of a new track layout – providing ...
• Eversholt Rail appoints new ChairmanGraham Love has been appointed Non-Executive Chairman of leading rolling stock company Eversholt Rail. Graham becomes the first Non-Executive Chairman of Eversholt Rail since it was ...
• Campaign for Better Transport warns Government over high speed railHigh speed rail plans to be announced on Monday 28 February could result in a downgraded rail network for the rest of the country, warns Campaign ...

Railnews

• News: Transport minister to hear plea for Shropshire link More than 7,000 people are reported to have signed a petition urging restoration of through trains between Shropshire and London. The campaign was launched after the withdrawal of open access Wrexham & Shropshire services at the end of January.

The Business Desk

• National Express sees big improvement in profits NATIONAL Express made a 38% improvement in pre-tax profits last year with the transport group claiming the recovery was ahead of schedule.

Other News Sources

• Kings' School in Winchester opens new cycle park KINGS™ School have unveiled new cycle parking, which will allow over a hundred pupils to take their bikes to school.
• Latest National Rail Performance Report published on 23/02/2011 London TravelWatch has published its latest National Rail Performance Report for rail services in London and the South East covering the end of 2010.
• Why train fares don't add up Which? finds train staff give poor ticket advice
• TfL appoints new managing director for surface transport London’s transport commissioner Peter Hendy today announced that Leon Daniels will be the new Surface Transport managing director at Transport for London (TfL).
• Easyjet expansionFirst Minister welcomes three new airline routes.
• Virgin Blue to build maintenance hangar at Sydney AirportVirgin Blue will construct a maintenance hangar at Sydney Airport as part of a new engineering base to support its operations at its busiest airport.The...
• Direct Connect users œfear GDS retributionAmerican Airlines has refused to publicise which travel agents are using its controversial booking system
• Unite opens fourth BA ballotUnion Unite has started a new ballot asking its BA cabin crew members whether they are prepared to take further strike action