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

Thursday, 03 March 2011

BBC News

• New rail link plans to Blackpool and Carlisle rejected Plans to restore direct rail links from Blackpool and Carlisle to London have been turned down.
• TravelWatch may be down but it's not out yet [blog]I've had lots of responses to the last blog I did on the silent demise of London TravelWatch. A few bloggers rightly brought up the fact that they had highlighted this story before. It has been largely ignored by the mainstream media.
• Appeal over rail electrificationThe assembly government is to urge the Department for Transport to reconsider its decision not to extend electric rail to Swansea.
• Cameron 'looking at fuel costs'David Cameron has promised to look at ways of countering the effects of rising fuel costs, after petrol hits £1.30 a litre.
• VIDEO: 'We face £7 gallon fuel armageddon'Motoring journalist Quentin Wilson calls on the government to halt the next fuel duty increase due in April.
• MSPs press Osborne on fuel dutyMSPs at Holyrood vote to urge UK Chancellor George Osborne to help reduce fuel prices in his coming budget.
• Train line repair work is shelvedPlans for priority maintenance work on a section of the Belfast to Dublin railway line are shelved under the draft budget.
• Bombardier is boosted by US orderBombardier in Belfast is to benefit from a major order of business jets by a company run by leading US investor Warren Buffett.
• Bentley eyes steady sales pick-upBentley says it expects another year of double-digit sales growth, cementing a strong recovery for the luxury car company.
• Nissan to race Toyota in EuropeNissan says 1,000 new dealerships and a slew of new models will help it overtake Japanese rival Toyota.

Financial Times

• Setbacks for government rail plansMinisters' rail franchising policy has suffered two setbacks after a showcase investment by a train operator encountered problems
• US airlines rethink fuel hedging policyUS airlines are rethinking fuel hedging policies because of a rare divergence between the cost of jet fuel and the benchmark they traditionally use
• German shipowners turn to Asia for fundsThe country's shipowning industry is approaching Chinese and Korean banks to help finance ship purchases as professional classes steer clear of investing in the sector
• Air industry unites to fight tax risesAirlines, airports, tour and travel companies have united in a rare consensus to ask the chancellor not to raise air passenger taxes in this month's Budget

The Guardian

• Chiltern Line upgrade 'delayed by cost claims and poor planning' Confidential Network Rail report critical of £250m revamp aimed at cutting London to Birmingham journey times by 20 minutes
• Plane spotters wanted for surveyMet Office and Royal Meteorological Society scientists call for participants in their research into how humans affect the climateThe UK public are being asked to blow bubbles and spot plane trails as part of a new national survey on the climate.The research, led by scientists at the Met Office and the Royal Meteorological Society, will look at various aspects of how humans are affecting the climate, and how people may adapt to rising temperatures.People are being asked to look out for aeroplane trails, or contrails, which may be contributing to climate change and which can only be recorded by ...
• World airline profits expected to fall 46% this year IATA warning comes as package tour operators Thomas Cook and Thomson introduce airline fuel surcharges

The Herald

• MSPs demand action to curb rising price of petrol MSPs last night took a stand against rising petrol prices, backing an SNP motion calling on Chancellor George Osborne to scrap next month’s fuel duty increase.
• Council may have to pay back £500m trams grant EDINBURGH could be forced to pay back the £500 million of tax-payers’ cash it was given to fund its beleaguered trams project.

The Mirror

• Rail boost to create a boom in the North AMBITIOUS plans to invest in rail routes in the north of England will generate £4billion across the region, a conference will reveal today.

Belfast Telegraph

• Bmi chief leads charge against travel levy hike Read more: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/business/business-news/bmi-chief-leads-charge-against-travel-levy-hike-15101051.html#ixzz1FWDikCMiThe chief executive of British Midland International (bmi) brought his campaign against increased charges for domestic passengers through Heathrow Airport to Belfast yesterday.

Birmingham Mail

• NEC executive brands rail station “a disgrace”. A NATIONAL Exhibition Centre boss has branded the rail station which serves the complex “a disgrace”.
• Five Birmingham ticket offices to shut in railways job cull TICKET offices at Birmingham train stations are set to be closed after the region’s biggest rail firm outlined plans to slash up to 130 jobs.
• Virgin Trains makes franchise journey times pledge THE boss of Virgin Trains has vowed to slash journey times between Birmingham and London if his firm wins the next franchise for the route.
• Chiltern Railways bosses expect to poach customers for Birmingham to London route CHILTERN Railways bosses said they expected to poach thousands of customers from Virgin Trains this year with reduced journey times between Birmingham and London this year.

Birmingham Post

• Regions missing out as London takes large chunk of transport cash An unfair funding system which pours transport cash into London at the expense of regions including the West Midlands must end, MPs have insisted.

Liverpool Echo

• Jaguar Land Rover reveals £2bn supply chain boost BUSINESS secretary Vince Cable and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) chief executive Ralf Speth toured the carmaker's Halewood factory today before announcing its latest model, the Evoque, has generated more than £2bn in contracts for suppliers.

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail partner Serco delivers strong annual performance SERVICES provider Serco announced improved results for the year to December 31 today.

London Evening Standard

• Winter trains chaos 'was unacceptable'Incompetence at Network Rail and cold weather were today blamed for the 'unacceptable' performance of commuter rail services over the winter
• Fuel prices 'most likely protest'Fuel prices and cuts to public services are the most likely source of protest in Britain, according to research.

Manchester Evening News

• In the red: Cyclists set off on new health campaign Hundreds of cyclists dressed in red made their way across Manchester as part of a campaign to raise awareness of pedal power's health benefits. The Love Your Bike campaign encourages people to cycle to work one day every month.
• Manchester Airports Group optimistic despite decline in profits Manchester Airports Group expects to return to profits growth next year as passenger numbers begin to climb again, chief executive Charlie Cornish said today. Mr Cornish, 51, who succeeded Geoff Muirhead as CEO in October, said operating profits for the 12 months to March 31 are likely to be flat because of factors including the Icelandic ash cloud, but predicted a modest increase next year.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Scrap fastlink and spend cash on other roads “ landowners North-east landowners have called for the Stonehaven link to the planned Aberdeen bypass to be dropped to free up £100million for other transport projects.

The York Press

• New powers prospect for York's National Railway Museum YORK™S National Railway Museum could be given powers to preserve railway heritage in the Government™s shake-up of quangos.

Wales Online

• 50mph speed limit on busiest M4 section to be lifted at last A TEMPORARY 50mph speed limit in force for almost two years on Wales’ busiest stretch of road is to be lifted next week – to the relief of businesses and motorists.

Yorkshire Post

• Official: Network Rail just not good enoughNETWORK Rail’s recent performance has “not been good enough” and the company will miss key annual targets, rail regulators said today.

Carlisle News & Star

• Carlisle's cross-city cycle path will be built, says council Carlisle cross-city cycle path will go ahead, despite the loss of £1 million in lottery funding, the city council has pledged.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Southwold: Former police chief Lord Condon™s pledge on ship-to-ship oil transfersA FORMER Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police has pledged to ensure that ministers are held to account over ship-to-ship oil transfers taking place off the Suffolk coast.

Other Regional Press

• Bus station is top of the popsIt is one of Preston’s most controversial modern buildings, and one which the council is keen to tear down.
• Holyrood call for MPs to scrap fuel duty hikeThe SNP government will call on Westminster to scrap its planned fuel duty increase in a debate in Holyrood tonight.
• Travel giants add surcharge to Scots family holiday billsThousands of Glasgow families face a huge rise in the cost of their holidays after two leading tour operators slapped a fuel tax on customers.
• Traffic 'death-trap': The transport package HARBOUR Crossroads has been redesigned as part of the £16m Weymouth Transport Package, a series of long-term transport improvements in the run-up to the 2012 Olympics.
• MP welcomes HS2 inquiry NORTH Warwickshire MP Dan Byles has been cheered by the news that an inquiry is to be held into the controversial HS2 plans.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• MPs call for transport strategy white paperA white paper is needed to outline the government's transport strategy, MPs have claimed.The Transport Select Committee has declared in its latest report on the sector that spending should be targeted at delivering economic growth and development.According to the body, goals are needed alongside details of the criteria being used to select projects, such as those linked to sustainable expansion and enterprise.Chair of the committee Louise Ellman said: "Ministers must however ensure that this vision for transport investment is backed up by a pro-active and fully integrated econ...

Global Rail News

• Demand for stands at Railtex indicates another successful eventDemand for stands at this year™s Railtex, the UK™s exhibition of railway equipment, systems and services, has been so strong that the amount of space initially ...
• Network Rail to miss key performance requirements, ORR reportsNetwork Rail must remain focused on delivering improvements in train performance as it has acknowledged that it will miss key annual performance requirements, the Office of ...
• Thales telecoms project gets passengers from A to BThales has recently completed a key telecommunications project in Scotland for Network Rail, following contract awards from Invensys Rail in 2007. The project, along the central ...
• ORR announces conclusions on future track access for WCMLThe Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has today confirmed it will approve track access rights for the new InterCity West Coast franchise, paving the way for ...
• ORR declines Grand Central Railway™s bid to run services on WCMLGrand Central Railway have reported that they are ‘surprised and disappointed’ by the Office of Rail Regulation™s announcement today that it must await a ˜full recast of ...
• Network Rail awards contract for Reading track worksNetwork Rail this week awarded the contract for track work associated with its upgrade of Reading station and the surrounding railway. The contract, worth in the ...
• National Express East Anglia staff star in media campaignNational Express East Anglia staff are featuring in a media campaign to promote the introduction of new trains on the company™s Stansted Express service this Spring. ...
• Bombardier Transportation acquires stake in Russian Railways subsidaryFollowing the signing of a share purchase agreement in Moscow on December 13th 2010, Bombardier has confirmed that BT Signaling B.V. purchased a stake in the signalling ...
• New trams to help boost Croydon™s economy a step closerA joint funding scheme between Transport for London (TfL) and the London Borough of Croydon which will enable TfL to lease up to 10 new trams ...
• TfL announce ˜essential escalator works™ at Holborn stationCrucial planned work on escalators serving the Piccadilly line at Holborn Tube station, which will make them more reliable and lead to fewer breakdowns are due ...

The Business Desk

• £21m rail contract signals success for Alstom JV ALSTOM TRANSPORT has been awarded a £21m Network Rail contract through a joint venture with Balfour Beatty. Network Rail has awarded Signalling Solutions (SSL), a joint venture company of Alstom Transport and Balfour Beatty Rail a major new contract to deliver specialist signalling services in rural areas.

Aviation Industry

• BAA backs growth plans that won't cost taxpayers a pennyAirports operator BAA has backed calls by London First to streamline the visa process to encourage more Chinese visitors to travel to the UK. It has also supported moves for earlier intervention on EU policy matters and more passenger-focused regulation...
• Bombardier lands largest aircraft order everBombardier Aerospace has announced the largest business aircraft sale in the company's history.
• New UK boss for South African Airways South African Airways has announced Gary Kershaw will be the new country manager for the UK and Ireland
• Aviation industry œon a tight ropeA prediction for the amount of profit airlines are likely to make this year has been reduced by $5 billion

Green Miscellany

• Bicycle helmets: A very British obsession If the sight of the first snowdrop signals the arrival of Spring then news articles about potholes and calls for bicycle helmets to made compulsory must herald another year’s cycling season. read more

Other News Sources

• Oil rise adds £160 to cost of a family holidayHoliday giants are imposing fuel surcharges that could add £160 to the price of a family sunshine break in response to soaring oil prices
• Single European Sky – The Human Dimension is key to successThe February 2010 Madrid Declaration on Single European Sky acknowledged “the human factor as the overriding enabler of change” but nothing has really happened in that respect since then. Air...