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

Saturday, 12 March 2011

BBC News

• London Oyster cards: Call for 'fairer' deal A transport watchdog has called for a fairer deal for London's Oyster card users as a rail summit is held.
• Heathrow airport owner BAA gives boss £151,000 pay rise The chief executive of BAA, which owns Heathrow airport, was given a £151,000 pay rise for 2010.
• Ten arrests over Newport railway cable and metal thefts Ten people have been arrested by police on suspicion of stealing railway cable and metal.
• Driver shortage hits London Midland rail travel [video]Rail company London Midland has been advising rail passengers to seek other means of transport on Sundays because of a driver shortage.
• Snow warnings for Scotland and Northern IrelandTransport Scotland said it had "robust" supplies of salt and winter vehicles on standby.
• Passengers up at Glasgow AirportGlasgow Airport reports a rise in passenger numbers for the second consecutive month.
• Airports boss gets £151,000 riseThe chief executive of BAA, which owns Heathrow airport, has received a £151,000 pay rise, according to its annual report.
• Car insurers 'encouraged claims'Insurance firms are criticised by MPs on the Transport Select Committee for encouraging injury claims after car accidents.
• First Group hit by school bus armFirst Group shares fall on school bus warning despite the company saying it is on course to meet earnings and cash targets.
• Virgin Atlantic creates 450 jobsVirgin Atlantic announces the creation of 450 jobs as it expands its network and fleet for 2011.

Financial Times

• Hutchison ports IPO set to raise $5.4bnBankers running a Singapore initial public offering of Hutchison Whampoa's Hong Kong and Shenzhen ports have told investors that the price is likely to be set at $1.01 per share, which is expected to be confirmed Monday
• Container shipping: Lessons in navigation yet to be put to the testRobert Wright says the sector's rocky times may not be over
• High-speed rail: capacity or speed?As Britons endure an interminable debate about building a second high-speed rail line, the French are finishing their seventh
• Aviation tax reform droppedMinisters are abandoning a key coalition pledge for a green flight levy after claims the tax would breach an international convention on fuel taxes dating from the second world war
• Chiltern anger stokes high-speed rail debateThe scenic market town of Wendover is set to be disected by a rail line capable of carrying trains moving at 225mph, upsetting residents who complain of broken promises from politicians
• US school bus contracts dent FirstGroupShares in the multinational transport group suffered their biggest drop in almost a year after it said severe weather and a squeeze on yellow school bus contracts had hurt its business

The Herald

• Rugby kicks off airport revivalSCOTLAND™S three biggest airports gained more than 50,000 passengers last month as rugby fans travelling for the Six Nations Championship helped boost airline sales.
• Road chaos alert as winter sweeps back to ScotlandSCOTLAND was on alert last night for the return of winter weather mayhem, with the country™s roads authorities braced for heavy snow in many parts.

The Telegraph

• We must stop limiting rail travel to the speed of Stephenson's Rocket [letters]Railways from the North are congested

Daily Express

• Virgin creates 450 jobs as new routes launchedVIRGIN Atlantic is to create 450 jobs as it expands its fleet and adds new routes, in the latest sign of recovery in the global aviation industry.

Mail Online

• Heathrow boss Colin Matthews gets £151k pay-rise just months after snow airport chaosColin Matthews, chief executive of airport operator BAA, saw his pay increase from £820,000 in 2009 to £971,000 for the year ending 2010.

Network Rail

• ACCESS PLANS FOR BRIDGEND RAIL STATION UNVEILED

Birmingham Mail

• Rail bosses face grilling over ticket office closures RAIL bosses will be summoned by furious politicians to answer questions about plans to close ticket offices at Birmingham stations.
• Centro chief hits back at critics of high speed rail link West Midlands transport chiefs have hit back at critics of high speed rail, by insisting that the HS2 project will deliver massive economic benefits.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham City Council chief executive leading the high speed rail lobby Birmingham City Council chief executive Stephen Hughes is emerging as a major figure in a move to lobby support nationally for high speed rail.

Journal Live

• Don't miss train on this opportunity WE'VE all heard the phrase: "When my ship comes in". But perhaps in Durham, we should start a new one, "When my train comes in". Because it finally has.

Northern Echo

• £2.5m released for bus routes FUNDING has been released for a plan which aims to help Darlington's economic growth while supporting environmentally-friendly transport.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• MSP brands state of carriages as ˜deplorable™A Highland MSP has complained to First Scot- Rail about the œdeplorable state of the trains used for journeys to the central belt.

Yorkshire Post

• Rail lift for FirstGroup but tough lesson in US A STRONG UK train and bus performance failed to offset pressures at FirstGroup’s US school bus division.

Burnley Express

• Burnley bus depot is in driving seatA BURNLEY bus depot has scooped a prestigious safety award.

Reading Evening Post

• Council to continue subsidising Woodley bus route Subsidised bus services connecting residents in Woodley to shops and services in Reading will not be scrapped this year.
• Bike hire scheme for Reading? A thousand bicycles could be available for hire from 150 dockings around Reading under plans being drawn up by transport chiefs.

Sunderland Echo

• Rail vandals in the pictureNORTHERN Rail is taking its war on railway vandals to the streets.

Other Regional Press

• Red tape holds up Marks Tey train station works WORK to upgrade Marks Tey train station has been delayed due to red tape.
• East Coast train timetable changes ’bad news’ Rail operator East Coast has added 19 new services each weekday, and an improved frequency and pattern of services.
• Anger at £50,000 HS2 fighting fund A ROW has broken out after a council decision to set aside a £50,000 fighting fund to stop a planned high-speed rail line.
• End of the line for rail bid?COULD an ambitious scheme for a new rail line scheme be about to hit the buffers – before it has even begun?
• Travel plans set to encourage commuters to leave car at homeBedford Stations Travel Plan is set to be launched next week in a bid to encourage commuters to cycle and get the bus to the station.

Rail-News.com

• National Express unveil their new class 379 driving simulatorThe Rt. Hon Theresa Villiers MP, Minister of State for Transport visited National Express East Anglia’s (NXEA) training academy on 10 March to officially open the company’s new £1m train driving simulator.

Railnews

• News: London Midland Sunday services hit by pay dispute Trains will run on only three London Midland routes on Sunday, as a war of words continues between the operator and the train drivers’ union ASLEF, which denies an accusation that it is holding London Midland ’to ransom’ over the issue of Sunday pay.

News from Europe

• Brescia high speed line contract signed ITALY: A €700m contract for construction of the Treviglio - Brescia second phase of the Milano - Verona high speed line was signed by RFI and the Cepav Due consortium on March 7.
• Safer, simpler shunting EUROPE: The movement of wagons around industrial premises and private sidings has been simplified by the development of the RVK shunting adaptor for use with a conventional front-end loader.