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

Friday, 25 March 2011

BBC News

• BAA plans £50m Heathrow investment to avoid snow chaos Airports operator BAA has promised a £50m investment at Heathrow to avoid a repeat of December's snow chaos.
• MPs want a direct rail link from Shropshire to London Shropshire's five MPs will be meeting managers at Virgin Trains on Thursday in an attempt to get a direct rail link between the county and London restored.
• East Anglia to get new rail operator A new company is set to run rail services in East Anglia. Existing operator National Express East Anglia was not shortlisted for the Greater Anglia franchise, which starts next year.
• Airport named as enterprise zoneManchester Airport is named as on the government's new enterprise zones to be developed as Airport City and create 7,000 to 13,000 jobs.
• Fountain flood shuts Tube stationTwo fountains overflow in Trafalgar Square in central London, leading to an eight-hour closure of the Tube station underneath them.
• Tube wi-fi plan progresses despite concernsLondon Underground pushes ahead with plans to set up a wi-fi internet network at 120 Tube stations - despite several security concerns.
• Intercity rail shortlist releasedFour companies are shortlisted by the Department of Transport for the West Coast Intercity rail franchise for 2012 to 2026.
• Pump price 'raised before Budget'Drivers have been contacting the BBC accusing garages of raising fuel prices in advance of the fuel duty cut announced in the Budget.
• State rail takeover 'saved money' Terminating National Express's east coast franchise secured value for money and protected the taxpayer, a government watchdog has found.

Department for Transport

• Local transport improvement projects given the green light as significant cost savings are foundFour local authority Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects moved a step closer after over 21% of cost savings were identified, Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today.
• Government doubles funding for pothole repairsCouncils have today been told how they will benefit from the doubling of funding available for repairing potholes as announced in yesterday™s Budget.

Financial Times

• Scots angry over £2bn North Sea tax raidScottish politicians accuse George Osborne of using North Sea resources to ˜fuel his Budget™, after his £2bn tax raid on the oil and gas industry
• National Express train bid failsThe transport operator has been excluded from the competition to run the Greater Anglia and Intercity West Coast train service, dealing a heavy blow to the group's rail ambitions
• Heathrow snow chaos criticisedNo heads will roll over the December incident at the UK airport, its owner BAA has signalled, in spite of an embarrassing string of operational failures identified by an inquiry
• India probes deeper into 'fake pilots' Following a number of aviator arrests in recent weeks for allegedly lying about their credentials to obtain licences, authorities are placing the training system under scrutiny
• Cost of chaos should be laid at BAA's doorAirports operator needs reminding that it is primarily an infrastructure business with a duty to passengers, not a retail development whose main goal is paying off debt

The Guardian

• Invensys tight-lipped after ditching chief executive Engineering electronics company announces departure of Ulf Henriksson with immediate effect
• Ask Leo: hydrogen carsThe much-heralded 'hydrogen economy' never appears to get out of first gear. Are our politicians failing us by not pushing harder for hydrogen-powered cars?Why don't governments push for more use of hydrogen-powered vehicles?Ashraf Abdo, via FacebookWe seem to have been talking about the

The Herald

• Hope of reprieve for Scots stations HOPES were raised of a reprieve for Scotland’s under-threat coastguard stations last night. Westminster Shipping Minister Mike Penning, who is in charge of proposals for large-scale closures, told MPs that he was he was sure that his department would end up “with a different set of conclusions ... than when we started”.
• 80mph limit proposed for motorwaysSPEED limits on Scotland™s motorways could increase to 80mph in line with changes being considered by the UK Government.

The Independent

• BAA pledges to invest £50m after report into snow chaos BAA failed to respond fully to weather forecasts in December, the airport operator's initial response to the winter snowfall was ineffective, and "confused and conflicting" messages botched communication between the operator, airlines and passengers, an inquiry concluded yesterday.
• Why pubs are on track to open in 'ghost stations' Underground stations lost beneath London's streets could be opened up again in an initiative designed to give them fresh life as concert venues, bars and tourist attractions.
• National Express loses rail franchise National Express will have to give up another of its rail franchises after the former East Coast Main Line operator failed to make it on to the Department for Transport's shortlist for the Greater Anglia franchise.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow failed to prepare for heavy snow: report finds The Christmas travel plans of tens of thousands of Heathrow passengers were thrown into disarray because the airport was ill-prepared to cope with heavy snow, a report has found.
• Invensys shares plunge as Ulf Henriksson ousted The board of Invensys has ousted chief executive Ulf Henriksson, sending the engineer's shares down 4.5pc and wiping £130m off the company's value.
• Driven crazy by a fluttering Fair Weather Cyclist London's cyclists are a preening, upper-middle class bunch who inhabit a fantasy world, says Celia Walden.
• Balls: 'Osborne should have reversed VAT rise on fuel'Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls says George Osborne's Budget has done little to inspire confidence in Britain's economy for the future.
• Amber gamblersTelegraph View: Portsmouth's experiment to switch its traffic lights to flashing amber at night is a brave and welcome signal.
• Motorway lights to be turned off to cut carbonLights on three stretches of motorway are to be permanently switched off to save cash, cut carbon emissions and reduce light pollution.

Reuters News

• BAA pledges Heathrow cash after damning snow reportLONDON (Reuters) - Airports operator BAA said it would invest 50 million pounds in better winter defences after a report criticised its response to the snow-induced chaos at London's Heathrow airport last year.

Daily Express

• Whistle blows in the battle for rail routesNATIONAL Express was yesterday facing the prospect of being forced out of the rail industry - while Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Rail was battling to hold on to the West Coast main line franchise.

Daily Record

• Four firms to vie for West Coast main line franchise between Scotland and London VIRGIN Trains faces tough competition if it wants to carry on running a key London to Scotland rail route.

The Sun

• Greedy fuels DRIVERS slam greedy petrol stations for failing to pass on Chancellor's tax cut

Network Rail

• NOMINATIONS FOR THE NETWORK RAIL PARTNERSHIP AWARDS 2011 ARE NOW OPEN

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Virgin Trains to bid for new West Coast rail contract THE operator of express rail services from North Wales to London faces tough competition if it wants to carry on running along the West Coast mainline.
• Work starts to improve parking at Bangor railway station WORK has started to create a new car park at one of North Wales’ busiest railway stations.

Derby Telegraph

• Warning after fast train misses man by seconds - with CCTV footageCCTV footage of a man risking his life running through a level crossing seconds before a train passes through has been released by police. The dramatic footage - which can be seen here - shows the man running across the line as the crossing barriers come down. While his friends wait on the side, the man runs back across to meet them, only seconds before a fast-moving train passes through the area and misses him by inches. Publishing the images yesterday, British Transport Police and Network Rail sent a stark warning to drivers and pedestrians of the risks of misusing level crossings. Sergean...

Journal Live

• MP challenged over East Coast Main Line high speed rail service A HIGH-SPEED rail train service to Newcastle will not reduce journey times past what can be achieved already on the East Coast Main Line, it has been claimed. Transport minister Theresa Villiers was in Newcastle yesterday to promote the new line and was asked why the North East is not seeing capacity problems solved ahead of any future investment in a high-speed line.
• Public rail ownership ’should be extended’ THE East Coast mainline should be run by the Government ’for an extended period’ before a decision is made on whether to return it to the private sector.

Liverpool Post

• Liverpool John Lennon airport cements Top 10 UK airport status as passenger numbers rise over five million LIVERPOOL John Lennon airport has maintained its top 10 status in UK airports and moved up to eighth in the league for scheduled passengers.
• £85m investment will slash rail journey times between Liverpool and Manchester JOURNEY times between Liverpool and Manchester are set to be slashed thanks to investment in the region’s railways.

London Evening Standard

• Cut in fuel duty goes missing on the way to ChelseaThe forecourt offering London's most expensive petrol has failed to reduce its prices despite the Chancellor cutting a penny from fuel duty
• Tube flooded after Trafalgar Square fountains leaks onto UndergroundA Tube line was suspended today after a station was flooded by water leaking from the fountains at Trafalgar Square

Manchester Evening News

• West Coast fight ahead for Virgin Virgin Trains faces a four-way fight to keep hold of the rail route linking London to Manchester Piccadilly.
• Manchester Airport named as new Enterprise ZoneManchester Airport has been named as one of the government's new Enterprise Zones “ with the promise of new jobs and a boost to Greater Manchester's economy. The creation of 21 Enterprise Zones, which will remove barriers that make it difficult for new businesses to launch, was included in George Osborne's Budget yesterday.
• Businesses hail cut to fuel dutyChancellor George Osborne offered help to motorists and businesses in a Budget he said was designed to
• Rush hour delays as Metrolink tram fails on Eccles lineA broken down tram is causing rush hour chaos for commuters. Services on the line between Eccles and the city centre have been suspended after a tram failed at Pomona.

Metro

• Tube delay misery as commuters suffer on Metropolitan lineCommuters in London are facing more misery after services on a large stretch of the Metropolitan line were suspended.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Tram extension scheme given go-ahead by Government​THE Government has today confirmed that Nottingham City Council has found enough savings for Phase 2 of the tram system to go ahead. The plans were given the green light by the Government when Transport Minister Norman Baker today after enough savings were identified to make the project more affordable. The two extensions are planned to go to Chilwell/Beeston and Clifton, linking directly into Line One at Nottingham Station. Today's decision will now allow Nottingham City Council to continue to the next stage of the funding approval process. Norman Baker said:

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Too many new potholes for council to copeArgyll and Bute Council is devising a new way to prioritise the repair of its pot-holed roads, as the network is deteriorating so fast that the old system no longer works.

The York Press

• £380 million cost of axing East Coast franchise AXING the franchise of York-based National Express East Coast cost the Government up to £380 million in premium payments, a report has revealed.
• Jarvis escapes prosecution over Potters Bar rail crash Jarvis, the York-based rail company which went into administration last year, is to escape prosecution over the Potters Bar rail crash of 2002.

Yorkshire Post

• PM: Fuel-duty cuts ˜were a big decision™David Cameron insisted the Government was doing all it could to help hard-pressed families today - describing fuel-duty curbs in the Budget as a “very big decision”.
• Cable hints at extra fuel discount for rural YorkshireBUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable has given hope to motorists in rural Yorkshire that they will benefit from an extra fuel discount if a pilot scheme succeeds.
• Snow-hit airport bosses ˜left passengers distressed in cold™PASSENGERS were left “in distress” in freezing temperatures after airport officials failed to prepare for the cold and snow that gripped the country in December, an official report has found.

Bucks Free Press

• Chiltern Railways replace entire bridge CHILTERN Railways has released footage of an entire bridge being lifted out near Princes Risborough which will speed up journey time.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: £4million to be spent on county™s potholesMORE than £4,440,000 has been allocated to Suffolk County Council’s highway department for the repairing of the county’s crater-filled roads.

Plymouth Herald

• A first class treat for rail passengers TRAIN passengers disembarking at the end of their journey had a sweet surprise – scones with jam and cream. The event was being organised by the Devon and Cornwall Rail Partnership as part of the "National Network, Local Service" day of action.

Western Daily Press

• Cycle service aims to offer bikes for allA SERVICE that gives children with disabilities the chance to go cycling with their families has launched in Langport. Bow Bridge Cycle Hire at the Langport Visitor Centre, on Westover, beside the River Parrett, held an open day on Saturday, giving families the chance to try out special cycles made for those with disabilities. The Short Breaks Partnership team, which is part of Somerset County Council, works closely with families of children who have special needs. It was identified that parents wished to go cycling with their children so a number of disability bikes have been made available ...

Other Regional Press

• 'Bring back our railway station'TALKS are under way to bring a railway station back to a Flintshire town.
• 'Bring back our railway station'TALKS are under way to bring a railway station back to a Flintshire town.
• 'Bring back our railway station'TALKS are under way to bring a railway station back to a Flintshire town.
• MP fights train company's plans A TRAIN company's plans to drastically cut back its manned station hours have been branded as "short sighted by Sutton's MP, who fears an increase in anti-social behaviour.
• County boss adamant station is still on track PLANS for Thanet's first parkway station, bringing travel from the isle to London to under an hour, have been delayed but Kent County Council's (KCC) leader maintains it is still on track.
• Seagate bus station won't be affected by transport hub Seagate bus station will not be affected by plans for a £2 million transport hub outside the railway station.
• New London train services for Bushey StationRail passengers travelling to and from Bushey Station can soon enjoy evenings out in the capital without worrying about travelling home.
• Pay as you drive community car scheme launches in GloucesterFive new Nissan Note cars wil be parked up in the city for people to hire when they need them.
• East Coast rail action applauded THE decision to strip transport group National Express of its East Coast mainline franchise cost the Government up to £380m in lost premiums, a report has revealed.
• 1p less for taxman but fuel costs ˜set to rise™The Chancellor cut the price of fuel tax yesterday, but drivers have been warned it won™t stop the price rising at the pumps.

Global Rail News

• Ending InterCity East Coast rail franchise saved over £200mThe Department for Transport took a tough line in negotiating with the owner of the InterCity East Coast franchise, National Express, before terminating the franchise agreement ...
• London Midland: ASLEF ˜should end disruptive overtime ban™London Midland says ASLEF should ‘get off the fence and urge drivers to return to work on Sundays and allow midweek overtime to put an end ...
• Sheffield to Rotherham tram-train pilot on trackPassengers in South Yorkshire have moved a step closer to getting a continental-style tram-train thanks to a £150,000 Government grant to further develop the project, announced ...
• Nottingham tram extension given green lightPlans to extend the Nottingham tram were today given the green light by the Government when Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today that savings have been ...
• Rail passengers give Budget a ˜guarded welcome™Railfuture, the national voluntary body representing rail users, gave a guarded welcome to the decisions on rail investment announced in the budget, but expressed disappointment at ...
• ATOC responds to rail investment in the BudgetIn response to today™s Budget announcement on track improvements in Manchester and the Swindon to Kemble line, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train ...
• Restoration of Tynemouth StationPlans drawn up by engineering and environmental consultant Gifford for the restoration of the historic Tynemouth Station will go ahead now that planning permission has been ...
• Chartered Institute of Logistic & Transport welcomes Budget fuel duty newsThe Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) has welcomed the Chancellor™s Budget announcement today that fuel duty on petrol and diesel is to be cut ...
• Centro gets European recognitionThe West Midlands will play host to delegates from across Europe after public transport in the region gained continental recognition. Centro was selected as a ‘Good Practice’ ...
• Virgin Rail Group shortlisted for West Coast franchiseVirgin Rail Group has announced it has successfully pre-qualified to bid for the new West Coast franchise which is expected to start in April 2012. Virgin has a proven ...

Railnews

• News: Baker announces funding for tram-train in Sheffield Plans for a tram-train line linking Rotherham with Sheffield city centre have been given a boost with a £150,000 grant announced by transport minister Norman Baker.
• News: National Express demands explanation for Anglia snub National Express is ’seeking urgent clarification’ after the Department for Transport omitted the Group from its list of shortlisted bidders for the Greater Anglia franchise, which NX runs at the moment. Virgin, however, is one of the approved contenders for West Coast.
• News: Surplus Edinburgh trams set to run in London instead Ten trams which have been acquired by the City of Edinburgh may run in south London instead, because the project to develop a tram system in the Scottish capital has fallen so far behind schedule.

The Business Desk

• National Express stripped of East Anglia franchise BIRMINGHAM based transport group National Express has suffered a major blow after the Department for Transport stripped it of its East Anglia rail franchise.

Transport for London

• Mayor announces shortlisted bidders for additional trams in CroydonMayor of London Boris Johnson today announced the shortlisted bidders to supply Transport for London (TfL) with up to ten more trams, which will increase services on the Tramlink network.
• Taxi fares to increase by 2.7 per cent on 2 AprilBelow-inflation increase maintains balance between keeping taxi fares affordable and helping drivers meet rising costs.

Aviation Industry

• Virgin territory extends to the deep seaBritish billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Group is signaling that the time has come for its long-discussed deep-sea exploration and tourism venture.
• Breakdown in communication blamed for Heathrow snow chaosBAA has pledged to invest £50 million in response to an internal enquiry which criticised its handling of the severe winter weather in December
• Bmi to revamp short-haul fleetBritish Midland International will install new seats on all its A319 and A320 aircraft in the coming months
• Virgin announces tie-up with JetblueNew York-based low cost carrier Jetblue has signed an interline agreement with Virgin Atlantic

Other News Sources

• Network Rail rolls out radical new contract strategyNetwork Rail is to radically overhaul procurement procedures on £6bn worth of rail projects to slash costs. Procurement bosses at Network Rail last week briefed 25 of the country’s biggest contractors and engineering firms about the shake-up.
• Biofuel could be an alternative to fossil-based jet fuelA consortium of companies is to spearhead the commercialisation of a biofuel made from the camelina plant as a substitute to fossil-based jet fuel.
• £100m for potholes but billions are neededCouncils are to get an extra £100m to deal with potholes on Britain's crumbling roads but experts say billions are actually needed
• Smart cards introduced on Brighton and Hove busesBus journeys will be revolutionised in Brighton and Hove with the introduction of a new smart card system.
• Bob Crow and Boris Johnson to meet head to head for first time on this week's 'Any Questions.'RMT General Secretary Bob Crow and London Mayor Boris Johnson will meet head to head for the first time this week when they both appear as guests on the BBC's 'Any Questions' which is being broadcast from Kingston Grammar School in Surrey.
• RMT to ballot London Underground Power Control Room staff for actionTUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has begun balloting the underground's crucial Power Control Room staff for strike action and action short of a strike in a dispute over pay grade progression.
• Ending National Express rail franchise 'saved more than £200m'Cancelling National Express's east coast rail franchise saved the taxpayer between £200m and £450m, the National Audit Office has said
• Wincanton welcomes fuel duty cut and calls for longer trucksWincanton, which has welcomed today's 1ppl fuel duty cut announcement in the 2011 Budget, has also called on the government to allow operators to run longer trucks on UK roads to encourage fuel savings.
• Luton Airport supports Earth HourLuton Airport is supporting this year's Earth Hour by switching off its lights for 60 minutes.On Saturday March 26th at 20:30 GMT the travel hub will turn off the illuminated logo at the front of the terminal building in support of the initiative.The campaign began in Sydney, Australia in 2007 when over 2,000 companies and 2.2 million people switched their lights off for one hour in protest at climate change. During 2010's Earth Hour, 128 territories and countries joined in.In addition, Luton Airport is committed to helping local people as well as the environment. The facility this yea...
• Gatwick Airport supports air tax freezeGatwick Airport has voiced its opinions on the chancellor's recent announcement that air tax will be frozen.The travel hub has welcomed the decision about the Air Passenger Duty (APD) but also thinks that the government must take greater measures to reduce the tax burden felt by the aviation sector and UK air passengers.Gatwick Airport pointed out that even though the UK's APD has been frozen, it is still 8.5 times more than the average in Europe."It is welcome news for passengers that there will be no immediate and further hike in the tax on flying. However we shouldn’t fee...
• Gatwick Airport sees two airlines collaborateTwo airlines that use Gatwick Airport have decided to collaborate on transatlantic travel.Virgin Atlantic and JetBlue Airways this week said that they have begun a new transatlantic interline partnership.Since March 22nd travellers have been able to easily travel from Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, Manchester Airport and Glasgow Airport with Virgin Atlantic to US destinations, then onto domestic flights run by JetBlue to cities such as Baltimore and Chicago."With its focus on cultivating a distinctive brand and creating a customer experience that travellers prefer, Virgin Atlantic sha...
• Osborne defends fuel duty measuresThe chancellor has admitted he cannot prevent oil companies putting up the price of fuel despite the duty cut announced in the Budget.
• Rail franchise action 'saved money'Terminating a major rail franchise will result in the Department for Transport receiving between £330m and £380m less in premium payments, a government watchdog has found.
• Choose Better Tyres to Cut Carbon for Climate WeekBetter tyres can help you cut carbon, reduce traffic noise and improve safety.
• Forth bridge savings ˜should fund new schemes™ say Scottish firmsCivils firms have urged the Scottish government to reinvest savings from the Forth Crossing Bridge project into other infrastructure schemes.
• Rail and office sectors defy the gloomThe rail and commercial sectors will offer a ray of hope during a difficult 2011, according to business intelligence unit Glenigan.
• Japan, Middle East and North Africa crises will impact negatively on Finnair's resultsFinnair CEO Mika Vehviläinen at the company AGM:

News from Europe

• Brussels wants no oil-fuelled cars in cities by 2050 The European Commission plans to step up its battle against oil- and gas-fuelled cars, and is drawing up strict targets to halve their urban usage by 2030 and "phase them out by 2050," according to an EU road map on transport to be published on Monday (28 March) and seen by EurActiv.
• Exxon's algae biofuel ad banned over 'misleading' claims The UK Advertising Standards Authority has banned an algae biofuel TV advert by oil giant ExxonMobil because it overstated the technology's climate change mitigation potential.