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

Wednesday, 30 March 2011

BBC News

• BAA told by Competition Commission to sell two airports Airport operator BAA has been told by the Competition Commission that it should sell Stansted and either Glasgow or Edinburgh airports.
• First Group bus company in £160m order for 955 vehicles The UK's largest bus and rail operator has said it will spend £160m buying 955 new vehicles over the next two years.
• The royal wedding Oyster card... The royal wedding Oyster card.
• Bus fears as firm 'restructures'The head of a major bus company says he is looking at restructuring the firm's services in Wales as one council seeks talks on the future of its services.
• VIDEO: Tube and bus fares in London riseTube and bus passengers in London will face above-inflation fare increases over the next four years.
• TfL upgrade 'burden on commuters'Passengers face years of above inflation fare rises to pay for transport improvements
• Royal wedding travel plans adviceTransport bosses reveal plans in place in central London for the royal wedding on 29 April.
• VIDEO: Siemens to sell light business OsramEurope's biggest engineering firm, Siemens is selling its lighting business, Osram.
• Disasters to dent Qantas profitsQantas Airways warns that profits will be hurt by recent natural disasters in Japan, New Zealand and Australia.

Financial Times

• Opec set for $1,000bn in export revenuesThe oil producers™ cartel is on course to reap $1,000bn in export revenues for the first time if crude prices remain above $100 a barrel, says the International Energy Agency
• Network Rail aims to take traction out of bonus issueNetwork Rail will seek to allay long-standing concerns about its executive bonuses by putting a new system to the vote of its 100 members on Thursday
• BA and Iberia on runway for Japan AirlinesThe chief executive of International Airlines Group, the Anglo-Spanish company formed by the BA and Iberia merger, is eyeing a stake in JAL after its emergence from bankruptcy
• Train operators face fines for poor informationORR draws up proposals after investigations into rail disruption during severe weather in November and December found train operators failed to provide accurate, timely information about services

The Guardian

• National Express is being railroaded and should stand firm It has been about 18 months since the last boardroom upheaval at National Express, so the arrival of fresh excitement can almost be considered overdue. After all, American hedge funds like Elliott do not acquire 17% stakes in medium-sized UK transport companies in order to fall asleep on the back seat.
• Sound of high speed rail line simulated to allay residents' fears Opera technology put to use to convince public that proposed London to Birmingham route won't impinge on peace and quiet
• Fake bomb found on cargo planeMan arrested in London as investigation is launched into hoax device placed on UPS flight to IstanbulAn investigation has been launched into how a fake bomb was transported on a cargo plane from the UK, just five months after the discovery of cargo-hold bombs was supposed to have boosted security.A 26-year-old man was arrested at his home last week suspected of a bomb hoax, police said. He was taken to a north London police station and, bailed to return in May. The Met confirmed that they had searched an address in north London and the incident was not terrorist-related.The suspicious device h...

The Independent

• National Express faces demand for shake-up A major National Express shareholder is demanding a radical shake-up of the board to "provide a fresh perspective" and find growth opportunities. The US hedge fund giant Elliott Advisers owns 17 per cent of the transport company, and is putting forward three candidates for new non-executive director roles.
• '£7.6bn cuts' to fund Tube upgrades London's mayor has pledged the greatest investment in the capital's transport network in 80 years after identifying

The Scotsman

• Fake bomb undetected on cargo planeAn investigation is under way into how a fake bomb was transported on a cargo plane from the UK.

The Telegraph

• Peter Hendy: could he be leading a second Mayor to defeat? Yet again today, another working week opened with huge disruption on the Tube. Large parts of the District and Hammersmith and City lines were closed until about 7.30am because of overrunning engineering works, with knock-on damage to the service for the rest of the rush hour
• Londoners 'oppose tube WiFi plans' A majority of Londoners are opposed to plans to install WiFi networks in 120 tube stations in time for the 2012 Olympics, according to a survey.

Press Association

• Tories back motorway pilot scheme The Conservatives will call for a pilot scheme to use motorway hard shoulders as additional lanes during the next parliament.

Daily Express

• British buses just the ticket for first group in £160m orderBUS operator First Group showed its faith in British engineering yesterday by placing a record £160million order for 955 new buses to tap into soaring passenger demand.
• Shake-up call at National ExpressONE of National Express's largest shareholders is pushing for a major boardroom shake-up to pave the way for a strategic review of the bus and train group's operations.

Mail Online

• Activist calls for change at bus and rail firm National Express Bus and rail firm National Express has become the latest UK company to face pressure from an activist investor after US hedge fund Elliott advisers demanded a boardroom revamp and a hand on the steering wheel.
• Now Transport Secretary tells the High Speed rail ’nimbies’ they’ll get used to the noise Homeowners concerned about noise from the proposed new High Speed train service were told by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond today: 'Don't worry, you'll get used to it.'

The Sun

• Petrol prices rising again PUMP prices are going up despite the Govt's 1p cut in fuel duty last week, we can reveal

ATOC

• Train companies committed to improving information to passengers during disruptionTrain companies are committed to improving information to passengers during disruption,...
• Train companies respond to Passenger Focus report on snow disruption In response to the Passenger Focus report on snow disruption, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said: ‘’Throughout the period of snow in December,...

Belfast Telegraph

• Bus manufacturer wins £50m contractAlmost 300 extra buses will be produced by Wrightbus over the next year in a major new contract with a Scottish transport company.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham city centre to be car-free zone as part of of Metro plan A £127 million tram scheme meaning cars will be banned from some of Birmingham’s main city centre roads has taken a step forward.
• Roadshow aims to show likely noise levels on high speed rail route Those living along the London to Birmingham route of the Government's proposed HS2 high-speed rail line will be able to
• Railway dispute between London Midland and unions set to continue A bitter dispute between drivers and the biggest train operator in the West Midlands could lead to disruption on the rail network for years, say union leaders.
• Rail watchdog opposes London Midland plans to close Birmingham ticket offices London Midland has been dealt a blow to its plans to shut five Birmingham ticket offices after the Government rail watchdog objected.

Edinburgh Evening News

• First tram meeting in a year looks at west end pollutionYOU would be forgiven for thinking that a watchdog set up to scrutinise the city's tram project would have found a whole host of things to talk about from the past 12 mont

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail rush hour services disrupted by vandalism MERSEYRAIL services on the Kirkby and Ormskirk lines were disrupted during this afternoon’s rush hour by incidents of vandalism and trespass.

London Evening Standard

• Boris Johnson: My £7.6bn cuts to improve London travelBoris Johnson today pledged to transform London's transport network over four years - but will pay for it with £7.6 billion of cuts
• Transport Secretary Philip Hammond urged to let airports growAirports in the South-East may be allowed to expand after 2015, the Standard can reveal
• Fake bomb undetected on cargo planeAn investigation is under way into how a fake bomb was transported on a cargo plane from the UK.
• Fast line 'could mean worse trains'Many train passengers will face slower and less-frequent services if the Government's HS2 high-speed rail scheme goes ahead, according to a report from the TaxPayers' Alliance.

Metro

• Wi-Fi on London's Underground not wanted by more than half of BritsAs Transport for London (TfL) prepares to roll out Wi-Fi across the Tube network ready for 2012, research reveals that most people don't want it.

Sheffield Telegraph

• High fuel prices thin out Sheffield trafficSKY-high fuel costs have forced almost a fifth of drivers off the roads - according to new shock Government figures.

The York Press

• Full steam ahead for Tornado's return to the rails REPAIRS to the Tornado steam locomotive are on track for completion in time for the locomotive™s first commercial run of 2011 in May, say its owners.
• York MP in appeal for unemployed Jarvis workers NETWORK Rail is being urged to help hundreds of people who are still unemployed, a year after losing their jobs when York-based rail company Jarvis collapsed.
• Police told to fill up with ˜cheap™ fuel POLICE officers in our region could soon be queuing at the petrol pumps of supermarkets following cost-cutting advice from force bosses.

Yorkshire Post

• Exclusive: A demand for high-speed rail link that cannot be ignoredBUSINESS leaders and politicians in Yorkshire have united to send the Government a resounding message that high-speed rail is vital to the region’s future.

Other Regional Press

• Gearing up for National Bike WeekCyclists in south west Hertfordshire are gearing up for National Bike Week by helping rusty riders back into the saddle.
• Dame Kelly names new ferryOlympic gold medallist Dame Kelly Holmes was certainly the star of the show when she named the P&O Ferries™ latest ship Spirit of Britain in a ceremony at Dover™s Eastern Docks on Thursday.
• Ready for take-offThe second terminal at Glasgow Airport has been reopened as the facility gears up for one of its busiest April weekends in more than 10 years.

C.N.N.

• Opec set for $1 trillion in export revenuesRead full story for latest details.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government generates £209m in savings and backs transport projectsSavings worth £209 million have been made during the Spending Review period and extra cash has been allocated to a series of transport projects as a result.Central government has worked with councils to generate the reduction in expenditure, the Department for Transport reports, allowing ministers to give the go ahead to four local authority schemes.Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects that will receive a share of the funding include an extension of the Nottingham tram service, as well as a series of improvements to roads in the Isle of Wight, Hounslow and Sheffield.Unveiling th...

Freight on Rail

• Freight on Rail briefing in advance of the Department for Transport research and announcement on longer HGVs Government plans, due to be announced on Wednesday 30th March, to allow the length of lorries to increase by up to 7 feet (2.05 metres) on UK roads are a concern for road safety and the environment.

Global Rail News

• Bombardier “ A centre of excellenceBombardier has over 300 people working in design and engineering at Derby™s only remaining UK train building site, where 3,000 employees are based. These highly skilled ...
• ORR proposes new powers to ensure improvements in rail passenger informationNew regulatory powers to underpin the rail industry™s drive to deliver improved passenger information have today been proposed by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR). ORR ...
• TramForward welcomes plans for Nottingham & SheffieldTramForward welcomes the decisions announced last week by the Department for Transport concerning plans for Nottingham and Sheffield. Plans to extend the Nottingham tram moved forward when ...
• Passenger Focus responds to London and South East rail plansPassenger Focus has fed back to the industry on its long-term plans for the London and South East rail network. The independent passenger watchdog stressed the ...
• ATOC responds to ORR passenger information consultationIn response to the launch of a consultation on passenger information by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating ...
• Rail passengers want train companies to make ˜early call™ on snow disruptionWhen it snows heavily passengers need a straight answer to the question: œCan I get where I want to go? “ and they want the answer ...
• Mayor unveils design of the royal wedding Oyster cardLimited-edition Oyster card to commemorate the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton available in the week leading up to the royal wedding. With one month ...
• Paisley Corridor Improvements: Network Rail invites Gallowhill to drop-inNetwork Rail is inviting the community of Gallowhill to drop-in and meet the project team delivering the £170m enhancement of the railway linking Glasgow to the ...
• East Coast names train ˜Sir Bobby Robson™East Coast today named a Class 91 high-speed locomotive ˜Sir Bobby Robson™ in memory of the former England and ˜Toon™ football legend. Sir Bobby™s widow, Lady ...
• Peak District rail line given new lease of lifeOn yer bike! It™s a fact of life that every business has good days and bad, no matter what they trade in. Commercial rewards from food ...
• Rail electrification plans gather pacePlans to electrify major routes including the Great Western to Cardiff are gathering pace as Network Rail issues a tender for machinery and plant to install ...
• Countdown to Railtex 2011No business like show business The countdown to Railtex 2011 is well underway and visitor registration is now open, with less than three months until the ...
• New platform at Bushey will allow later evening weekend servicesA new platform is being created at Bushey station which will allow London Midland to reintroduce later evening weekend services. Weekend engineering works have meant that ...
• Defunct depot delivers green credentialsThe opening of a new rail freight handling terminal is not an everyday event. So when Stobart Rail was asked to assist Direct Rail Services in ...
• Debry train driver receives ASLEF awardOn the 23rd March 2011 at Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers & Firemen (ASLEF) Union Learning Representatives (ULR) Development Seminar ASLEF General Secretary Keith Norman presented ...
• Stagecoach extends Fujitsu contract for rail ticketing systemsSouth West Trains and East Midlands Trains, both part of the Stagecoach Group, have enhanced their contracts with Fujitsu for ticket issuing systems. The contracts, which ...
• Resumption of the Intercity Express Programme ends 3 months of uncertaintyDown to the wire Geoff Hunton must be wearing a very broad smile. Sheep graze on 104 acres of scruffy fields owned by the company of ...
• Reading Station upgrade builds momentumNo more jams tomorrow Momentum is building and everything is progressing well for Network Rail™s £850 million project to upgrade the railway throughout the Reading Station ...

Railnews

• News: New look Eurostar as international competition grows Eurostar has replaced its logo for the first time since the service was launched in 1994. The new look is intended to reflect the growth of the service beyond Britain, France and Belgium following the introduction of international open access just over a year ago.
• News: Rail to dominate inland transport market by 2050 An ambitious plan to boost rail’s share of the transport market by 2050, cutting carbon emissions, has been unveiled by the European Commission.
• News: ORR to clamp down on poor quality train information The Office of Rail Regulation has warned that Network Rail and train operators must improve their standards of information to passengers, or face a fine. The announcement of proposed new enforcement measures has come only days after 3,000 passengers were stranded by a signalling failure on the East Coast Main Line. Many were bitterly critical of how the situation was handled.

Aviation Industry

• Airport donates over £50,000 to the communityGlasgow Airport showed it is commitment to supporting the local communties around its airport by donating thousands to good causes.
• EC blueprint for drastic CO2 cutThe European Commission (EC) has made proposals to achieve a 60% reduction by 2050
• Green flight search on the riseThe number of travellers looking for flights with a lower carbon rating has increased by 10%

Other News Sources

• NET Phase Two going ahead with new consortium Nottingham City Council has selected Tramlink Nottingham as its preferred bidder to build two new tram lines to Clifton and Chilwell (NET Phase Two) and operate the extended tram network.
• Government has no aviation strategy, firms complain In a letter to The Times, published today, 74 chief executives, chairmen and senior executives of major companies say that Britain’s airports are "blighted by overstretched infrastructure".
• Stagecoach Extends Fujitsu Contract for Rail Ticketing Systems on South West Trains and East Midlands Trains London — South West Trains and East Midlands Trains, both part of the Stagecoach Group, have enhanced their contracts with Fujitsu for ticket issuing systems.
• Public tram service extended in Nottingham Nottingham's tram service is to be extended after funding was made available to the project.
• RMT and Nautilus host public meeting on continuing fight to defend Isle of Man Steam PacketSHIPPING UNIONS RMT and Nautilus will host a public meeting in conjunction with the Isle of Man TUC next Tuesday - 5th April - to keep up the pressure to defend the current Steam Packet service and for enforceable employment protection measures to cover all workers on the Isle of Man whose jobs are under threat.
• RMT warns of 'Tube cuts carnage' as TFL jacks up cuts plans to £7.6 billionRMT reaction to latest TFL cuts plans
• Aer Lingus Marks 75 Years with the unveiling of a New Aer Lingus unveiled a new retro painted aircraft in the former 1960s 'Irish International' livery, to mark its 75th anniversary celebrations. The newest addition to the fleet, an Airbus A320- EI-...
• easyJet : Nine million ’bogus' holiday sick days taken every yearIt is estimated that more than nine million sick days are being taken in the UK each year to accommodate inflexible package holiday deals – costing the economy nearly £1 billion. A survey...
• Ryanair Thanks Unite For Yet More BA Flight Disruptions Ryanair today (29th Mar) delivered 18 red roses to UNITE bosses, to mark 18 months of British Airways strikes which have caused repeated disruption to BA's passengers, who are now suffering more ...
• Thierry Antinori (49) leaving Lufthansa GroupThierry Antinori, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board until 31 March 2011, has informed the Supervisory Board of Austrian Airlines that he shall not be assuming the position of...
• Eurostar unveils new brandingEurostar has unveiled a new "visual identity", as the rail operator gears up for the launch of new trains and an expanded European network