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

Friday, 20 May 2011

BBC News

• Leeds trolleybus project bid approved Stalled plans for a £245m trolleybus system in Leeds could be back on track after councillors agreed a final bid.
• Plan being finalised on resolving A9 overtaking lane A plan is being finalised on resolving a safety problem with a new overtaking lane on the A9 in the Highlands.
• Bus union wants Olympic pay dealLondon's bus drivers should be given more money for working during the 2012 Olympics, a union says.
• 'Bright future' for railways [Today Programme]A report on Britain's railways, headed by the former Civil Aviation Authority chairman Sir Roy McNulty, has revealed that they are 30% more expensive to run than comparable networks around the world, sparking calls for government reform of fares and ticketing.

Department for Transport

• Tackling £1bn cost of motorway closuresA Government strategy to tackle congestion caused by motorway closures and drive down the £1bn annual cost to the economy was unveiled today by Roads Minister Mike Penning ahead of a national summit.
• Hammond welcomes value for money report that could bring efficiency savings to benefit passengers and taxpayersInflation busting rises in rail fares could become a thing of the past if the £1bn annual cost savings in the railways envisaged in a report published today are achieved, the Government has said.

Financial Times

• Fall in rail orders hurts Invensys A 32 per cent fall in new orders for rail signalling and control systems has dragged down prospects for Invensys, the FTSE 100 engineering company, though recovering demand in other divisions helped it lift full-year revenues and profits.
• Cost cuts lift Air France-KLM Airline cautiously optimistic about the outlook for air travel
• Move to cut rail travel costs by up to 30%British rail system costs 20-30 per cent more than it should do, and is neither fair, logical nor comprehensible, says Sir Roy McNulty, giving the findings of a report into the sector

The Guardian

• Transport chief plans 'northern' approach for joined-up rail networks and services National review could have long-term benefits for the rail network in the north, says Metro boss
• Leeds trolleybus: 'best and final' bid approved by council - updated Final throw of dice to get government funding for multi-million pound New Generation Transport scheme
• Railways face radical overhaul to give 'better deal for all'Report calls for £1bn to be stripped out of industry and recommends fares shakeup to reduce overcrowdingCommuters face the biggest shakeup of the railways since the ignominious Railtrack era after a government-commissioned report called for £1bn in costs to be stripped out of the industry “ and for it to give all involved a

The Herald

• Trams chief quits as city ponders future of projectTHE embattled head of Edinburgh™s tram development firm quit yesterday after claims he had been sidelined from talks designed to salvage the crisis-hit project.

The Independent

• End of the line for cheap tickets as rail fares 'rebalanced' At three minutes to seven on Friday evening a train leaves London's Euston Station in the direction of Manchester, virtually empty. As its few passengers glide serenely through nearby Watford Junction, the British Transport Police are scrambled to the platform from where it has just come, controlling the mad scrum of passengers fighting for a seat on the train that follows it only minutes later. The former is the last of the pricey

The Telegraph

• Smart traffic lights to stop speeders Smart traffic lights which turn red if approaching drivers are speeding are to be trialled in Britain.
• Laser technology to cut motorway accident delays The delays caused by motorway crashes are set to be slashed by the introduction of laser technology. Transport ministers have agreed to spend £3 million on devices which will be issued to police forces across the country.
• Philip Hammond: we must get rail costs under control {video]Transport Secretary Philip Hammond says he hopes reforms of the railways will help stop inflation-busting train fare increases in the future.
• British Transport Police to be armed Armed police officers are to be allowed on British trains, stations and the London Underground, to cope with the threat of a Mumbai-style terrorist attack.
• Passengers should pay up front for rail improvements Passengers should pay for rail improvements even before they are even delivered, the Government’s rail adviser has told ministers.

Mail Online

• Man who tried to take pony on train revealed to be traveller Joe PannellStaff at Wrexham Station, in North Wales, were stunned when local traveller Joe Pannell attempted to board an Arriva train with the white pony.

ATOC

• ATOC responds to McNulty report into value for money In response to the publication of the McNulty report, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies,...

Birmingham Post

• Competition Commission to examine National Express West Midlands bus pass scheme Commuters who use a bus pass to get to work could enjoy an easier ride following a decision to put practices by firms like National Express West Midlands under the spotlight.

Derby Telegraph

• End of road for one-way traffic as city centre faces big changeONE of the biggest changes in city centre traffic flows will come into force this month as a one-way system is abolished. Friar Gate will become two-way – for buses, cyclists and taxis only – from May 31. Drivers and pedestrians using Friar Gate are being warned to be aware of the changes to avoid potential accidents. Currently on Friar Gate, traffic can only travel out of the city centre but under the changes, buses, cyclists and taxis will be able to make their way into the centre along the road from Bridge Street to Cheapside. Dozens of bright yellow signs have been put...

Journal Live

• EasyJet joins drive against Air Passenger Duty TRANSPORT chiefs in the region have welcomed the backing of one of the UK’s biggest airlines in their fight against an unfair tax on passengers.

Liverpool Post

• Merseytravel set to win control of railway tracks MERSEYSIDE is poised to become the first part of Britain to run its own rail network, under a radical government shake-up to be unveiled today.

London Evening Standard

• Platform for success: Tube worker is a Facebook heroTube worker at Warwick Avenue on the Bakerloo line becomes London Underground hero after his fans set up a Facebook page in his honour
• Scrap fares cap on busy rail routes, says reportTrain companies should be allowed to make commuters pay huge fare increases on the most overcrowded routes, a key report reveals
• Review of train fares announcedThe Government has announced a full review of rail fares which could lead to some tickets going down in price but others rising.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Anti-skid treatment reduces road crashes at blackspot areas by 100%Road crashes at five Aberdeenshire blackspots have been reduced by 100% in the past year thanks to a new surface treatment technique.

Wales Online

• Rail electrification 'vital' DEPUTY First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones will today attempt to convince the new Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government that the main rail line from London to Swansea must be electrified.

Yorkshire Post

• Wheels in motion for trolleybus scheme as city to submit final bid THE stalled Leeds trolleybus project moved forward yesterday, after senior councillors in the city agreed to submit a final bid to the Government.
• Shake-up could hit off-peak rail users in pocketOff-peak train fares could rise sharply while staff numbers dwindle and ticket offices shut in a radical overhaul aimed at saving Britain’s railways £1bn a year.

Bucks Free Press

• Tories wanted ousted Leader to be 'more aggressive' on HS2CONSERVATIVES ditched their county council Leader because they wanted someone to be more œaggressive and take a stronger leading role in fighting High Speed 2, a councillor said today.

Carlisle News & Star

• Land wrangle may delay new Cumbrian bridge by two years A new Cumbrian road bridge could be delayed by up to two years because Cumbria County Council claims it is being œheld to ransom over a strip of land.

Other Regional Press

• Bus changes could leave elderly stranded, warn residentsConcerned residents weighed in with their views over possible bus route closures in Cheltenham.
• Sky Ride returns to SouthamptonGET on your bikes again “ Sky Ride is coming back to Southampton.
• Response to McNulty rail reviewMetro keen to work with DfT & rail industry to develop service improvements.
• Council approves NGT trolleybus bid'Important step' in getting early DfTdecision on scheme says Metro Chairman
• Are more train ticket prices on the cards?Kent's embattled commuters could face more fare hikes.

Campaign for Better Transport

• The McNulty review: devils in the detailThe long-awaited McNulty value for money review of the rail industry has failed to put passengers' needs at its heart. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• European automotive market witnesses decline in car sales The number of passenger car registrations in April across Europe fell by 4.1 per cent compared with the same month of last year.
• Contactless payments to be rolled out on M6 toll A new driver payments system will be launched on the M6 toll road near Birmingham. Midland Expressway, the operator of the stretch of highway, plans to rollout contactless charging for credit and debit cards from February 2012, with one lane trialling the scheme from autumn this year.
• Shipping industry giants 'seeing costs rise with fuel prices' Container shipping giants are reporting that rising fuel costs are pushing up their prices and rates are "increasingly soft".

Global Rail News

• New Intercity West Coast rail franchise delayedAs well as welcoming Sir Roy McNulty’s report, the Government has also today outlined its intentions for the future re-letting of the Intercity West Coast franchise ...
• Hammond: 30% rail savings ˜to benefit passengers and taxpayers™Responding to Sir Roy McNulty™s independent Rail Value for Money study, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond welcomed the report and emphasised the need to reduce the cost ...
• ATOC responds to McNulty report on value for moneyIn response to the publication of the McNulty report, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies, said: œWe welcome the report and ...
• Engineers respond to McNulty rail review, 67% of manufacturers say UK railway inadequateProfessor Rod Smith, President Elect of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said in response to release of the McNulty report: œIt is clear that the existing ...
• McNulty™s ˜Rail Value for Money Study™A study into the value for money of the rail industry has been released today. The report, commissioned by the government, was written by former Civil ...
• Kevin Riddett appointed President & CEO of Invensys RailInvensys Rail announces that James Drummond, who has been President and CEO since 2006, has accepted a role outside the Group and will be leaving Invensys ...
• ORR ˜welcome & endorse™ McNulty reportFollowing today’s publication of Sir Roy McNulty’s ‘Rail Value for Money Study’, the Office of Rail Regulation has ‘welcomed and endorsed’ his findings. Anna Walker, Chair ...
• Rail industry creates ˜Rail Delivery Group™ following McNulty challengeRail industry leaders today set-up a powerful new group to lead the industry forward in delivering a higher performing, more cost effective and sustainable railway network ...
• Public ˜tired of delays in dealing with union militancy™London Assembly Conservative Group transport spokesman, Richard Tracey, tackled Boris Johnson on his views regarding transport union militancy yesterday. Speaking at Mayor™s Questions Time, City Hall, ...
• First steps to transform Birmingham™s south sideThe first steps to transform the south side of Birmingham city centre were taken this week with the submission of the planning application to construct a ...
• First Group™s ˜Monster Challenge™ for charityCompetitors taking part in the First Monster Challenge, a 120k team relay duathlon around the shores of Loch Ness, have raised more than £500k for good ...

Railway Gazette

• DB plans two north-south freight corridors GERMANY: DB Netz and the Federal Ministry of Transport are discussing plans to develop and finance two north-south freight corridors. Speaking at the iaf Congress in Münster on May 18, Dipl-Wirtsch Inf Oliver Kraft, Chairman of DB Netz AG, said priority had been allocated to an eastern corridor running from Hamburg and Bremen to south Germany via Uelzen, Stendhal, Magdeburg, Reichenbach, Hof and Regensburg. A western corridor was being developed simultaneously, but planning for this scheme has been delayed. The Ministry of Transport is supporting the eastern corridor with a view to DB Netz c...
• McNulty Rail Value for Money Study final report publishedUK: Closer alignment of the objectives and incentives for train operators and infrastructure manager Network Rail is essential if the costs of running the British rail network are to be reduced, according to Sir Roy McNulty. Launching the final version of his Rail Value for Money Study in London on May 19, McNulty said the fragmented structure introduced at privatisation had introduced many barriers to efficiency. Benchmarking against railways in France, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands had revealed that costs per passenger-km were around 40% higher in Britain. Of this, he believes that...

Transport for London

• London Cycle Challenge is back for 2011The Mayor is encouraging Londoners to inspire their friends, family and colleagues onto two wheels by signing up for the London Cycle Challenge.
• Blooming marvellous river boat service to RHS Chelsea Flower ShowThe most famous garden event in the world starts on 24 May so why not make your day extra special this year with the help of London River Services and travel to the spectacular by river boat.
• Contract awarded to complete London Overground's orbital railway Transport for London (TfL) has awarded a contract to Birse Metro to build the final part of the London Overground rail network that, when complete at the end of 2012, will orbit the Capital.

Other News Sources

• McNulty review fails to address causes of inefficiency and waste, says TUCResponding to the review of rail value for money published today (Thursday) by former Civil Aviation Authority Chairman Sir Roy McNulty, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:
• Reading station revamp to finish a year earlyMAJOR plans to upgrade Reading Station will bring long-awaited relief to rail passengers a year earlier than expected.
• Communities called on to combat noise “ Noise Action Week 2011 “ 23rd to 27th MayEPUK is calling on communities to get together to reduce noise for Noise Action Week 2011 “ 23rd to 27th May.
• Expensive Rail Industry Needs To Cut Costs And Deliver Value For Money Says McNulty ReviewBritain's rail industry is not efficient compared to European counterparts such as France, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Sweden, according to the report published by the McNulty review on the UK rail industry.
• McNulty: Contractors could take on Network Rail functionsContractors could take control of at least one major route on Britiain™s railways, according to Sir Roy McNulty.
• Rail review proposes train ticket price shake-upA review into whether the UK's railway network is giving value for money proposes increasing some fares - but decreasing others. Passengers tell Channel 4 News tickets are already overpriced.
• New Bombardier CSeries Aircraft Wing Factory Taking Shape with Installation of Assembly Jigs Bombardier has begun installing semi-automated jigs at its new wing facility in Belfast, Northern Ireland, to support assembly of the advanced composite wings for the all-new CSeries aircraft....
• Bombardier Regional Aircraft Surpass Fuel Economy EstimatesBombardier Aerospace confirmed today that the CRJ1000 NextGen regional jet and Q400 turboprop airliner are both achieving better than expected fuel burn, rewarding operators with additional...
• Half-price Heathrow Express for Iberia passengersFor travel between London Paddington and the airport