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

Tuesday, 24 May 2011

BBC News

• London to Harrogate train returns after 20 years A brass band and champagne reception will welcome the first direct train from London to Harrogate in 20 years.
• Vatican train station and railway line opens to the public [video]Did you know the Vatican has its own train station and railway line? Well it does and for the first time it has opened, together with the Papal train, to fare paying passengers.
• Maidstone to St Pancras high-speed rail service begins A high-speed trial train service linking Maidstone West and London's St Pancras International has started.
• Newtonhill train station supporters call for re-opening More than 600 people in the Kincardineshire village of Newtonhill have signed a petition to have their local railway station re-opened.
• Plymouth train washing water problem is fixed A fault which caused the water supply in a Plymouth Street to go off every time trains at a nearby depot were washed has been fixed.
• High winds cause train disruption at Carlisle High winds have led to the cancellation of trains between England and Scotland on the West Coast mainline, leaving many passengers stranded at Carlisle.
• High Speed Rail consultation group visits Birmingham The High Speed 2 (HS2) rail roadshow has visited Birmingham.
• London Underground pay deal rejected by the RMT union The Rail Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has rejected a second pay offer from London Underground (LU).
• Thousands face volcanic ash cloud flight cancellations Thousands of passengers face UK flight cancellations because of drifting ash from an Icelandic volcanic eruption.
• HS2 consultation group visit cityA roadshow is held in Birmingham about government plans to provide High Speed 2 (HS2) rail links between London and Birmingham.
• Faster north-south train launchedA faster train service is launched between Holyhead and Cardiff, cutting the journey time by nine minutes.
• NI airports brace for ash cloudAirlines have cancelled flights and travel disruption is expected tomorrow as a cloud of volcanic ash approaches the UK.
• Ryanair sees profit rise stronglyIrish budget airline Ryanair reports an increase in annual profit of 23%, but warns of the impact of higher fuel prices.
• Hyundai warns of major disruptionSouth Korea's Hyundai has warned of serious disruption to car production because of a strike at a key supplier of engine parts.

Financial Times

• Europe on alert over ash cloudAirlines are braced for disruption this week as plumes of ash from Iceland™s most active volcano moved towards UK airspace and led to flights being cancelled
• Ryanair to cut capacity for first timeThe low-cost carrier says it expects to report flat earnings and it will temporarily ground 80 jets in the winter, double last winter's figure
• Deputy chairman joins EasyJet board exodusSir Stelios Haji-Ioannou scored another victory against the airline he founded after Sir David Michels resigned
• Stobart blames winter weather for profits dipLogistics group famed for its distinctive trucks cites extreme winter weather and difficult economic conditions as it reports an 11.4% drop in full-year pre-tax profits

The Guardian

• Iain Coucher set to be cleared of misusing Network Rail funds • Iain Coucher, former Network Rail chief, to be cleared of misuse of public funds • Report to look into allegations over confidentiality payoffs at the rail body
• Iceland volcanic ash cloud forces airlines to change schedulesDensest parts of Grimsvötn volcano's thick ash clouds expected to exceed a new air travel safety thresholdThe last time an Icelandic volcano with an unpronounceable name spewed forth a thick cloud of ash, it led to crippingly expensive airport shutdowns, weeks of delays across Europe, and left tens of thousands of travellers stranded.As a plume of ash once again drifts towards Scotland from the north Atlantic, experts insist that this time will be different, and new rules will permit more aircraft to brave the cloud.But as aviation authorities admitted they did not yet know how badly flights ...

The Herald

• Flights are under threat again from Icelandic eruptionSCOTLAND is expected to bear the brunt of disruption to flights today as a thick cloud of volcanic ash from Iceland covers the country from early morning.
• Ryanair to cut flights due to lack of demandRYANAIR said yesterday it plans to cut flights at UK provincial airports later this year because of weak demand, but it was too early to tell if the carrier™s Scottish base at Prestwick would be hit by the reduction in services.

The Scotsman

• Airline chaos as ash cloud returnsMajor airlines are facing chaos as the Icelandic ash cloud closed in on Britain, threatening serious disruption to flights.

The Telegraph

• Ryanair profits jump but airline will ground planes in winter Ryanair shrugged off higher oil prices and last year's volcanic ash cloud to record a jump in pre-tax profits, but admitted that a rise in fuel costs will force it to ground aircraft.
• How the 2010 ash cloud caused chaos: facts and figures The eruption of Grimsvotn, Iceland's most active volcano, has rekindled memories of last year's ash crisis which shut European airspace and sent disruption rippling worldwide.

Reuters News

• Grounded British test plane highlights ash data gapsPARIS (Reuters) - A research plane which could be taking ash samples to help airlines decide whether it is safe to fly was left grounded in rural England on Monday in a tug of war over its deployment, aviation industry officials said.
• UK flights could be hit by ash cloudLONDON (Reuters) - Flights from parts of the UK will probably be disrupted on Tuesday by an ash cloud billowing from a volcano in Iceland, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said.

Daily Express

• Eddie Stobart stays upbeatTHE grim winter weather and sluggish economy hit profits at Stobart Group, the logistics firm famed for its distinctive Eddie Stobart trucks.
• Airlines dive as ash cloud loomsAIRLINE and travel groups hit turbulence yesterday amid fears that the eruption of an Icelandic volcano could trigger another wave of flight disruption.

Mail Online

• Iceland volcano 2011: Flights out of Scotland cancelled as ash driftsTens of thousands of families are facing air travel chaos from today as a thick cloud of volcanic ash descends over the UK from Iceland.

The Mirror

• Airline chaos as ash cloud returns Major airlines are facing chaos as the Icelandic ash cloud closed in on Britain, threatening serious disruption to flights.

Network Rail

• HUGE BOOST FOR OLYMPIC RAIL ROUTE AS UPGRADE IS COMPLETE

Journal Live

• Business leaders call for A1 works to be spared the axe TRANSPORT secretary Philip Hammond’s decision to scrap A1 upgrades has condemned the North East to years of failing roads, regional employers last night claimed.

Liverpool Post

• John Lennon Airport advise travellers to keep in touch over Iceland volcano ash cloud fears LIVERPOOL John Lennon Airport (JLA) bosses today advised passengers to keep in touch with their airline after the latest ash cloud scare.
• Stobart planning for the future TRANSPORT group Stobart today said it will embark on a period of delivery after several years creating the basis of a diversified new business structure.

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport not expecting delays as new volcanic ash cloud arrives from IcelandHolidaymakers from Manchester are not expected to face major disruption as the Icelandic ash cloud reaches Britain. The cloud from Iceland™s Grimsvotn volcano was expected to reach Scotland onTuesday afternoon.

Metro

• Ash cloud: 86 flights cancelled as Iceland volcano cloud hits UKTwo British airlines, Loganair and East Airways, cancelled flights on Monday night as the volcanic ash cloud from Iceland swept over Scotland.

Wales Online

• Cardiff news: The strange list of lost property left on board Cardiff Bus vehicles WHAT do chef’s whites, a Superman cape, an electric drill and a knitted monkey have in common?

Yorkshire Post

• Delays mark start of new Yorkshire-London rail service RAIL chiefs have claimed that the biggest overhaul of train services in two decades on the premier route through Yorkshire will help revitalise the nation’s beleaguered network. But the start of the service this morning was marked by delays.
• Trains on time as rail shake-up launchedNEW trains in the biggest overhaul of rail services through Yorkshire in two decades arrived right on time yesterday despite other lines being beset by delays.

Blackpool Gazette

• Village ˜cut off™ as bus service axedA WOMAN claims her village has been cut off after its night-time connection to Blackpool was axed.
• Airport rail link a boostINTERNATIONAL tourists are set to be offered a direct link to Blackpool after a new resort rail-service was launched at one of the region’s busiest airports.
• Volcanic ash halts flightsIceland closed its main international airport and cancelled domestic flights as a powerful volcanic eruption sent a plume of ash, smoke and steam 12 miles into the air.

Other Regional Press

• Campaigners want bus link restored FORMER Green councillor Craig Simmons has criticised Oxford Bus Company for changing a busy route serving East Oxford.
• School buses from Devizes shock Worried parents face paying double to send their children to faith schools if Wiltshire Council axes a subsidy.
• Huddersfield rail expert Peter Marshall calls for end to complex rail fare system CALLS for a simple pricing plan for the railways have been made by a local transport expert.
• Changes to train times at Huddersfield Railway Station CHANGES were made to train times yesterday.
• Kirklees Council’s parking enforcement van catches 40 drivers in its first week on the roads A PARKING camera van has already caught dozens of inconsiderate drivers.
• 80mph gale batters cityRoads were hit today as 80mph winds battered central Scotland.
• Getting stations all ship-shapeRail bosses have vowed to spruce up two eyesore train stations in the run up to a major festival on the Clyde, following complaints from a local MSP.
• 51% fall in fatal M8 accidentsScotland™s most heavily used roads have seen a marked improvement in safety but remain among the most dangerous in the UK, a report says.
• Pete Waterman to attend train enthusiasts' tea party in Leamington POP tycoon Pete Waterman will be celebrating with other rail buffs at Leamington station tomorrow.

Global Rail News

• UK Government ˜must ensure passengers are not priced off public transport™Transform Scotland has said the UK Government has to ensure that rail fares do not rise following the McNulty rail review. Spokesperson Paul Tetlaw said: “Only a couple of ...
• Public transport authorities welcome McNulty reportThe six largest public transport authorities outside London have welcomed the McNulty report, and in particular its focus on the potential for greater devolution of rail ...
• Settle & Carlisle Line introduces new early trains to Leeds & CarlisleUntil now, passengers on the historic Settle & Carlisle Line from north of Ribblehead could not arrive in Leeds before 1130 – no good for commuting ...
• The Rail Safety Summit 2011 “ A huge successThis year™s annual Rail Safety Summit took place on Wednesday 18th May 2011 at Holywell Park Conference Centre, Loughborough University. Focusing on safety across the rail ...
• RMT members at Heathrow Express to strike over payMore than 300 members of Britain™s biggest rail union working at Heathrow Express are set to strike after voting overwhelming for action in a dispute over ...
• Heathrow Express to run throughout industrial actionHeathrow Express will continue running through the industrial strike action by members of the RMT. On Friday 27 May and Saturday 28 May between 08:00 and ...
• Merseytravel partnership brings new rail linkIn a unique partnership agreement Merseytravel and Northern Rail have provided up to seven additional services a day linking Blackpool to Liverpool via Preston, Wigan, St ...
• ˜New report could help transform local lines™ says ACoRPThe Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP) will press for early trials of innovative ways of running local and rural railways, bringing them closer to the ...
• Translink reveals record passenger numbers on local rail servicesTranslink NI Railways has revealed that a record-breaking number of passenger journeys were made on local rail services last year. In 2010/11, 10.4 million train passenger ...
• Colette Lewiner co-opted to Eurotunnel BoardAt a meeting held on 20 May 2011, the Board of Groupe Eurotunnel SA co-opted Mme Colette Lewiner as a Director, following the death of M. ...
• Hatrick for Northern Rail at National Safety AwardsNorthern Rail has scooped yet another top award, this time for its health and safety at the prestigious RoSPA Occupational Health and Safety Awards 2011. The ...
• The force is strong at First Capital ConnectGuests from a galaxy far far away popped down to Elstree & Borehamwood Station yesterday to celebrate the completion of a new transport interchange and the ...
• More trains between Manchester and Scotland on FTPEFirst TransPennine Express (FTPE), which operates services across the north of England and into Scotland has amended its timetable to give passengers improved choice and provide ...
• New High Speed service starts from MaidstoneToday saw the start of a new High Speed service from Maidstone to St Pancras International via Strood on a trial basis. The trial service comes ...
• Huge boost to train services on key Olympic rail routeThe upgrade, funded by TfL, the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA), the Department for Transport, Network Rail and the Stratford City Implementation Group, means that London Overground ...

Aviation Industry

• Limited disruption so far as new volcanic ash procedures get first real testEurocontrol said Monday there was
• Ryanair to ground 80 aircraft this winterHigh fuel prices mean it is "more profitable" to ground aircraft than to operate them

Other News Sources

• West Yorkshire DMUs sold to Porterbrook UK: Porterbrook Leasing announced on May 23 that it had completed the purchase of the seven two-car Class 155 diesel multiple-units and 10 Class 144 DMU centre cars from Metro, the West Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive.
• Travel fear as new ash cloud threatens flightsAirline passengers are facing potential travel chaos amid fears that ash from a newly erupting Icelandic volcano could reach Britain tomorrow
• Ryanair fares are set to rise 12% this yearRyanair passengers face a 12% rise in average fares as the budget airline seeks to pass on soaring fuel costs
• Lufthansa confirms order for five B777 Freighters Lufthansa Cargo has finalised an order for five Boeing 777 Freighters, valued at $1.35 billion based on Boeing list prices. read more
• Maersk launches sustainable container floor Maersk Line has announced a new policy to refrain from purchasing containers with floors made of uncertified tropical hardwood. read more

Other Subscription Services

• Nor-Shipping 2011: Rikke Lind is Shipping Name of the YearWista awards Maritime Forum ˜inspiring role model™ top accolade
• Nor-Shipping 2011: Shipowners™ future buying to focus on flexibilityABB tells Nor-Shipping conference in Oslo that key ordering decisions will in effect have to second guess future technology and environmental regulation
• ThyssenKrupp pulls Greek subs dealHellenic Shipyards ˜failed to pay agreed installments™, says German steel giant