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

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

BBC News

• Whitney-on-Wye bridge for sale with tax-free income A Herefordshire toll bridge that offers the buyer a tax-free income is up for sale for £450,000.
• Transport police to be armed to counter terror threat Armed teams of British Transport Police (BTP) are to start patrolling the railways and London Underground to counter terrorism.
• York transport revamp 'vital for prosperity' A complete rethink of York's transport policy is key to its economic success and encouraging businesses, according to the incoming council leader.
• Ash cloud: Ryanair's Michael O'Leary criticises caution [video]Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has said restrictions on flights in and out of Scotland are unneccessary.
• Ash cloud affects Cardiff flightsSeveral flights in and out of Cardiff Airport are cancelled as volcanic ash heads towards the UK.
• Bus firm invests in green enginesThe Perth transport group, Stagecoach is spending £500,000 in greener engines for some of its buses to reduce emissions.
• Coastguard 'not being devolved'Shipping Minister Mike Penning is rejecting a suggestion coastguard operations in Scotland could be devolved.
• Olympic rail timetable releasedLonger trains, running more frequently are announced to help get more than eight million people to the 2012 London Olympic venues.
• 'Climate threat' to public pathsClimate change threatens to put
• Scots airports to resume flightsScotland's airports are hoping to resume normal services following disruption caused by ash from an Icelandic volcano.
• Chrysler repays government loansUS car giant Chrysler repays $7.6bn in US and Canadian government loans that helped it stay afloat in 2009, years ahead of schedule.

Department for Transport

• A1 north of Newcastle becomes a route of strategic national importanceThe A1 north of Newcastle to the Scottish border has been made a route of strategic national importance following a consultation, Regional and Local Transport Minister Norman Baker announced today.

Financial Times

• Ryanair attacks Scottish flight suspensionThe airline said it had operated a one hour verification flight up to 41,000 feet on Thursday, taking in Inverness, Aberdeen and Edinburgh after leaving from Glasgow Prestwick
• Claims against Coucher 'unfounded', finds reportA barrister commissioned to investigate the allegations concerning the former Network Rail chief executive found nearly all of them 'unfounded' or 'groundless'
• Hundreds of flights cancelled in ash cloud alertLessens have been learnt from the calamity of last year's Icelandic eruption, in which outdated procedures and computer models led to a blanket closure of airspace across Europe

The Guardian

• Transport for London seeks CCTV maintenance deal London's transport authority tenders for CCTV maintenance at bus stops and Thames passenger piers
• Volcanic ash cloud 'unlikely to disrupt bank holiday flights'Ash cloud expected to have cleared by Wednesday morning as transport secretary says blanket bans are a thing of the pastThe volcanic ash plume causing havoc in airspace over western Europe is expected to have cleared by this morning, according to air traffic control company Nats.A spokesman for the company said that it was predicted to clear UK airspace in the early hours of this morning.Dozens of flights to and from Scotland and Newcastle were cancelled but transport secretary Philip Hammond held out hope that the worst was over and was unlikely to disturb holidaymakers hoping to fly away for...

The Herald

• Thousands stranded as ash cloud brings chaos THOUSANDS of holidaymakers saw their plans thrown into disarray yesterday as airlines grounded their planes after a blanket of thick volcanic ash drifted over Scotland from an Icelandic volcano.
• Airlines better prepared this time for a phenomenon we will have to get used toFEWER flights will need to be cancelled by the latest ash scare than when it happened last year, it has been claimed.
• Passengers have right to a refundBRITAIN™S aviation regulator has warned passengers affected by flight cancellations from the latest Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that they have a right to a refund or to be re-routed to their destination as soon as reasonably possible.

The Scotsman

• Call to arm Scottish transport police as London leads way A MOVE to arm teams of British Transport Police officers on the London Underground and railways has sparked calls for armed patrols at Scottish stations to improve the "safety of the public" and deter terror attacks.

ATOC

• National Rail Enquiries introduces new updates by e-mail or TwitterRail passengers can now receive free updates on e-mail or Twitter about any delays or cancellations to their trains thanks to a new service being introduced by National Rail Enquiries (NRE)....
• ATOC launches TARIF credit insurance schemeA new insurance scheme offering a cost-effective alternative to bonding for agents selling rail tickets has been launched by the Association of Train Operators (ATOC),...
• Rail industry on hand to help people affected by ash cloudExtra seats added to London to Scotland rail services will help to provide air passengers with an alternative form of transport should they experience disruption because of the ash cloud....

Birmingham Mail

• High Speed Rail criticised for being too expensive THE Government’s high speed rail plans have been criticised for being too expensive by residents at a consultation road show in Birmingham.

Birmingham Post

• Former Network Rail boss Iain Coucher cleared over 'funds misuse' Allegations of misuse of public funds and financial impropriety against the former chief executive of Network Rail have been dismissed as groundless in an independent report.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Leeds-Bradford flights hit by volcanic ash problems Volcanic ash has caused the cancellation of some morning flights at Leeds Bradford Airport.

Journal Live

• Stagecoach North East continues environmental drive BUS operator Stagecoach North East is continuing its environmental drive with a week of green activities for staff and passengers.

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail ordered to pay out £100,000 over runaway train MERSEYRAIL was ordered to pay out more than £100,000 after a runway train careered onto the tracks.

London Evening Standard

• UK rail authority misused £500,000 of public money to buy off discrimination claimsNetwork Rail misused public funds to buy off race and sex discrimination claims by a former employee against the company's director of human resources, an independent inquiry has ruled
• Ash cloud 'to clear UK by morning'The Icelandic ash cloud which has caused air travel chaos is expected to clear on Wednesday morning, air traffic control company Nats said.

Manchester Evening News

• Oyster swipe cards could be used on Greater Manchester buses, trams and trainsTransport chiefs want to introduce London-style Oyster cards as part of a bid for £50m of government cash. The cards could be used instead of cash on buses, trams and trains across Greater Manchester. The simple electronic ˜swipe™ system could mean an end to queueing up for tickets and fumbling for change.

Metro

• Ash cloud danger zone ˜doesn™t exist™, claims Ryanair boss Michael O'LearyRyanair has claimed a test flight it carried out this morning proves the 'red zone' of high ash concentration was 'non-existent, mythical and a misguided invention', as it renewed its calls for airlines to be allowed to operate normally in Scotland.
• Improved five-year pay offer for London Underground staff rejectedA second improved pay offer for London Underground staff has been rejected by union bosses.
• Armed police to patrol railways and London UndergroundArmed teams of British Transport Police are to patrol the railways and London Underground to counter the terrorist threat, it was announced yesterday.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Ash cloud chaos continues at Newcastle Airport THE Icelandic ash cloud looks set to cause problems well into the night after air traffic control chiefs said North East flights could be disrupted until 1am Wednesday morning.

Yorkshire Post

• Link-road plans given £4.5m boostPLANS for a new dual carriageway between Doncaster town centre and the M18 motorway are to move forward after the scheme was granted £4.5m from the European Regional Development Fund.
• Volcanic ash air crisis ˜over™ as Ryanair derides flights scareThe Icelandic ash cloud which has caused air travel chaos was expected to have cleared overnight, air traffic control company Nats said.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Peterborough as world environment capitalPETERBOROUGH is set to be a world leader in delivering carbon reductions, a conference has heard.

Other Regional Press

• Transport Minister Norman Baker rejects call to upgrade A38 The Westcountry has been told to make do with its ailing transport network after the Government refused to throw a lifeline to key road and rail links.
• Transport summit to thrash out review of BRT and park and ride The new regime at Bath and North East Somerset Council will be holding a summit with the authority's highways officers next week to thrash out how best to unpick a package of controversial transport policies.
• Parents™ protest heard by transport ministerTWO sets of parents from Northamptonshire who have lost teenage daughters in tragic circumstances have had “positive” meetings with the Minister for Transport.
• Thousands of Aberdeen passengers stranded as ash cloud grounds flightsTHOUSANDS of airline passengers were today left stranded in Aberdeen today after an ash cloud grounded flights.
• West Midlands MEP who opposed HS2 rail line to step down A MIDLANDS MEP who opposed the controversial HS2 rail line through Warwickshire has announced he is to stand down.

Global Rail News

• Eurostar launches direct services to Avignon this summerEurostar, the high-speed passenger service between the UK and mainland Europe is offering direct weekly summer services to Avignon in the heart of Provence, from 9 ...
• Wabtec awarded Bombardier braking equipment contractWabtec Corporation has signed a contract to provide braking equipment to Bombardier Transportation Canada, Inc., which is building 100 new commuter rail cars for New Jersey Transit. Valued ...
• Sale of carriages could help fund new local stationsMetro has welcomed the successful sale of rolling stock to the rail leasing company Porterbrook, which will release funding for local transport development schemes. Porterbrook is ...
• Merseyrail operator fined £85,000 for runaway train incidentThe Merseyrail franchise operator, Merseyrail Electrics 2002 Ltd, has been fined £85,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,970.15 after pleading guilty to breaches of health ...
• Alstom wins €80m contract to extend Milan™s Metro line 5Alstom, as member of the ‘Società di Progetto Metro 5′ consortium, signed with the Municipality of Milan, a contract agreement on the extension of Milan™s metro ...
• RMT rejects London Underground pay dealTube union RMT confirmed today that it has rejected the latest interim pay offer from London Underground following talks after strike threats. RMT General Secretary Bob ...
• ˜High Speed Rail essential for Manchester,™ transport leaders sayThe government’s plans for a High Speed Rail link to Manchester are a vital part of the region’s economic future, Greater Manchester transport leaders have told ...
• Unions protest over plans to export East Coast rail jobsThe unions RMT and TSSA will be holding a joint protest this Friday – 27th May – in Newcastle over plans to axe and export 180 ...
• Andrew Wolstenholme appointed new Crossrail Chief ExecutiveCrossrail has announced that Andrew Wolstenholme has been appointed as Crossrail™s new Chief Executive, succeeding Rob Holden, who is stepping down in mid-July. Andrew Wolstenholme, currently ...
• Report finds claims of Network Rail™s ˜misuse of public funds™ to be groundlessNetwork Rail today welcomed the publication of the independent report of Antony White QC into ‘Allegations of misuse of public funds and serious financial impropriety within ...
• Virgin Trains to provide extra seats for air passengersVirgin Trains will provide over 3000 extra seats on Wednesday 25 May 2011 for airline passengers facing uncertainty over airspace closures due to volcanic ash clouds. ...
• Rail industry on hand to help ash cloud passengersExtra seats added to London to Scotland rail services will help to provide air passengers with an alternative form of transport should they experience disruption because ...

Aviation Industry

• Air India to move to Heathrow Terminal 4Air India is moving to Heathrow™s newly refurbished Terminal 4 on 25 May after more than 43 years of operating from Terminal 3...
• Ash cloud disruptions despite new measuresThe latest ash cloud incident is proving difficult to predict

Other News Sources

• RMT rejects latest London Underground pay offerTUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has rejected the latest interim pay offer from London Underground.
• Unions to protest over plans to export 180 North East rail call centre jobsRAIL UNION'S RMT and TSSA will be holding a joint protest this Friday - 27th May - in Newcastle over plans to axe and export 180 customer call centre jobs by East Coast railways
• Mayor to invest £4m into access improvements to London's South Bank 24 May 2011 London™s South Bank, one of the capital™s most popular visitor destinations, is set to benefit from a £4 million makeover from the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, in time for the 2012 Games. southbank.jpg Yes accessible mayor london 2012 south bank boris johnson
• 24/05/2011 - Road Transport: Vice President Kallas welcomes key step towards agreement on Eurovignette
• Contractors called for £100m City of London roads frameworkThe City of London Corporation is seeking highways contractors to carry out £100 million of work on its road network.

News from Europe

• Special Report: Solar plane is European 'dreambird'