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

Saturday, 28 May 2011

BBC News

• Blackbeard's anchor lifted from Davy Jones's LockerAn anchor from what is believed to be the wreck of notorious English pirate Blackbeard's flagship is lifted off North Carolina's coast.
• Saab resumes its car productionThe Swedish carmaker Saab resumes car production after almost seven weeks at a standstill due to financial difficulties.

Financial Times

• Crowded skies test Ryanair modelAnalyst believes the Irish airline, like rival EasyJet, is for the first time facing the possibility that the European market is close to saturation

The Guardian

• Air France crash inquiry details pilots' battle for survivalInitial findings from black box recorder reveal flight 447 fell 10,000ft per minute after Airbus jet hit heavy Atlantic stormAn Air France jet that crashed into the Atlantic claiming 228 lives dropped 38,000 feet (11,600 metres) in three-and-a-half minutes before slamming belly first into the ocean, according to investigators.French air accident experts published a chilling chronology of events that showed the three Air France pilots battling to regain control on flight 447 from Rio de Janeiro to Paris in a heavy thunderstorm on the morning of 1 June 2009.Air France acknowledged that the disas...

The Herald

• Scots firm launches fleet of buses run on wasteSTAGECOACH, the Scottish transport group, has introduced a fleet of buses powered by household rubbish and animal waste.

The Independent

• A testing time for Boris on four wheelsThere were no routes, passengers or even a qualified driver yesterday as Boris Johnson steered the new London bus around a test ground near Bedford.

ATOC

• Over 5 million passengers expected to take the train over the bank holiday weekendMore than 5 million passengers are predicted to travel by train this weekend with many expected to head towards the UK’s seaside towns, race courses,...

Network Rail

• REPORT SETS OUT 30 YEAR STRATEGY FOR WEST MIDLANDS AND CHILTERNS RAIL NETWORK

Liverpool Echo

• Virgin Trains to increase Liverpool to London train seats by 25% VIRGIN Trains will add extra carriages on the Liverpool to London line to boost the number of seats by 25%.

London Evening Standard

• Giant mirrors to help save lives on cycle highwaysLarge mirrors are to be installed along key bike routes in a bid to reduce the number of cyclists killed by lorries
• Air passengers in 'Lord of the Flies' mutiny after seven-hour delayFurious passengers stage a 'mutiny' on a Heathrow flight after they were delayed for seven hours

Metro

• Barack Obama ordered to pay congestion charge for The BeastBarack Obama has been ordered to pay London's congestion charge for his missile-proof car, known as The Beast, following the US president's visit to the capital this week.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Crash motorist flown to hospital after being cut free from his carA motorist was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries yesterday after a crash which left him trapped in his car.

Yorkshire Post

• Flying Scotsman hauls in crowdsTHE Flying Scotsman has gone on display at York’s National Railway Museum, as an unprecedented five-year overhaul nears completion.

Burnley Express

• New coach service between London and East LancashireA BATTLE of the buses is in store with the launch of a new budget line offering trips from Burnley and Pendle to London from just £1.

Carlisle News & Star

• Failed business cost ex-haulage boss Edward Stobart £1 million A failed business venture entered into by the Cumbrian trucking legend Edward Stobart cost him almost £1m, it has been revealed.

Other Regional Press

• Jaguar™s birthday bash at SilverstoneTHE BIGGEST ever grid of racing E-type Jaguars will be gathered together at Silverstone to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the legendary car.
• Rail links plans to go in display across NorthamptonshirePROTESTERS fighting plans for a high speed rail link which would slice through the south of Northamptonshire have claimed public consultations on the proposals have boosted their campaign.

New Scientist

• Land speed record bid could make space flight saferThe Bloodhound SuperSonic Car could have an important spin-off: a safer rocket engine

Global Rail News

• Buckinghamshire rail users celebrate £1m investmentChiltern Railways celebrated today after over £1 million of improvements for rail users in Buckinghamshire were officially unveiled. In partnership with Network Rail and Bucks County ...
• c2c takes-off for the Southend Airshowc2c  will be providing additional seats on trains to Southend-on-Sea for the ˜Festival of the Air™ on Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 May for the thousands ...
• Alstom becomes shareholder of TransmashholdingAlstom has finalised its partnership agreement with Transmashholding by acquiring a 25% stake (plus one share) of TMH, the leading Russian rail manufacturer. The deal was ...

Railway Gazette

• First freight on High Speed 1 UK: Containers being moved from Hams Hall near Birmingham to Novara in Italy formed DB Schenker Rail's first loaded freight service over High Speed 1 during the early hours of May 27. DB Schenker is to undertake five loaded trials on the high speed line between London and the Channel Tunnel before the end of June, and said the first was 'an outstanding success'. Work to introduce freight services on HS1 is being supported by the European Commission's Marco Polo programme. 'The connection we provide to mainland Europe is open to freight and passenger operators', said Nicola Shaw, Chief Executi...

Aviation Industry

• Model wins damages from RyanairRyanair has been ordered to pay a former Miss World 80,000 euro for implying she was racist, xenophobic, jealous and narrow-minded. Rosanna Davison, daughter of singer Chris de Burgh, successfully sued the no-frills airline over a press release it posted on its website over its charity calendar featuring bikini-clad cabin crew.

Other News Sources

• Drivers celebrate £3m road schemeMOTORISTS and road users are set to benefit from a £3 million project to improve West Berkshire's roads.
• BAE Systems sells aircraft fleet and asset management business BAE Systems has agreed to sell its commercial aircraft lease portfolio and Asset Management business to investment affiliates of Fortress Investment Group for $187 million in cash, subject to certain post-completion adjustments. read more
• Maersk announces new and upgraded services Maersk Line has announced a new service to Papua New Guinea, and upgrades to its Far East - East Coast South America service. read more
• Air France crash report reveals aircraft stalled at 35,000ftThe plane crash claimed 228 lives - including Scot Graham Gardner - when it plunged into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009.
• Mayor puts 'lean, green and ravishing machine' through its paces 27 May 2011 Rigorous testing regime to ˜prove™ engineering of New Bus for London Testing will validate green engine and environmental performance Positive feedback on design from stakeholders and Londoners bobus.jpg Yes
• NATS to pay £42.5M interim dividend to shareholdersNATS, the UK's leading provider of air navigation services, is to pay a £42.5m interim dividend on 31 May 2011 in respect of the year ending 31 March 2012. NATS (En Route) plc, the company's...
• Quango chief who attacked rail staff pay and working practices exposed presiding over bonus culture and corporate excess at Olympic Delivery AuthorityRAIL UNION RMT today exposed the man leading the attack on rail workers pay and working conditions, Sir Roy McNulty for his role in presiding over a culture of bonuses and corporate excess at the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA).
• Giant aircraft carrier sails inA giant aircraft carrier which is the world's newest and most powerful surface ship has dropped anchor off the UK in order for its crew to make a port visit.
• Air France jet 'stalled before crash' A report into a fatal Air France crash in 2009 has found that the airliner stalled minutes before it plunged into ocean.Related StoriesRelatives welcome Pilkington reportBin Hammam calls for Fifa Blatter probe
• Petrol costs pushing drivers off the road, says AAMotorists are filling up less frequently and using public transport more in the face of soaring petrol prices, according to the AA
• UK rail firm apologizes for 'lack of attractive women' on trainIt has emerged that a rail firm in the UK has apologized to a passenger after he complained that there were not enough attractive women on his train.
• Road freight activity to bounce back in second quarterRoad freight activity is expected to bounce back in the second quarter of the year after a patchy start to 2011, according to a new FTA survey.
• Eurotunnel plans electricity linkEurotunnel has unveiled plans to run an electricity link through the Channel Tunnel as part of efforts to bolster UK power supplies.
• Passenger numbers on West Midlands rail routes set to increaseRail travel on the West Midlands and Chilterns route continues to grow with passenger numbers set to increase by over 30% over the next decade, a Network Rail report has found.