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

Sunday, 26 June 2011

BBC News

• China PM due to visit car plantChina's Prime Minister Wen Jiabao talks up the euro ahead of a three-day business summit in Britain, which includes a visit to the Chinese-owned MG car plant at Longbridge.
• BA pilots questioned about mobileTwo British Airways pilots are questioned by police after a mobile phone was allegedly thrown from a plane on to an Edinburgh Airport runway.

The Independent

• Rail link will upset Tories for sake of votes in the north David Cameron is pinning his hopes of an outright victory at the next election by pushing ahead with a controversial high-speed rail project. Ministers are convinced the expensive rail link will give Tories the breakthrough in northern cities that they need to gain a majority.

The Observer

• No wonder the coalition hasn't got many friends in the north What do David Cameron, Nick Clegg and Ed Miliband have in common? One thing shared between them is the way in which they pronounce class. They rhyme it with arse, rather than ass. Whenever they open their mouths, all three party leaders announce that they are from southern England.

The Telegraph

• High-speed Two rail link seeks bids from private investors Global Infrastructure funds were this weekend starting to eye up one of the costliest transport projects in British history after Philip Hammond, the Secretary of State for Transport, announced the High Speed Two rail project will be sold to private investors.
• Campaigners hit out at minister over high-speed rail Campaigners against the proposed new high-speed rail link from London to the north of England have hit back after being compared to Luddites by Philip Hammond, the Transport Secretary.

Mail Online

• Bob Crow 'covering up' his pay increase over four years - it rose by more than 26 per cent Rail union boss Bob Crow was accused last night of trying to cover up his latest ’fat cat’ pay rise.
• BA pilot 'threw mobile phone from his cockpit' just moments before take offA crew member had retrieved the handset from the plane and handed it to the pilot. But, instead of returning to the stand to unload the phone, he simply dropped it onto the Tarmac
• DVLA in storm over £62m 'stealth tax' as drivers forced to pay for photo id every 10 yearsDrivers have to pay £20 to renew their credit-card-size licences every ten years to ensure that the photograph is up-to-date, netting the DVLA £42 million in the past year.

Belfast Telegraph

• Crow warns of threat to workers A union leader has warned millions of workers that they face the greatest attack on civil liberties since the miners' strike 25 years ago as plans continue for a wave of walkouts over pensions, jobs and pay.

Bristol Live

• Would you like to see rail station reopen?A STUDY could be carried out to examine the possibility of reopening a former railway station in Ashley Down.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 3p fuel price cut by supermarkets SUPERMARKET Tesco cut its fuel prices yesterday  following a big fall in the cost of oil internationally.

Derby Telegraph

• MPs from all sides must work together for good of the city A HEAVINESS lingered over my desk last Wednesday as I typed up a story about how Derby's economy was getting a severe kick in the guts.
• Politicians should not 'meekly' accept EU rules [letter]SO Transport Minister Theresa Villiers gives a reason for not awarding the Thameslink contract to Bombardier. She said: "We are bound by legally-binding European Union rules.... that is a consequence of our membership of the EU" (Derby Telegraph, June 17). Yes, but why go on accepting this situation?
• Toyota and R-R help balance out Government's economic folly DAVID Cameron has a thing about balanced economies. Of course, how he hopes to achieve one of these here, mitigating the loss of jobs in the public sector with growth through private enterprise, is beyond us when his government gives lucrative UK rail contracts to foreign firms!
• Toyota delight as Derby-made Avensis goes 'home' to Japan T'S a modern-day version of taking coals to Newcastle. Japanese bosses at car giant Toyota have asked their Derby plant to start exporting Avensis vehicles... to Japan.
• City delegation will fight for Bombardier in Berlin A DATE has been set for a meeting between bosses at Bombardier Transportation's European headquarters in Germany and a delegation from Derby who are hoping to persuade the company to keep its Litchurch Lane plant open.
• MP takes fight for train firm to Parliament CHRIS Williamson, MP for Derby North, is to present a parliamentary petition urging the coalition Government to reverse its decision to award a lucrative £1.4bn train contract to a German firm ahead of Bombardier.

Manchester Evening News

• Replay: Transport for Greater Manchester Committee meetingMembers of the Transport for Greater Manchester Committee, the body that oversees the region's transport policy, are gathering at Manchester town hall for their annual meeting. Labour is expected to retake control and appoint a new chairman after gaining seats at the expense of the Lib Dems in the May local elections.

Newcastle Journal

• Rail union protests against East Coast train operator A RAIL union has mounted a campaign to "shame and embarrass" a train operator over its plans to shut a North East call centre next month.

Wales Online

• Book celebrates golden age of British rail posters THESE are just a few of the stunning hand-painted images that once adorned railway station walls across Wales.

Other Regional Press

• Ilford depot jobs ’safe’ despite firm losing out on major contract Up to 125 train maintenance jobs in Ilford should be safe, despite a government decision to award a £3bn contract for new trains to an overseas consortium.
• Sir Terry Farrell to lead Old Oak Common HS2 regeneration vision Read More http://www.fulhamchronicle.co.uk/fulham-and-hammersmith-news/local-fulham-and-hammersmith-news/2011/06/24/sir-terry-farrell-to-lead-old-oak-common-hs2-regeneration-vision-82029-2THE top architect behind the ambitious Earls Court regeneration has been recruited to produce a similar vision for Old Oak Common
• Hundreds of new jobs at railway depot HUNDREDS of jobs will be created at a new maintenance depot in Three Bridges after German company Siemens won the contract to build new carriages for the upgrade of the Thameslink railway route.
• Reopening of refurbished railway station A NEW-look Devon rail station has been unveiled following a seven-month refurbishment programme.
• Bid changes spark call to halt rail plans A FORMER Scottish Parliament politician has called for the Borders Railway project to be brought to a halt now only one bidder is left for the £300m contract, writes Kenny Paterson.
• We need a link... fast!Cash for a new transport scheme must be delivered now if it is to be completed in time for the Commonwealth Games, the Government has been warned.

Other News Sources

• Richard Branson looking for investors in Virgin America airlineRichard Branson doesn't like to cut corners or budgets where his airlines are concerned.
• Pledge over railway link The First Minister has promised the Borders Railway project will go ahead – even though it is likely there will be only one preferred bidder remaining.