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

Wednesday, 27 July 2011

BBC News

• Slough train station upgrade to start Major improvements to Slough's railway station are due to begin in early August.
• Cornwall Council holds bus service crisis meeting Cornwall Council is holding a crisis meeting with bus operators to try to find a compromise over a shortfall in funding.
• 'Strong case' to reopen Bow Street and Carno stations There is a strong case to reopen two railway stations in Powys and Ceredigion, claims a regional transport group.
• Former Avon area councils bid for transport funds The four councils that span the former Avon area have joined forces to bid for £250m of government funding for transport improvements.
• A drive through the new A3 tunnel [video]A stretch of the A3 in Surrey has long been one of the UK's most notorious traffic blackspots, but it is hoped that the opening of the UK's longest road tunnel will change all that.
• A4 Enniskillen Southern bypass preferred route picked Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has announced the preferred route for the proposed A4 Enniskillen Southern Bypass.
• New Isle of Man buses to boost public transport A fleet of 12 new Mercedes buses will encourage Isle of Man residents to use public transport, the government hopes.
• Rail stations plan moves closerThere is a strong case to reopen two railway stations in Powys and Ceredigion, claims a regional transport group.
• Bombardier rail job fears: Siemens respondSiemens dismiss safety fears in the latest spat over the future of British train making.
• In pictures: Listed Tube stationsArchived photos of some of the 16 Tube stations which have been given listed building status
• Southern's Gatwick Express claim 'misleading' A train company has been ordered to remove a "misleading" claim about its services between Gatwick and London from its website.
• Call for 'Scottish Oyster card'The Scottish government is being urged to push ahead with proposals for a "smart ticketing" system for public transport across the country.
• Nissan plans $7.8bn push in ChinaNissan Motor says it plans to invest 50bn yuan ($7.8bn; £4.7bn) in China, the world's biggest car market.

Financial Times

• Chinese train lines suffer further setbackDelayed services between Beijing and Shanghai are a stark reminder of the quality concerns affecting plans for the world's biggest high-speed rail system
• China railways: is setback terminal?Tragedies result when infrastructure has to be built so rapidly to catch up with economic growth
• China failed to heed rail safety warningsMany experts warned that the country's rush to build the world's longest and fastest high speed network in record time risked disaster
• American Airlines hits out at EU carbon planThe candid assessment by Tom Horton, president of third largest US carrier by revenue, highlights concerns about the new emissions trading scheme

The Guardian

• Sixteen London Underground stations get listed status Edwardian and 1930s buildings among 16 stations newly listed on English Heritage advice, taking total on network to 72

The Independent

• Lorry blaze tunnel undergoes checks The structural safety of a tunnel which forms part of a major motorway was being assessed tonight after a lorry burst into flames inside it.
• 16 Tube stations get listed status Sixteen of the Tube's best-known stations have been given listed building status.

The Telegraph

• As well as cutting debt, the Government must promote British industry [letter]SIR – The Government has realised that you cannot just cut your way out of financial difficulties, you need to implement a growth strategy (report, July 26). A key element of this growth strategy should be encouraging our manufacturing industry to invest and take an increasing share of British and world markets.
• Network Rail releases shocking video warningA hard-hitting video highlighting the dangers of playing near rail tracks has been released by Network Rail. WARNING: Graphic images of severe burns
• More misery for air passengers as Ryanair puts up faresThe no-frills carrier became the latest to warn that flying will become dearer as a result of the soaring cost of oil and aviation fuel.

Daily Express

• BRITAIN TO BLAME FOR SUBSERVIENCE TO EU - Ann WiddecombeA READER, who takes issue with my stand that we should only contemplate leaving the EU when we know for a certainty what we will be putting in its place, blames Europe for the mass immigration that has come from the Eastern European countries and also for the failure to award the Thameslink contract to Bombardier rather than Siemens. Wrong on both counts. The blame for both lies with British governments.

Mail Online

• Is this the end of in-car CD players? Ford scraps 'old' technology for digital entertainmentFord hopes to usher in a digital age for in-car entertainment by binning CD players in its new models.
• Birmingham Council slammed for bicycle lanes just 20 FEET longThe three bizarre bicycle lanes were spotted just a quarter of a mile apart in Birmingham that were spotted by =Tom Gaffney.

Belfast Telegraph

• UK rail unions begin merger discussions Two of the country's biggest rail workers' unions, including one led by left-winger Bob Crow, have started talks aimed at a merger. Related StoriesWhy Moonpig founder is over the moonCondom supplies not at threat, says DurexDomino's steps up its marketing to boost salesBusiness Soapbox: Martin WalshBusiness Soapbox: David Prosser

Derby Telegraph

• MP's personal effort is to be admired by all of us [letter]CHRIS Williamson MP is reported to have collected many thousands of signatures in his personal effort to save Bombardier in Derby ("MP's delight as Bombardier petition gets 50,000 names", Derby Telegraph, July 18).
• MP should stop blaming EU and stay focused [letter]JUST a few weeks ago Heather Wheeler MP was saying "chin up" to us all over the Bombardier decision, telling us that other jobs are out there and things aren't that bad. Now she's finally seen the anger it has caused and is calling for a referendum on the EU. Again, she's missed the point.
• The developer who isn't easily intimidated in toughest times THE rally to pressurise the Government into awarding the £1.4 billion Thameslink contract to Bombardier was the first time John Blount had been on a protest march.
• Thousands will struggle if ruling is not overturned [Letter]I AM appalled and disgusted that the contract to build our new railway carriages has been given to a German company, resulting in 1,400 workers being made redundant at Bombardier in Derby, which our history tells us has always been at the heart of British rail.
• Ex-trade minister says train contract decision is 'madness' FORMER Trade Minister Lord Digby Jones has condemned the Government's decision over the £1.4 billion Thameslink contract as he backs a campaign to see it reversed. Lord Jones said the decision to name Siemens the preferred contractor for the major train-building contract over Bombardier in Derby was "madness".
• Political row over Thameslink rumbles on THE political row over Thameslink continued to rumble on in Westminster yesterday. Former Transport Secretary Lord Adonis claimed it was "total rubbish" that the procurement process drawn up by Labour meant Coalition ministers were unable to give the contract to Bombardier.
• Trade mission decision shows PM is in wrong job YOU state "there was outrage after it emerged Bombardier was ditched from a Downing Street trade visit to South Africa that could have helped the firm to find new work" ("Anger as PM drops Bombardier chief from trade mission to South Africa", Derby Telegraph, July 19).
• City should ban Cameron from ever coming back [letter]FOLLOWING his disgraceful behaviour towards the workers and citizens of Derby, may I suggest the city officials issue an Asbo to keep David Cameron from entering the city while he remains the non-elected Prime Minister of the country?

Edinburgh Evening News

• Clarity plea over cost of axing tramsTRAM bosses have been urged to "come clean" over how they arrived at the cost of cancelling the project.

Journal Live

• Warnings after Government changes support for electric vehicles THE Coalition Government has been accused of undermining the North East electric vehicle industry following a U-turn on plans to help introduce charging points nationwide.

London Evening Standard

• Take-off at SouthendeasyJet has announced the destinations it will fly to from its new base Southend airport from April next year
• 16 Tube stations given Grade II protectionSixteen Tube stations have been granted Grade II listed status to protect their architectural heritage

Manchester Evening News

• New transport chiefs pledge to improve bus services in Greater ManchesterGreater Manchester's new transport leaders have pledged to make the region's bus services more efficient and get better value for millions of pounds they spend on subsidising routes.
• Claws come out as Manchester Airport chiefs show exit door to Olly the catManchester Airport™s famous cat is being moved to a new home. Ginger moggie Olly has captured the hearts of staff and passengers since arriving at the airport four years ago. But now bosses say building work means she will have to be found a new home away from the airport.
• Transport secretary: High-speed rail link ’will end north-south divide’The first phase of the high-speed network to Birmingham would open in 2026, with an extension to Manchester up and running by 2032. It would slash journey times to London and free up extra capacity on the existing rail network.

Northern Echo

• Bus lane for Durham's South Road ONE busy route into Durham is to get a bus lane but another will be left without, councillors have decided.
• Cyclists invited to take part in rides FREE guided rides, bicycle checks and professional cycling advice will be on offer to families across Darlington during the summer holidays.

Sheffield Star

• High speed rail battle Transport Secretary Philip Hammond has taken the unprecedented step of contacting train drivers to bolster numbers supporting HS2 before the public consultation closes on July 29, in ’A message from Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP about the HS2 consultation’.
• Minister grilled on rail service TRANSPORT Secretary Philip Hammond came to Sheffield to find out business community views on the planned high speed rail network - and was greeted by demands for better trains now. The fast new tracks are not due to reach this area for another 20 years...if the scheme goes ahead.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Man ˜planked™ in train™s luggage rack repeatedlyA train passenger has complained to transport giant ScotRail after a fellow passenger climbed into the luggage rack of a carriage.

The York Press

• ˜Carmageddon™ anger over A64 closure POLICE have been urged to re-open roads more quickly in future, following complaints about the length of time the A64 was shut after a crash last week.
• Welcome for 20mph zone pilot scheme PROPOSALS for a new pilot scheme of 20mph speed limits in York have been welcomed by the city™s Green Party.

Wales Online

• Cheryl Gillan ’putting English seat before Wales’ over high speed rail line WELSH Secretary Cheryl Gillan has been accused of letting Wales down by opposing the High Speed 2 rail project that would reduce journey times to the North of England.

Yorkshire Post

• Job sharing would have helped Britain to win rail contract I AM sure we are all surprised and disappointed to learn that the manufacturer of railway carriages in Britain has not won the contract to supply carriages for the Thameslink main line rail project (Yorkshire Post, July 6).
• A million jobs hinge on green light for fast trainsONE million jobs are under threat if the Government does not build a high-speed rail network connecting London with the North, according to new research which warns that without it Britain also risks being left behind by its competitors.

East Anglian Daily Times

• £3m for rail schemeTHE Haven Gateway Partnership has secured nearly £3million of European funding as part of a £7.5m project designed to shift about 30,000 containers off the roads and on to rail transport, it will be announced today.

The Shields Gazette

• Rail boss fights NE job move BOMBARDIER boss Colin Walton has urged the Government to rethink its decision to award a £1.4bn contract to Siemens, which will bring hundreds of jobs to South Tyneside.

Other Regional Press

• Pro-HS2 group’s anger as institute says scheme is “economically flawed”. SUPPORTERS of the planned HS2 high-speed rail project have hit back against claims the plan is “economically flawed”.
• MP John Randall's HS2 consultation response The following is a condensed version of Uxbridge and South Ruislip MP John Randall's response to the Department for Transport (DfT) consultation on High Speed Two (HS2).
• End of line for rail plan as track goes ANY CHANCE of a train service operating between Ripley and Little Eaton has hit the buffers after contractors began ripping up existing track.
• Station needing revamp to get on right track CALLS have been made for a revamp of Llanelli's rundown-looking railway station. Llanelli councillor Roger Price says the station "smells like a public convenience" and gives a bad impression of the town — and Network Rail bosses have now pledged a makeover.
• Simultaneous construction for High-Speed Rail beyond BirminghamMetro Chairman welcomes Minister™s pledge on Leeds & Manchester routes.
• 'Seven Series' buses named after local heroesThe first six diesel-electric hybrid buses on services 7, 7A and 7S in Leeds have been named by local schoolchildren - now you can name one of the remaining 16.
• Escalators out of action for three weeks at Northampton bus stationBUS users face three weeks of disruption after it was revealed the escalators in Greyfriars would be out of service for three weeks while they undergo a period of essential repair work.
• Huddersfield and Kirklees bus cuts to be announced on Friday YOUNGSTERS, pensioners and people in rural areas are all set to suffer from bus spending cuts.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Petrol costs 'encourage Britons to choose rail travel'Rising oil prices have been highlighted as a potential reason for a strong increase in rail passenger numbers.According to a new report from the Association of Train Operating Companies (Atoc), there was a rise of six per cent in people using services in the UK.Passenger figures climbed in the second quarter of this year to the highest point since the 1920s, standing at 322 million journeys, as "motorists faced high petrol prices".There were also record numbers of customers taking advantage of deals on tickets in order to reduce the cost of travel during the period in questio...

Global Rail News

• HS2 consultation coming to a closeThose who want to contribute to the debate over the proposed high speed link between London and the West Midlands, as well as the Government™s wider strategy for ...
• ˜Myths™ mean children put at risk on railwaysNetwork Rail has released a hard-hitting video about the severe consequences of trespassing or messing about near the railway as a new survey reveals two thirds of ...
• First Great Western™s services to be disrupted in AugustFrom Monday 15 until Friday 19 August 2011 First Great Western will not be able to run trains between West Ealing and Greenford due to Chiltern ...
• China™s high speed rail crash “ Will we ever know what went wrong?The high speed rail crash in China on 23 July killed over 40 people and  a further 200 others are receiving treatment in hospital. State media ...
• c2c™s Suzanne Linggood completes a ˜full house™Suzanne Linggood of National Express train operator c2c is a familiar face to the thousands of customers who travel on the c2c network every day, and ...
• Report says HS2 ˜on track™ for delivering a return on Government investmentPwC has produced the first analysis of what the Government could expect to see as a financial return if it sells the infrastructure of High Speed ...
• Direct Rail Services hold charity open dayDirect Rail Services (DRS), the UK™s ‘best performing’ rail freight operator has opened its doors,for one day only to the public. Normally the depot is under ...
• 25,000 tourist vehicles carried in one weekend from Folkestone by Eurotunnel Le ShuttleEurotunnel Le Shuttle carried a record number of tourist vehicles through the Channel Tunnel this weekend with almost 25,000 cars (including motorcycles, vehicles with trailers, caravans ...
• NXEA holds community day at Great BentleyNational Express East Anglia held a successful community day at Great Bentley station on Sunday 24 July. Staff, their family™s and local residents gave up their ...
• Thieves target freight train in YorkBritish Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information after thieves stole air straps from a freight train stabled in York. Officers are investigating after around 78 ...
• MSPs meet ScotRail™s ˜Modern Apprentices™Two MSPs yesterday praised a unique modern apprenticeship scheme which involves young people. They described ScotRail™s Modern Apprenticeships in Customer Service “ the first of its kind in ...
• LU ticket machine upgrades make Oyster cards more accessibleTransport for London is making it ‘much faster and easier for passengers to buy and use Oyster’, by upgrading ticket machines that will sell Oyster cards ...
• Network Rail reveals upgrade plans for Swanley stationNetwork Rail has announced plans to bring forward a scheme which will improve access, facilities and the overall experience for passengers who use Swanley station. The ...

Aviation Industry

• Flybe to save Cornwall-Manchester connectionAfter Air Southwest drops the route, Flybe will fly four times a week between Manchester and Newquay

Other News Sources

• RMT destroys Government claims that they could not have influenced Thameslink fleet contract and saved BombardierRAIL UNION RMT has today destroyed Government claims that they could not influence the outcome of the Thameslink fleet contract and save the Bombardier train building plant in Derby.
• RMT reveals that McNulty was paid nearly quarter of a million pounds for rail carve up reportRAIL UNION RMT revealed today that Sir Roy McNulty was paid nearly quarter of a million pounds by the Government for writing his 'rail review' report that, if implemented, would lead to savage cuts in staffing number and huge increases in fares as the private train companies are given a free run to plunder the network for even greater profits.
• HS2 sale could deliver £7bn to public purse, report saysHigh Speed 2 could deliver a £7 billion return on the Government™s £13.9bn investment, according to a new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
• RMT to ballot drivers on First Transpennine Express over payRAIL UNION RMT announced today that it is balloting drivers on First Transpennine Express, and will begin preparations for a ballot of all other grades, in a dispute over pay.