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

Friday, 29 July 2011

BBC News

• Preston trams 'could be running in 2012' Trams could be running in Preston as early as next year, if funding for the project is approved.
• Plymouth Airport sees last commercial flight The last commercial flight has departed from Plymouth Airport after about 90 years of services from the airfield.
• Leicester taxi drivers query station improvement plan Taxi drivers in Leicester say plans to improve the city's train station could have a bad impact on their business.
• Barrier call for Scotland's open level crossings The railway regulator has called for barriers to be fitted to more than half of Scotland's open level crossings.
• Train disruption after derailmentScotRail warns of disruption to train travel in and out of Edinburgh, caused by a derailment on Wednesday evening.
• Air France crash report dueThe 'exact circumstances' of the worst crash in Air France's history will be revealed in a report published by a French investigation agency.
• 'Cheap' deal for bike hire schemeLondon Mayor Boris Johnson is accused of giving Barclays the cycle hire sponsorship
• Leeds rail station delays due to power supply problems Major delays were caused at Leeds railway station after problems with the power supply.

The Guardian

• Transport secretary's high-speed rail pledge welcomed A Yorkshire transport chief has welcomed comments made by Transport Secretary Philip Hammond that high-speed rail (HS2) links to Leeds and Manchester will be built at the same time.

The Independent

• Not in my back yard: the MPs against fast rail linkDavid Cameron faces a growing ministerial backlash against plans to build a high-speed rail link between London and the North.

The Scotsman

• Rolls-Royce's order book at all-time high ROLLS-Royce yesterday toasted its biggest ever order book after securing almost £9 billion of fresh deals in the first half of its financial year.
• National Express aims to build its bus network NATIONAL Express is cashing in on Britons' need to watch the pennies by growing its UK bus business and launching a campaign promoting "more cost-effective" modes of transport.

The Telegraph

• Google Maps offers London bus and tube directions Google has updated its map of London to provide live public transport information and directions, in good time for the influx of visitors expected during the Olympics next year.
• HS2: the fast-track fix for bridging the North-South divide Britain’s economic geography will be transformed when high-speed rail is rolled out.
• Questor share tip: success looks like the destination for National Express National Express's tetchy top shareholder, Elliott Advisors, got one thing right: it will take a big external event to get the shares really motoring.

The Mirror

• Siemens fined for worldwide corruption THE German firm awarded the contract that will cost Britain’s last train maker 1,400 jobs was heavily fined for worldwide corruption, it was revealed last night.

ATOC

• National Travel Survey reveals surge in rail travel over last 15 yearsIn response to the publication of the National Travel Survey published today by the Department for Transport,...

Birmingham Post

• High speed rail link could recoup £7bn of costs if sold, claims report The taxpayer could recoup up to £7 billion from the cost of building the High Speed 2 rail link if it sells it off under a 30-year concession, a new report claims.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Electrical fault causes rail delays at Bradford stationsBradford commuters are facing long delays on the railways tonight following an electrical fault at Leeds train station.

Derby Telegraph

• It's not too late to force rethink over train-making deal THE phone-hacking scandal has plunged Britain's institutions into a third crisis of confidence in as many years.
• Government refuses to budge over decision to pick Siemens THE Government issued a determined statement last night saying it would not budge from its decision to name Siemens preferred bidder for the Thameslink deal.
• Mounting pressure from within TORY Euro MP Roger Helmer, never backward in taking on political friend or foe, is spot on.
• Rolls-Royce delivers reminder that Derby means excellence ROLLS-ROYCE is generally recognised as the standard-bearer for Derby industry and it is certainly flying the flag proudly today.
• R-R forecasts 10 years of growth as its profits soar ROLLS-ROYCE says its latest results will herald a decade of growth for the Derby-based aero engine-maker.
• Welsh tank company holds recruitment day in city AN engineering company based in Wales came to Derby yesterday to recruit skilled workers at risk of losing their jobs at Bombardier.
• Derby Telegraph commented Gritter fleet may be cut by cash-strapped countyArticle

Journal Live

• North East MEP fights for region’s port jobs PRESSURE is mounting on the Government to safeguard thousands of North East jobs put at risk by plans to expand port facilities in Merseyside.

Liverpool Echo

• High Speed rail will bring jobs to city THOUSANDS of prospective jobs in Liverpool would be put at risk if a new high speed rail link to London is not built.

London Evening Standard

• Google gets the tube and bus It is the ultimate gadget for commuters and tourists - a phone can tell you when you need to run to catch the last tube, and when to get off the bus.
• Tessa Jowell: Sponsors should use Tube not the VIP lanesSponsors paying £700million towards the 2012 Olympics are urged to travel by Tube and bus in a bid to stop London's roads coming to a standstill during the Games
• Boris bikes go west in £25m expansion backed by BarclaysBoris Johnson celebrates the first birthday of the cycle hire scheme by announcing that it is to expand into west London

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post commented Guest Column: 24-hour, lively city deserves buses that run 24...Article

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Fear underpass under new A9 dual lanes may never be builtA businessman campaigning for an underpass to be built on a new stretch of dual carriageway on the A9 Inverness to Perth road said yesterday that he fears that the crossing may never be constructed.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• 20 mph speed limits at schoolsCHILDREN at risk from speeding traffic will see the roads outside their schools become safer places to be.

Yorkshire Post

• National Express aims to profit from cheaper travel Transport operator National Express yesterday said the tough economic climate was encouraging passengers to seek cheaper methods of travel as it laid out ambitions to grow its UK bus business.
• Rush hour train chaos in Leeds RUSH HOUR trains in and out of Leeds were in chaos this evening with rail firms blaming an electrical supply problem.

Blackpool Gazette

• Rail plan puts London two hours awayA NEW high speed rail link could cut journey times between Blackpool and London by half.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Essex: MPs issue rail demandsMPs in Essex have called for a transformation of the county’s rail services when the region’s operator is replaced next year.

Other Regional Press

• Passengers ’seek cheaper options’ Transport operator National Express has said the tough economic climate was encouraging passengers to seek cheaper methods of travel as it laid out ambitions to grow its UK bus business. Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/money/uk-money/2011/07/28/passengers-seek-cheaper-options/#ixzz1TTnzPuzv
• Bigger and better plan for railway station ASHTEAD Train Station will receive an upgrade as part of a national drive to improve services.
• Rail campaigners call for fair fares A NATIONAL campaign was launched in Margate on Tuesday to lobby the Government to review rail fares.
• Essex: MPs issue rail demands MPs in Essex have called for a transformation of the county’s rail services when the region’s operator is replaced next year.
• Airport bosses to appeal sell-off rulingAirport bosses are expected to launch an appeal against having to sell either its Glasgow or Edinburgh hub.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Older motorists 'better at planning trips'When it comes to planning trips in vehicles, older drivers are better than their younger counterparts, it has been suggested.This is the opinion of Peter Rodger, Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) chief driving examiner, who declared such individuals "appear to regulate their journeys better".He pointed to older people tending to travel at off-peak times when possible and using their experience to regulate their motoring in order to complete trips "when it suits them", as being retired allows people the time to do this.However, the IAM expert added that o...

Global Rail News

• First TransPennine Express™ Eco-mode scheme proves a successA scheme to cut fuel use and lower carbon emissions is proving so successful that train operator First TransPennine Express has saved 10 million litres of ...
• Procurement process underway for remaining Crossrail tunnel portalCrossrail has announced that a contract notice has been placed in the Official Journal of the European Union seeking expressions of interest for the remaining tunnel ...
• ˜Last day of steam™ locomotive returns to Keighley & Worth Valley RailwayA locomotive which operated British Rail™s last regular steam train on 4th August 1968 will be back at work on Haworth™s famous Keighley & Worth Valley ...
• Rail disruption after Edinburgh train derailmentAt 17:55 last night (Wednesday) an out-of-service ScotRail train became derailed on approach to Edinburgh Waverley station. The front bogey (set of wheels) on the rear ...
• Global passenger rail traffic up 3.5%The International Union of Railways’ (UIC) statistics for 2010 have revealed that overall growth of passenger rail traffic has increased by 3.5% worldwide. This was ‘boosted by ...
• Relaunched East Coast rail route is a First Class successA major surge in First Class journeys “ the biggest for five years “ has been recorded on East Coast trains, following the successful launch of ...
• c2c to hold focus groups with passengersNational Express train operator c2c is planning to hold focus groups with its customers to ‘look at ways to further improve the service it currently offers’. ...
• New €1.5 million Dublin Port Rail spur gives further boost to rail freight businessA new rail spur in Dublin Port has been completed, set to enhance the competitiveness of rail freight for Dublin Port and Iarnród Éireann customers. The ...
• Plans submitted for new rail freight line in IpswichNetwork Rail™s plans for the Ipswich chord “ a £41m investment in Ipswich™s railway that will ultimately take up to 750,000 lorry journeys off the road ...
• Rail strategy sets out plan to meet growing demand across London & South EastA long-term strategy for the railway in London and the south east has been unveiled, setting out the steps needed to cater for increasing demand for ...
• Investment plans strike a chord with passengers & freight companiesNetwork Rail has submitted its plans for two schemes that will invest £95m in the railway over the next three years, removing bottlenecks to free up ...
• Growing customer satisfaction on high speed rail services in ItalyAccording to a survey conducted in May 2011, Trenitalia™s high speed rail services are yielding greater customer satisfaction. 97% of passengers are satisfied with the ‘Frecciarossa’ ...

Transport for London

• Fruit and veg sprout up all over the Tube London Underground staff have been battling it out to grow the best and most succulent fruit and vegetables at stations across the Tube system.
• Mayor's flagship Barclays Cycle Hire celebrates first birthday with additional £25m investment from BarclaysThis release was originaly issued by the Greater London Authority.

Aviation Industry

• Comment: Spinning platesJoshua Norrid, industry VP for travel and leisure at Progress Software, ruminates on the challenges airlines are facing with rising oil prices impacting future IT investment
• Let them eat cake, says BmiBritish Midland International will start serving free cake for elevenses and afternoon tea on UK and Ireland flights
• Lufthansa œoperationally profitableDespite political unrest and natural disasters, the Lufthansa group has posted an operating profit of €3 million for the first six months of 2011

Other News Sources

• Transport for London Declares War on the London Assembly. Is Boris Johnson Losing Control of London? Questions about the involvement of Boris Johnson in the biggest media scandal of the decade, were inevitably going to capture the nation's attention.
• RMT welcomes Audit Office investigation into Thameslink/Bombardier contract and repeats call for award to Siemens to be haltedRAIL UNION RMT today welcomed the confirmation by the National Audit Office that it will be investigating the award of the £1.4 billion Thameslink fleet contract to German company Siemens at the expense the Bombardier plant in Derby with the union seeking assurances that the NAO will focus on the full economic impact of the decision.
• Barclays launches ˜multi-million-pound PFI fund™Banking giant Barclays has set up a £500m fund to invest in public-sector projects such as schools and roads
• East Lancashire rail trespassers putting lives on linePLAYING ˜chicken™ with trains and throwing objects on to the line were among almost 250 crimes on railways in Lancashire during the past year.
• Friends of King Alfred Buses appoints new chairman A Winchester transport charity that keeps alive the memory of a cherished company has gone back to the future, if only temporarily.