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Thursday, 18 August 2011

BBC News

• Lobby funds call for rail routeThe MPs for Foyle and East Londonderry have called for elected representatives in the north-west to lobby for funding to secure the future of the Derry to Belfast railway line.
• Kennedy supports railway upgradeRegional Development Minister Danny Kennedy has said he is
• Rail strike before bank holidayRail unions announce two 24 hour strikes on First TransPennine Express trains following a dispute over pay.
• Flybe sees passenger numbers riseHigher passenger numbers increase quarterly revenues by 8% at budget regional airline Flybe.

Financial Times

• West Coast railway swells UK state coffersThe UK government receives a record £110m payment from Virgin Trains, a long-distance rail operator, for the London-to-Glasgow service
• Flybe load factors increaseUK regional airline's revenues rose 8.3% to £160.4m, helped by double-digit increases in ticket and ancillary revenue
• Maersk chief 'not gloomy' after container earnings fallFull-year result expected to fall short of its record $5bn profit in 2010 in spite of strong performance in oil and gas activities

The Guardian

• In praise of… a parliamentary railway In 1844, Gladstone ensured that working people were not priced out of the railway system. As they contemplate a looming fare increase of 8% – up to 13% in some cases – disconsolate riders on England's rush-hour railway trains might wish that their destiny was in the hands not of the transport minister Theresa Villiers, who on Tuesday blithely dismissed their fate as having to pay "a little more"
• Wheel of fortune turns in Derby While Rolls-Royce goes from strength to strength, a mile down the road fears grow for the future of the Bombardier train factory

The Herald

• Virgin Trains sees revenue soar to £753m amid passenger growth VIRGIN Trains saw its revenue from fares increase 11% to £753 million last year, amid continuing passenger growth on services between Scotland and London.
• Train operators make only 4p profit out of every £1 spent on rail tickets Ian Bell is correct to say the Westminster Government has decided that many fares need to rise above inflation for the next three years to help pay for more trains, better stations and faster services (“Public being railroaded into new train fare rises”, Herald, August 17).
• Plans to avoid motorway gridlock come to a standstillGOVERNMENT plans to avoid a repeat of the motorway gridlock experienced last winter by having winter tyres fitted to lorries have run aground after being rejected by freight firms.

The Independent

• Record year for Virgin Trains brings £33m payday Virgin Trains has posted record revenues, leaving its owners with a bumper £32.5m dividend, just a day after it emerged that fares were set to be increased.

The Telegraph

• More than 3,000 rail replacement buses over Bank Holiday weekendRail passengers face chaos over the bank holiday weekend with more than 3,000 replacement buses scheduled to be in place across the country, it was revealed yesterday.
• Even for Brad and Angelina, Britain's trains are the pitsThe Hollywood stars have discovered what rail commuters put up with every day, writes Bryony Gordon.

Daily Express

• ’Royal' flybe boosts passenger numbersREGIONAL airline Flybe, which last month flew the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to and from the Edinburgh wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall, has shrugged off the impact of higher oil prices.

Belfast Telegraph

• 1,000 jobs under threat at Qantas Qantas Airways plans to cut up to 1, jobs as part of a major shake-up of its international business, which will include the launch of a new Asia-based airline. Related StoriesPottery firm's Aran designs coast to US marketDyson needs engineersSurvitec is flying high as German Air Force deal gets set for take offNew owner for 'zombie' life fundStudent wakes up to a dream job with Disney

Birmingham Mail

• SPACE for up to an extra 8,800 rail passengers is being created...It comes as part of a bid to improve key commuter services across the country. Under a deal funded by the Government, passengers on Northern Rail are to benefit from an extra 22 train carriages.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Fury as rail travel costs soar by ten per cent Rail travellers reacted with fury last night at news that West Yorkshire fares will soar by twice the rate of inflation from January.

Derby Telegraph

• Two-thirds of country behind train deal rethink, poll shows MORE than two-thirds of the British public believe that the £1.4 billion Thameslink rail contract should be reviewed, according to new research.
• So, why did you put Siemens' ability to raise cash ahead of its ability to make trains, Mr Hammond? TWO union leaders have written to Transport Secretary Philip Hammond to ask why his department chose Siemens for the Thameslink rail contract, despite the fact that it has not yet developed a key piece of technology for the project.
• When railway working was a job for life [letter]OLD and seriously disabled as I am, I can only sit and applaud all the efforts being made to save Bombardier, led by the Telegraph.

Liverpool Post

• Wirral West MP Esther McVey says high speed rail is vital for economy A MERSEY MP has dismissed a study that claimed a high-speed rail link from London to the edge of Liverpool would backfire by widening the North-South divide.
• Prime Minister David Cameron shows support for second Mersey crossing on Daresbury visit DAVID CAMERON yesterday pledged his support for the second Mersey Crossing – and approval for a funding package is now expected as early as next month.

Manchester Evening News

• Elite Transport Services gears up to break £50m-turnover barrier Container haulier Elite Transport Services has moved its head office to a purpose-built site in Trafford Park as it seeks to break the £50m-turnover barrier.
• Free parking and Metrolink tram travel in bid to bring people back into Manchester after riotsThe M.E.N. can reveal that car parks will be thrown open and the entire Metrolink network made free of charge in a radical move to boost trade. All on-street parking in the city centre will be free after 4pm tomorrow and the two subsequent Thursdays. NCP will waive charges at the Manchester Arndale car park from 6.30pm-10pm for the next three Saturdays, starting this weekend. There will also be no charge at the car parks in Chester Street, at the Printworks, and Salford Exchange between 4pm-8pm tomorrow, the next Thursday, and the Thursday after.

Yorkshire Post

• Conservatives ’risk rail fares backlash’ The eight per cent rise in the cost of rail season tickets in the new year could cost the Tories key marginal seats, a union has warned.
• Virgin Trains breaks record for revenuesVirgin Trains rubbed salt in the wounds of hard-pressed rail passengers yesterday as it unveiled record revenues and a huge payout to the Government just a day after massive fare increases for next year were confirmed.

Other Regional Press

• MP attacks rise in cross-border fares SWANSEA East MP Sian James has hit out at increases that will see some cross-border rail fares rising by an average of eight per cent next year.
• Huddersfield rail passengers “punished twice” by rail fair hikes TRAIN fare hikes could turn commuters back to their cars, a rail campaign group has warned.

Global Rail News

• A-level students sought for Apprenticeships with DB Schenker RailStudents from across England and Wales who are expecting their A-level results this Thursday, 18 August 2011, could see themselves on the route to a successful ...
• Booming passenger numbers drive record revenues at Virgin TrainsVirgin Trains today announced record sales of £753 million for the year to March 2011 as booming passenger numbers reached more than 28 million and drove ...
• Police exercise at Marylebone stationThe British Transport Police are taking advantage of the closure of Marylebone mainline station today to help train their explosives search dog teams. A spokesman said: ...
• New PR chief for CrossrailLouise Brooker-Carey has been recruited as Head of External Affairs at Crossrail. The one time comms supremo at Tube Lines rejoins the rail industry from the ...
• Rail supporters help put whiskey on the railsRail supporters in the north of Scotland are helping whisky distilleries put more of the water of life on the metals. 77 of Scotland™s 99 malt ...
• Jump start on a Manchester tramUsing foreign made trams presents unique challenges to drivers and passengers in Manchester. When the back door of a tram in Manchester stuck open, the driver ...
• First TransPennine Express ˜disappointed™ over strikesFirst TransPennine Express have commented on the industrial action planned by driver members of the ASLEF union. The RMT union has also voted in favour of ...
• Six new conductors start at NXEANational Express East Anglia Conductor Manager John Bellchamber has presented six new conductors with certificates marking the completion of their training at a graduation ceremony held ...
• Atkins to design £160m project for Denmark™s Northwest RailwayAtkins, with partners, Cowi, has been asked by Rail Net Denmark to help with detailed design of the £160 million project to double-track Denmark™s Northwest Railway. ...

Other News Sources

• RMT brings fight against rail cuts and fares hikes to Newcastle'No to McNulty' demo 16:00 Thursday, August 18, Newcastle Central Station
• Ministers punish their own constituents with massive rail fare hikesTory marginals face backlash against 'fares extortion', says RMT
• Boeing 787 Dreamliner Completes Flight Testing for Type CertificationBoeing (NYSE: BA) completed all flight tests required for type certification of the 787-8 Dreamliner with Rolls-Royce engines this weekend. The all-new jetliner is bringing unprecedented levels...