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

Wednesday, 07 September 2011

BBC News

• Bombardier questions Thameslink contract decision The chairman of Bombardier UK has said the firm is "struggling to understand" the government's decision to make rival Siemens the preferred bidder for the £1.4bn Thameslink train contract.
• Delegation to lobby parliament over Bombardier case More than 200 people have travelled to London to fight for the future of Derby-based trainmaker Bombardier.
• Bombardier trains: Loss of contract felt across UK [video clip]A new survey suggests firms across the UK could be affected by Bombardier's failure to win a £1.4bn government contract.
• Stratford platforms raised to host Javelin trains I've discovered that half of the platforms at Stratford International are not the right height and are being raised to make them suitable for the High Speed (HS1) Javelin trains.
• Cable thieves cause travel chaosThousands of commuters are suffering delays after signal cable is stolen near one of London's busiest stations.
• Prestwick passenger numbers fallThe number of travellers passing through Prestwick Airport fell nearly 20% in July compared with the previous year.
• Small models drive new car salesNew car sales in the UK rose for the first time in more than a year in August thanks in part to sales of smaller cars, an industry body says.

Financial Times

• Tory council set to fund union in train battle A Conservative-led council is set to fund a leftwing union’s legal battle to force the government to overturn its decision to send a £1.6bn train order overseas. Derby city council will vote next week on whether to support Unite, the union, if it presses ahead with a judicial review of the award of the contract for Thameslink trains to Siemens of Germany rather than Bombardier, which owns the last trainmaker in the UK.
• Six groups in running for Spanish airportsThe airport authority approves bidders competing for Madrid's Barajas airport and Barcelona's El Prat airport as part of a €5.3bn privatisation

The Guardian

• Network Rail chairman says public view rail leadership with 'disdain' Rick Haythornwaite says he will not seek re-election at Network Rail when his term ends next year
• Bus times go mobile with beta test of Countdown app in London Transport for London is trialling a mobile app that lets passengers know when the next bus is arriving

The Herald

• Independence ’threatens high-speed rail link plans’ SCOTTISH independence would kill off the chance of a high-speed rail link from London to Glasgow, a former UK minister suggested yesterday, as the Holyrood Government put the cost of upgrading the 100-mile line across Scotland at £8 billion.
• Photo gallery: The Forth Rail BridgeRising dramatically from the Firth beneath, the russet steel of the Forth Rail Bridge is a striking sight. As contractors announce that the famously 'never-ending' paint job is about to finish, our gallery looks at the many faces of this Scottish icon.
• Delegates in role-play event to avoid more winter road chaosPOLICE, councils and roads authorities will stage a planning exercise today to test whether Scotland™s transport network is prepared for another bout of extremely cold weather this winter.
• ˜Danglers™ endanger driversAIR fresheners, furry dice and other decorations hung from rear view mirrors are creating a potential hazard for 1.5 million UK drivers, the AA has warned.

The Independent

• Partnership report uncovers an uneven playing field In June the Department of Transport awarded the £1.5bn Thameslink rail contract to a consortium led by Siemens, rather than the competing bid from a consortium led by Derby-based Bombardier.

The Scotsman

• Protesters to lobby over train dealThe controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in "serious jeopardy

The Telegraph

• Volunteers save bus services Volunteer drivers are being taken on to save eight threatened bus services, which would otherwise have been shut down because of spending cuts.
• UK new car sales rise for first time in 14 months The British economy has been given a timely boost after it was revealed new car sales rose for the first time in 14 months in August.

Parliament

• MPs examine issues relating to the procurement of UK Rolling Stock At this one-off oral evidence session ministers and other key stakeholders face searching questions about how and from whom the UK purchases its train sets.

Press Association

• Protesters to lobby over train deal The controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in "serious jeopardy", the Government will be warned.

Daily Express

• PROTESTERS TO LOBBY OVER TRAIN DEAL The controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in "serious jeopardy", the Government will be warned.
• Small cars are streets aheadA BOOM in small cars meant monthly car sales rose for the first time in more than a year during August, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said yesterday.
• MPS BLAST EUROSTAR BAN ON £ MPs condemned Eurostar yesterday for trying to ban passengers from buying snacks with British cash.

The Mirror

• Protesters to lobby over train deal The controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in "serious jeopardy", the Government will be warned.

ATOC

• ATOC responds to south London cable theftsResponding to the latest cable theft in south London, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC),...

Network Rail

• RAIL IMPROVEMENTS DELIVER MORE EFFICIENT RAILWAY IN EAST MIDLANDS

Birmingham Mail

• Back to School: £70 fines for bad parking outside Birmingham schools PARENTS who park badly outside seven Birmingham schools could be slapped with a £70 fine from today in a pilot bid to ease traffic congestion and anti social behaviour.

Derby Telegraph

• Why we need to give Sir Humphrey a black eye and keep fighting for our citySEPTEMBER could be the cruellest month. This is most certainly when the Thameslink debacle enters its end-game.
• Train-load of Bombardier supporters urges PM to overturn contract decisionTHE train that pulled out of Derby railway station at just before 6am today was carrying far more than its 200 passengers – it also bore the hopes of an entire industry.
• Campaigners hope to win support of MPs for fresh look at Thameslink deal as experts give evidenceWHILE the protests go on outside, inside the Houses of Parliament Bombardier supporters will be hoping to convince a committee of MPs to review the Thameslink decision.
• 'We have a world-beating product''ANOTHER Bombardier worker who is in London today is Kevin Owen. The 40-year-old, of Burnaston, has worked at Litchurch Lane for 24 years.
• Spirit of Derby battles on to save thousands of jobs and city rail heritageTHIS morning, a Derby-built train pulled out of Derby station, full of Derby rail workers. Its destination was London St Pancras International – itself built with Derbyshire steel and boasting an iconic clock created by one of Derby's oldest companies.
• 'They could still call Thameslink back in'BOMBARDIER worker and father-of-three Darren Barber, 42, whose eldest son, Anthony, 24, also works at Litchurch Lane, is among those in London today.
• Cameron must score to win this vital matchTHE following is a copy of a letter sent to Prime Minister David Cameron on August 23. "Dear Mr Cameron, so the Thameslink order is a 'done deal according to EU procurement rules'. What a wimp.
• Rail station ticket office 'recommended for closure'ALFRETON Railway Station's ticket office is among 675 recommended for closure in a Government-commissioned report, a transport union has said.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Council in award shortlist despite trams fiascoEdinburgh City Council has been shortlisted for an award as "Council of the Year in Service Delivery" despite the fiasco over the tram project which has made the Capit

Liverpool Post

• Liberal Democrat Andrew Makinson refuses to be silenced over Merseytravel libel case AN OUTSPOKEN critic of transport authority Merseytravel last night vowed he would not be silenced in the face of legal action.
• Cunard Line fleet Queen Mary 2, Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria to return to Liverpool for 175th anniversary (GALLERY) CUNARD Line plans to celebrate its 175th anniversary by bringing its entire fleet of liners to Liverpool.

London Evening Standard

• Protesters to lobby over train dealThe controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in

Manchester Evening News

• Video: Tram campaigners call for new Metrolink line to run along DeansgateCampaigners are fighting to have a new tram line built on one of Manchester™s busiest and most famous thoroughfares. Transport chiefs are planning a new city-centre route on Cross Street to cater for a huge increase in services when the Metrolink expansion is complete.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post commented Nottingham firms could suffer due to Bombardier contract lossArticle

Yorkshire Post

• Union fears for thousands of railway jobs The controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in “serious jeopardy”, the Government will be warned today.

Burnley Express

• Ticket office closure plans for Lancashire railway stations STATION ticket offices across Lancashire - including one which is the centrepiece of a new £2million railway development - could be axed.

Crewe Chronicle

• UK & World News: Protesters to lobby over train deal The controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in

Other Regional Press

• High-speed rail link could connect Shropshire to London - Shropshire StarA new £32 billion high-speed rail track between the West Midlands and London could see Shropshire’s direct link to the capital restored, it was claimed this afternoon.
• Protesters to lobby over train deal - Shropshire StarThe controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to German firm Siemens has placed the future of UK-based rail manufacturing in “serious jeopardy”, the Government will be warned.

Global Rail News

• Real time rail passenger information “ Jungle or Minefield?Written by Clive Kessell Providing accurate, understandable and timely information to the travelling public is an ever present challenge. Described once as not a can of ...
• Rail companies respond to TSSA™s ticket office claimsThe Transport Salaried Staffs Association said yesterday that a ˜hit list™ of 675 rail station ticket office closures has been drawn up following the advice of the McNulty ...
• BTP targets railway network bike thefts with cycle safety surgeryBritish Transport Police (BTP) officers are holding a cycle surgery offering safety advice and tagging bikes at Loughborough rail station on Wednesday (7 September) morning. The ...
• Network Rail kicks off recruitment drive for new national centreMilton Keynes MPs Iain Stewart and Mark Lancaster joined Network Rail yesterday to kick off a year-long recruitment campaign to fill hundreds of new roles at ...
• Green Park Tube station improvements ˜near completion™A ‘transformation’ of Green Park Tube station is now nearly complete, with three new lifts already providing step-free access to the platforms and a new ramped ...
• Watchdog publishes West Midlands & Chiltern area rail passenger researchPassenger Focus recently published the findings of research which was used to inform its submission to Network Rail™s West Midlands and Chiltern Route Utilisation Strategy. Over ...
• Wholesale closure of almost every signal box on the networkBoxing clever The headline announcing the closure of over 800 signal boxes is bound to attract attention. Even more so when there will be only 14 ...
• Make tracks to The Infrastructure ShowThe Infrastructure Show (NEC, Birmingham, 17-19 October) will offer visitors a fresh insight into today™s major rail infrastructure projects. There will be an opportunity to understand ...
• Network Rail Telecoms is go¦As this is the Signalling & Telecommunications issue of the rail engineer, it is opportune that Network Rail chose this month to announce the formation of ...
• Translink warns owners of private rail crossings over safety concernsTranslink NI Railways has warned owners of private railway crossings, or ‘user worked crossings’, to take care this Autumn as darker evenings can lead to reduced ...
• Parsons Brinckerhoff appoints industry leading fire consultant to its transport businessParsons Brinckerhoff, the international engineering consultancy, has appointed leading industry specialist Dr Nicole Hoffmann, as UK Principal Fire Engineer for its transport business covering rail and ...
• Police appeal after south London cable theftBritish Transport Police (BTP) is appealing for information after cable was stolen from the rail line in Bermondsey. The incident, which was reported at 2.48am Tuesday, ...
• Athletes given helping hand by Virgin TrainsGymnast Beth Tweddle MBE is the latest athlete to have their name emblazoned on the front of a Virgin Pendolino train. Virgin Trains has continued to ...

Aviation Industry

• US Airways traffic dipsThe carrier's passenger-load factor, or percentage of filled seats, was 87.4 percent, up from 85.2 percent a year earlier.

Other News Sources

• Bombardier Affects The East Midlands [Capital FM]Businesses across the East Mids are looking for work overseas after Derby train makers Bombardier missed out on a £1.4billion contract.
• Holmer Green HS2 protester arranges fundraiser HS2 protesters will boost their fighting fund with a black tie fundraiser on October 21.
• HEATHROW NEEDS HIGH-SPEED RAIL TO COMPETE WITH EUROPE High-speed rail with a direct link to Heathrow is vital if the UK’s London hub is to restore its important regional links and compete effectively with its European counterparts, MPs were told today.
• UKIP MEP Derek Clark joins rally to fight for Bombardier Derby MEP Derek Clark will tomorrow (Wednesday) join hundreds of campaigners in London fighting to save the country’s rail industry.
• Loss of Thameslink contract will lead to job losses all around the UK, says TUC [Wiredgov]Commenting on the results of a business survey published by Unite today (Tuesday) which shows that there will be job losses throughout Bombardier's UK supply chain following the government's decision not to award the company the Thameslink contract, TUC Deputy General Secretary Frances O'Grady said:
• Research suggests most people still prefer petrol cars to EVsElectric vehicle drivers quickly overcome fears about running out of power but most still believe petrol cars perform better, new research suggests.
• RMT sounds 'Big Society' jobs warning as bus service replaces paid staff with volunteersBUS WORKERS union RMT warned today that thousands of jobs are under threat from David Cameron's 'Big Society' programme as the Isle of Wight became the first area to use the threat of bus service cuts to replace paid staff with volunteers - a move which the union warns could now be rolled out across the country.
• RMT takes motions and amendments on economy, workers' rights, defending public transport and against the renewed threat of social dumping to TUC CongressTRANSPORT UNION RMT will be taking a range of motions and amendments to the TUC Congress in London next week aimed at stepping up the union fight to defend jobs, services and workers rights:
• MP calls for bus services regulationGraham Stringer MP calls for regulation of bus services, so that the commercial competition is off road at the tendering stage.
• Disappointment from scrap sector over train contract (MRW.co.uk)Scrap metal traders have expressed disappointment that the Thameslink contract has been awarded to German manufacturer Siemens over Bombardier.
• Workers Fight for Jobs [ITV Central - video clip]Several suppliers to train maker Bombardier will be forced to cut jobs after the government chose to give a £1.4 billion pound Thameslink contract to German rival Siemens instead