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

Tuesday, 25 October 2011

BBC News

• Speedy Taff Trail cyclists in Cardiff told 'slow down' Cyclists using one of Wales' major cycle routes are being urged to slow down after complaints many are speeding dangerously there.
• Union anger over leaked Tube report [video]A leaked confidential document from London Underground has emerged raising the prospect of driverless trains, the closure all but 30 ticket offices and 1,500 job losses.
• New Anglesey ferry service discussed at Brynsiencyn A new ferry service could re-start for passengers wanting to travel from Anglesey to the mainland.
• Tube bosses 'plan to cut 1,500 jobs and ticket offices' London Underground (LU) plans to axe more than 1,500 jobs and close all but 30 ticket offices, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union has claimed.
• Flooding causes transport havocEnvironment Minister Alex Attwood pledges to help home-owners whose properties are flooded during the current bad weather.
• First death on cycle superhighwayA man in his 50s is killed in a crash with a lorry on a cycling superhighway in east London.

Financial Times

• Councils free to cut bus servicesLocal authorities should be free to cut bus services to cope with sharply reduced income from central government, the Department for Transport says
• UK to Poland rail freight service to openRetailers, food distributors and the automotive industry are the targets for a new rail freight route between England and Poland
• TfL eyes staff cuts through technologyA Transport for London discussion document looking at sweeping technological change has worried union leaders

Belfast Telegraph

• O'Leary unveils Ryanair expansion blueprint The boss of budget airline Ryanair outlined ambitious expansion plans today that would see the airline almost double the number of passengers and stretch its reach across Europe. Related StoriesTomTom keeps profits on track for sat nav makerJapanese exports rise despite strong yenSatnav maker TomTom's earnings up£65m social housing injection brings jobs boostMedical construction firm secures £900k deal in Republic
• Satnav maker TomTom's earnings upNavigation device manufacturer TomTom has reported a 9.6% rise in third-quarter earnings.Related StoriesTomTom keeps profits on track for sat nav makerJapanese exports rise despite strong yenO'Leary unveils Ryanair expansion blueprint£65m social housing injection brings jobs boostMedical construction firm secures £900k deal in Republic

London Evening Standard

• How driverless trains could become a reality The plans revealed today represent the biggest and most radical changes in the Tube's 100 year history.
• On yer bikes, Top Gear's May tells 2012 sponsors in attack on VIP lanesJames May has joined a growing number of critics attacking the
• Piccadilly opens up to two-way trafficPiccadilly's 48-year-old one-way system has opened to two-way traffic in an attempt by Westminster council and Transport for London to ease congestion

Manchester Evening News

• Town halls show grit with extra cash for winter roadsCouncils are increasing winter maintenance budgets and stockpiling more grit than ever before after Greater Manchester was hit hard by a cold snap in December and January. Authorities are spending £7m between them“ up from £5.5m last year. And they are stockpiling an extra 5,000 tonnes of grit in case more bad weather is on the way.

Metro

• 'Driverless tube trains and job loss plans' revealed in leaked London Underground reportLondon Underground is considering scrapping 1,500 jobs and introducing driverless Tube trains, according to a report obtained by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union.

Yorkshire Post

• Protest against ˜McNulty rail threat™Unions and passenger groups staged a protest at Parliament yesterday to warn against rail job cuts, increasing fares and closing ticket offices.

Bucks Free Press

• Birmingham MP: HS2 won't help our city AN MP from one of the cities set to gain from a new high speed rail link spoke out against the impact it would have on Bucks when it was discussed in Parliament for the first time.

Carlisle News & Star

• Green Party rubbishes Carlisle airport expansion claims The Green Party has rubbished the idea of scheduled flights from Carlisle Airport.

Other Regional Press

• UK & World News: Protesters rally against rail cutsUnions and passenger groups will stage a protest at Parliament to warn the Government against cutting rail jobs, increasing fares and closing ticket offices.
• Shamed ex-bus firm owner refused licence to start againA SHAMED former bus company owner who threatened two employees of a rival firm has been refused a licence to start a new business.
• Volunteers help clear up train stationMore than 50 volunteers joined First Capital Connect at Flitwick Station last week to help complete new station garden project. Volunteers included a collection of local businesses, the gardening club

Wall Street Journal

• EU Commission Rejects France State Aid For SeaFranceBRUSSELS (Dow Jones)--The European Commission said it has rejected state aid given by French railway operator SNCF to ferry company SeaFrance, saying the ferry's Dover-Calais route isn't viable in the future.

Global Rail News

• Modernisation of Glasgow Subway ˜moving ahead™The modernisation of the Glasgow Subway is ‘moving ahead at pace’ with the formal procurement of new rolling stock and signalling due to begin before the ...
• Bombardier helps move 5 million car journeys onto Manchester™s MetrolinkMore than 5 million car journeys annually are expected to be moved onto rails with the help of Bombardier Transportation™s new fleet of Bombardier FLEXITY Swift ...
• Parsons Brinckerhoff secures second major contract on UK rail projectParsons Brinckerhoff, the global engineering consultancy, has secured its second major award “ the key Consultancy Services contract – on a project that aims to transform ...
• Virgin Trains recognised for reduced energy consumption achievementVirgin Trains has won a prestigious energy saving award from the British Standards Institute following a year on year 2.5% reduction in energy consumption and CO2 ...
• Balfour Beatty Rail begins construction on new Canal Tunnel Junction projectBalfour Beatty Rail has started construction on the new Canal Tunnel Junction project on behalf of Network Rail. The project involves the installation of two new turnouts ...
• Rail bridge image wins top Network Rail prize in National photography competitionA stunning photograph of the Tay rail bridge at dusk has scooped the Network Rail ‘Lines in the Landscape’ special award at the Landscape Photographer of ...
• Platform 4 opens at Blackburn stationPassengers waiting for a train on platform 4 at Blackburn station this winter will be better sheltered from the cold following the completion of Network Rail™s ...
• East Midlands Trains invests in new collection-only ticket machinesEast Midlands Trains has installed 30 new collection-only ticket machines at eight of the major stations on its network. The new style ˜ticket on departure™ machines ...
• Transmashholding production plant produces first metro car bodiesTver Carriage Works (TVZ, affiliated with CJSC Transmashholding) has produced plant™s first ever metro car body. TVZ experts developed the body of a 81-760 model intermediate ...
• Madrid Barajas airport rail link opensOn 23 September Spanish Minister of Transport and Public Works Mr José Blanco inaugurated the new railway link to a new station beneath Terminal 4 at ...

Aviation Industry

• London Stansted responds to the Government™s consultation to develop a sustainable framework for UK aviationLondon Stansted has the space and permission to serve 35 million passengers a year on its single runway, the airport says in its response to Government consultation on sustainable aviation.
• Blinded pilots risk crashingThe incidences of laser pointers being used to œdazzle pilots and controllers is soaring

Other News Sources

• Amadeus appoints former Deutsche Bahn chief as head of rail Amadeus has strengthened its management team as it diversifies its hotel, rail, ground transportation and airport IT businesses.
• Transport Secretary Justine Greening Hires Interel Consultant As Special AdviserGraham Hook moved to Interel after the 2010 general election, having been an assistant director in the Conservative Party's research department.
• RMT releases internal report exposing unprecedented jobs and safety assault on London UndergroundTUBE UNION RMT today released a confidential 'Operational Strategy' paper from London Underground which the union says is 'a blueprint for jobs and safety carnage.'
• Costs and benefits of lane rental must be weighed upPlans to charge for lane rental to regulate roadworks on the capital™s streets may have consequences for Londoners “ including higher utility bills - that must be addressed before any schemes are introduced. In its response to both the Government™s and Transport for London™s (TfL) lane rental consultation, the London Assembly Transport Committee calls for a more detailed assessment of the benefits and costs of lane rental to ensure it is suitable for tackling road congestion long-term. ...