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

Thursday, 27 October 2011

BBC News

• More gritters in place, minister Keith Brown tells MSPs Extra gritters and additional road salt have been put in place to help tackle severe winter weather this year, the transport minister has said.
• Space tourists could fly by 2013Space tourism venture, Virgin Galactic, says its first passenger flights will not launch before 2013.
• Tram link gets support of councilA second city centre tram link in Manchester gets the backing of the city council.
• Tube drivers in safety row actionLondon Underground (LU) drivers will refuse to follow new instructions following a vote in favour of industrial action in a row over safety, a union says.
• Saudi cities get high-speed railA Spanish group has been chosen to build a high-speed rail link in Saudi Arabia linking the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
• Ford hit by losses in EU and AsiaFord reported a dip in results with losses in its European and Asian operations but fared better at home with sales up 14%.
• Peugeot Citroen to cut 6,000 jobsFrench carmaker Peugeot Citroen says it plans to cut 6,000 jobs in an attempt to save 800m euros in costs.
• Dreamliner completes first flightBoeing's Dreamliner finally completes its maiden commercial flight from Tokyo to Hong Kong, after three years of delays.

Financial Times

• Depressed ship markets hit Braemar profitsThe marine services group says some deliveries scheduled for the first half have been postponed into the second half or until next year
• BAA losses narrow to £147mLosses at the airport operator for the first nine months of the year tumbled from £193m to £147m after Icelandic volcanoes and a strike hit the previous year's results

The Guardian

• Boris Johnson's Transport for London under attack over latest cyclist death The death on Monday of a man in his fifties cycling on one of Boris Johnson's Barclays-sponsored cycle superhighways in Bow has further intensified the anger of cyclists over the road-management priorities of a mayor whose personal enthusiasm for cycling is integral to his cheery public persona
• Boris Johnson's Transport for London under attack over latest cyclist death The death on Monday of a man in his fifties cycling on one of Boris Johnson's Barclays-sponsored cycle superhighways in Bow has further intensified the anger of cyclists over the road-management priorities of a mayor whose personal enthusiasm for cycling is integral to his cheery public persona

The Herald

• Council to restore damage to Leith Walk WORK to restore Edinburgh’s Leith Walk after disruption from tram works will start in the spring, prompting fresh complaints from businesses and residents who say they have suffered “pain with no gain”.
• Deaths fear over MoT test changes A PLANNED reduction in the frequency of MoT tests could lead to more than 250 additional road deaths a year and are out of step with the rest of Europe, motoring groups and safety campaigners have claimed.
• Anger over claims rural rail offices should shut DOZENS of railway ticket offices should be closed across Scotland to help bring down the soaring costs of running the network, according to the author of a leading report on reforming the industry.

The Telegraph

• Aviation tax rise could 'cripple' British tourism Further increases to Air Passenger Duty (APD) could deter foreign visitors to Britain and cost the economy nearly £1 billion in lost revenue, the Government has been warned.
• BAA revenues rise on more Heathrow passengers Record summer traffic at Heathrow has helped to narrow the losses of BAA, the UK airports operator.
• Stobart profits fall 4pc on 'fluctuating consumer demand' The bottom line was boosted by a £3.5m valuation uplift on the company's investment in landmark London office building One Plantation Place. Underlying profits, the company's preferred measure, were up 6.5pc to £16.4m, largely due to the revaluation uplift.

Daily Express

• BAA's shopping gainsPASSENGERS with more time to load up on pre-flight duty-free booze thanks to improved security have boosted airports operator BAA.

Mail Online

• Boeing's 787 Dreamliner completes its first commercial flight after three years of delaysThe new long-haul jet took off from Toyko to Hong on a four-hour eight-minute flight filled with cheers, picture-taking and swapping of aviation stories.

The Mirror

• Airport giant BAA cuts losses by almost a quarter in past nine monthsBAA cut its losses for the first nine months of the year by almost a quarter, helped by record passenger numbers at Heathrow Airport.

Birmingham Post

• Hope for Birmingham Airport ahead of new UK aviation policy Birmingham business leaders are hopeful that the city’s airport will be one of the major winners when a new draft policy on aviation policy is published next March.

Journal Live

• Think tank pours scorn on high speed rail plansA DAMNING report has accused ministers of backing a high speed rail line despite it having little or no impact on the North-South divide.

London Evening Standard

• One could do with an Oyster card...The Queen has taken her first trip on a tram in almost a decade - and she even paid the fare

Metro

• Ryanair plane turns around after 'taped window' comes looseA Ryanair plane that had a window temporarily 'taped' in place was forced to turn back to Stansted when it came loose, it has been claimed.

Yorkshire Post

• Fewer MoT tests ˜could bring more deaths™Changes to the frequency of MoT tests for cars could lead to more than 250 additional road deaths a year, campaigners said yesterday.

Other Regional Press

• Platform lengthening work set to impede commuters Building longer platforms at three Merton stations could involve travellers having to use temporary ticket offices.

Campaign for Better Transport

• M25: a lesson in what not to do26 October: The M25 has always been a bit of a symbol, so as we ˜celebrate™ the 25th anniversary of its opening this week, it is worth seeing what lessons it has for us now. read more

Global Rail News

• Rail Minister ˜casts doubt™ on Northern HubMetro Chairman Cllr James Lewis says ’alarm bells are ringing across the north of England after Rail Minster Theresa Villiers cast doubt on the future of ...
• Flitwick community helps complete new station gardenOver 50 volunteers joined First Capital Connect at Flitwick Station last week to help complete a new station garden project. Volunteers included a collection of local ...
• Birse Rail awarded £16m contract for Birmingham Gateway projectBirse Rail, in joint venture with sister company Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering, has been awarded a £16 million contract to refurbish and reconstruct Platforms 2 ...
• World launch for Blackpool TramWritten by Terry Whitley for the rail engineer Blackpool! Just the word brings back memories of summer holidays, donkey rides, the Pleasure Beach, and interminable Party ...
• Access for All ProgrammeWritten by Stuart Rackley for the rail engineer Two-thirds of disabled persons in the UK are over the age of 65. With demographic trends forecasting an ...
• Chiltern Renaissance “ The Evergreen SuccessWritten by Clive Kessell for the rail engineer August 2011 saw the implementation of the latest series of improvements to the Chiltern Railway™s Marylebone to Birmingham ...
• Norwich station team celebrate awardSimon Wright MP popped into National Express East Anglia™s Norwich station to present Station Manager Anita Stuart with a ˜Secure Station™ award. The national awards scheme ...