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

Wednesday, 09 November 2011

BBC News

• MP Adrian Sanders motion for South Devon bypass scheme The government has faced fresh pressure to build a by-pass linking Torbay and Newton Abbot in Devon.
• High speed rail report 'raises questions' say opponents [video clip - Louise Ellman MP] A report into the government's proposed high-speed rail link (HS2) has raised unanswered questions about the plans, according to opponents of the project.
• High-speed rail link work urgedThe Scottish government is being urged to begin preparatory work on a high speed rail line.
• Snow disruption 'costs £5m a day'Disruption due to snow and ice costs businesses in Greater Manchester a total of £5m per day, the chamber of commerce says.
• Toyota profits hit by Thai floodsQuarterly profits at Japanese carmaker Toyota fall 18.5% due to supply problems caused by the recent floods in Thailand.

Financial Times

• Osborne and Cable push for new UK toll roadThe chancellor, backed by the business secretary, is keen to bring the private sector on board to widen the A14, a key business artery
• DryShips reaps benefits of fixed chartersNew York-listed ship operator returns a $25m net quarterly profit after public face down with China's Cosco over charter rates
• Move to cut aircraft emissionsCivil Aviation Authority proposes a payment-by-results air traffic control system
• Virgin keeps immunity in price-fix probeAirline claims' vindication while BA must decide whether to challenge original fine
• Road toll plans likely to face oppositionDespite the rising economic cost of congestion, road pricing to pay for upgrades is a controversial proposal
• CBI urges road-building boostEmployers' body calls for a £500m package to unlock private sector investment and claims it won't harm deficit-reduction strategy

The Herald

• Bid to save Scotland™s airline linksBUSINESS leaders have called for air links between Scotland and Heathrow to be protected amid fears more domestic routes could be axed to make way for lucrative long-haul services at the London hub.
• Answers sought after CalMac chief departsTHE Labour Party has called for the Transport Minister to make a statement in Holyrood on recent developments in Caledonian MacBrayne, following the sudden departure of the publicly owned company™s managing director.

The Independent

• Committee backs high-speed rail bidThe Government's HS2 high-speed rail plan was today backed by the House of Commons Transport Committee following its inquiry into the £34 billion project.

The Telegraph

• Network rail victim of "insider thefts" Network Rail staff have been involved in the wave of cable thefts which have crippled services across the country, the company has admitted for the first time.

Press Association

• New green targets for airlines New "green" flight-efficiency targets that could cut CO2 emissions and save airlines up to £120 million in fuel costs over the next three years have been proposed by aviation regulators.

ATOC

• Train companies respond to Transport Select Committee Report into HS2In response to the publication of the Transport Select Committee report on HS2, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies said: “A new high speed line is...
• Rail industry calls for tough new measures on cable theftThe rail industry has called for tough new measures to deal with cable theft at a meeting of the Transport Select Committee in Westminster. Speaking at the hearing,...

Network Rail

• RAIL INDUSTRY CALLS FOR TOUGH NEW MEASURES ON CABLE THEFT

Birmingham Post

• Good case for HS2, say MPs, but it must be completedThere is “a good case” for building a new high speed rail network with Birmingham at its heart - but only if it runs to Leeds and Manchester as well as London, MPs have warned.

Bristol Live

• Put "serious" cash into railwaysI WOULD like to thank everyone who was involved in organising the excellent Rail Conference that took place on November 4 in Bristol. It was great to hear about the GWR electrification project and the outcome of a workshop session that resulted in the Evening Post-backed 'Bristol Metro' being given top priority by those attending.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented High-speed rail may arrive in the city sooner than expectedArticle

Journal Live

• Business tells ministers to give region a fair deal on transport fundingTHE regional economy will have “one hand tied behind its back” unless ministers provide a fair deal over transport funding, a business group has warned.

Metro

• Cable thieves hit railway in morning rush hour as MPs discuss problemCable thieves are suspected of causing long delays on a main rail line into London on Tuesday morning.

The York Press

• Derby MP claims Portakabin could lose orders if Bombardier closes AN MP has claimed York-based Portakabin could lose orders and local people could lose their jobs if a Derby-based trainmaker closes down.
• Councillors™ fears over York air quality and transport targets Councillors™ fears over city targets GREEN Party councillors in York say air quality and transport targets in a 20-year masterplan for the way the city could be developed are œunsound.
• Region could hold key to carbon project MPs, industry experts and business leaders have been hearing at a conference in London how Yorkshire and Humber could hold the key to the future of carbon capture and storage (CCS), the method in which carbon emissions are channelled into depleted oil and gas fields in the ground.
• Rail engineers battle to prevent fresh cable theft disrupting York train services RAIL engineers worked through the night to prevent disruption to York train services this morning after cable thieves struck again.

Plymouth Herald

• MP asks for road link talks after M5 crashTRANSPORT Secretary Justine Greening has agreed to meet with a Plymouth MP to discuss improved road links after a horror crash closed the main route into the region for 48 hours.

Other Regional Press

• Bombardier on the brink Burton jobs in jeopardy A ’SIGNIFICANT number’ of jobs in Burton are at risk if troubled trainbuilder Bombardier is not saved from the brink, an MP has warned.
• Railway hints should be made clearer – new reportThe Government has been urged to come clean over plans for a £500 million rail scheme that promises reduced journey times between the Westcountry and Heathrow.
• Tram dream blowPlans to build a line to test drive Preston’s proposed new tram network have been scrapped.
• Speed cameras 'made Warwickshire roads MORE dangerous'SPEED cameras have made several Warwickshire roads more dangerous while raking in tens of thousands of pounds in fines, new data reveals.

Campaign for Better Transport

• MPs warn on HS2 as they back case for high speed rail8 November: MPs on the transport select committee have just published a report backing HS2. But there's a big warning “ it has to be part of a proper transport strategy if it's not to be a waste of money. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Asda shifts more freight to rail The import supply chain manager for supermarket chain Asda has revealed the company has opted to move more freight by rail.
• Port of Felixstowe secures new rail freight record A new rail freight record has been set by the Port of Felixstowe, according to the facility.
• MPs conclude 'a good case exists for high-speed rail'The House of Commons transport select committee has declared that there is a "good case for high-speed rail to run to Birmingham and beyond".In a report on plans for faster UK train services, the MPs concluded that the network should extend as far north as Scotland.Their High Speed Rail inquiry into the issue found that the "capacity, quality, reliability and frequency of rail services" between major British cities would be significantly improved by such a move.Chair of the committee Louise Ellman stated: "High speed rail may be a catalyst for econo...

Global Rail News

• Northern Rail rides to success in Cycle Rail AwardsNorthern Rail is celebrating thanks to success at this year™s ATOC Cycle Rail Awards, winning three of the top accolades on the night. Northern™s Ian Hall ...
• Report claims there is ˜a good case™ for HS2There is a good case for a high speed rail network, linking London and the major cities of the Midlands, the North and Scotland says the ...
• Metro Chairman responds to new transport funding gap figuresResponding to Treasury figures released yesterday which show transport spend in London is now almost triple that in Yorkshire and Humberside, Metro Chairman Cllr James Lewis ...
• ATOC responds to HS2 reportIn response to the publication of the Transport Select Committee report on HS2, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies said: œA ...
• London Underground unveils proposals to boost Bank capacityPlans that would see the creation of wider platforms, better access to lines and step-free access to a new ticket hall at one of the Tube’s ...
• York named Station of the Year at Cycle Rail AwardsTrain operator East Coast and City of York Council have won a top industry award for improvements made at York Station to encourage more sustainable cycle-rail ...
• Park and rail deal is just the ticket for commutersCommuters using a busy West Midlands rail station could save £100 each month and avoid the rush hour jams by parking up their cars and continuing ...
• CCTV released after passenger forces his way off trainBritish Transport Police (BTP) investigators are appealing for the public™s help after a passenger forced a train to make an emergency stop before making off down ...
• FCC & British Transport Police team up to warn rail criminalsFirst Capital Connect teamed up with the British Transport Police last week to send a warning to those who commit crime on the line in Hertfordshire ...
• Campaign for Better Transport responds to Government™s HS2 reportResponding to High Speed Rail, the report of the inquiry into high speed rail from the Transport Select Committee, Richard Hebditch, Campaign for Better Transport™s campaigns ...
• ScotRail™s Bishopbriggs & Lenzie stations go ˜Smart™ScotRail customers in Bishopbriggs and Lenzie can now switch to SmartCard tickets. New scanners at the stations allow monthly and weekly season ticket holders travelling to any station ...
• Chiltern Railways employee named ˜Britain™s Next Top PA™Lesley Knight, a PA from Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, has been named as the winner of the 14th annual ˜Britain™s Next Top PA™ Awards. Lesley, who is ...
• London Midland appoints new Managing DirectorAfter an open competition, Patrick Verwer, currently Go-Ahead™s Managing Director “ Rail Development, has been appointed as Managing Director of London Midland. David Brown, Go-Ahead™s Group ...
• Global expansion of high speed rail ˜gains steam™As interest in high speed rail (HSR) ‘surges around the world’, the number of countries running these trains is expected to nearly double over the next ...

Aviation Industry

• United Continental to link Manchester and WashingtonSecond US destination from the northern England airport for the US carrier

Other News Sources

• Bombardier Customer Services' Belfast and Dallas MRO Facilities Deliver on QualityBombardier Customer Services' maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Belfast and Dallas have been accredited with the internationally recognised quality standard AS9110 Revision A....