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

Saturday, 12 November 2011

BBC News

• Points failure causes rail chaosRail commuters across the West Midlands face severe delays after a points failure on one of the area's busiest rail lines.
• Scottish airports outperform UKBAA's Scottish airports outperformed the rest of its UK operations last month, according to latest passenger figures.
• Second cyclist killed at junctionA woman, thought to be in her 20s, becomes the second person in three weeks to be killed on a cycle superhighway in east London.
• Better outlook boosts BA's parentShares in IAG, the parent firm of British Airways, rise more than 5% after it says it expects higher profits over the next four years.
• New help for electric car ownersA national database of charging points for electric cars is to be set up by the government in an attempt to make planning longer journeys easier.

The Herald

• ScotRail drivers in overtime banTRAIN drivers working for ScotRail are to implement an overtime ban after claiming they are being forced to work rest days due to a staffing shortage.
• Work on tram way moves into gearA NEW flexible road surface has been laid on sections of Edinburgh™s tram route for the first time as the project creaks back into gear after a crisis which led to work being abandoned last year.

The Independent

• Osborne faces backbench rebellion over fuel dutyGeorge Osborne is facing pressure to veto planned rises in petrol duties amid growing protests from MPs that high fuel prices are hampering the recovery.

Journal Live

• Police to patrol Tyne Valley rail line train carriagesPOLICE are to patrol train carriages plagued by violence. From tonight, passengers on the 9.18pm Saturday train on the Tyne Valley line from Newcastle to Carlisle will be watched closely by officers.

Manchester Evening News

• 5,000 drivers hit with tickets after city centre parking shake-upThe number of drivers hit by parking fines has more than doubled since controversial new evening and weekend charges were brought in in Manchester city centre. Some 4,198 tickets were left on cars parked in pay and display bays and just over 1,000 on vehicles left on single- or double-yellow lines.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Smoother ride for train passengersWORK started this week on improvements to the Penistone rail line with the aim of making the journey smoother and more reliable.

Yorkshire Post

• Labour call for state spending to back UK industriesLabour has urged the Government to use its procurement power to support British industry.

Bucks Free Press

• Video: 34 motorists ticketed in 12 years for bus lane misuse JUST 34 motorists have been fined in the last 12 years for illegally driving in the High Wycombe bus lane, the BFP can reveal - and the authorities cannot agree who should enforce the rules.

Carlisle News & Star

• ˜We have to prevent this happening again™ CALLS are continuing for an inquiry into points-related failures across the rail network to ensure there is not another Grayrigg-type tragedy.

Other Regional Press

• MP backs fairer fuel price debateBedford & Kempston MP, Richard Fuller, has welcomed a debate in the House of Commons next week calling for fairer prices at the pumps.
• Tram plan could cost £85mPreston’s proposed tram line could cost an estimated £85m to build, if council officials give the go-ahead to the full scheme.
• Grosvenor plans to get £8m boost to fund new bus station and help with Greyfriars demolitionTHE biggest step forward in the redevelopment of the Grosvenor Centre is due to be confirmed by the West Northamptonshire Development Corporation (WNDC) next week.
• Stoneleigh campaigners call for HS2 changesRESIDENTS in Warwickshire have given their reaction to the House of Commons report in to the controversial HS2 line set to cut through the county.
• Nearly 900 drivers in Aberdeen area caught using mobile phones NEARLY 900 drivers have been caught using mobile phones on roads in the Aberdeen area this year, police revealed today.
• Crash on A420 DRIVERS suffered delays on the A420 tonight between Oxford and Swindon after a heavy goods vehicle collided with an empty car parked at the side of the busy dual carriageway.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Build on falling traffic trend “ not on the countryside10 November: Quarterly traffic figures are out, showing falling vehicle numbers and undermining the case for new roads. read more

Global Rail News

• Bob Crow re-elected unopposed as RMT General SecretaryRail Maritime and Transport union RMT confirmed this morning that Bob Crow has been re-elected unopposed for a further five year term as General Secretary. Bob Crow ...
• Thirty-year signalling strategy ˜to protect railway heritage™Plans to safeguard Britain™s railway signalling heritage are being drawn up as part of a thirty-year proposal to modernise and consolidate the activities of hundreds of ...
• Go-Ahead achieves highest transport ranking in UK carbon reduction league tableTransport operator Go-Ahead Group has achieved the highest transport operator ranking in a new league table which lists more than 2000 UK businesses according to how they ...

Aviation Industry

• BAA has decided not to submit a planning application for the taxiway worksBAA has decided not to submit a planning application for the taxiway works necessary for aircraft to routinely take-off over the village of Cranford.
• Air China to offer in-flight WiFiAir China will become the first airline in the country to provide in-flight WiFi when it begins offering the service from Nov 15.

Other News Sources

• Maersk announces loss from container and tanker activities supported by its other businesses Maersk has announced a profit of $371m in the third quarter of 2011, however this was a 78% decrease compared to $1,671m in the same period of 2010. This was attributed to the performance of the group's container and tanker activities. read more
• Wincanton focused on sustainable growth Wincanton has announced revenue of £625.4m and an operating profit of £22.3m from its continuing operations in its half year results. Although these results represented a decline from the previous year of 8.1% and 11.2% respectively, the company was satisfied with its performance in a challenging market and that its strategic divestments would result in sustainable profit growth in the medium term. read more
• Over 100 jobs to go at Stobart GroupStobart Group says it will be making more than a hundred driver redundancies across three of its depots as it pursues a cost-cutting strategy.

Other Subscription Services

• West Yorks bus quality contracts edge closer Metro, the West Yorkshire passenger transport executive, has vowed to continue working up proposals for the introduction of a quality contract after securing all-party support from the region's ITA...
• DfT: coach firms lose little from BSOG cut The Department for Transport last week released an impact assessment reviewing the withdrawal of funding for discounted concessionary coach travel in England and cross-border journeys into Scotland...
• Spanish rail operator eyes UK franchise market Spain's national railway company Renfe has unveiled plans to follow its counterparts from France, Germany and the Netherlands into the UK's hotly contested rail market.The state-owned company plans...