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

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

BBC News

• Business travel boost to EasyjetA boost in the number of its business and European travellers helps Easyjet to report increased profits for 2011.
• London 2012: Inside Olympic Games transport centre [video]The London 2012 Olympic Games are being described as Britain's largest peacetime logistical exercise, and one of the biggest challenges is transport.
• MPs to debate rising fuel prices [video]MPs are set to debate a motion calling on the government to stem fuel price rises amid a public outcry over costs.
• Bombardier workers 'disappointed' at Theresa Villiers visit [video clip]Workers at Derby train maker Bombardier have been left "disappointed" by a visit from transport minister Theresa Villiers.
• Bombardier awarded £15m ScotRail contract Train maker Bombardier has been awarded a £15m three-year maintenance contract from ScotRail.
• Tube staff vote on Boxing Day payTube drivers will vote on whether to go on strike in a row over Boxing Day payments on London Underground.
• Checks were relaxed at 28 portsHeathrow and Gatwick Airports were among 28 UK entry points where border controls were relaxed in a pilot scheme, the home secretary says.
• Widow demands cycle route changesMore cyclists will die unless a busy road junction in east London is changed immediately, the widow of one of two recent crash victims says.
• Jaguar is silver lining for TataIndian carmaker Tata Motors reports a 16% fall in quarterly profits, but its Jaguar Land Rover division sees a 9% profit rise.
• Kingfisher Airlines losses doubleIndia's troubled Kingfisher Airlines reports a doubling in losses between July and September, fanning fears about its future.

Financial Times

• Rail industry: cluster has all points covered Trainmaking has been part of the lifeblood of Derby for 135 years. But the city’s close association with the rail industry now goes far beyond manufacturing, encompassing software, train operators and legal and other services.
• Jordan airport plan offers test for region A new terminal will allow Amman to double its annual passenger numbers, in a project that will help measure the impact of the Arab spring
• Tube chief outlines driverless trains planUnion leader Bob Crow brands discussion paper 'ill-conceived‰.‰.‰.‰finance-led document' that 'ignores reality in favour of austerity'

The Independent

• Theresa Villiers 'dashed Bombardier train deal hopes'A government minister was today accused of dashing hopes of saving thousands of jobs after refusing to change a controversial decision to award a lucrative train-building contract to a German firm.
• Private jets and flights at 28 airports were let off border checks Theresa May suffered a fresh setback last night over Britain's chaotic frontier controls after leaked documents disclosed that passengers on private jets have for months routinely been allowed into Britain without passport checks.

The Scotsman

• Trams in new setback as 1,100 underground glitches discovered OFFICIALS in charge of Edinburgh’s troubled tram project last night played down the discovery of more than 1,100 clashes with pipes and cables along part of the city’s proposed tram line.
• ScotRail offers £15m hope to troubled Bombardier plant STRUGGLING train builder Bombardier was given a boost yesterday when First ScotRail awarded the firm a £15 million maintenance and parts contract.

The Telegraph

• Airport staff offered scheme to help catch Ryanair passengers with excess baggageAirport staff are being offered a 50p bonus for every Ryanair passenger they catch with excess baggage.

Daily Express

• RAIL WORKS’ ANGER AT VILLIERS VISIT RAIL Minister Theresa Villiers was criticised yesterday for raising false hopes by visiting workers at a train factory while refusing to reopen bidding for a £1.5billion contract.
• Jaguar roars in ChinaPEOPLE in China and Russia are snapping up luxury cars, driving sales and profits at Jaguar Land Rover.

Mail Online

• Bounty hunters at the airport! Baggage staff get 50p bonus for each piece of Ryanair hand luggage that won't fitUnder the new scheme Servisair handlers for the low-cost airline at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, could earn an extra £5 a week, while offending customers are hit with a fine, often as high as £40.
• Passport checks 'were relaxed 2,500 times' ...and leaks show that private aircraft were ignoredThe revelations will increase pressure on Home Secretary Theresa May, who faces criticism today as former Border Agency boss Brodie Clark is questioned by MPs.
• Scrap rise in petrol duty: 100 MPs demand Osborne abandon planned 3p increaseIn a Commons debate, the MPs will tell the Chancellor the fuel duty rise scheduled for January will punish hard-working families. Dozens of Tory MPs are expected to defy the party whip.

The Mirror

• Rail minister raises hopes at Bombardier and dashes them with empty-handed visit EXCLUSIVE by Mark Ellis WORKERS’ hopes of saving jobs at Britain’s last trainmaker were dashed in a disappointing visit by Transport Minister Theresa Villiers yesterday.

Birmingham Mail

• Number 11 Outer Circle bus memories pour in to the Birmingham MailBIRMINGHAM may have been the city of a thousand trades but its Number 11 Outer Circle is the bus route of a thousand tales.

Birmingham Post

• Ministers attempt to head off HS2 rebellionMinisters will attempt to head off a rebellion against controversial plans for a new high speed rail line between London and Birmingham at a crunch meeting with MPs next week.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• North Wales MPs demand fairer deal on fuel pricesMPs from North Wales will tomorrow demand action over rocketing fuel prices – amid news some workers use a tenth of their income just to fill up the family car.

Derby Telegraph

• Minister in city to hold talks over future of train-maker BombardierTRANSPORT Minister Theresa Villiers will be in Derby today to talk to management, unions and city leaders about the future of city train-maker Bombardier.

Liverpool Echo

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport bag handler staff given bonuses to catch passengers with excess baggageSTAFF at Liverpool John Lennon Airport are being paid “bonuses” to catch passengers travelling with excess baggage.

London Evening Standard

• Bob Crow wins unopposed vote for union leadershipRail and Tube commuters were warned to expect more industrial unrest as Bob Crow was elected unopposed as leader of the transport workers' union RMT for the next five years
• Cameron faces revolt on fuel pricesDavid Cameron is facing a damaging Commons revolt by Tory MPs over rising fuel prices.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Chaos as Aberdeen Airport evacuatedABOUT 400 passengers were evacuated from Aberdeen Airport last night after a fire alarm was activated.

This Is Local London Network

• Another Thames crossing needed to ease Dartford congestion ANOTHER Thames crossing is necessary to ease congestion at Dartford, a Transport minister has said.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Evening safety call made for cyclistsCYCLISTS in Bretton have been warned to make sure they have proper lighting on their bikes as the nights continue to draw in.

Other Regional Press

• Delight at new rail proposals JUBILANT Wigan business leaders have welcomed a huge railway scheme which they say will transform the borough.
• Western Morning News commented Rail franchise system 'on the wrong track'Article
• Smart call to aid rail passengersTRAIN bosses have issued 800 staff with smartphones as part of a drive to keep passengers in the loop this winter.
• Damning report on Dorset school buses THE latest report on the school transport chaos reveals there are a number of drivers supplied by the main operator who have not been checked for criminal offences.

Global Rail News

• Continuing to invest in an ˜Intermodal Network™ will enable rail freight to accommodate UK container growthInvestment in the UK rail network to accommodate standard sized 9ft 6″ containers on more routes while also enabling additional intermodal freight trains to operate on ...
• South West Trains installs second hi-tech train listening deviceSouth West Trains has launched its second RailBAM® device at Mortlake near Richmond that can diagnose potential technical problems with trains, by listening to them as ...
• ScotRail extends support and supply contract with BombardierScotRail has awarded a three-year contract worth 17.7million Euro to Bombardier Transportation. The contract extends an existing agreement to 9 November 2014 and covers operational support ...
• Southern launch new Smartcard pilot: ˜the key™Under-Secretary of State for Transport, Norman Baker MP has launched Southern™s new Smartcard pilot, the key, which is taking place at stations between Brighton and Seaford. ...
• East Coast scoops double gong at Awards ceremonyTrain operator East Coast is celebrating after winning two prestigious awards at the North of England Excellence Awards 2011 “ Special Awards for Customer Service, and ...
• Brentwood Station Upgrade officially openedCouncillor Tracey Chapman, Cabinet Member for Highways & Transportation at Essex County Council has officially opened the newly upgraded Brentwood station. The station has been significantly ...
• Winter wonderplantWritten for the rail engineer Despite an unseasonably warm October, cold weather is on its way. And if the past two years are anything to go ...

Aviation Industry

• No-frills airline in seating trialEasyjet passengers on a select number of routes will be given an allocated seat, as part of a trial next year

Other News Sources

• Theresa Villiers signs death sentence for Bombardier Transport Minister Theresa Villiers was castigated by unions today after raising Bombardier workers' hopes of a reprieve - only to sound the death knell for the train builders.
• 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.
• Council approves NGT trolleybus bid'Important step' in getting early DfTdecision on scheme says Metro Chairman
• CAA Publishes More Information About Atol Reform PlansThe UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) is today publishing an Information Paper for industry about how proposed reforms to the ATOL scheme, which provides financial protection for holidaymakers, could be enacted by the regulator when they come into force next year.
• Reading train care depot goes to VolkerFitzpatrick in £36m dealVolkerFitzpatrick has been awarded the £36m Reading train care depot implementation works contract by Network Rail.
• Network Rail devolves O&M to route managersNetwork Rail today announced it had devolved the operation, maintenance and renewals of track infrastructure to 10 regional businesses aligned to strategic routes.

News from Europe

• Siim Kallas Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport Speech to the European Parliament prior to 1st reading vote on the railway recast EP PLENARY SESSION Strasbourg Siim Kallas Vice-President and Commissioner for Transport Speech to the European Parliament prior to 1st reading vote on the railway recast EP PLENARY SESSION Strasbourg