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

Tuesday, 20 December 2011

BBC News

• Deregulation fails to bring competition to bus market A lack of competition in the UK's local bus market means poorer services and higher fares for passengers, according to the Competition Commission (CC).
• Rail fares to rise by 5.9% from January Train fares will rise by an average of 5.9% in January 2012, the Association of Train Operating Companies has said.
• ScotRail increases fares by 6% from January Rail passengers in Scotland will face fare increases of 6% from January.
• New Routemaster bus breaks downThe new prototype London Routemaster bus is forced to stop on the M1 after running out of fuel, just days after being formally unveiled.
• Legal challenge over Tube strikeLondon Underground begins a legal challenge to prevent a strike by drivers on Boxing Day.
• Cable thieves may have posed as rail staff A series of cable thefts in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire may have been carried out by thieves posing as rail staff, police have said.

Financial Times

• Qantas in pay deal with engineers™ unionAgreement for a 3 per cent pay rise over three years moves the Australian airline a step closer to winding up a series of crippling industrial disputes
• Etihad takes 29% stake in Air BerlinGroup seeking to build ties to enable it to compete with Gulf rivals enters into code-sharing partnership with second-biggest German carrier
• Greening warns Network Rail over bonusesThe transport secretary directed her comments at senior executives after the regulator said the infrastructure owner had missed punctuality targets
• Maersk chief calls for shipping consolidationSurprise departure of the executive who shaped strategy of the world™s largest container shipping line increases uncertainty in the sector
• US threat against‰EU over green levy on airlinesUS threatens retaliatory action against EU unless Brussels drops plan to start charging any airline flying into bloc for carbon pollution
• Gatwick airport attracts Asian airlinesKorea™s flag-carrier sets its sight on a thrice-weekly flight schedule between Seoul and the UK™s second-biggest airport by passenger numbers

The Herald

• Late Network Rail breaches its licence PROBLEMS with poor punctuality on long-distance train services are unlikely to be resolved by next year, Britain's rail regulator has found.

The Telegraph

• Motorists face motorway premium on food Motorists are facing huge markups for food at motorway service areas around the country research has found.
• Fresh bonus row after regulator slates Network Rail for poor punctuality Network Rail’s poor performance triggered a fresh row over the executive bonus scheme with Justine Greening, the Transport Secretary, saying that payouts next year would be unjustified.

Press Association

• Wheels turning on better bus deals Measures to give bus passengers a better deal are to be be outlined by competition chiefs. In provisional findings in its investigation into the UK local bus market, the Competition Commission (CC) found that in many areas the largest bus operators faced little or no competition.

Daily Express

• CASH LIFELINE FOR 600 JOBLESS BOMBARDIER WORKERS A HARDSHIP fund was launched yesterday for workers who lost their jobs when a £1.5billion contract was awarded to the German rival of Britain’s last trainmaker.

Mail Online

• Boris bus hits the streets Friday¿ and breaks down Monday (and they¿re not even in service yet!)The stricken double-decker was spotted coming to a standstill because of a flat battery on the M1 near Dunstable today.

ATOC

• Six point plan for saving money on train faresMany train fares will be rising from January 2012,...

Network Rail

• MAJOR CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE ON KING'S CROSS WESTERN CONCOURSE

Birmingham Mail

• Fresh hope for Aston Transport Museum as negotiations for new premises beginA HISTORIC transport museum forced from its long-standing home by council chiefs has been given fresh hope that it could reopen within months.
• Birmingham Aiport reveals seized stash of iPhones, Nike trainers, Rolex watches, illegal dvds and cannabis plantsBirmingham Airport's UK Border Agency officers showed off an Aladdin’s cave full of counterfeit goods seized in recent weeks including iPhones, Ugg boots, Nike trainers, Dr Dre headphones, Rolex watches and clothing from all the major fashion houses.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Railway station sign unveiled at CorwenA RECREATION of a station sign has been unveiled to herald a town’s link-up with an historic rail line.
• Wrexham council spends nearly £17 on improving transport this yearA COUNCIL will have spent nearly £17m on improving a county’s transport network by the end of the financial year.
• Train hits lorry on rail lineA train has collided with a lorry at a level crossing in Carmarthenshire, police have confirmed.

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyrail criticised after staff ’ignore’ poorly diabetic man at city centre train stationA DIABETIC man claimed he was left fighting for his life after being ignored by Merseyrail staff when he collapsed at James Street station in Liverpool.

Manchester Evening News

• True grit: Online map shows if gritting trucks have been down your street in TraffordTrafford council has launched a live interactive map showing the locations of gritting trucks in the borough, and showing the route they have taken as they travel around depositing rock salt on the roads.

Metro

• New 'Boris bus' unveiled by London mayor - and then runs out of fuelBoris Johnson unveiled the new Routemaster bus on Friday but already it has been left stranded on a motorway after running out of diesel.

The York Press

• Bus fares set to rise by up to 10% BUS fares are set to rise by up to 10 per cent in York after two of the city™s biggest operators announced increases.

Other Regional Press

• Anne Main calls for action over 'poor performance' "POOR performance" displayed by Network Rail has been highlighted by St Albans MP Anne Main, after the company was issued with two enforcement notices for failures on its routes.
• M62 roadworks will not be lifted for big Christmas getawayROADWORKS on the M62 near Huddersfield will not be lifted for Christmas.

Global Rail News

• Crossrail awards contract to ship excavated material to Wallasea IslandCrossrail has awarded the contract to ship excavated material arising from Crossrail™s construction to Wallasea Island, Essex to create a new RSPB nature reserve. The contract ...
• Rail passengers to benefit from ˜easier journeys™ during disruptionTrain operators today announced a new package of measures to help make journeys easier for passengers during times of disruption. The new initiative, which builds upon ...
• TramForward welcomes approval of Nottingham tram extensionTramLink has welcomed the final Government funding approval for the constructions of its two new tram lines, which will extend the tram system to Chilwell via ...
• Train companies respond to National Audit Office report on reducing DfT costsResponding to the National Audit Office report on reducing Department for Transport costs, an ATOC spokesperson said: œThe government announced last month that regulated fares across ...
• British Transport Police calls for volunteers in LondonBritish Transport Police (BTP) is on the look out for ‘public spirited’ Londoners to donate their time and support BTP in their area as part of ...
• Passenger Focus responds to rail industry™s Initial Industry PlanPassenger Focus has welcomed the rail industry™s Initial Industry Plan (IIP) for England and Wales in Control Period 5, 2014-19, and is supportive of what IIP ...
• First TransPennine Express appoints new Managing DirectorFirst TransPennine Express (FTPE) has appointed Nick Donovan as the company’s new Managing Director. Nick, 48, succeeds Vernon Barker OBE who was appointed as Managing Director ...
• Southeastern™s high speed service continues to growLast week marked the second anniversary of the start of Southeastern’s high speed services with passenger numbers continuing to grow. In the second year of operation ...

Aviation Industry

• Etihad takes largest stake in Air BerlinGerman airline will launch flights from Berlin to Abu Dhabi from January
• Kingfisher™s Oneworld launch date confirmedFebruary will see Oneworld become the first airline alliance to officially welcome an Indian airline
• Heathrow set for bumper yearBAA expects airport to see record passenger numbers despite recent slowdown
• Landmark green move for Thai AirwaysThai Airways is to become the first Asian carrier to operate a flight using biofuel

Green Miscellany

• Electric mopeds trump cars and motorcycles Mopeds are rarely thought of as anything other than a stepping stone towards car ownership for teenagers or a death-defying way of delivering a pizza before it gets cold, but an appetite for good-looking electric vehicles that can be bought today and won™t break the bank is breathing life into the low-powered, two wheeler market.read more
• Bicycle PA system lets your voice be heard There is a company based in Kent that sells American ex-police cars, complete with full livery, flashing lights and a broadcast PA system that allow the driver to broadcast their voice extremely loudly outside the car.read more

Other News Sources

• Wightlink Ferry Strike Under Review According to the general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport group, Bob Crow, the strikes that had been set to cripple Wightlink ferry services over the Christmas holiday have been canceled. This news was announced after a meeting with union members at Fratton’s Railway Club last week. The union leader said that he will advise a reconsideration over the industrial action. This strike would have affected Christmas Eve and Boxing day.
• National Express Sees Full-Year Profit In Line With Prior View - Quick Facts National Express Group Plc (NEX.L: News ), in its pre-close trading update, announced that the trading across the Group remains strong and full-year profit is expected to be in line with the board's earlier expectations.
• Network Rail 'cuts carbon emissions' by transporting furniture using trains Network Rail is aiming to make its operations more eco-friendly by transporting furniture for its new national centre in Milton Keynes from Europe by rail.
• Government must get a grip on performance on Britain’s railways and make Network Rail more accountable - Maria EagleMaria Eagle MP, Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to the ruling from the Office of Rail Regulator (ORR) that Network Rail is now in breach of its licence due to deteriorating performance, said:
• Waterwise Technology lands Heathrow Airport contract Waterwise Technology (WT) has secured a major contract to supply all water equipment to the new BAA Terminal 2 (T2) at Heathrow Airport.