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

Wednesday, 11 January 2012

BBC News

• CAA calls for increased airport capacity The UK economy will suffer if airport capacity in the south-east of England is not increased, according to the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Welsh secretary chooses her words carefully on HS2 The secretary of state for Wales, Cheryl Gillan, has issued a brief and carefully-worded statement in response to the UK government's decision to go ahead with HS2:
• First minister queries tunnel costs in Welsh secretary's constituency The first minister has accused the UK government of "buying off" the support of the Welsh secretary over the planned High Speed Two (HS2) rail link.
• Airbus wings move 'no jobs risk'Aircraft-maker Airbus is switching part of its wing production to a firm in Korea but it says this will not hit jobs at its giant Flintshire plant.
• Row over rail link tunnel costsThe frst minister accuses the UK government of
• Concern over cuts to cycle cashEnvironmental campaigners call on the Scottish government to abandon plans to cut the amount it spends promoting cycling.
• VIDEO: Bus stop art arrives in LondonScreens are being installed on top of bus stops to make journeys around London a bit more interesting, but at a cost of £500,000.
• VIDEO: High-speed rail divides opinionGovernment approval of a high-speed rail network that will cut across west London and link to the West Midlands has divided opinion across the capital.
• Community opposes high-speed lineCommunities opposed to the high-speed rail line between London and Birmingham
• Brian Paddick makes fare pledgeA one-hour bus ticket, early bird fares and part-time travel cards are proposed by the Liberal Democrat mayoral candidate as ways to make fare prices in London fairer.
• High-speed rail line to go aheadA controversial new high-speed rail network - High Speed Two (HS2) - is given the go-ahead by the government despite strong opposition.
• US carmakers see boost from ChinaUS carmarkers General Motors and Ford report record sales in China for 2011, despite a slowdown in the market in that country.
• HS2 go-ahead sees mixed reactionPlans for a £33bn high-speed rail network - HS2 - receive a mixed reaction as they are approved by the government.
• Revenue warning hits Flybe sharesShares in budget airline Flybe fall more than 20% after it says it is unlikely to meet revenue targets for this year.
• Nissan-Renault alliance in recordThe Renault-Nissan partnership's global vehicle sales increased 10% last year to a record high.
• London Olympics bus passengers guided by Durham voice Emma Hignett was delighted when Transport for London decided her voice was, in her words, the "least likely to wind people up".

Department for Transport

• Britain to have new national high speed rail networkBritain will have a national high speed rail network providing vital new capacity and faster journeys across the country from 2026, Transport Secretary Justine Greening has announced.

Financial Times

• Greening hails decision ˜historic day™Project is under intense scrutiny from local interest groups affected by the route
• Doubts over value of HS2 rail projectCost-benefit ratio for route from London to Birmingham has dropped from a gain of £1.60 for every £1 invested a year ago to £1.40
• Business chiefs welcome green light for HS2Companies want no delay in starting project after transport secretary says it could be two years before MPs vote on plans
• First stage of HS2 rail link approvedStart of £32bn infrastructure project approved by coalition, paving way for work on high-speed line to begin in 2016
• Homeowners along route set to sufferGovernment estimates 338 homes will have to be demolished along high-speed line. Others claim that more than 800 houses will suffer
• Regulator adds thrust to airport capacity debateFor first time since coalition government in 2010 ruled out new London runways, CAA is making the case for more space
• JAL provides blueprint for others to followTwo years after filing for bankruptcy, the airline has reformed its operations, is in profit and appears on course for a re-listing this year
• Flybe plunges on fresh profit warningEurope™s largest regional airline blames weakness in UK travel market for ˜significant shortfall against our revenue expectations™
• Airlines ditch simple model for complexityEasyJet, the low-cost UK carrier, will begin assigned seating on flights but will back away from the trial should it damage turnround times

The Guardian

• High-speed rail: big ticket transport The question to ask is not whether HS2 project is necessary, but is it the right one for the country's 21st-century needs
• HS2 high-speed rail link gets green light and 'green' tunnelsBiggest boost to UK rail network since 1899 with key concessions on tunnels for London-Birmingham linkThe biggest leap forward in Britain's rail network since the 19th century was announced on Tuesday with a £32.7bn investment in high-speed rail linking London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds.The transport secretary, Justine Greening, said the HS2 high-speed rail scheme would build critical infrastructure, providing vital capacity and faster journeys on trains carrying up to 1,100 passengers each.The network, to be running by 2026 and completed by 2033, will almost halve some journey time...

The Herald

• New calls for high-speed rail link to run to Scotland SCOTTISH business leaders made renewed calls for a high-speed rail link to be extended to include Scotland after ministers approved construction of the route between London and Birmingham.

The Scotsman

• Brown raises rail scheme concerns Scottish transport minister Keith Brown has raised concerns that his country will not be considered in plans for a high-speed rail link with London for about 20 years.

The Telegraph

• High-speed rail: just 1.2 miles of railway in Chilterns will be above ground Just 1.2 miles of the new High Speed Rail line in the Chilterns will be above ground in an attempt to lessen the visual impact of the controversial project.
• High-speed rail link attacked by business groups The Coalition's go-ahead for a new £33bn high-speed rail network has split businesses and economists, with one economic group calling it a "grossly expensive mistake".
• Ken Livingstone: beware, fraudster operating on public transport Ken is terribly proud of his new newspaper ad calling Boris Johnson a “pickpocket” for raising fares. Once again the poor man has, I fear, scored an own goal: one of the key reasons he’s flopping so badly is that people see him as negative and nasty.
• More than half high speed rail line to be hiddenMore than half the planned £16billion high speed rail line from London to Birmingham will be buried in tunnels or sunk in deep cuttings as the Coalition attempts to appease critics of the project.

Reuters News

• High speed rail network gets green lightLONDON (Reuters) - Britain gave the green light on Tuesday for a 32.7 billion pound high-speed rail network linking London, Birmingham and cities further north, delighting business groups but angering opponents along its route who say it is unneeded and will scar some of the country's prettiest countryside.

Network Rail

• LONDON RAIL INDUSTRY UNITES TO LAUNCH 18-MONTH WORK PLACEMENT SCHEME

Belfast Telegraph

• Aircraft seat builder takes flight againB/e Aerospace has a large fabrication facility in Kilkeel, Co Down making internal seats and other furnishings for a large range of passenger aircraft for some of the best known airlines across the globe.Related StoriesLunch isn't for wimps: Cloth Ear, Waring Street, BelfastMy inspiration: Geoff CameronGrowth of financial hedonismWhy we're all popping down to pop-up shopsFormer billionaire Sean Quinn loses bankruptcy case
• Volkswagen overtakes Toyota in vehicle sales German car giant Volkswagen said that it saw sales of more than 8m vehicles last year, putting it ahead of Japan's Toyota. Related StoriesLunch isn't for wimps: Cloth Ear, Waring Street, BelfastMy inspiration: Geoff CameronGrowth of financial hedonismWhy we're all popping down to pop-up shopsFormer billionaire Sean Quinn loses bankruptcy case

Birmingham Mail

• Vote: Public reactions to HS2 high speed rail link go-aheadTODAY’S go-ahead for the HS2 high speed rail link may have had the thumbs up from Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Business Birmingham, but public reaction online has been far more mixed.
• Pictures: Sutton Coldfield office workers could get own railwayWHILE many offices can boast great town centre locations and comfortable working environments, not many have their very own disused RAILWAY LINE.
• High speed Birmingham to London rail link HS2 given go-ahead by GovernmentThe Government signalled the go-ahead today for the £32 billion HS2 high-speed rail project that will drastically reduce journey times between London and Birmingham.

Birmingham Post

• HS2 rail will bring huge benefits to Birmingham, says council leader WhitbyThe historic decision to build a new national rail network with Birmingham at its heart will give the city the biggest economic boost it has enjoyed “for generations”, council leader Mike Whitby has declared.

Derby Telegraph

• Julie_Bayley commented High-speed rail network gets the go-aheadArticle

Liverpool Post

• Former cabinet minister Lord Adonis warns about catastrophic delay in vote on high speed trainsA TWO-YEAR wait before MPs vote on a high-speed rail line to the edge of Liverpool will be

London Evening Standard

• High speed train tunnel in LondonNearly three miles of extra tunnelling under London and thousands of new jobs were pledged to buy off protesters as the High Speed Rail line to Birmingham finally got the go-ahead

Manchester Evening News

• Video: £32bn scheme to bring high-speed rail to Manchester six years earlySuper-fast bullet trains will start arriving in Manchester six years early under a government pledge to put the city at the heart of its £32bn high-speed rail plans. Transport Secretary Justine Greening today gave a green-light for the first section of the route between London and Birmingham to open in 2026 - and a Y-shaped extension of the network to Manchester and Leeds in 2032.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• HS2: Go ahead for high speed rail routeThe Government signalled the go-ahead today for the £32 billion HS2 high-speed rail project that will drastically reduce journey times between major UK cities.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2: MP Cheryl Gillan's future under scrutiny MP CHERYL Gillan’s future will be in the spotlight this week as the Government announced its intention to proceed with the controversial HS2 plan today.

Daventry Express

• Approval for High Speed Rail line to cut through Daventry areaTHE controversial High Speed 2 (HS2) rail link between London and Birmingham, passing through the Daventry area, has been given the go ahead by the Government.

Other Regional Press

• A rip-off on the busesOn Wednesday, January 4, I needed to go into Leicester. To avoid taking my car into the city centre, I parked in Toller Road, Stoneygate, intending to get a return ticket to De Montfort Street, which I have done on many previous occasions.
• CAA on airport plans Speculation surrounding an airport in the Thames Esutary has increased, after the aviation regulator warned new runways need to be built in the South East to increase capacity.
• Open letter to Gazette readers from Transport Secretary Justine Greening Good government is about acting in the long-term national interest. Its about taking decisions to improve peoples quality of life and the countrys economic prospects, not just for the next four or five years, but for the next four or five decades. Thats precisely why I have now given the go ahead to HS2 a national high speed rail network.
• 'We need more runways'The Civil Aviation Authority has warned improvements to Manston airport will not be enough to satisfy the south east's demand for air travel.
• Plan to let smokers light up beyond security at Aberdeen AirportSMOKERS waiting to fly out of Aberdeen Airport could be allowed to light up outside in a bid to stop people setting off fire alarms.

Global Rail News

• Richard Parry joins FirstGroup™s rail bid teamFirstGroup has appointed Richard Parry to its rail bid team. Richard joins FirstGroup from Transport for London (TfL) where he worked for 19 years in a range of senior roles, most recently as Deputy Managing Director and Director of Strategy and Commercial for TfL™s London Underground and Rail divisions. Richard has an ‘outstanding record of [...]
• Crossrail project to be discussed at annual Hopley lectureThe South Midlands Mining & Minerals Institute and the Minerals Engineering Society will be hosting their prestigious annual Hopley lecture on 19th January at the Willesley Park Golf Club, Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire at 7-7.30pm. The keynote speaker will be Charles Devereux, Head of Rail Operations for Crossrail, who will talk about the history, [...]
• O2 wins Network Rail contractO2 has announced that it has won a contract to work with Network Rail to refresh the whole of the company™s current Cisco switch and router estate across 450 sites, including four data centres in the UK. The three year contract with O2 Unify is ‘worth several million pounds’. In addition, O2 Unify has been [...]
• Scotland™s Transport Minister confirms rail line commitmentTransport Minister Keith Brown has repeated his assurances over the future of the Stranraer railway line. The Minister confirmed that a Task Force formed to discuss how best to develop the Stranraer waterfront and led by Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil will meet later this month. He reiterated the Scottish Government™s [...]
• High Speed Two rail line gets go-aheadHigh Speed Two (HS2), the proposed high speed rail line linking London and Birmingham, has been approved by the government. Transport Secretary Justine Greening said the first phase of the project could be complete by 2026. The entire project is set to cost £32.7bn and ‘will generate benefits of up to £47 billion and fare [...]
• Train companies respond to decision on HS2In response to the decision on High Speed 2, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said: œHS2 is a vote of confidence in the railways and recognition of the vital role the industry has to play in supporting jobs and driving sustainable economic growth. œHS2 would help to alleviate [...]
• Crossrail launches competition to name giant tunnelling machinesCrossrail has launched a competition seeking names for six of the giant tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will construct the major new rail tunnels under London. Londoners and people living along the Crossrail route are being asked to propose pairs of names for the machines. The winning entries will be painted onto the tunnel boring [...]
• Thello begins operations between Paris & VeniceFrance™s first open-access passenger train left Paris on 11 December, arriving in Venice the next day. Created by a joint venture between Trenitalia and Veolia-Transdev, Thello will take over the regularly scheduled service over the Paris-Venice route, operated until present by Artesia “ a joint subsidiary of SNCF and Trenitalia. The two companies announced in [...]
• Network Rail appoints consultant for Pallasades leasingNetwork Rail and Birmingham City Council have appointed Keith Stone, of Keystone Retail Property, as a consultant to lead the leasing of the Pallasades shopping centre, which is being significantly upgraded and remodelled as part of the major redevelopment of Birmingham New Street station. The reconfigured Pallasades shopping centre will consist of 150,000 sq ft [...]
• Long Eaton station to benefit from access improvementsPassengers at Long Eaton station are to benefit from improved access after Network Rail completes improvements. The work, which is being funded through the Department for Transport™s Access for All scheme, involves installing two new lifts to give step-free access to both platforms. To facilitate the work Erewash Borough Council has sold Network Rail a [...]
• ATOC responds to Ed Miliband™s comments on rail faresIn his speech today Ed Miliband MP, leader of the Labour Party, commented on the increase in rail fares: “This month, some are going up by as much as 11%. Next year and the year after, some are going to go up by as much as 13%. “Some train companies have jacked up prices so much that [...]
• First TransPennine Express updates mobile ticketing appFirst TransPennine Express (FTPE) has updated its mobile app so that customers travelling to and from Manchester Airport can use their phone as a ticket. FTPE introduced a mobile app in October last year that allowed customers to purchase tickets and plan their journeys. This app has now been updated to allow customers purchasing Airport [...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• Bostik-Adhesive and Sealant Solutions for the Rolling Stock Industry Bostik, a wholly owned subsidiary of Total, is a leading solution provider in innovative bonding and sealing solutions for transportation that enable its customers to differentiate their rail vehicles by bringing them to a technically higher level.

Railnews

• High Speed Two plans get broad welcome There has been a welcome in many quarters for the High Speed 2 plans announced by transport secretary Justine Greening today, but anti-HS2 campaigners are vowing to continue their opposition to the £32 billion project, which will eventually link London with Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds with trains travelling at up to 400km/h.

Railway Gazette

• Government to go ahead with High Speed 2 plansUK: In a statement released on January 10, Secretary of State for Transport Justine Greening confirmed that the government would press on with the first phase of the planned 540 route-km High Speed 2 following an extensive public consultation. Noting that this was ˜one of the largest national consultations ever undertaken by the Department for Transport™, Greening said that 54 909 responses were received, and added that the project ˜generates strong feeling both for and against™. Costed at £17bn, HS2 Phase I envisages around 190 km of new line between London, Birmingham and the West Coast Main...

Aviation Industry

• Air fares set to rise by up to 5% due to ETSStudy predicts increased fares for business travellers as carriers pass on extra costs
• UK set to lose out on air routes to emerging countries CAA calls for new runways in south-east to compete with European hubs

Other News Sources

• Herefordshire business news: Chamber welcomes HS2 HIGH speed 2 (HS2) has been welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce in Herefordshire.
• Government green lights £32.7bn High Speed 2Transport Secretary Justine Greening has given the go-ahead to build the controversial High Speed 2 rail network, a project expected to cost £32.7 billion.
• Green light for London-Birmingham high speed rail link Government announces plans for project to be completed by 2026