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

Thursday, 08 March 2012

BBC News

• Railways: Government to announce cost cut plans The government is set to outline how it plans to save billions of pounds from spending on the railways. It follows a review by former civil servant Sir Roy McNulty last year which recommended that running costs should be cut by a third to bring them into line with other European networks.
• Minister to attend cycle summitTransport Minister Keith Brown is set to discuss what further steps can be taken to protect cyclists on Scotland's roads.
• Pair admit £46,000 bike hire scamTwo fraudsters admit swindling £46,000 from the London cycle hire scheme.
• Lufthansa pushed into loss by BMIGerman airline Lufthansa reports an annual loss of 13m euros as a result of losses and disposal costs at its BMI subsidiary.

Department for Transport

• New cycle routes, racks and repair centres get England movingCyclists and walkers across the UK are on track to benefit from thousands of new cycle spaces and routes from the middle of this year, Transport Minister Norman Baker has announced.

Financial Times

• Risks to Londoners from Heathrow already unacceptable Sir, It is timely to remind our government why all the political parties opposed a third Heathrow runway at the last general election. It would generate entirely new take-off and landing flight paths over London. Why? Solely to serve as a short-haul runway feeding passengers into even larger long-haul aircraft on the existing flight paths, with all the consequent increase in noise, pollution and crash risk.
• Funding for HS2 drives rail cuts Plans to cut the cost of running the railways, due to be unveiled by the government on Thursday, are driven more by concern over the funds needed to build the proposed high-speed rail line between London and the north rather than an attempt to bring fares under control, according to the main industry regulator.

The Guardian

• The right place for a hub airport Heathrow is a problem (Thousands of jobs at risk if third runway is blocked, warn lobbyists , 6 March) because it's successful – if not, it would hardly be working at 99% capacity.
• Rail industry reform could prompt higher peak rail fares and station closures Transport secretary Justine Greening to review rail fares in official response to McNulty rail industry report

The Herald

• 'No bus routes to be axed'FIRST Group has said it will not cut any bus routes in the capital after a ruling by the Competition Commission gave the company only weeks to respond to the chaos caused by tram works on Princes Street.
• Subway staff strike threat over reformsGLASGOW'S Subway staff are pushing for strike action over modernisation plans which they say will erode pay and lead to the service being privatised.
• Cycling safety summit to be heldA CYCLE safety summit aims to identify measures needed to prevent more deaths on Scotland's roads.

The Scotsman

• Transport Minister to hold road safety talks after cyclist death KEITH Brown, the Transport Minister, is to hold road safety talks following the death of a cyclist in Edinburgh.
• Classic Scottish trains are stars of new collector stampsPOST will be delivered by rail as historic Scottish steam trains feature in the latest batch of collector stamps issued by Royal Mail.

The Telegraph

• Honda designs car without steering wheelHonda has unveiled a

Press Association

• Train fares rise 'a huge mistake' Raising train fares to solve the rail industry's problems would be a "huge mistake", a transport union leader has warned.
• Transport plan 'means job cuts' The Government is to publish a "rail command paper" which transport unions believe will lead to fare rises and the loss of thousands of jobs.

Mail Online

• Commuters face paying even more for rail fares during peak time Commuters travelling at the busiest times face paying super-peak fares in the biggest rail shake-up for a decade.

The Mirror

• Hundreds of booking offices and 12,000 train jobs under threat, unions fear Union leaders warned of industrial action as part of a ’national campaign of resistance’ to fight ’the biggest threat to the rail industry since privatisation’
• "Crushed by cruel levels of tax": Motorists lobby Parliament to demand action against record petrol pricesThe demonstration was organised by FairFuelUK campaigners after a litre of petrol hit 137.79p, with diesel at an all-time high of 144.92p

Network Rail

• MORE RAIL APPRENTICES NEEDED FOR WESTERN ELECTRIFICATION

Birmingham Mail

• New pedestrian link planned between New Street and Moor Street rail stationsONE OF Birmingham’s leading architects has been appointed to design a new link between New Street and Moor Street railway stations and the future high speed rail hub.

Metro

• Raising train fares is a 'huge mistake', say unionsRaising train fares in an effort to solve the rail industry™s problems would be a ˜huge mistake™, unions have claimed.
• 'Boris bike' fraudsters admit stealing £46,000 from cycle hire schemeTwo fraudsters have admitted swindling £46,000 from the 'Boris Bike' scheme by paying dozens of bogus refunds to their friends.

Other Regional Press

• ˜Fishmarket is ˜not the only option™ for Northampton bus interchange claim opposition politiciansOPPOSITION politicians have appealed for Northampton Borough Council to consider alternative options to moving the bus station to the Fishmarket.
• MP helps restore bus link for north Warwickhire villagersVILLAGERS in North Warwickshire have had a vital bus service restored.
• Footpath problems™ no spokeCOUNCILLORS took to their bikes to see which footpaths are dangerous for cyclists and pedestrians.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Change is in the air for train fares and rail policy6 March: The new Government policy paper on the railways is anticipated this week, and the start of a public consultation on rail fares is expected to follow shortly. Don™t miss this opportunity to have your voice heard. read more

Global Rail News

• Expectations of rail industry ˜alliances™ set outThe Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has set out its regulatory expectations of future agreements between rail industry ‘alliances’. Network Rail and train operators are developing plans to form alliances with the aim of ‘delivering a better service for passengers at a lower cost’. The ORR said it will ‘ensure that alliances do not disadvantage [...]
• Frodsham makeoverThe station master™s house at Frodsham in Cheshire is to be restored following agreement with the local council. The Grade II listed building dates back to 1850. Inside all the rotten woodwork will be removed and the flooring renewed. The roof will be renewed and the original Welsh slates relaid. The work will be done [...]
• New trams for CentroThe next generation of Centro™s tram fleet looks like its being built in Spain. CAF has been chosen as preferred bidder for the Midland Metro™s new fleet. The new fleet of 25 Urbos 3 trams, costing approximately £40 million, will replace the current 16-strong fleet. Extra capacity will be needed to accommodate expected growth once [...]
• Cost effective Desktop Signal Sighting to Driver Briefing and beyondWritten by Simon Gardiner, MD Gioconda Desktop signal sighting was last covered in The Rail Engineer in issue 77 (March 2011). Since then, specialist developer and supplier Gioconda has continued to develop its desktop signal sighting processes and the tools that support them. Furthermore, a positive advance by the industry seems to be the acceptance [...]
• Design work starts on rail link in BirminghamCentro has said that plans are being ‘drawn up’ to make it ‘easier, quicker and more pleasant’ to travel between two of Birmingham’s key rail stations and its future high speed rail hub in Eastside. Centro has appointed city architects Glenn Howells Architects (GHA) to develop detailed proposals for a ‘high quality link’ between Eastside, [...]

Aviation Industry

• Chancellor urged to reconsider APD riseABTA writes to Osborne to ask for rethink on eight per cent duty increase
• ITB 2012: Air Berlin boss - high hopes despite high taxesCarrier expects to benefit from new airport and Oneworld entry but warns on taxes
• Kingfisher Airlines suspended from IATA clearing houseCarrier claims flights will not be affected by move and suspension is temporary

Other News Sources

• RMT warns of 'return of Railtrack' as Government prepares to unleash railways planON THE EVE of the expected publication of a Government Command Paper on their future plans for rail, RMT has warned that Ministers are preparing to wind back the clock to the days of the Hatfield and Potters Bar disasters and bring in private ownership of rail infrastructure for the first time since the collapse of Railtrack.
• No justification for Tube strikes says Assembly 7 March, 2012 - 14:20 London Assembly Members today put pressure on trade unions to withdraw the threat of industrial action on the Tube over pay. Members agreed an amended motion that expresses disappointment with the Mayor™s failure to reach a ˜no-strike™ deal, and urges him to resolve any differences with the unions through direct negotiation, rather than through confrontation in the media. Richard Tracey AM, who proposed the original motion, said: 360-house-thumb.jpg ...
• Failure to build third Heathrow terminal will cost £8.5bn a yearGovernment failure to green light a third runway at Heathrow will cost 141,000 jobs and £8.5 billion a year, according to a report.