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

Saturday, 31 March 2012

BBC News

• Many women 'feel unsafe on London transport' - YouGov More than a quarter of women do not feel safe using London public transport even in the day, a survey suggests.
• Many women 'feel unsafe on London transport' - YouGov More than a quarter of women do not feel safe using London public transport even in the day, a survey suggests.
• Scotland's transport: Bus bother and plane speaking Two big decisions about Scottish transport in two days. One is at the cheaper end, with cutbacks in bus services. The other is at the premium end that connects to the world.
• Heavy vehicles ban on M4 near Heathrow due to cracks Coaches, lorries and large vans have been banned from using a stretch of the M4 in west London after hairline cracks were discovered on a raised section.
• New rail station 'may open soon'Design work is expected to start soon on a new railway station for Conon Bridge in Ross-shire.
• 'Enough fuel' at Scottish pumpsThe Scottish government says Scotland has enough fuel to meet demand despite a slight increase in sales at petrol stations.
• Fuel strike over Easter ruled outAn Easter strike by tanker drivers is ruled out by Unite, after fears of shortages caused queues.
• Minister rules out language signsTransport Minister Danny Kennedy decides not to add Ulster Scots and Irish to some road signs in Northern Ireland.
• Fuel driver hours rules relaxedRules on fuel tanker drivers' hours on the road are temporarily relaxed to help transport supplies into filling stations, as Unite says there will not be a drivers' strike before Easter.
• BA-owner cleared for BMI purchaseThe owner of British Airways and Iberia, IAG, receives approval for the takeover of BMI in return for giving up landing slots at Heathrow.

The Guardian

• IAG's chief celebrates bmi takeover with dig at Richard Branson £172.5m acquisition by British Airways parent company consolidates airline's leading position at Heathrow airport
• David Cameron seeks to reassure motorists that fuel will not run outPM steps in as woman suffers burns decanting petrol in her kitchen after government earlier told motorists to stockpile fuelDavid Cameron sought to reassure motorists that petrol supplies will not run out after a serious fire involving a woman decanting petrol in her kitchen cast doubt on the government's decision to encourage stockpiling.Diane Hill, 46, was in a critical but stable condition in hospital with 40% burns after pouring petrol from a jerry can into a jug in her kitchen in York because her daughter needed fuel for her car.The accident happened on Thursday night, a day after Franci...

The Herald

• City councils hit out at bus funding cutsTRANSPORT Minister Keith Brown is facing a revolt from Edinburgh and Glasgow councillors over changes to bus funding which they say will have a disproportionate effect on passengers in urban areas.
• Maude condemned over fuel storage advice to motoristsFRANCIS Maude was censured by fire brigade chiefs and motoring organisations last night for suggesting that drivers should start hoarding petrol at home or in their vehicles in the face of a possible tanker drivers' strike.
• BMI takeover wins regulator approvalBRITISH Airways' parent company has been given the go-ahead to purchase rival airline BMI from Lufthansa after European regulators set conditions on the controversial deal.

The Independent

• Maude quit call over tanker drivers' strike as woman suffers burns After a day of recriminations, criticisms, calls for resignations and a tragedy in York, the row over the strike that hasn't yet been declared showed no sign of abating.Related StoriesAA accuses drivers of 'stupid' fuel actionsEnergy suppliers turned off by 'Big Switch' schemeThe Shard draws itself up to its full heightThe moment the fuel crisis got seriousSociety's shame: The five-year-old girl forced into marriage
• Petrol farce turns to tragedy A senior cabinet minister who urged drivers to stock fuel in jerry cans faced calls to resign last night after a mother of two children set herself alight as she decanted petrol in her kitchen.Related StoriesProtester brands Galloway a

The Telegraph

• Buses to provide good return for investment The bus is too often the unsung mode of transport when it comes to the contribution it can make towards financial recovery. As we struggle to come out of the economic doldrums, buses have a vital role to play in getting people to work and delivering shoppers to the high street
• Buses to provide good return for investment The bus is too often the unsung mode of transport when it comes to the contribution it can make towards financial recovery. As we struggle to come out of the economic doldrums, buses have a vital role to play in getting people to work and delivering shoppers to the high street
• British Airways eyes Asian routes after owner IAG given green light to buy bmi International Airlines Group plans to use some of the 42 extra Heathrow slots gained from its takeover of bmi to increase British Airways' exposure to Asia, after the deal was approved by the European Commission.

Belfast Telegraph

• Plugging into the future with first electric car rechargers Danny Kennedy and Alex Attwood took a spin round Belfast city centre recently — not in any old car, but a state-of-the-art battery-powered version.

Sheffield Star

• Busy bus route going greenA GREEN fleet of hybrid electric vehicles is being introduced on one of Sheffield’s busiest bus routes.

Yorkshire Post

• Resort rail link ˜too expensive™ to restoreA MOVE to reopen a rail line in an attempt to create new transport links for Whitby has been stone-walled by councillors who have claimed the move would be too expensive.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Realtime award for air traffic control excellenceNORTHROP Grumman Airport Systems has come away from the ATC Global 2012 exhibition and conference in Amsterdam with a top industry award.

Other Regional Press

• 107 city FLIGHTS HIT BY LASER MANIACS Thugs put 1000s at risk Laser maniacs target city jetsTHOUSANDS of lives have been put at risk by thugs shining laser pens into the eyes of pilots as they land at Glasgow Airport.
• 25m passengers... Central Station is top of the stopsGLASGOW Central has retained its crown as Scotland™s best used railway station, figures show.
• Blame bus fare rises on Downing StreetTHE Chancellor, a hike in fuel duty and Westminster budget cuts are to blame for rising bus fares in Glasgow, according to the Transport minister.
• Aberdeen bus drivers in strike plan over shifts shake-upBUS drivers in Aberdeen could strike within weeks after a call from drivers for a legal ballot on industrial action.

Global Rail News

• Waterloo named Britain™s busiest rail stationWaterloo has been named as the busiest station in Great Britain by the Office of Rail Regulation. Station usage statistics for April 2010 – March 2011 estimate that there were 91,750,382 entries and exits made by passengers at Waterloo station – an increase of 6.2% (over 5 million more passenger entries and exits) compared with [...]
• Work to build Beccles rail loop underwayWork has started to build a passing loop which will enable future hourly services to run between Ipswich and Lowestoft. Currently, train services between Ipswich and Lowestoft run every two hours. There is a single track between Halesworth and Oulton Broad, meaning that trains cannot pass each other for more than 16 miles. The £4m [...]
• We ask the rail safety experts¦ Part 5In preparation for this year™s Rail Safety Summit, we sat down with leading figures from the rail safety industry and asked them a series of pressing questions about safety practices within the rail industry. Today™s question is: How could the devolution of Network Rail into route responsible management improve both safety culture and performance? Answers: [...]
• Siemens apprentice winsSiemens apprentice, Adam France, has won the ˜Against All Odds™ award at the inaugural Leeds Apprenticeships Awards. The awards, organised by Leeds City Council in partnership with the National Apprenticeships Service, recognise apprentices across the city. Says Adam™s manager, Richard Durham, ˜We are delighted for Adam and believe he has a bright future ahead in [...]
• Bombardier wins train order from Deutsche BahnBombardier has been awarded a contract to supply 16 of its TWINDEXX Vario multiple units to Deutsche Bahn. The order is valued at approximately €160 million and is part of a framework agreement between Bombardier and DB AG from December 2008. The new trains will operate on the Kiel-Hamburg and Flensburg-Hamburg railway lines. DB AG [...]
• Young Railway Professionals mentor students at iRailOn Thursday 15th March, ten Ambassadors from the Young Railway Professionals took part in iRail 2012 at the historic Derby Roundhouse, one of the earliest centres of Railway Engineering and now converted to a state-of-the-art college campus. iRail is an event which was founded by the Derby Railway Engineering Society, with the aim of attracting [...]

Aviation Industry

• The Losses Keep Mounting At American AirlinesThe parent company of American Airlines told a bankruptcy court that it lost $619 million last month as revenue declined from January and failed to offset costs including fuel and labor.
• IAG gets green light to buy BmiEuropean competion authorities approve £172.5 million deal despite Virgin protests

Green Miscellany

• Specialized turbo electric bicycle One of the world™s biggest bicycle brands has launched what it claims is an entirely new category of eBike: a speed-focused, high-tech urban bike that just happens to have an electric motor.read more
• Britain has world™s most expensive parking It will come as little surprise to London motorists that the city has once again topped a league table of the world™s most expensive places to park.read more
• Road user charging needed for better roads Most people want a strategic road network that is safe, reliable, high quality and with traffic that flows freely – and the ETA believes the best way of achieving it is to directly charge the driver for each mile used. read more