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

Wednesday, 04 April 2012

BBC News

• Lincolnshire groups urged to share transport Community groups in Lincolnshire which have their own transport are being asked to share it with other not-for-profit organisations.
• Legal fight over high-speed railA group campaigning against the £33bn HS2 rail scheme from London to Birmingham confirms two court bids to halt the project, over environmental and consultation issues.
• Raleigh bikes in takeover talksBike firm Raleigh, which has been making cycles for 125 years, is in takeover talks, it emerges.

The Guardian

• 'Polluter pays' is the only principle that can limit aviation emissions We cannot accept threats of all kinds of trouble just because a small price has to be paid for the pollution caused by travel
• 'Polluter pays' is the only principle that can limit aviation emissions We cannot accept threats of all kinds of trouble just because a small price has to be paid for the pollution caused by travel
• Google adds live London Underground updates to Maps Google has added real-time London Underground service alerts to its Maps tool in a move that is hoped to ease travel chaos during the Olympics

The Herald

• Government 'pig-headed' over grantONE of Scotland's most senior bus industry figures has accused the Scottish Government of being
• Brown launches £30m rail stations investment fundNEW railway stations could be built and others refurbished with a £30 million investment fund launched by Transport Minister Keith Brown yesterday.
• Council bus route hopesTRANSPORT Minister Keith Brown met the leader of East Lothian Council yesterday to see if it can step in to replace bus routes being axed by First Group.
• New funding cuts threat for bus firmsBUS companies are braced for further funding cuts as the Scottish Government tries to bring its troubled free travel scheme under budget, The Herald has learned.

The Independent

• Stansted Easter strike called off Planned strikes by ground staff at Stansted Airport over Easter have been called off after peace talks.Related StoriesTracey Emin unveils Olympic 'Dove' planesTracey Emin unveils British Airways Olympic 'Dove' planes

The Scotsman

• £30m fund for new stations will take two years to arrive MORE stations are set to be added to Scotland’s growing rail network after an announcement by the transport minister of a new £30 million fund.

The Telegraph

• Huge bonuses offered to tube drivers to work normally during the OlympicsTube drivers have been offered a package of bonuses to staff working throughout the Olympics, worth up to £400 a shift extra, on top of their £46,000 annual salary.
• Motorists could be allowed to use red dieselMotorists could be allowed to use red diesel, cut price fuel normally reserved for farmers, if the tanker drivers strike goes ahead.
• Border guard shortage risks 'gridlock' at airports this Easter, airlines warnHome Secretary warned by 11 airlines that Border Agency does not have resources to check passports of everyone coming into Britain this Easter
• Gridlock risk at British airports: Virgin memo in fullHome Secretary warned by 11 airlines that Border Agency does not have resources to check passports of everyone coming into Britain.

Mail Online

• The transport minister, the lobbyist and a cosy chat over lunch about £400m rail dealTransport Minister Theresa Villiers had dinner with public affairs consultant Simon Hoare, a lobbyist for developers of a £400m rail terminal in St Albans, Hertfordshire.

The Mirror

• Raleigh Chopper was without doubt the baddest on the blockIt looked like a motorbike and even had a kickstand so that you could prop it up outside the sweet shop when you popped in

ATOC

• Over seven million passengers expected to take the train over Easter bank holiday More than seven million passengers are expected to travel by rail over the Easter bank holiday weekend, according to the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC)....

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL REFORMS SET NEW STANDARDS FOR WORKING WITH INDUSTRY
• TRANSPORT SECRETARY WELCOMES NEW RAIL RECRUITS TO INDUSTRY PAID WORK PLACEMENT SCHEME
• TRAVEL CHAMPIONS WILL HELP YOU GET TO THE GAMES
• RAIL INVESTMENT SIGNALS START OF REVAMP ON GREAT WESTERN

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham petrol prices soar to £1.48 per litre after week of panic buyingBIRMINGHAM filling stations are still straining to cope with the aftermath of last week’s rush for fuel.
• Security lapse at Birmingham Airport amid power cut and computer crashHUNDREDS of passengers walked through Birmingham Airport without proper passport checks after a computer crash led to dangerous overcrowding, it has been claimed.

Birmingham Post

• HS2 opponents seeking court action to halt high speed rail schemeA group campaigning against the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project between London and Birmingham is to go ahead with court action to try to halt the £32 billion scheme.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• A third of a more million seats for rail users in WalesTHOUSANDS more seats for rail passengers are to be introduced after a surge in commuters using trains.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Bus users face misery as First axes vital servicesVILLAGERS at risk of being marooned by a massive cull of bus services have vowed to defend the routes amid huge cutbacks to operations at First Scotland East.

Liverpool Echo

• Liverpool John Lennon Airport flights cancelled over French air traffic controllers strikeFLIGHTS from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport faced disruption after French air traffic controllers went on strike.

Liverpool Post

• £18.6m Thornton to Switch Island link road scheme to be given green lightTHE green light is set to be given for the £18.6m Thornton to Switch Island link road scheme.

London Evening Standard

• Now Tube drivers get £6,000 bonus for Olympics Tube drivers could earn up to £6,000 in bonuses for working during the Olympics.

Manchester Evening News

• Protest group takes fight against £32bn high-speed rail project to courtsA group campaigning against the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project, the second phase of which will see a Y-shaped route going to Leeds and Manchester, is to go ahead with court action to try to halt the £32 billion scheme.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Users to meet Ring and Ride bossesControversial changes to Ring and Ride services in the Black Country will be debated tomorrow.

Yorkshire Post

• Legal bid to block £32bn high-speed rail schemeA group campaigning against the Government’s HS2 high-speed rail project is to go ahead with court action to try to halt the £32 billion scheme.

Blackpool Gazette

• Blackpool™s £100m tramway opensWELCOME aboard!After four years of work, Blackpool’s £100m new tramway is finally open for business.

Sunderland Echo

• Plan to takeover railwaysPLANS to take control of train services in the North East are to be put to the Government.

Other Regional Press

• Transport Secretary Justine Greening: HS2 could bring jobs to Coventry TRANSPORT secretary Justine Greening claimed HS2 would bring massive opportunities for growth to Coventry in a visit to the city on Tuesday.
• On yer bike! More taking to pedal power in Huddersfield to save money on rising fuel costs: What do you think?RISING fuel prices are driving Huddersfield’s commuters out of their cars and on to their bikes
• Glasgow to roll out new smartcard for SubwaySMARTCARD tickets, similar to London™s Oyster Card, will be introduced on Glasgow™s Subway next year.
• Move to cut ˜lifeline™ bus routes slammed A DECISION to cut lifeline bus routes in Glasgow has been described as economic, social and environmental madness.
• road to hell dug up for a fourth time GORBALS GRIPE Hard-pressed commuters voice their anger after newly resurfaced stretch of road is dug upA MAIN route into Glasgow is being dug up for the fourth time “ in less than a year.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New bus and lorry driver safety rules come into force in 2013A series of new regulations governing licences for bus and lorry drivers may come into effect from January 19th 2013.The change is part of efforts by the Department for Transport – in conjunction with the Driving Standards Agency and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) - to improve road safety.Proposals have been placed before Parliament and include measures to strengthen driving examiners requirements and tighten regulations regarding the largest and most powerful motorcycles, as well as new limits for trailer towing.Under the new rules, all bus and lorry licences will ha...

Global Rail News

• Police issue safety warning after ˜train surfer™ is injuredBritish Transport Police (BTP) officers have issued a safety warning after a youth injured himself while ˜train surfing™ in Ashington, Northumberland. Rail staff called officers on Monday, 26 March after spotting three youths riding on the back of a passenger train around 10.55am, close to the Lintonville Terrace level crossing. One of the youths was [...]
• Network Rail completes projects at StalybridgeNetwork Rail has recently completed two projects at Stalybridge railway station which together represent an investment of nearly £500,000. The back room of the station buffet bar has been fully refurbished and now has numerous posters, prints, mirrors and pieces of railway memorabilia, including ladies room and waiting room signs. Lord Pendry of Stalybridge, who [...]
• Europorte trains to operate on Belgian rail networkThe rail freight arm of Groupe Eurotunnel, Europorte, has been certified to operate on the Belgian rail network, Infrabel. This safety certification, issued by the SCCIF (the Belgian railway safety authority) allows Europorte to extend its development in Belgium. Since 19 March Europorte has been operating direct services up to six times per week, under [...]
• We ask the rail safety experts¦ Part 7In 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: Do we value and trust competent rail workers to the extent that they deserve? Answers: Willie Baker, Emergency [...]
• Alstom wins SNCF order & drops Eurostar legal actionPatrick Kron, Chairman and CEO of Alstom, announced that SNCF ordered an additional 40 additional double-deck Euroduplex very high speed trains on Friday 30 March. At the same time, Patrick Kron said that Alstom has proposed to end its legal process in the London High Court, opened to contest the call for tender launched in 2009 [...]
• Rail station improvements planned for West MidlandsRail passengers across the West Midlands are set to benefit from a ‘raft’ of station improvements following a unique partnership deal between Centro, the region™s transport authority and train operator London Midland. Ten stations are in line for improvements including cutting edge passenger information, automated ticket machines and cycle storage facilities. The work is the [...]
• Colas Rail & Europorte win Ports de Paris contractPorts de Paris, the public port of Paris authority, has selected Colas Rail, in partnership with Europorte, to prepare documents necessary to obtain safety certification and subsequently to take over the management, operation and maintenance of the railway infrastructure in its tri-modal ports for a period of 4 years. The two companies will combine their [...]
• Campaigners plan legal action against high speed railAnti-HS2 campaigners have confirmed that they will make two court bids to try and halt the high speed rail project. The HS2 Action Alliance is seeking two judicial reviews into the government’s handling of the £33bn project. One deals with environmental issues, and the other is about ‘fighting for a fair deal for compensation’. The group [...]

Aviation Industry

• Iberia sues pilots union over strikeSpanish airline launches lawsuit to stop planned 30 days of industrial action
• What future for Bmi Regional and Bmibaby?Talks continue with potential buyers as IAG™s takeover of Bmi nears completion
• Stansted baggage handlers' Easter strike called offPlanned stoppage over Easter weekend has been suspended by unions

Green Miscellany

• World™s smallest car boasts 100mpg A micro car that makes a Smart car look big and a Fiat 500 seem positively portly is once again available to buy, 48 years after production stopped in 1964. read more

Other News Sources

• Transport Secretary should not bully Londoners with empty threats over the Transport for London budget - Maria Eagle Maria Eagle MP, Labour's Shadow Transport Secretary, responding to Justine Greening's interview in the FT on Ken Livingstone's fair fares plan, said:
• No to McNulty! No more Grayrigg's! RMT protest at Preston Law Court'sThe Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) are taking their prosecution against Network Rail over the tragic Grayrigg Train Crash in Cumbria to Preston law courts this Wednesday.
• Government attempts to boost CCS with new comp A move by government to revive its £1bn Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) competition and take its first steps to design the first workable demonstration project has been welcomed by industry.