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

Friday, 13 April 2012

BBC News

• Island ferry service changes during dry dock Changes to the Isle of Man's ferry services have been announced ahead of scheduled dry dock services for the Ben-my-Chree vessel.
• Views sought on Surrey's green transport projects A six-week public consultation on plans for £16m worth of sustainable transport projects in Surrey has opened.
• London mayoral election: Disabled people talk of transport pain For many Londoners, travel is one of the main issues of this London mayoral election campaign.
• Rail enthusiasts hope to revive dismantled Leiston line A stretch of railway track which was dismantled in 1968 could be revived.
• Potholes 'blame' for bike deathPotholes on road in Gower were probably responsible for a fatal accident that killed cyclist, Jason Price, an inquest rules.
• Ryanair cuts more airport routesRyanair announces further cuts in its operations at Edinburgh Airport, with eight winter schedule routes to be axed.
• Bus company's 'pram ban' liftedA bus company drops a ban on non-folding buggies on its vehicles, following years of campaigning by parents.
• BA raises hopes over Glasgow jobsBritish Airways
• New bypass 'has cut trade by 75%'Businesses in Tameside claim a new bypass is badly affecting trade.
• 'Gay cure' bus advert is bannedLondon transport chiefs ban an advert which suggested gay people could be cured.
• BMI sale puts 1,200 jobs at riskBritish Airways owner IAG says its deal to buy BMI from Lufthansa for £172.5m could result in the loss of up to 1,200 jobs.

Department for Transport

• Transport Statistics: Vehicle Licensing Statistics 2011The Department for Transport has today published the following Transport Statistics:

Financial Times

• More job losses underline economy™s fragilityBritish Airways has said as many as 1,200 jobs could go following its takeover of BMI, while Mothercare store closures will cost 730 positions
• Monarch aims for profit with reshuffleThe charter carrier has appointed a new finance director in a management change that will also give Iain Rawlinson permanent chief executive duties

The Guardian

• Anti-gay adverts pulled from bus campaign by Boris JohnsonLondon mayor steps in to stop buses carrying Christian group's ads that claim therapy can stop people being gayThe mayor of London, Boris Johnson, intervened to prevent a Christian advertising campaign from promoting the idea that gay people can be converted to heterosexuality.Just days before the posters were due to appear on buses in the capital, Johnson ordered his transport chiefs to pull the adverts booked by two conservative Anglican groups following outrage among gay campaigners and politicians saying that they were homophobic. The adverts were booked on behalf of the Core Issues Trust ...

The Herald

• Train punctuality figures improveRail punctuality improved last month with all companies exceeding a trains-on-time figure of 90%.

The Independent

• British Airways takeover of bmi may lead to 1,200 job losses The £172.5 million takeover of bmi by the parent group of British Airways is set to lead to up to 1,200 job losses, the airline announced today.Related StoriesLorry driver dies after M1 motorway pile-upFour-year-old girl joins MensaMinistry of Defence says 'big bang' heard over England was sonic boomDartmoor stiles may be bannedBlack people in Britain more likely to be unemployed than those in US
• TfL bans Christian groups' 'gay cure' advert from London busesAn attempt by evangelical Christians to promote

The Scotsman

• Pay your way, airport boss tells RyanairTHE boss of Edinburgh Airport said Ryanair has “to pay its way” as he hit back in the row with the budget airline over its plans to axe eight routes from the Scottish capital.

The Telegraph

• Tough new rail punctuality rules being considered Ministers are re-examining long-standing regulations which allow trains to run late but still be classed as running on time in official figures.
• Boris Johnson bans 'gay cure' bus advertsBoris Johnson faces being drawn into a bitter dispute over homosexuality after banning advertisements on London buses promoting the idea that gay people can be

Press Association

• Rail punctuality shows improvement Rail punctuality improved last month, with all companies exceeding a trains-on-time figure of 90%.

Daily Record

• 500 jobs at risk as Ryanair cut eight winter routes from Edinburgh AirportRYANAIR has axed eight winter routes from Edinburgh Airport.

Mail Online

• Ladies on track for their own loo: Swiss railways to offer separate toilets for males and females after complaints about men’s habits Swiss railways are to offer separate male and female toilets after complaints from women about the lavatory habits of men.
• 'Gay cure' advert banned from London buses by Boris Johnson and TfLTransport chiefs have stepped in to pull the campaign, which claimed therapy could change sexual orientation, before it was due to appear on London buses next week.

The Mirror

• Britain's favourite car? It's a Skoda... and that's not a jokeIts 4x4-style Yeti, which starts at just £13,700, took gold for reliability, ease of driving and practicality

ATOC

• More trains arriving on time as performance rises to historically high levels Responding to the latest rail performance figures,...

Network Rail

• NATIONAL TRAIN PERFORMANCE FOR PERIOD 13 IS 93.4%
• MAIN WORKS COMMENCE ON DALMARNOCK REDEVELOPMENT

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham cycle map adopts Tube style to show best routes around cityA Birmingham cyclist has taken inspiration from London Underground map creator Harry Beck in a bid to get people on their bikes.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Dim street lights to save Bradford £400,000 a year More than 1,000 street lights are being dimmed overnight as part of energy saving measures across the district designed to save £400,000 this year alone.

Derby Telegraph

• This is Derbyshire commented Heavy job losses for Midlands as airline BMI taken over by...CASTLE Donington based airline BMI has been taken over by British Airways – with heavy job losses expected for the Midlands.

Liverpool Echo

• Maghull businessman Stephen Wynne reveals how he hopes to bring iconic DeLorean car back for the futureA MERSEYSIDE businessman told told how he hopes to bring the world’s most famous time machine back for the future.

London Evening Standard

• High-speed rail link ’would struggle to break even’ Transport Secretary Justine Greening was today urged to order an independent review of the high speed rail link to the North after new figures suggested the scheme would struggle to break even.

Metro

• British Airways says bmi takeover will result in 1,200 job lossesThe £172.5million takeover of bmi by the parent company of British Airways will lead to 1,200 job losses, it has been announced.BA is consulting unions on its proposals to integrate the bmi business into its operations at Heathrow Airport after the acquisition was rubberstamped by the European Commission last month. BA said 2,700 job losses would have been lost without the takeover (Picture: PA) BA, which said that without the takeover 2,700 jobs would have been lost, said the majority of losses would take place at bmi's Castle Donington headquarters in Derbyshire as well at regional airports....
• Skoda scores multiple wins in Auto Express poll, beating BMW and JaguarCzech car maker Skoda has been voted Britain's best car in a survey by Auto Express magazine, taking three of the four top spots and beating BMW and Jaguar. Czech car manufacturer Skoda has been voted Britain's best car (Picture: IMOS) If you think a Skoda with a sunroof is called a skip, or that a full tank of petrol instantly doubles the price of one “ then the joke is on you. Despite once being the butt of motoring quips, the Czech car maker is having the last laugh after it was voted Britain™s best car. In fact, it clinched three of the top four spots, beating more luxurious brands such ...

The York Press

• Fresh row over Clifton Green junction change YORK™S council leader has been accused of not trusting his transport spokesman over a controversial road change in the city.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Busy junction near M6 could have lanes cutA busy junction off the M6 could have its number of lanes cut from three to two after 13 accidents in two years.

Yorkshire Post

• Enterprise body™s £3m boost for congestion-busting bus schemePLANS for a congestion-busting bus scheme were given a boost yesterday after one of Yorkshire’s Local Enterprise Partnerships approved a £3m grant towards its construction.
• 1,200 jobs could go in bmi takeoverThe takeover of bmi by British Airways is set to lead to up to 1,200 job losses, the airline announced.

Other Regional Press

• ’Engage with the enemy’ MP tells HS2 opponents AYLESBURY MP David Lidington has held talks with two pivotal figures in the pro-HS2 movement.
• Diggle Railway Station petition presented to Transport for Greater Manchester Saddleworth Parish Councillor Garth Harkness has collected over 200 signatures in less than two weeks in Diggle and Dobcross in his Petition to support the reopening of Diggle Railway Station.
• Watford Junction's £1.3m revamp 'makes it more dangerous' claimTaxi drivers and politicians have called on rail chiefs to revise a £1.3m regeneration plan of Watford Junction, saying it could make the station more dangerous.
• Friends of the Earth joins Luton Airport campaignANOTHER group has added its name in support of the Comet’s campaign against the expansion of Luton Airport.
• UK & World News: BA takeover may cost 1,200 bmi jobsThe takeover of bmi by British Airways is set to lead to up to 1,200 job losses, the airline has announced.
• UK & World News: 'Gay cure' bus adverts is bannedAdverts which suggested gay people could be cured have been banned from London buses, transport chiefs have said.
• '76 baby elephants' of rubbish clearedBedford Borough Councils road clearance crews have removed an astonishing 545 bags of rubbish from roadside verges in just two months...

Global Rail News

• DHL to transfer sea freight containers from road to railDHL Global Forwarding Freight is making increased use of rail transport for the transportation of containers to the loading terminals of selected shipping companies. DHL will now be using the rail network for consolidated freight containers which have to be transported from the transhipment facility in Bremen to the terminals of different shipping companies in [...]
• Siemens awarded Athens metro signalling contractSiemens has been awarded a signalling contract for the 16 km-long extension of Athens metro Lines 2 and 3, by the operator Attiko Metro S.A. The contract includes the installation of electronic interlockings and outdoor equipment, as well as the trackside components for automatic train control system. Furthermore, 17 trains will be fitted with Siemens [...]
• Southeastern train refurbished in under 3 minutesTransys Projects has released a timelapse video showing the refurbishment of a Southeastern train carriage. Transys has ‘nearly completed’ the 18-month long project to refurbish 148 Electrostar trains and install new CCTV systems. Project manager for Transys Projects, Paul Sanders, explains the process: œWe have just 48 hours to remove the original CCTV system and [...]
• Vital Rail extends York operationsRail contracting specialists Vital Rail, part of the Manchester-based Vital Services Group, have reopened a regional office in York ‘on the back of steady growth in the rail sector’. Increased orders from a number of clients based on or around the East Coast Main Line (ECML) have prompted the company to open an office in [...]
• Southern extends smartcard schemeTrain operator Southern is extending its smartcard scheme to stations between Brighton and Bexhill/Eastbourne via Lewes on Monday 16th April. The new smartcard technology makes it ‘easier and quicker for passengers to buy and use tickets’ and comes to the East Coastway following a successful trial between Brighton and Seaford which started in October, Southern said. [...]
• The HoldFast Road Rail Highway Prevents a 140 mile diversionAt 7.10am 20th March 2012 the first convoy of cars drove along part of the west coast line running next to the A890 Lochcarron to Kyle road at Stromeferry, which was closed in December after a series of landslides. In order to alleviate lengthy road traffic diversions near Attadale on the A890 Stromeferry Bypass, 100 [...]
• Bombardier launches academy in Saudi ArabiaBombardier Transportation is launching a Project Management Academy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The modular education programme is dedicated to training a new generation of skilled Project Managers who will go on to deliver ambitious urban transport projects across the region. The Academy supports young Saudi National engineering or business professionals and recent graduates [...]

Railnews

• DfT discounts claims of weaker HS2 benefits The Department for Transport is dismissing claims that the cost/benefit ratio of building High Speed Two has fallen to the point where the scheme could now be labelled 'poor value for money'. It is not the first time that the ratio has been recast, but the Government says the wider economic benefits of HS2, which include tens of thousands of new jobs, are not being taken into account.

Aviation Industry

• BA to cut 1,200 jobs in bmi takeoverBritish Airways (BA) has announced it will cut up to 1,200 jobs as it absorbs the mainline operations of British Midland International (bmi).
• Ryanair to drop more routes from EdinburghCarrier blames airport owner for decision to cut another eight destinations
• British Airways to cut 1,200 Bmi jobs BA confirms redundancies as it plans to integrate Bmi following takeover

Other News Sources

• Greater Anglia pledges to improve following publication of its first rail punctuality figures New rail operator Greater Anglia has recorded its first punctuality figures, which show that so far it has performed slightly worse than its predecessor.
• Rail technology funding could boost innovation and growthMore than 20 British-based companies are to share £5m of investment in new railway technology that could help exploit a growing export market.
• Siemens Strengthens Water Capabilities in Oil and Gas IndustryEffective April 1, 2012, Siemens Industry Inc. has transferred the Water Solutions Oil & Gas business to Siemens' Energy Sector, Oil & Gas Division, Integrated System Solutions (ISS).