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

Tuesday, 01 May 2012

BBC News

• East Midlands Trains faces first drivers' strike Hundreds of drivers from East Midlands Trains have walked out on the first of six strikes planned in May.
• Bedford Borough Council to enforce bus lane rules A local authority that has adopted powers to enforce bus lane legislation has said it is "not a money-making scheme".
• London election: Jones says TfL should 'face safety charges' [video]Green candidate Jenny Jones has told the last mayoral hustings that Transport for London (TfL) should face charges of corporate manslaughter following the death of a cyclist in east London last year.
• Warm reception for GreeningThe Transport Secretary, Justine Greening, acknowledges the problem with air capacity in the South East and says that the government plans to address the issue quickly.
• Mayoral hopefuls 'lack vision' on London transport The politics over the promise to cut fares has dominated the mayoral election agenda for transport.
• Ken vs Boris: Who cut the killer air?The BBC examines the level of killer pollutants under the last two mayors
• Railway cable theft rises by 52%Cable theft from railway lines serving East Anglia rises 52% in the past financial year.
• Pledge over airport queue delaysThe UK's Border Force will ensure all immigration desks are fully staffed during summer peak times, Immigration Minister Damian Green tells MPs.

Financial Times

• Delta buys refinery to combat fuel costsUS carrier says the deal, a first for a US airline, would knock about $300m a year from its roughly $12bn fuel expense
• Hold-ups damp Heathrow™s expansion hopesHeathrow airport™s reputation has been hit by a spate of headlines over long queues at passport control, just as it seeks to support new routes
• Airline levy could aid UK border chaosBAA is studying the proposal, which foresees carriers funding extra Border Force staff through the charges
• Network Rail looks to outsource projectsThe owner of Britain™s rail network is to outline its plans to civil engineers and project managers before putting small pilot schemes out to tender

The Herald

• Bus driver in scam case claims he was bulliedA BUS driver found guilty of defrauding the Scottish Government's free bus travel scheme has claimed he was "small fry" and would have lost his job if he refused to take part in a scam organised by his employer.

The Independent

• Rain blamed for latest chaos in Heathrow queues The recent heavy rain across the south of England was the main cause of the chaotic scenes at Heathrow airport, the Government claimed yesterday as extra staff were drafted in to prevent huge queues building up again.Related StoriesPound climbs against the euroGovernment promises action on Heathrow queuesFloods fear as more rain forecast in 'wettest April'Aid worker's killers threaten to release video of his executionFirst the drought “ and then the wettest April in history

The Scotsman

• Rail firms ’keeping disruption payouts’ TRAIN companies have been accused of passing on to passengers only a “tiny fraction” of the tens of millions of pounds they receive from Network Rail (NR) for disruption to services.
• Pledge of action on airport queues The UK government has promised action to deal with “too long” queues at Heathrow Airport, but blamed the rain for recent troubles and insisted claims of two-hour waits were a “wild” exaggeration.

The Telegraph

• Damian Green blames Heathrow delays on recent poor weatherImmigration Minister Damian Green says the UK is meeting its border control targets, and although they could be improved, the recent wet weather has caused severe delays.

Times Online

• Mayor’s attack on ’superior’ cyclists could cost him the two-wheel vote Boris Johnson, the cycling Mayor of London, provoked a backlash from bicycle-loving voters yesterday by suggesting that cyclists are typically dreadlocked, Lycra-clad racers who jump red lights and believe themselves “morally superior”.

Daily Express

• Rail deal joins up wheels and steel on SWTTRAIN and bus firm Stagecoach has teamed up with Network Rail in a joint venture to improve management on the railways.

The Mirror

• Passport to failure: Passengers paying for lack of staff Long queues at airport immigration desks, particularly Heathrow, are headaches created by an inept Conservative administration

ATOC

• 'Union claims are deliberately misleading' - ATOCResponding to claims by the Transport Salaried Staff Association (TSSA) about passenger compensation,...

Network Rail

• SOUTH WEST TRAINS AND NETWORK RAIL ALLIANCE CALLS FOR SCRAP LEGISLATION REFORM AS CABLE THEFT CAUSES INCREASED PASSENGER MISERY IN WESSEX

Birmingham Post

• £40 million Midland Metro deal for 25 new trams signed offSpanish manufacturer CAF has signed a deal worth £40 million to build 25 new trams for the Midland Metro.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Tram project in worse state than ever, claim engineersTHE trams project is now “even more out of control” than it was when arms-length council company TIE was in charge, a group of civil engineers has claimed.

Journal Live

• Port of Tyne under pressure as Liverpool signs up cruise contractsLIVERPOOL port bosses are signing up cruise contracts as ministers come under pressure to let Merseyside’s publicly-funded facilities compete for Tyneside jobs.

Liverpool Echo

• Shipping Lines: Liverpool cruise liner terminal to be handed over to council todayTHE new temporary Customs and baggage check-in facility at Liverpool Cruise Terminal will be handed over to the City Council from its builders today.

London Evening Standard

• National Express wins nod for US school bus dealNational Express won US antitrust approval to acquire student bus company Petermann Partners on the condition that it divest several contracts and associated assets in two states, the US Justice Department said today.
• Train firms ’keep compensation cash that is owed to passengers’ Mainline rail companies are pocketing tens of millions of pounds when trains are delayed, leaving passengers empty-handed, transport union the TSSA claimed today.

Metro

• Damian Green blames heavy rain for Heathrow Airport queuesImmigration minister Damian Green has blamed heavy rain for long queues at passport control at London Heathrow Airport, describing claims of two-hour waits as 'wild' exaggeration. Long queues were reported at Heathrow Airport over the weekend (Picture: PA) Mr Green was summoned to the Commons to update MPs on the queues at immigration as Conservative London mayor Boris Johnson, fighting for re-election, said visitors were getting a 'terrible impression' of the UK.But the minister said 99 per cent of UK and other EU nationals got through passport control within 25 minutes, while 96 per cent of ...

Sheffield Telegraph

• Sheffield rail firms count cost of fare-dodge prosecutionsRAIL firms are prosecuting just a few hundred people a year for fare dodging in South Yorkshire each year - despite Government claims £2.3 million a year is being lost due to the problem at Sheffield alone.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Birmingham Airport calls for Government backingBirmingham Airport is calling on the Government to endorse its national status as chief executive Paul Kehoe revealed talks with Far Eastern airlines about launching new flights from the site in the future.
• Trains back at Cosford stationTrains called at Cosford railway station today for the first time in more than six months after work on a new platform was completed.

Yorkshire Post

• Train firms accused of holding compensation back from passengersTrain companies are being accused of passing on to passengers only a “tiny fraction” of the tens of millions of pounds they receive from Network Rail (NR) for disruption to services.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• East Midlands Trains warns of service disruption due to strikesEast Midlands Trains has issued a reminder to passengers of the revised service in place on Tuesday and Thursday due to the industrial action planned by the ASLEF train drivers union.

Other Regional Press

• Mixed views on new Wrexham town centre buses WREXHAM’S new town centre bus service has received mixed reviews from traders one month after it was introduced.
• Axed 21 bus returns, but its future's unclear A SPECIAL bus service for vulnerable people isolated by the axing of routes in two communities started yesterday.
• Replacement bus service for Boston rail passengers RAIL passengers in Boston will have to use replacement bus services today in the first of a series of strikes by the train drivers union.
• Station owners signal start of £2.5bn facelift DETAILS of a £2.5billion upgrade to one of South London’s busiest railway stations have been announced.
• UK & World News: Action promised on Heathrow queuesThe Government has promised action to deal with
• Concerns over transport in Bridport Proposed changes to services on offer at Bridport™s Community Hospital have put the spotlight on the volunteer car service available for elderly or frail patients who in future may need to go much further afield for their treatment.

Global Rail News

• Thales ˜eyes up metro rail projects™ in IndiaAfter the successful implementation of ticketing systems for Delhi Metro, France based firm, Thales is looking to bid for ‘many’ upcoming metro rail projects in the country. Eric Lenseigne, country head and managing director of Thales India operations said: “We are open to all options. Our first preference will be to do it independently. We [...]
• Rail industry calls for scrap metal legislation reformIn an open letter to the Sunday Times (29 April), Network Rail, the Association of Train Operating Companies and Rail Freight Group called for full reform of the 1964 Scrap Metal Dealers Act. The reformed Act would include an updated, fully funded licensing scheme to replace the voluntary registration currently in place. It would also include [...]
• Centro & CAF formally sign deal for new Urbos 3 tramsCentro and CAF have formally signed contracts on a deal that will bring up to 25 new trams to the West Midlands. The Spanish manufacturer will supply the Urbos 3 trams in a deal worth in the region of £40 million. Centro chief executive Geoff Inskip and Antonio Campos, International Division Area Director for CAF, [...]
• South West Trains & Network Rail form allianceSouth West Trains and Network Rail have announced the launch of a new alliance with ‘the aim of delivering better rail services in the south and south-west of England’. A single senior joint management team now has responsibility for both trains and track on the route operating out of London Waterloo in a first for [...]
• ˜Urgent action by Government essential™ to curb cable theftThe Transport Select Committee has said that ‘urgent action by the Government is essential’ to curb cable theft as they published the Government Response to cable theft on the railway report. The Committee said more funds should be given to the task force responsible for stopping metal theft which currently receives £5 million. Ministers said [...]
• In-Cab signalling agreementNetwork Rail has reached framework agreements with four suppliers for the development and design of a new, European-standard signalling system for Britain™s railways. ETCS does not require line-side signals and is cheaper to install than conventional re-signalling. Network Rail and its industry partners have chosen ETCS as one of its recommended methods of re-signalling and [...]
• Tata Steel installs ˜silent™ rail tracks in LondonIndian steel manufacturer Tata Steel has successfully installed new sets of railway tracks that reduce train noise at Blackfriars station in London. This is the first time this type of rail track has been installed in the UK. The tracks will ‘reduce rail traffic noise in and around Blackfriars, one of the capital’s busiest stations [...]
• Blackpool RocksBlackpool™s tram system is back in action following a £100m project to modernise infrastructure and rolling stock. The majority of its heritage fleet has been replaced by 16 low-floor Bombardier-built Flexity 2 trams. The heritage fleet will operate during weekends and during the peak tourist season. Seven miles of track has been renewed and a [...]
• Infrarail seminars: The application of Eurocodes in the fabrication of steel rail bridgesOn Thursday 3 May at 11:50, Steve Armstrong, Head of Sales UK Division at Mabey Bridge will be presenting ‘The application of Eurocodes in the fabrication of steel rail bridges’ at Infrarail. With the implementation of Eurocodes in bridge design, designers and fabricators have had to get used to a new set of rules. Network [...]

Railnews

• Underground denies 'collapse' claim An incident on the Bakerloo Line of London Underground has been followed by a war of words between Transport for London and the RMT. A train struck an obstruction near Waterloo and Embankment stations early on 26 April, which was also the last day of a 72-hour strike by Tube Lines maintenance staff.
• Infrarail prepares to launch tomorrow INFRARAIL 2012 opens its doors at Hall 3 of the NEC in Birmingham tomorrow, but it's well worth registering your attendance today. Bringing together suppliers of the latest in rail infrastructure products and services and featuring a full programme of supporting activities, the event takes place from Tuesday 1 to Thursday 3 May. Non-registered visitors will be asked to pay a £15 entrance fee on the door, so it's well worth registering at www.infrarail.com today.
• Launch of 'deep alliance' marks new phase A new 'deep alliance' between Network Rail and South West Trains has started work, putting into effect one of the main recommendations in the McNulty 'value for money' report. A single senior joint management team led by SWT managing director Tim Shoveller now has responsibility for both trains and track on the 'Wessex' routes operating from London Waterloo. The formation of this alliance marks a significant move back towards 'vertical integration' of industry management, although both Network Rail and South West Trains will continue to maintain their own identities.

Aviation Industry

• MPs call for answers on Heathrow's immigration queuesImmigration minister faces questions over increasing problems at airport's border control

Other News Sources

• Rail companies urge early booking for Olympics travelBusiness travellers told there will be capacity on trains to London during games