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

Saturday, 19 May 2012

BBC News

• Bust airline's plane in BatmanA plane from a collapsed Scottish airline has been used for stunts in the making of the new Batman film.
• Ryanair weekend check-in warningPassengers flying on the Irish airline Ryanair this weekend are advised to check-in and print out their boarding cards before essential maintenance work begins at 16:00 BST on Friday.
• Stagecoach in £100m US expansionPerth transport group Stagecoach is to buy parts of a US bus firm for about £100m, helping it expand its operations.

Department for Transport

• Revolutionary new Tram Trains to be piloted in South YorkshirePassengers in South Yorkshire will be the first in the country to benefit from flexible new Tram Trains that will make their journeys easier and more convenient.

Financial Times

• Stagecoach expands US bus operationGroup brings back into the fold several businesses it sold a decade ago, and expands its Megabus brand into California and Texas

The Guardian

• Penalised train passengers fight ticketing rules Rail passengers threatened with fines and even prosecution by train guards – despite buying a ticket – have called on the rail passenger watchdog to challenge their legality amid growing consumer anger.
• New Oyster online service goes live at Transport for London New system allows Oyster card users to check their accounts online

The Herald

• Outcry at Subway photo banPASSENGERS on Glasgow's Subway will face fines of up to £1000 for taking photographs on trains or within stations under proposals that have provoked a backlash from business leaders, amateur photographers and civil liberties campaigners.

The Telegraph

• London Transport Museum's alternative Tube maps The images in this gallery are taken from London Transport Museum's current Mind the Map exhibition, which runs until October 28, 2012.
• Self-driving cars 'not far off' General Motors reckons most of the building blocks are already in place for a semi-autonomous self driving car, but that full autonomy is a way off.

Reuters News

• Bristol Airport under pressure to refinance debtLONDON (Reuters) - The owners of Bristol Airport may have to stump up some cash to help with the refinancing of 515 million pounds ($814 million) of debt which falls due next year, banking sources said on Friday.

Daily Express

• Stagecoach's US dealBUS and train group Stagecoach is expanding its North American operations, including Megabus.com, by buying several businesses from Coach America for up to £101million.

ATOC

• New CCTV hub will help make rail travel even saferCommenting on the official opening of the British Transport Police's new London CCTV hub, Michael Roberts, ATOC Chief Executive,...

Network Rail

• TWO NEW PLATFORMS AND 700 EXTRA TRAINS FOR BLACKFRIARS
• FIRST MINISTER UNVEILS FORTH BRIDGE MEMORIAL TO MARK RESTORATION COMPLETION

Derby Telegraph

• Prison for Derby bus firm boss who forged licences to operate school vehiclesTHE managing director of a Derby bus company has been jailed for two years after he illegally ran six vehicles that were used to take youngsters to school.

Journal Live

• Newcastle Airport law firm failed to meet standardsA TOP law firm being sued over multi-million-pound bonuses awarded to two former Newcastle Airport directors failed to “meet the contractual standards required of them”, a QC has told London’s High Court.

London Evening Standard

• New website lets you request refunds on your Oyster card Millions of Tube passengers who are overpaying on Oyster pay-as-you-go cards will now be able to track their payments online and request refunds if there has been an error.

The York Press

• More staff and students cycling to university MORE people are cycling, walking or using public transport to get around the University of York campus, according to the latest travel statistics.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• High speed rail design firms in deals worth £8mPreparations for work on the high speed rail line between London and Birmingham are forging ahead as two contracts worth a combined £8 million were awarded to companies.

Carlisle News & Star

• OPPOSITION MOUNTING TO BUS STATION MOVE OPPOSITION is mounting to Stagecoach’s plan to move Carlisle’s bus station to Court Square, in front of the Citadel railway station.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Cycling fears for school commuteA mother who is scared her son could be injured on his cycling commute to school has spearheaded a campaign to introduce a new bike path along Peterborough Road.

Other Regional Press

• Bus cut protest will go to MP A PENSIONER is taking his battle to restore bus services to a Wigan housing estate to the town’s MP. John Lees, who lives on Sherwood Drive in Worsley Hall, will meet Wigan MP Lisa Nandy after he claims residents were left unable to travel into the town or go to health appointments after responsibility for the Wigan circular bus routes changed from First Bus Group to South Lancs Travel.
• Transport chiefs release images of planned station upgrade These pictures show how a multi-million pound project to make a railway station fully accessible could eventually look.
• North Kirklees Bus Review underwayHave your say on Metro's plans for the services it supports.
• Crime down on region™s railwaysCRIME on the region’s railways has fallen by more than a 10th – the fifth year a drop has been recorded.

Bus and Coach.com

• Stagecoach expands in the USAStagecoach is taking over parts of the operation of Coach America, which has been operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection since January.
• Battery buses on trial in DorsetTwo battery-electric Optare Solo SRs are being tested in Dorchester, before entering passenger service on a route to Poundbury in a few weeks' time.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Join the campaign against 80mph18 May: Campaign for Better Transport has joined a coalition of safety and environmental organisations to stop plans to increase the motorway speed limit. read more

Global Rail News

• Thameslink role for Ruth HumphreyRuth Humphrey has been appointed Project Director – Depots, for Siemens Rail Systems. The former TfL manager will be based at Siemens™ Westminster offices. Ruth will have overall responsibility for delivery of the Thameslink depots at Hornsey and Three Bridges. A fluent French speaker Ruth Humphrey started her career in hotel management in France before [...]
• Balfour Beatty Rail “ Summit to SeaWritten by Balfour Beatty Rail’s ‘man in the saddle’ – Arthur Broadberry Hola! A courageous team made up of Peter Anderson, Steve Farmer, Tony Di Rosa, Arthur Broadberry, Dave & Ali Swinburne, Simon & Sue Park, Ben Redgate, James Piesse and Lee Gregory, commenced the ‘Summit to Sea’ endurance challenge yesterday. The Balfour Beatty Rail [...]

Aviation Industry

• Chinese carriers see 46% profit drop in April Chinese carriers earned a collective profit of CNY1.84 billion ($290.5 million) in April, down 46%, from a net income of CNY3.4 billion in the year-ago month.
• BA to launch Gatwick-Las Vegas flightsNew service will take on arch-rival Virgin Atlantic on route
• Etihad signs codeshare deal with Afghan airlineAgreement will improve links between Abu Dhabi and Afghanistan

Other News Sources

• News from Caroline Pidgeon - Transport for London are still in denial over Oyster overcharging 18 May, 2012 Caroline Pidgeon, leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on new proposals from Transport for London to allow Oyster card users to check their accounts online and to allow Oyster customers to submit refund applications online said: "These improvements are welcome and indeed long overdue. Last year alone passengers using Oyster Pay As You Go were wrongly charged maximum fares totalling over £66 million. 360-house-thumb.jpg ...
• Scottish airport and university slash emissions A greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction scheme has seen Edinburgh Airport and Edinburgh Napier University become the first organisations to pass the standard.