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

Wednesday, 23 May 2012

BBC News

• Rail workers' memorial at National Memorial Arboretum A memorial celebrating the achievements of railway workers over 150 years has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
• Rail control plan on York council agenda Plans for a Rail Operations Centre in York controlling the East Coast mainline between London and Scotland are to be discussed by councillors in the city.
• Repackaging row on spending plansDetails of housing, health, transport and road schemes worth a combined £3.5bn are unveiled by the Welsh government, but opponents claim there is little new on offer.
• London 2012: Heathrow in numbersHow Heathrow's getting ready for 2012 Games
• Flats torn down on railway routeA block of flats in Galashiels is torn down in order to make way for the reopening of the Borders to Edinburgh railway.
• HS2 rail alternatives no solution, MPs say Alternatives to the High Speed Two (HS2) rail link will not solve the capacity problems on Britain's railways, MPs say.
• UK inflation rate in fall to 3%The UK inflation rate fell to 3% last month, its lowest since February 2010, owing to a slowdown in transport price rises.

Financial Times

• Qantas restructures to improve returnsAustralian carrier says its international and domestic businesses will be run independently, but there are no plans to sell or spin off core assets
• Ryanair appeal on Aer Lingus probe rejectedUK Court of Appeal allows authorities to continue their inquiry into whether Ryanair™s minority stake in its rival is damaging competition
• Difficult years force Green Reefers saleChief executive blames winding up of refrigerated ships operator on the increasing use of container vessels to carry perishable products
• Flybe pushes further into ScandinaviaRegional airline wins contract to operate 12 regional jets for Finnair through joint venture Flybe Nordic amid soft demand in UK market
• Scheduled flights get priority for GamesProspect of hundreds missing Olympic events while a handful of executives on private planes were allowed to land first had caused concern

The Herald

• RAC fears spending cuts increase risky drivingDRASTIC funding cuts for national road safety campaigns by the UK Government have led to an increase in risky driving behaviour, with more motorists using smartphones and driving under the influence of drugs, a survey by the RAC has found.
• First class boost for East Coast trainsTRAIN operator East Coast has seen a surge of first class passengers travelling between Edinburgh and London after getting rid of Britain's last restaurant car a year ago.
• Actor joins campaign against photo ban on SubwayTRANSPORT chiefs have been bombarded by hundreds of complaints after proposing fines of up to £1000 for passengers caught taking pictures or making recordings anywhere on the Glasgow Subway.

Bristol Live

• The Post published Inquiry opens into £50m bendy bus routeA PUBLIC inquiry to decide the fate of the proposed new £50 million bendy bus route between Bristol city centre and Ashton...

Edinburgh Evening News

• Bus lane fines waived after Edinburgh council admits errors THOUSANDS of fines meted out to motorists for driving in bus lanes in Edinburgh will have to be waived after the city council bungled the launch of a new crackdown, The Scotsman can reveal.

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow lags behind its European rivals in routes to key emerging nations Heathrow is falling far behind rival European airports with France putting on twice as many flights to key growth economies such as China, it emerged today.
• Heathrow crisis: Reconsider third runway, say over half of Londoners More than half of Londoners think the Government should review its opposition to a third runway at Heathrow after the next election, an exclusive poll reveals today.
• Heathrow crisis: Reconsider third runway, say over half of LondonersMore than half of Londoners think the Government should review its opposition to a third runway at Heathrow after the next election, an exclusive poll reveals today.
• Dartford Crossing toll charge to go up by 50p A river crossing toll charge on the UK's busiest motorway is to rise in the autumn, the Government announced today.
• Private rocket heads for spaceportA commercial rocket has blasted off with a load of supplies for the International Space Station.
• London Olympics 2012: Drivers realistic about potential travel difficulties during GamesAs many as a third of drivers intend to use their cars for part of their journey to an Olympic event this summer, according to an AA/Populus survey.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink services to Eccles hit by delays for second day after overhead lines damagedTram passengers are facing delays on Metrolink again this afternoon after the service was suspended between MediaCityUK and Eccles for the second day running.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Ministers allow Liverpool to bid for Port of Tyne cruise jobsTHE Government has cleared the way for Liverpool to take Tyneside port trade.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Stansted/East Anglia: Passengers should check in as normal - despite strikesSTANSTED: Passengers were advised to check in as normal at Stansted Airport today despite the first of a wave of strikes by ground staff in a row over rosters.

The Shields Gazette

• Port of Tyne™s blow over lucrative cruise tradeTHE Port of Tyne is facing a new competitor for its lucrative cruise ship business, after the Government decided liners will soon be allowed to start and end their voyages in Liverpool.

Other Regional Press

• Bus gate restrictions 'need to be changed' VOLUNTEER ambulance driver George Hunter is urging the county council to help patients by relaxing bus gate restrictions in Oxford High Street.
• HS2 spin doctor reports ’wrong’ OXON: The controversial high-speed rail project which will go through the county is hiring 60 spin doctors, it has been reported.

Other News Sources

• Aylesbury MP Wants Unflattering HS2 Report Published The MP for Aylesbury, David Lidington, has written to a fellow cabinet minister to ask that a copy of a report which casts doubt on the smooth delivery of HS2, be made available to the public.
• China set to become world's biggest business travel marketSurvey forecasts that China will overtake US for corporate spending on travel by 2015
• Easyjet gears up for business travel take-offNo-frills airline says it has put the building blocks in place to grow corporate sales