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

Wednesday, 30 May 2012

BBC News

• Serco confirmed as Northern Isles ferry operator Serco has been confirmed as operator of the Northern Isles ferry service following a hearing at the Court of Session.
• TfL 'hypocrisy' over Olympic home working Transport for London (TfL) has told businesses across the capital to be more flexible and allow home working to ease congestion during the Olympics.
• Cardiff Airport task force formedDetails of a task force to help Cardiff Airport's 'competitive position' set up by First Minister Carwyn Jones are unveiled.
• Tired pilots 'are risking safety'Over-tired pilots who fall asleep on duty are putting passenger safety at risk, MPs hear.
• Tourist guide to London transportSome advice for tourists and Olympic visitors to make the London transport experience easy
• Tube staff agree Games pay dealA deal is agreed for Tube staff to receive extra pay for working during the Olympics.
• Thousands diverted from GatwickGatwick is warning of further delays, after thousands of passengers were diverted to other airports because their flights were unable to land.
• Lotus in limbo after chief's suspensionSportscar and engineering firm eyes uncertain future
• Profits jump at Jaguar Land RoverJaguar Land Rover, the Indian-owned car manufacturer, announces a 34% rise in profits as sales hit a record high due to strong demand from emerging markets.

Financial Times

• Tube strike threat endsThe risk of strike action on London™s underground network during the Olympics appears over after the RMT union said it had reached a deal
• Network Rail warned of record £24m fineRegulator tells the UK rail network it is on course to breach its licence obligations in the next two years by missing a 92 per cent punctuality target

The Guardian

• 'It really took me aback' – Jonathan Edwards meets train wreck likeness • Train operator commissions sculpture of British Olympic hero • Sculpture of Edwards made entirely from used train parts
• Network Rail told to cut delays or face fines Rail regulator says penalty will increase by £1.5m for every 0.1 percentage points trains-on-time figure dips below 92% target
• Changes to pilots' flying hours could cause danger, say MPs Committee says new European regulations mean pilots' shift times could increase the risk of them falling asleep on the job
• London 2012: threat of tube strike during Olympics averted Deal heads off tube strike threat but ballot of bus drivers means disruption of public transport during Games is still possible
• London 2012: threat of tube strike during Olympics averted Deal heads off tube strike threat but ballot of bus drivers means disruption of public transport during Games is still possible

The Herald

• Train punctuality warningRAIL regulators have warned Network Rail (NR) to improve long-distance train punctuality or face substantial fines.

The Telegraph

• Passengers could be put at risk by EU plans to lengthen pilots’ hours Passengers could be put at risk by European plans to lengthen pilots’ working hours, MPs have warned.
• Motorists advised to avoid central London during the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee holiday. Extensive road closures will be in place from Saturday June 2 until Tuesday June 5, which will lead to a number of bus services being diverted. There will also be events being held across the capital.
• 'Wealthy' baby boomers should lose bus passes to pay for care, report suggests Middle class pensioners should pay extra taxes or lose benefits such as winter fuel allowances and bus passes to help pay for the cost of care in old age, a leading health think-tank has suggested.

Reuters News

• Bombardier CEO urges UK to think of DerbyBombardier Inc's bid to supply trains for Crossrail, the project to build a new railway link under central London, is crucial to the future of the British rail industry, the Canadian company's chief executive said on Tuesday.

Mail Online

• Network Rail faces £42million fine if it fails to reduce 'unacceptable' number of late and cancelled trainsThe rail operator will be hit with a £15million penalty for every percentage point it falls below the agreed punctuality target of 92 per cent, the Government's rail watchdog said today.

The Mirror

• Jags to riches: Car giant makes £1.5bn profit... just three years after it nearly went bust The firm, now owned by Indian company Tata Motors, pushed up profits by 34% compared to the previous year

ATOC

• Train companies respond to ORR call for Network Rail to improve long distance performanceResponding to the ORR’s call for Network Rail to improve its long distance performance, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said: “The...

Network Rail

• MORE SPACE FOR WATERLOO COMMUTERS AS FIRST STAGE OF REDEVELOPMENT COMPLETES
• PASSENGERS SET TO BENEFIT AS TEN MORE STATIONS SECURE SHARE OF £100M IMPROVEMENT FUND
• LONG DISTANCE PUNCTUALITY - NETWORK RAIL RESPONSE TO ORR DECISION
• LAUNCH OF SLOUGH RAILWAY STATION'S MULTI MILLION POUND UPGRADE
• VICTORIA TO CELEBRATE ELIZABETH WITH JUBILEE CHARITY EVENT

Birmingham Mail

• China sales help Jaguar Land Rover post record £1.5bn profitBooming demand from China has helped drive a record £1.5 billion profit at resurgent luxury car maker Jaguar Land Rover.

Bolton News

• Bargain bus fares all set to mark the big day BUS passengers can save cash and take a step back in time ” with historic jubilee fares on Saturday.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• MPs to force Commons vote over fuel price hikeMPs are to force a Commons vote on blocking the planned fuel duty hike planned for this summer, it emerged yesterday.

Liverpool Post

• Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd faces call for resignation from Labour colleaguesTHE CHAIRMAN of Merseytravel should resign for failing to deal with a catalogue of revelations rocking the transport authority, his own Labour colleagues have demanded.

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow technical college will teach aviation skills A school specialising in aviation engineering will open near Heathrow to help local children secure jobs in the airline industry.
• Number of transport crimes and anti-social behaviour dips, as 'passenger numbers soar' Crime on London's public transport network fell last year, new figures show. The number of crime incidents on the Tube and Docklands Light Railway (DLR) totalled 12,115 in 2011/12 - a 10.1% reduction on 2010/11
• Advertorial feature: Keeping the UK transport market moving with the right supportWith many countries and public sector bodies in Europe looking to raise revenues, an increasing number are looking towards refinancing their transport infrastructure in partnership with the private sector.

Metro

• Network Rail faces £24million fine over 13.7million late tripsAbout 13.7million journeys on long-distance trains were late or cancelled last year and Network Rail faces a £24million fine if this is not rectified soon. Network Rail are facing a £24million fine (Picture: Stock) Of all trips taken by passengers on key inter-city services, 89 per cent were on time.Although this a record level, the Office of Rail Regulation said yesterday it would hit NR with incremental fines if it failed to deliver its long-distance services target of 92 per cent by 2013/14. ORR chief executive Richard Price called the tally of late or  cancelled trains ˜unacceptable™. He...

Sheffield Star

• Cheaper fares on late busesBus operator Stagecoach Yorkshire has introduced a new ticket offer for its Nightrider bus service in Sheffield.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Transport Minister: Leeds gets fair deal on transport INTERVIEWTransport secretary Justine Greening has defended the Government’s spending in Leeds.

Yorkshire Post

• Minister has just the ticket for transport THE Government has pledged to end years of chronic under-investment in northern transport with “smart-ticketing” to accompany major infrastructure spending.

Blackpool Gazette

• Leaders welcome extra train serviceBUSINESS leaders have welcomed news that thousands of extra seats will be added to the West Coast main line.

Other Regional Press

• Government 'grounding' airport plans: BorisThe government is trying to delay a decision on an airport in Medway until after the next election in 2015, according to Boris Johnson.
• Work starts on bus improvementsWORK to improve facilities for rural bus passengers and increase the provision for hackney carriages in Bedford town centre is now complete.

Wall Street Journal

• Bombardier CEO Says UK Crossrail Contract Important TORONTO (Dow Jones)--The future of the U.K.'s railcar-making industry may well hinge on whether Canada's Bombardier Inc. (BBD.B.T) wins the GBP1 billion ($1.6 billion) Crossrail project, the company's top executive said Tuesday.

Airportwatch

• 'Crucial' Esk Valley railway line bridges replaced Four bridges will be replaced on a "crucial" North Yorkshire railway line in a £2m project.

Global Rail News

• Soho coup for CrossrailPlans for a £1 billion pound redevelopment of Tottenham Court Road by Crossrail will help regenerate Soho creating a new cultural and retail focus for London. The plans have been given the go ahead by Westminster City Council. This means the area around Soho Square will be improved. Rental from shops, office and residential accommodation [...]
• Union begins ballot for Tube strikeThe RMT has confirmed today that it has begun balloting service control centre, ticket staff and gate line maintenance engineers for ‘strike action and action short of a strike in two separate disputes over jobs, pay and conditions of service’. Proposals by London Underground regarding the move of Piccadilly Line Service Control to Hammersmith Service Control [...]
• Rail regulator demands better long distance rail performanceThe Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has told Network Rail to deliver better levels of punctuality for passengers on long distance train services, or face a substantial penalty. Following an ‘extensive investigation’, the rail regulator has instructed Network Rail to deliver plans agreed with train operators for better levels of punctuality on long distance services [...]
• New £11m Dalmarnock stationContractors are now hard at work building the new £11m station at Dalmarnock in Glasgow™s East End. The new station will replace the existing facility on Swanston Street. Dalmarnock is being redeveloped in time for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. The station will also help boost long-term regeneration of the East End. The Scottish government, [...]
• Men charged over ˜railway power cable theft™Eleven men have been remanded in custody after being arrested and charged with conspiracy to steal railway power cable from the railway line in the North Cotswolds area between November 2011 and May 2012. On Thursday, 24 May 2012, officers from British Transport Police (BTP) executed search warrants at five addresses in the Handsworth and [...]

Aviation Industry

• Branson makes pledge on Bmi routesVirgin boss hits back at BA claims about its ability to run short-haul operation
• Malaysia Airlines gets its first superjumboCarrier will begin operating A380 flights from Heathrow in July

Other News Sources

• RMT settles Olympics recognition and reward agreement with London UndergroundTUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has reached an agreement with London Underground over Olympics recognition and reward.
• Tube workers balloted for action in two separate disputesTUBE UNION RMT confirmed today that it has begun balloting service control centre and Ticket/ Gate line Maintenance engineers staff for strike action and action short of a strike in two separate disputes over jobs, pay and conditions of service.