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

Saturday, 02 June 2012

BBC News

• Baggage strike begins at airportBaggage handlers at Stansted Airport in Essex begin a four-day strike over the Jubilee weekend.
• New rail franchise views soughtRail passengers are being asked for their views on a new franchise for train services in the south of England.
• Car owners take blame for litterCar owners in London will face fines of up to £100 if someone drops litter from their car, under a law change.
• Heathrow Olympics terminal readyThe new Olympics terminal is officially handed over to Heathrow Airport's operators, BAA.
• Edinburgh Airport changes handsThe owner of Gatwick and London City airport formally takes ownership of Edinburgh Airport following a £807m deal.

Department for Transport

• Rail passengers in the North West set for bigger sayPassengers in Cumbria and North Lancashire will have more say on how local rail services are run after the service designation of the Furness Line as a community rail service, Rail Minister Theresa Villiers announced today.

The Herald

• Improvements for Edinburgh AirportTHE new owner of Edinburgh Airport has promised to introduce tough new targets to speed up boarding times as part of a focus on improving passengers' experience.
• Anger at reduction in ferry sailingsMINISTERS have cut the frequency of a lifeline ferry service connecting Orkney to the mainland days after winning a legal battle over the awarding of a six-year ferry contract to private operator Serco.
• Council operator of bus routes to cut faresBUS passengers will see dramatic reductions in fares in East Lothian as council-owned firm Lothian Buses replaces routes being axed by First Group.
• Airline plans more Europe flightsBMI Regional is hoping to launch more direct flights to Europe, according to the new chairman of the Aberdeen-based airline, Ian Woodley.

The Telegraph

• London's first Wi-Fi-enabled Underground stations namedSome 80 Tube stations will provide complimentary Wi-Fi access by the end of July, but it won't stay free for long.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Ex-boss Gordon Dewar back to pilot Edinburgh Airport to new heightsTHE new owner of Edinburgh Airport has announced the return of former boss Gordon Dewar to preside over a “new era of competition and growth”.

London Evening Standard

• At last! Free wi-fi comes to the Tube - service to switch on at 80 stationsTube passengers will be able to access the internet from their laptops, tablets and mobiles while waiting for trains for the first time this summer.
• Airport workers in strike actionBaggage handlers and other ground staff at Stansted Airport are launching a four-day strike in a row over new rosters.

Northern Echo

• Bank holiday talks aim to resolve rock concert rail wrangleUNIONS and bosses will meet on Bank Holiday Monday to try to avert a rail strike that could hit two showcase rock concerts.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Cut in winter sailings fuels row over new ferry contractThe row over the new ferry contract for the northern isles escalated yesterday as it was confirmed that winter sailings will be cut back.
• New routes on way from BMI Regional A group of north-east aviation entrepreneurs took the reins at Aberdeen-based BMI Regional yesterday ” and said new routes were on the way.

Other Regional Press

• ‘Frustrating’ HS2 delays Families who are struggling to sell their house because of HS2 have received a blow, after a plan to look again at the compensation scheme was delayed.
• Cash boost for Cornish transport Cornwall Council has been awarded £2.877m by the Department for Transport (DfT) following two successful Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) bids. The funding will be used to help people access employment and education through sustainable transport in mid Cornwall between Truro, Newquay, Bodmin and St Austell.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• First public test for European road trainThe first public test has been conducted of a road train in Europe as part of the Safe Road Trains for the Environment (Sartre) project.Carried out on a stretch of motorway outside Barcelona, the pilot consisted of a lead vehicle with others driving automatically behind it at a distance of six metres from one another.The road train featured "a Volvo XC60, a Volvo V60 and a Volvo S60 plus one truck", with the test conducted in Spain last week at speeds of up to 85 kilometres per hour along 200 km of roads."While there remain many challenges to full scale implementatio...

Global Rail News

• DfT launches rail franchise consultationPassengers across London, the South East, Sussex and the South Coast are being ‘asked for their views to help shape a major new franchise for train services across their area’, Rail Minister Theresa Villiers announced this week. The franchise is expected to cover most of the existing First Capital Connect franchise, including the Thameslink line [...]
• London Underground names first WiFi stationsLondon Underground and Virgin Media have named the first London Underground stations that will be WiFi enabled for free this summer. Stations including Oxford Circus, Stratford, Liverpool Street, Leicester Square and King’s Cross will be among the first to launch, with around 80 stations WiFi enabled by the end of July. Virgin Media’s next generation [...]
• London Underground backs RailStaff AwardsLondon Underground joins Network Rail and the Rail Alliance as overall sponsor of the RailStaff Awards 2012. This year sees London Underground playing a major role in the London Olympic and Paralympic Games – over 80 per cent of spectators are being encouraged to use trains and public transport to get to and from the [...]
• Colin Wheeler writes¦ Rail Safety Summit 2012Written by Colin Wheeler One hundred and sixty attended the Rail Safety Summit on April 19th at Loughborough University. Ninety separate companies and organisations attended. Whilst the industry is vibrant, healthy and growing, work is uneven and Government imposed austerity initiatives are being felt. As host I suggested a hiccough will be caused by work [...]
• Nokia Siemens wins GSM-R contract for Kolkata MetroNokia Siemens Networks has won a contract to provide GSM-R infrastructure for the Kolkata Metro. The contract was awarded by Indian Railways, however, the value of the contract is not known. As per an estimate in 2012-13, Railway Ministry will be spending $400 million on the modernisation of signalling and telecommunication to enhance safety and [...]
• Rail industry agrees new planning approachThe rail industry has agreed a new process to plan for future demand for rail services, decide how capacity can best be used and assess value for money options for investment. Today, more people travel by rail than ever before and demand for passenger and freight services is expected to rise significantly in the future. [...]
• Loughor viaduct plans given go aheadA £40m plan to boost rail services in West Wales has been given the go-ahead with permission granted to replace a bridge on the main route between Swansea and Llanelli. The plan will see the redoubling of six miles of track between Cockett West Junction and Duffryn West Junction, the re-instatement of the disused platform [...]

Aviation Industry

• Birmingham airport attacks 'Heathrow congestion'New advertising campaign aims to encourage travellers to stop flying from south-east airports

Other News Sources

• Transport bosses propose route planner to help people find their way around Norwich Norfolk County Council is in the early stages of creating a route planner for the city, which could be available by 2013.
• Transport bosses propose route planner to help people find their way around Norwich Norfolk County Council is in the early stages of creating a route planner for the city, which could be available by 2013.