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

Monday, 02 July 2012

BBC News

• Will California bite the high-speed rail bullet? Farming communities in California's Central Valley may soon have to make way for the high-speed revolution if rail supporters have their way.
• VIDEO: On board a real-life 'ghost train'On the trail of Britain's mysterious rail routes
• Talks aim to avert bus strikesTalks aimed at averting fresh strikes by London bus workers in a row over Olympic bonuses are to be held later.
• Estuary airport 'not solution'Building a new Thames estuary airport will not solve the UK's short-term aviation capacity problems, a report says.
• Call centre walkout over 2012Staff in Transport for London's call centres are striking in protest at being refused bonuses for work during the Olympics.
• London roads made ready for GamesWork will begin overnight to adapt London's streets to quickly transport Olympic athletes and officials in preparation for the Games which begin on 27 July.
• Talks aim to avert bus strikesTalks aimed at averting fresh strikes by London bus workers in a row over Olympic bonuses are to be held later.

Financial Times

• Coalition puts Heathrow decision on iceConservatives plan no mention of airport changes in general election manifesto, clearing way for majority Tory government to proceed after 2015
• Budget airlines bank on Indonesian boomMore middle-class Indonesians can afford to fly as the country™s gross domestic product grew by an average of almost 6 per cent in the last five years

The Scotsman

• No new higher speed limit for Scotland, SNP insists DRIVERS in Scotland look set to be forced to travel more slowly on motorways than motorists south of the Border after the Scottish Government said it has no plans to introduce a new speed limit.
• Conon Bridge rail station set to reopen in the HighlandsAn OLD village railway station in the Highlands, which has been closed to passengers for over 50 years, is set to be reopened to avoid potential travel chaos. Highland Council hopes the closed-down Conon Bridge station can be revamped and reopened before roadworks start on the Kessock Bridge near Inverness in 2013.
• 10% of young drivers have never parked their own carMANY young motorists suffer “driving dread” with some never having parked their own car or used a motorway, according to a survey.

The Telegraph

• Drivers in France must carry a breathalyser from todayNew motoring laws have come into force in France making it compulsory for drivers to carry breathalyser kits in their vehicles.
• London 2012 Olympics: chaos hits Heathrow as Games approachHeathrow passengers stuck in half-mile queues, starting long before they even got to immigration hall.

Reuters News

• Londoners prepare for transport disruptionLONDON (Reuters) - When Londoners wake on Monday they will see the latest sign of the Olympics impacting their lives, and probably the most annoying.

Mail Online

• Don¿t forget your breath-test kit: British drivers on French roads must carry equipment or risk being finedThe French government believes the new rule will reduce the number of drink-driving deaths on its roads by 500 each year by encouraging motorists to check their own alcohol levels before setting off.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Princes St cycle lane slammed as a ˜crazy death trap™CYCLISTS today blasted post-tram Princes Street as a “death trap” which stunt cyclist Danny MacAskill would struggle to navigate.

London Evening Standard

• Talks to avoid bus workers strikeTalks aimed at averting fresh strikes by London bus workers in a row over an Olympic bonus are due to begin at the conciliation service Acas.

Morning Star

• Public rail would cut fares by fifth Taking Britain's railways off greedy privateers will save £1.2 billion a year - enough to lop a fifth off fares, unions said today.
• Rail parasites back for more It's become one of clearest rip-offs among all the cons that Thatcher and her cronies performed on behalf of their big business backers.

Sheffield Star

• Free bus travel to stay - for nowCLIVE Betts, MP for Sheffield South East, has won a Government commitment that concessionary bus travel for OAPs will be kept - at least for this parliament.

Crewe Chronicle

• UK & World News: Talks to avoid bus workers strikeTalks aimed at averting fresh strikes by London bus workers in a row over an Olympic bonus are due to begin at the conciliation service Acas.

Other Regional Press

• East Anglia: Once-in-a-generation bid to improve rail network launched todayA MANIFESTO billed as being a “once-in-a-generation” opportunity to improve East Anglia’s rail infrastructure is today being officially launched.
• Cyclists celebrate new route link A NEW link in the national cycle network was revealed on Saturday when a section north of Stockbridge was opened by Mayor of Test Valley Borough Dorothy Baverstock.
• Grimsby Telegraph commented Train buffs want to reopen Ludborough to Louth railway lineRAILWAY buffs are full steam ahead to take the low road to Louth.
• Western Morning News commented Road deaths rise and speeding fines fall after traffic unit...Motorists in Devon and Cornwall have been hit with fewer speeding fines since a controversial decision was made to cut the number...
• School™s new bike parkA SCHOOL is encouraging more of its pupils to cycle by providing secure parking for up to 70 bikes.

Other News Sources

• First Capital Connect celebrates the end of cross-London engineering work Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/777757#ixzz1zRYbvPDyFirst Capital Connect (FCC) is celebrating the end of cross-London engineering work on the Thameslink route, which took 3 ½ years to complete. The coast is now clear and, since 19th May, the rail group have been running much-improved services across central London and uninterrupted journeys between Bedford and Brighton.
• Transport hub and bus routes planned A NEW transport hub and more bus routes have been promised thanks to £4m in Government funding.
• Rail plan ‘could create 1,600 jobs’ MORE than 1,600 jobs will be created if a rail link project between Leamington and Coventry is approved, say transport experts.
• Centro to decide on bid for local rail control Transport authority Centro will decide next week whether to formally tell the Government it is keen to take over responsibility for local rail services on behalf of authorities across the wider West Midlands area.
• MPs unite to improve rail services in our region Seven of our region's MPs are joining together today - demanding improvements to rail services here.