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Monday, 13 August 2012

BBC News

• West Coast Mail Line: Tony Miles on Virgin v First Group [Today Programme Audio ]Virgin could lose its franchise to run trains on the West Coast Main Line this week, with reports that First Group has bid £7 billion for the franchise and would cut staffing.
• Rea Valley traffic-free cycle path could be developed Parts of an old Shropshire railway line could be reopened as a new traffic-free cycle path as soon as next year.
• Airports ready for Olympic exodusLondon airports prepare for the departure of about 200,000 people a day this week as visitors leave the UK after the Olympic Games.
• Italian airline suspends flightsAn Italian cash-strapped budget airline, Wind Jet, suspends all its flights, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded at Rome airport.

Financial Times

• American Airlines considers strategic optionsRestructured company will make a decision within weeks following a ˜fact-based, disciplined evaluation™ of whether to pursue a merger
• AMR chief confident about restructuringTom Horton says his objective of creating a ˜first-rate airline™ has been achieved, along with ˜most™ of the $800m saving in annual non-labour costs it is seeking
• FirstGroup upgraded on West Coast hopesAnalysts at four investment banks have upgraded the train operator ahead of Department for Transport decision on west coast mainline franchise
• Ministers pressed to limit rail fare risesFears of increases of up to 11% are prompting appeals to the government from campaigners, unions and MPs from across the political spectrum

The Guardian

• EasyJet founder urges shareholders to oust chairmanSir Michael Rake's tenure as chairman of easyJet will be put to the test on Monday when shareholders vote at a meeting called by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou, the founder of the low-cost airline and largest shareholder.

The Herald

• Union in cuts warning over rail franchiseSCOTLAND's core rail link to the rest of Britain faces swingeing cuts, unions warned last night. The lifeline West Coast Main Line will see "massive cuts to jobs and services" under a new franchise deal expected to be announced tomorrow, the RMT claimed.
• Union in cuts warning over rail franchiseSCOTLAND's core rail link to the rest of Britain faces swingeing cuts, unions warned last night.

The Scotsman

• Jane Devine: Wearing a cycling helmet should be a choice, not a government diktat It all started with “clunk click, every trip”. From there on in, we were on a slippery slope.
• Losing the West Coast rail franchise could be positive news for Stagecoach STAGECOACH could emerge from the current rail franchise bidding wars with higher profits from its train division even if Sir Brian Souter’s firm loses its West Coast route to arch rival FirstGroup, industry analysts claim.

The Telegraph

• easyJet takes on BA and Virgin for right to operate Moscow flights easyJet is going into battle for the first time with both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic as the three airlines jostle for the right to operate lucrative flights between London and Moscow.
• Easyjet investors set to reject Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's efforts to oust chairman Sir Michael Rake EasyJet is set to rebuff an attempt by the low cost airline's founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou to oust Sir Michael Rake as chairman.
• Branson's legal threat over FirstGroup's West Coast deal Sir Richard Branson is prepared to launch a legal challenge if ministers award the franchise for the West Coast rail line to transport giant FirstGroup.
• Rail fares set to rise three times faster than salariesThe rise in the cost of commuting to be announced this week will see rail fares increasing three times faster than salaries, a green lobby group has warned.

Daily Express

• Stelios bids to oust RakeSIR Stelios Haji-Ioannou will today attempt to oust easyJet chairman Sir Michael Rake at a special shareholder meeting.
• Sir Richard Branson set for rail battleSIR Richard Branson is ready to launch a legal fight if his Virgin Trains group this week loses its West Coast franchise to rival FirstGroup.

Birmingham Post

• Virgin Trains on brink of losing West Coast Main Line franchise Read More http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-transport-news/2012/08/13/virgin-trains-on-brink-of-losing-west-coast-main-line-franchise-65233-31611085/#ixzz23PKWkeSDSir Richard Branson could lose his West Coast Main Line rail franchise this week, with a transport union warning that the switch in ownership could mean higher fares, poorer services and job losses.

Bolton News

• MP calls for a fairer deal at the pumps AN INVESTIGATION is being demanded by a Bolton MP into why falling oil prices have not been passed on to drivers.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Dualling of A90 begins at lastWork to dual one of the north-east™s busiest roads is finally under way.

Yorkshire Post

• Standards fear as Branson faces losing rail lineSir Richard Branson could lose his West Coast rail franchise this week, with a transport union warning the switch in ownership could mean higher fares, poorer services and job losses.

Other Regional Press

• Rail Trails give a new lease of life to rural railway stations of the WestCountry railway stations are a part of the fabric of rural Britain.
• Cash has been found for £6m bus station faceliftThe bad news is Bedford is not getting a new bus station . . . the good news is that theres 6m being spent tarting up the old one. Last December we revealed that 300m plans for the redevelopment of

Railnews

• Railways set Olympics record As the main Olympics come to an end, the railway is celebrating what is probably its most sustained effort in the history of the industry. ATOC has revealed that since the opening ceremony, train companies have provided 12.4 million extra seats, an increase of 18.5 per cent on normal services. It is believed to be the most sustained increase in capacity in the railway’s 187-year history.