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

Wednesday, 15 August 2012

BBC News

• Video - Bob Crow: FirstGroup takeover means 'worse service and job cuts' The UK's largest rail operator, FirstGroup, is to take over one of the most profitable routes in Britain, the West Coast mainline between London and Scotland.
• 'Long-awaited' Whitby transport upgrade to begin A £4m programme to "transform" the transport network of a North Yorkshire coastal town will begin in September.
• Virgin Trains loses West Coast Mainline franchise Virgin Rail has lost its bid to continue running the West Coast Mainline and will be replaced by the UK's largest rail operator, FirstGroup.
• New flight plan with £1m terminalScheduled passenger flights could return to Chester Hawarden airport in Flintshire next year when work is completed on a £1m terminal.
• Severn toll study delay criticismA delay in a report into the economic impact of the Severn Bridge tolls is criticised.
• Uplifting revamp for rail stationCommuters are able to access Edinburgh's Waverley Station without using steps from Princes Street for the first time in the busy rail hub's history.
• Aberdeen set for hydrogen busesA fleet of 10 hydrogen buses could be on the streets of Aberdeen by 2014, it is announced.
• Scottish rail fares to increaseRegulated train fares in Scotland are to increase by more than 4% in January, it is confirmed.
• Free wi-fi for Translink routesFree wi-fi is to be introduced on key Translink buses and trains in Northern Ireland.
• Coaches set on fire in car parkAn arsonist sets fire to three coaches and damages a fourth in an attack in a Salford car park.
• Virgin 'to lose West Coast bid'Virgin Trains looks set to lose its bid to continue running the West Coast mainline later, with the UK's largest rail operator, FirstGroup, expected to take over.
• Angry reaction to rail fare hikePassenger groups lead a chorus of protests against the 6.2% hike in some rail fares in England - an increase almost double the rate of inflation.
• VIDEO: Bob Crow angry at fare risesRail passengers face increases in the cost of travel, after a surprise inflation rate jump. Bob Crow from the RMT union said the rise was not justified.
• VIDEO: Rail fares compared across EuropeRail fares in England will go up by an average of 6.2%, which is 3 percent over RPI. But how do they compare with the rest of Europe?
• Car plant to cut wait for EvoqueMoving Jaguar Land Rover staff on Merseyside to 24-hour working will cut the time customers wait for new cars, the firm says.

Financial Times

• Rail fares set to increase by 6.2%Opposition leads attacks on government after higher-than-expected inflation is set to push up average rail travel costs for thousands of people
• Maersk raises advice on shipping revivalContainer operations return to profit, but the Danish group, which has significant oil operations, posts second-quarter profits down 39%

The Guardian

• What are rail passengers getting in return for the 6.2% fare rise? Essentially just a bigger hole in the wallet – but the wider question is should the commuter or taxpayer be footing the bill?

The Herald

• Olympics hits air passenger numbersThe number of passengers using the UK's main airports dipped last month as people stayed at home to watch the Olympics.
• Hydrogen buses on road by 2014Scotland's first-ever hydrogen buses could be operating in less than two years after the First Minister announced funding for a fleet of the vehicles.
• Subway users braced for hefty rise in cost of ticketsSINGLE fares on Glasgow's Subway will rise by an inflation-busting 17% from next month as its operator seeks to halt a drop in income and a fall in use.
• Anger as rail passengers face 4% increase in faresRAIL fares across Scotland will increase by more than 4% from January, while the cost of cross-border routes will surge by more than 6%.

The Independent

• Leading article: Time for a re-think on rail fares The travelling public is, unsurprisingly, indignant at the news that rail fares in England are to rise by 6.2 per cent in January – double the rate of inflation. Indeed, some fares will increase by as much as 11 per cent. And for services that are often overcrowded and unreliable.
• Virgin Rail set to lose franchiseSir Richard Branson's train company is set to lose its West Coast main line rail franchise in a Government decision which will spark a storm of protest. Related StoriesEuroMillions lottery winners Adrian and Gillian Bayford say £148m fortune has 'come at just the right time'Commuters plead with Osborne to prevent 10 per cent rise in rail faresAssange asylum verdict dueMuslim brothers 'abused' by rivals' parents on chess tripTwo British soldiers suspected of murdering Kenyan woman
• Commuters plead with Osborne to prevent 10 per cent rise in rail fares George Osborne was under growing pressure today to step in cap rail fare price rises after it emerged that the cost of a train ticket could go up by more than 10 per cent in the New Year.Related StoriesMan dies after being crushed by industrial roller in ColerneEuroMillions lottery winners Adrian and Gillian Bayford say £148m fortune has 'come at just the right time'Assange asylum verdict dueMuslim brothers 'abused' by rivals' parents on chess tripTwo British soldiers suspected of murdering Kenyan woman

The Telegraph

• BAA fails to land gold during the Olympics Airports operator BAA suffered a 4.1pc fall in passenger traffic in July as Britons postponed their holidays and stayed at home to watch the Olympics.
• Virgin Trains loses contract for West Coast rail line to FirstGroup Virgin Trains has lost control of the prestigious West Coast rail line that it has run for 15 years after minister handed the contract to Firstgroup.
• Rail fare rises: grim news for commuters as surprise inflation increase pushes fares upTens of thousands of Home Counties commuters will find themselves paying at least £100 a week in fares thanks to the latest round of fare rises, which will see the cost of season tickets rising by up to 11.2 per cent in January
• George Osborne under pressure to stop rail fare risesGeorge Osborne is facing internal pressure to stop an increase in rail fares that could mean some tickets go up by more than 11 per cent next January.

Press Association

• Call for improved transport access A campaign group has called for improved facilities for disabled people to make it easier for them to travel on public transport.

Mail Online

• Rail commuters face 'Great Train Robbery' as fares rocket by up to 11% with some season tickets costing £6,000The increases will add hundreds of pounds to annual season tickets, with some commuters seeing season ticket fares to London crash through the £6,000 barrier.

The Mirror

• "Don't end up on the tracks listening to one of mine": Professor Green urges music fans to take off their headphones at railway level crossings Two people are thought to have died this year as they were wearing headphones and were unaware of trains

ATOC

• Train companies respond to the publication of July RPIIn response to the publication of the July Retail Price Index (RPI) inflation figure that helps determine regulated rail fares for 2013, Michael Roberts,...

Network Rail

• GLOUCESTER TO BRISTOL PARKWAY
• NEW PRINCES STREET ACCESS GIVES WAVERLEY A LIFT
• IMPROVED ACCESS AT SWANLEY STATION IN TIME FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES
• PROFESSOR GREEN: STOP LISTENING TO MY MUSIC¦AT LEVEL CROSSINGS IN THAMES VALLEY

Belfast Telegraph

• BP agrees £1.6bn refinery sale BP has continued its giant sell-off after agreeing to dispose of its Carson refinery in California to America's Tesoro for $2.5bn (£1.6bn). Related StoriesMiddle East fears and supply flow ups oil priceIrish property market is ‘set to bottom out’Where do our business leaders go on holidays?Key company boss finds talent in strange places ... like prisonStandard Chartered stumps up £217m for Iran links
• Northern Ireland buses and trains to get free Wi-Fi Business commuters are to get a free Wi-Fi internet service on key bus and rail services. Related StoriesNorthern Bank's £100 lure dangled to hook customers from Ulster Bank

Journal Live

• Bus compromise on danger route in NorthumberlandYOUNG children will no longer have to walk along a busy road in Northumberland to get to school after a new bus route was agreed.
• North East councils spend £470,000 on flightsCOUNCILS have been criticised for continuing to shell out on costly air travel despite making cutbacks to services.
• Protests at North East railway stations as fares are increasedRAIL fare increases announced today will see the recession-hit North East priced out of the economic recovery, transport groups have warned.

London Evening Standard

• Rail fares rise could mean season tickets hit £5,000 and more hikes to comeTens of thousands of commuters could see a huge increase in the price of their season tickets in the New Year.
• Virgin looks set to lose West Coast rail franchise in storm of protestThe Virgin rail company is set to lose its West Coast main line rail franchise in a Government decision which will spark a storm of protest.
• UK airports report dip in passenger numbers during OlympicsThe number of passengers using the UK's main airports dipped last month as people stayed at home to watch the Olympics.
• Rail fare rises: Commuters and unions protest at huge hike plans in daily cost of getting to workFurious passengers and union leaders hit out at widely expected rail fare price increases today - which will see many pay up to £100 for their weekly commute.

Manchester Evening News

• Transport survey: How would you get transport on track?Hundreds of thousands of people would ditch their car and get public transport to work “ if it was cheaper, more convenient and more reliable.

Metro

• Protests as RPI inflation rise spells rail fares increase of 6.2 per centProtests are taking place at 40 rail stations across the country as official figures showed the rate of inflation used to calculate fare increases had risen to 3.2 per cent, meaning commuters could be paying at least 6.2 per cent more for their journeys from next year. Commuters face average rail fare rises of 6.2 per cent, while season tickets could go up in price by 11.2 per cent (Picture: PA) The Office for National Statistics said retail price index (RPI) inflation had risen to 3.2 per cent in July from 2.8 per cent in June, while consumer price index (CPI) inflation, which excludes mortga...
• Richard Branson ˜to lose™ West Coast line after 15 yearsSir Richard Branson™s train company is set to lose its West Coast main line rail franchise in a government decision which could prompt a legal challenge. Richard Branson is set to lose the West Coast part of the Virgin Rail service (Picture: PA) Virgin Rail has been outbid by transport giant FirstGroup in the new franchise battle to run the London to Scotland line.The announcement, expected imminently, will mean an end to Virgin™s 15 years of operating the line which serves Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. Its high speed trains carry 31million passengers a year. FirstGroup, whic...

Sheffield Star

• Step closer to agreement on transport changesA NEW strategy to radically improve bus services in Sheffield has taken a step closer to becoming a reality after being given the green light by the county’s transport authority.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Step closer to agreement on transport changes A NEW strategy to radically improve bus services in Sheffield has taken a step closer to becoming a reality after being given the green light by the county’s transport authority.

Wales Online

• Cardiff news: Cardiff railway line closed by landslide will reopen on FridayNormal train services in Cardiff are expected to resume on Friday after the completion of work to repair damage from a landslide in the city.
• Rail commuters bear brunt as inflation rise drives up ticket pricesInflation rose in July, with the increase spelling bad news for rail users who could see some tickets prices rise by up to 11%.

Yorkshire Post

• The Great Train Robbery: Anger at soaring rail fares in regionEYE-WATERING train fare rises triggered by a shock increase in inflation will hit passengers in West Yorkshire harder than others elsewhere in England.
• Now hear this, says rapper backing railway headphone safety campaignRAPPER Professor Green has teamed up with Network Rail to highlight the dangers of listening to music while crossing railway lines after a “near miss” incident at a level crossing in South Yorkshire.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk/Essex: Could rail ticket costs rocket as inflation rises?RAIL commuters face an anxious few months as they wait to hear how much season ticket prices will go up a the start of 2013.
• Colchester: Pensioners support campaign group battling to retain free bus passesCAMPAIGNERS have greeted bus passengers touring the country to raise awareness of Government plans to scrap free universal bus travel for pensioners.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Rail fare hike spells commuter miseryRail users have reacted to news they will be paying more for their train tickets with resigned dismay at Peterborough Station today (Tuesday).

Other Regional Press

• Transport unions call for the renationalisation of railways as fresh bout of 'bonkers' fare hikes loom AND the Daily Record took to Glasgow Central station to find out what Scotland thinks.
• Group helps Blackwood bus station beat yob menace THE dark days at Blackwood Bus Station are now over according to one trader, who says it is a safe, welcoming gateway to the town once again.
• Rail fare protests ahead of price hikeDemos have taken place at Kent stations this morning as hard-pressed commuters prepare for a hike of at least 6.2% in rail fares.
• Rail fare rises will ’strangle’ growth in passenger numbers, warns Huddersfield train expert Paul SalvesonCOMMUTERS face huge price rises which could “strangle” growth in the railways, a Colne Valley train expert warned last night.
• Stratford Parkway station set to open seven months earlySTRATFORD Parkway rail station is set to open seven months early – after official contracts were signed.

Campaign for Better Transport

• You made this protest a success! 14  August 2012: With impressive media coverage, the successful protest that we held today with Climate Rush and Action for Rail, reflected clearly that rail passengers will not stand for the Government˜s plans for fare rises at 3% above the inflation rate. read more

Global Rail News

• Boost for FirstGroup shares amid West Coast speculationFirstGroup’s shares have been given a boost ahead of industry speculation that the company is to be awarded the West Coast franchise. FirstGroup Plc has experienced its biggest monthly advance in three years as the company waits to hear whether its rumoured £7 billion bid has been successful. Shares climbed by 0.2 pence to 256.7 [...]
• CDI AndersElite sponsors awards for second year runningRecruitment specialist CDI AndersElite is sponsoring the RailStaff Award’s Rail Team of the Year award for the second year in a row. The category draws nominations from right across the industry, with every kind of team eligible from track workers and telesales teams, to signallers, sales managers and train crews. Scott Siwicki, director of strategic [...]
• Reaction to RPI announcementThe Government has confirmed that rail fares are to rise by around 6.2 per cent next year. Michael Roberts, chief executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC), said: The government decides the average increase of commuter ticket prices and other regulated fares which train companies will be required to introduce in January 2013. [...]
• Rail fares to rise by 6.2 per centCampaigners and rail unions are protesting at stations up and down the country in reaction to the Government’s announcement that rail fares are to rise by 6.2 per cent next year. This morning the Government confirmed July’s Retail Price Index (RPI) at 3.2 per cent which, with the current calculation of RPI plus three per [...]
• Cost benefit bonus for IEPThe new fleet of IEP trains to be built at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham will provide better value for money than an equivalent Pendolino fleet, rail analysts believe. Agility Trains, a consortium made up of Hitachi and John Laing, has signed a £4.6 billion contract with the government for the provision of 596 new [...]
• HS2 will build on Olympic successAndy Milne spells out four reasons why the rail industry and Britain needs High Speed Two. As the surge of national optimism reached its crescendo at the London Olympics the great and the not so good were lining up to oppose the plan to build a high-speed railway between London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Leave [...]
• Why should the Government have to pay half my train fare?The news is full of the latest increase in rail fares. With the rate of inflation declared at 3.2 per cent, fares are set to rise by 6.2 per cent in England in January 2013. The screams of indignation from commuters and regular travellers can be heard for miles. Comparisons are made with fares on [...]

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch expresses regret at proposed above-inflation fare rises and calls for the Mayor of London to have more influence over the setting of National Rail faresLondon TravelWatch has expressed concern at the level of fare rises announced this morning, which leave commuters into London facing average increases of 6.2 per cent from January 2013 and has called for the Mayor of London to be given greater influence over the setting of National Rail fares.

Railnews

• First takes West Coast franchise FirstGroup has won the next Intercity West Coast franchise, ending fifteen years of operation on the route by Virgin. The announcement may trigger a new controversy, because reports have suggested that Virgin could challenge the decision.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow traffic falls as Brits stay at homeAirport's passenger numbers drop in July despite Olympics influx

Other News Sources

• First Group risks 'almost certain bankruptcy', says Branson Virgin Rail boss Sir Richard Branson labelled the Department for Transport insane as he claimed First Group overbid to take over the West Coast mainline franchise.
• Thameslink - Read Valerie Shawcross's consultation response hereThe Department for Transport are currently conducting a very important consultation about the future of services on the current Thameslink network, the Southern network and also a small part of the Southeastern network. This is being done as part of the retendering of these franchises which will take place next year, when new rail operators may be taking over running these services.
• RMT takes social dumping protest to two south coast ports this weekSHIPPING UNION RMT announced today that it is organizing two protests at south coast ports later this week to raise awareness of the impact on shipping jobs of social dumping and the exploitation of oversees workers by the shipping companies.
• Cut train fares not train staff, say passengers and rail workersRail unions, transport campaigners and passenger groups are holding a national day of action today (Tuesday) to protest against massive hikes in rail fares and cuts to railway staff and services.
• Sussex rail passengers set to protest at anticipated fare rise Rail passengers are set to gather outside Brighton and Hove railway stations this morning in protest of another expected rise in rail fares.
• Rail fares set to rise by 6.2 per cent in 2013Government says double-inflationary rise is needed to invest in the network