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

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

BBC News

• Derailed train causes rail delaysA derailed train causes major problems for rail commuters arriving in London.
• Tory MPs urge train fare U-turnBackbench Conservative MPs put pressure on Chancellor George Osborne to stop rail firms in England increasing commuter fares by up to 11%.
• Qantas chief Joyce to forgo bonusAlan Joyce, chief executive of Qantas, says he will forgo his bonus and pay rise after a sharp plunge in the airline's profits.
• BAA to sell off Stansted AirportAirports operator BAA decides to sell Stansted Airport, ending its long-running battle against a Competition Commission ruling.
• Virgin to fly London-ManchesterVirgin Atlantic is to introduce a new short-haul service between London Heathrow and Manchester from next March - the airline's first domestic route.

Financial Times

• Flight attendants agree new AMR contractsA judge has scheduled a hearing for September 4 to impose new terms on pilots “ the only labour group that has rejected new contract offers
• BAA gives up fight to retain StanstedThe company is to sell the UK™s fourth-biggest airport after deciding to end its three-year legal battle with the Competition Commission
• Virgin enters short haul marketThe airline plans to use some of it existing take-off and landing slots at Heathrow for the new short haul service being launched in March

The Herald

• Five men reported since start of train drink banFIVE people were reported to the procurator fiscal in the first four weeks of a late-night alcohol ban on trains.
• Staff ballot on strikes at CalMacCaledonian MacBrayne ferry crews are to be balloted on strike action tomorrow amid fears over the future of staff pension and workplace rights.
• Police seize 104 vehicles in car crime crackdownA 47-year-old motorist with five lifetime driving bans has allegedly been stopped by police when he was more than three times over the drink-drive limit.

The Telegraph

• Pilots forced to make emergency landings because of fuel shortages Pilots have had to make 28 emergency landings because they were running low on fuel according to figures compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority.
• Pilots forced to make emergency landings because of fuel shortages Pilots have had to make 28 emergency landings because they were running low on fuel according to figures compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority.
• BAA admits defeat over Stansted airport BAA has surrendered to the competition authorities over the sale of Stansted after a three-year legal battle, putting Manchester Airports Group in pole position to snap up the Essex airport.
• Virgin to compete with BA on short-haul routes Sir Richard Branson’s long-running rivalry with Willie Walsh, head of British Airways’ parent company, is entering a new phase as Virgin Atlantic goes head to head with its nemesis on UK domestic airline routes.
• BAA finally releases Stansted from holding pattern If there was a record for the world’s longest holding pattern, then Colin Matthews would surely have just broken it.
• What is the shortest time taken to visit each of the London Underground stations? The London Underground is a world-famous web of public transport. But how long would it take to visit every station? The answer isn't simple, as our guide explains.
• David Cameron facing rail revolt in Labour voteDavid Cameron is facing a revolt from his own backbenchers over plans to to raise the cost of rail commuting by up to 11 per cent, in a vote planned by Labour to exploit Coalition tensions.
• Cut benefits to bring down rail fares: MPThe Coalition should cut benefits more to help lower rail fares, a Conservative MP has said.

Reuters News

• MAG leads early Stansted airport bid battleLONDON (Reuters) - British airports operator BAA opened the way for a $2 billion (1 billion pounds) sale of London's Stansted on Monday with Manchester Airports Group (MAG) an early frontrunner in a bid battle expected to draw U.S. banks, pension funds and Asian operators.

Daily Express

• BAA gives StansteadAIRPORT operator BAA is abandoning its fight against regulators' decision to make it sell Stansted - sparking a -potential bid battle for the Essex airport.
• Virgin Atlantic is in it for the short haulVIRGIN ATLANTIC promised to shake-up UK air travel yesterday and land a blow against British Airways by launching its first domestic flights.

Mail Online

• Stansted Airport to be sold off after owners BAA concede defeat in three year legal battleThe company, which recently lost a Court of Appeal ruling over the Essex airport, pictured, said today it would not make a further appeal and will now sell it.
• More drivers stick to 30 as number exceeding the limit drops by a third in 12 yearsIn 1998, 69 per cent of cars on 30mph roads exceeded the limit, but by 2010 the figure had fallen to 46 per cent.

This is Money

• Rail fare increases: Cameron comes under pressure to stop fare risesMPs are in open revolt over soaring rail fares – demanding the Treasury acts to soften the blow for hard-pressed commuters.
• FirstGroup chief O'Toole slams Branson's 'hysterical' response to West Coast defeatTim O'Toole has hit back after billionaire rival Sir Richard Branson poured scorn on FirstGroup's victory in the bidding war to run the West Coast rail franchise.

ATOC

• More than a million downloads for National Rail Enquiries appMore than a million people have installed the National Rail Enquiries (NRE) free smartphone app since its May launch, making it one of the most popular travel apps in the UK in only 10 weeks....

London Evening Standard

• Rail bosses warned not to accept annual bonuses on 'death lines'The national rail regulator has warned Network Rail (NR) bosses to forego their six figure annual bonuses if they are responsible for fatal crashes on the network. a leaked letter reveals today.
• Train commuters must wait months to hear how much fares will increase in New YearMainline rail commuters will be kept on tenterhooks until the end of October or start of November before knowing exactly how much their fares will go up in January.
• Airport style screening considered for Tube and Railway stationsAirport-style security screening is being considered for Tube and mainline stations across London, it has been revealed.
• BAA to abandon Stansted sale fightAirport operator BAA is to give up its long legal battle over the forced sale of Stansted Airport.
• Capital set for transport challengeTravel bosses have outlined plans to cope with the "huge challenge" of the Paralympic Games as London's transport network prepares for another influx of visitors.

Metro

• BAA to sell Stansted airport after giving up Competition Commission battleStansted airport is to be sold by BAA after it gave up its long legal battle challenging a Competition Commission ruling. BAA has ended its long legal battle over the forced sale of Stansted airport on competition grounds (Picture: PA) The airport operator said it would not proceed with a planned appeal at the Court of Appeal after the High Court ruled against it last month.'We still believe that the [Competition Commission] ruling fails to recognise that Stansted and Heathrow serve different markets,' BAA said.The admission ends a five-year process that began with the Office of Fair Trading r...

Northern Echo

• Better security for Northallerton station A NEW scheme has been launched to increase security at a station on the East Coast main line in North Yorkshire.

Sheffield Telegraph

• £2bn revamp for Sheffield™s roads beginRESIDENTS in Sheffield have welcomed the start of a £2 billion project to improve the city’s road network which finally got under way yesterday.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Airport sees further drop in passenger numbers SPANISH-OWNED Cardiff Airport has continued to see a decline in passenger numbers.

East Anglian Daily Times

• East Anglia: BAA ends battle against order to sell Stansted AirportSTANSTED owner BAA today abandoned its long-running fight against a ruling by competition chiefs that it must sell the Essex airport.

Other Regional Press

• Calls to clean-up a Weymouth rail branch station after it is dubbed the filthiest on networkA GROUP that looks after a railway station is calling for action to tidy up the area after hearing it is the filthiest on the network.
• Prestonpans rail station’s mural is on right track for top award An eye-catching community mural at Prestonpans rail station has been shortlisted for a major award.
• MP rosie cooper launches Yes to a town centre railway station in skelmersdale petition West Lancashire MP is campaigning for a town centre railway station in Skelmersdale and has launched a petition asking residents to make their voice heard in calling for a railway station.
• Train commuters 'priced out of work'Another MP has joined the growing list of Tory backbenchers protesting at soaring rail fares, claiming they are discouraging people from working.
• Quiet country lane faces lorry mayhemResidents of a quiet country road could see up to 30 more lorries rumbling past their doors during the night if a haulage firm gets the go-ahead.

Global Rail News

• Bombardier unveils new high-speed train designA full-size model of the new Frecciarossa 1000 high-speed train is making its way to InnoTrans after being officially unveiled in Italy. The Frecciarossa 1000, which is being built by Bombardier and AnsaldoBreda, is the newest member of Bombardier™s Zefiro family of high-speed trains, known as the V300Zefiro model. The unveiling took place in Rimini, [...]
• Crowd scanners considered for rail and tube stationsResearch into technologies capable of carrying out mass security screenings at rail and tube stations is being conducted by the Home Office. The scanners would be used to search passengers for firearms, explosives, even Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRM) materials, without carrying out traditional check point bag searches. The technology would be used to [...]
• FirstGroup™s West Coast bid faces fresh challengesRichard Branson is cranking up pressure on the government to reconsider its decision to award FirstGroup the West Coast franchise, backing an online petition which demands a fresh look at the bids. Branson, who has described the decision as “insanity” and the bid “unrealistic”, has asked supporters to sign an independent e-petition urging the Government [...]
• ScotRail adds rush-hour services to GlasgowScotRail is to add 500 more seats on morning rush-hour services into Glasgow, plus four new services for evening commuters. The improvements, which will begin in December, will represent a 12 per cent increase in services on the current provision. Jerry Farquharson, ScotRail’s director of business planning, said: œThe new timetable is carefully designed to [...]
• Network Rail told to adopt new safety programme after rail worker collisionAccident investigators have recommended Network Rail adopts a new ‘time-based’ safety programme after a track worker was struck by a train in South London. The train was passing Stoats Nest Junction, near Purley, on a line which had just been reopened to normal traffic after an overnight closure for track maintenance work. The 05.00 Gatwick [...]
• Sunset Limited rail route study gets government backingThe US Government is investing $100,000 to look into reopening a passenger rail service which was discontinued after being devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) agreed the funding following an application from the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to study the restoration of the service between Birmingham, Montgomery [...]
• Russia backs international rail linksSochi, in Russia, will host the 2014 Winter Olympics and the Russian Grand Prix. No less dramatic was the recent Seventh International Rail Business Forum. Hosted by Russian Railways the forum on the Black Sea coast, attracted 1400 delegates from 30 countries. Speakers included representatives of Russian Railways, Siemens AG, Deutsche Bahn AG and the [...]
• D2WO explainedhe route from Doncaster to Water Orton runs for 110 miles through the East and West Midlands. It passes through Rotherham, bypasses Sheffield down to Chesterfield, and then takes the Midland Mainline through Alfreton and Langley Mill to Trent Junction. Thereafter it uses the freight-only line past Castle Donington, joins the Derby-Birmingham main line at [...]

Railnews

• West Coast bid may face critical scrutiny FirstGroup's £5.5 billion bid for the Intercity West Coast franchise may face critical scrutiny from several directions in the next few weeks. Reports say that two Parliamentary committees have expressed concern about the bid, while loser Virgin is understood to have just over a week in which to decide whether to press for a judicial review. A war of words has also broken out between Virgin founder Richard Branson and FirstGroup chief Tim O'Toole, who has described Virgin's reaction to losing West Coast as 'hysterical'.

Aviation Industry

• Qatar invests in Heathrow ownerSovereign wealth fund spends £900 million to take stake in BAA
• BAA gives up fight to keep StanstedAirports operator will sell Essex airport after deciding not to launch any further appeals
• Airlines commission report into APD impactFour leading carriers ask accountancy giant to look into effects of aviation tax

Other News Sources

• Glasgow aims high with cycling agendaGlasgow City Council is aiming to make cycling the biggest participatory activity by end of the decade, following a surge in the sport’s popularity after the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• RMT to begin balloting this week as CalMac privatisation crisis deepensSHIPPING UNION RMT confirmed today that it is to begin balloting CalMac Scottish ferries staff for strike action on Wednesday in an on-going dispute over pensions and workplace rights.
• UK union protests against 'social dumping' in shippingThe National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) organised protests against social dumping on 17 and 18 August in Southampton and Portsmouth respectively. The protests were well attended with representatives from 4 other unions and the ITF attending to lend their support, including Jon Whitlow, ITF Seafarers' Section Secretary.
• RMT steps up rail fares and renationalisation campaign as Tory MP's fights to save their skinsRAIL UNION RMT pledged today to take the campaign over rail fares, and the case for renationalisation of the railways, into the marginal constituencies this autumn as a parade of Tory MP's emerged over the weekend fighting to save their own political skins as the reality of the massive public backlash over the great rail rip-off hit home.
• Wonderful railway bookITS admirers called it God's Wonderful Railway - an astonishing feat of engineering connecting London with the West.
• Branson urges public to sign petition on West Coast rail lineEntrepreneur wants 100,000 people to sign online petition to reverse franchise decision