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

Thursday, 13 September 2012

BBC News

• Willie Walsh at NI air links Westminster hearing Airlines are united in opposition to the "unfair" air passenger duty, the chairman of British Airways' parent company has said.
• MPs: Bus services need to improve The Government and the bus industry need to show more leadership to raise the standard of bus services, a report by MPs has said.
• Bus Rapid Transit passenger numbers criticised A £20m rapid bus transit route that opened in Hampshire in April has been criticised by some local residents for not carrying enough passengers.
• First bus ballot coming to closeA consultative ballot of hundreds of Aberdeen bus drivers and cleaners asking if they would be prepared to take industrial action is coming to a close.
• MPs call for bus 'partnerships'Partnership not competition is the best answer to improving local bus services and increasing passenger satisfaction, a group of MPs have argued.
• Council seeks NI fuel price viewsMotorists in Northern Ireland are being asked for their views on the price of petrol and diesel and their experiences of buying fuel.
• Meeting due on cross-border roadsA number of local authority representatives from Northern Ireland will visit Dublin's Leinster House later to discuss the upgrading of cross-border national roads.
• FirstGroup rail bid 'to go ahead'Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin tells MPs the government intends proceed with First Group's bid for the West Coast Main Line once legal issues have been resolved.
• Bolton interchange a step closerPlans for a £48m transport interchange in Bolton are a step closer after the council is given power to buy the land needed.
• New transport secretary's Heathrow baggageThe new Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is an old hand when it comes to new runways
• Beck's Tube map classic challengedHarry Beck's 1933 London Underground map is a design classic but it's time for a change says a psychologist.
• Plan for Tube strangers orchestraA London musician is creating an orchestra made up entirely of strangers he has met on the London Underground.
• Estuary airport design unveiledNew designs are unveiled for an airport in the Thames Estuary, which include four floating runways.
• First Great Western carriage refurbishments complete Capacity on rail services between London and the west will increase following changes to old carriages.

Financial Times

• US rail groups track shale boomConcern grows that railways profiting from early stages of the latest energy discoveries could be setting themselves up to serve a disappearing market
• Virgin spurs planning for nationalised rail lineIf court grants request for judicial review of West Coast bid, length of time legal battle would take triggers radical move

The Guardian

• Europe considers suspending airline emissions charge Officials stress the need to avert a trade war with major economic powers such as China and the United States
• Heathrow: another source of hot air [Letters]The debate over a third runway at Heathrow is not helped by Zac Goldsmith's failure (Cameron would pay a high price for a Heathrow U-turn, 8 September) to understand the importance of Heathrow as a hub airport for the whole of the United Kingdom.

The Herald

• 70% want railways to go publicMOST people want Britain's railways to be returned to public ownership amid the fiasco of who will run the West Coast Main Line, according to a survey.
• BAE in talks with rival to create aerospace giantDEFENCE giant BAE Systems, which operates the Govan and Scotstoun warship yards on the Clyde, is in talks over a potential merger with a European rival to create the world's biggest aerospace and defence company.
• ScotRail promises boost to timetableFASTER trains between Inverness and the central belt were among a raft of service improvements unveiled by ScotRail as part of a timetable overhaul due on December 9.

The Scotsman

• Forth bridge drivers to be tracked by new camerasDRIVERS on the northern approach to the Forth Road Bridge will be tracked by enforcement cameras within months, when Scotland’s first variable speed limits are introduced.

The Telegraph

• BAE Systems in merger talks with EADS Britain's BAE Systems is working on an audacious €38bn (£30.4bn) merger with its rival EADS in a move that will create the world’s second-biggest aerospace and defence company.
• BAE'S got the better of this EADS deal - if it flies Banks are one thing, but tanks? Given that the Tory backbenchers can’t stand the French and Germans poking their noses into our financial services industry, what you wonder are they going to make of this?

Mail Online

• 'Boris Island' airport: An alien metropolis or the solution to London's transport problems?The London Britannia Airport, designed by architects Gensler, includes four floating runways tethered to the sea bed. New runways could also be floated in as required.

Bolton News

• £48 million interchange plans move a step closer BOLTON™S new £48 million transport interchange has moved a step closer to becoming a reality after town hall chiefs were given power to buy the land needed to build it.

Bristol Live

• The Post published Lights 'tweaked' after service station tailbacksHIGHWAYS chiefs have tweaked lights on Portishead's motorway roundabout after they caused long delays getting in and out of the...

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Revised plan for Llangollen Railway station at CorwenPLANS to build a new station for a heritage railway are being scaled back due to lack of funds.

London Evening Standard

• MPs probe into airports will beat Government inquiry in race for solution MPs will launch a major inquiry into aviation tomorrow — pre-empting the Government’s probe on UK airports. The influential transport select committee is likely to reach a conclusion by early next year on where a major London hub airport should be sited.
• Bus passengers get second class service compared to rail users - MPs The Government and the bus industry need to show more leadership to raise the standard of bus services, a report by MPs said today.

Manchester Evening News

• Wheels in motion: Greater Manchester cycle 'hubs' start to take shapeWork has begun on cycle ˜parking™ centres aimed at getting hundreds of Greater Manchester commuters on their bikes. The centres are being built at key public transport sites and will operate on a membership basis, allowing cyclists to enter using a smartcard.

Northern Echo

• Driver's death on A1 in North Yorkshire leads to renewed road improvement calls DEMANDS for road improvements have been renewed after a driver died in a crash involving three lorries on one of the region™s busiest routes.

Yorkshire Post

• MPs calls for ¨fare deal on ¨the busesThe Government and the bus industry need to show more leadership to raise the standard of bus services, MPs have said.

Bucks Free Press

• Cheryl Gillan, MP: Why HS2 should be scrapped THIS week Cheryl Gillan, MP for Chesham and Amersham and former cabinet minister, writes for the Bucks Free Press on why the controversial HS2 project should be scrapped.

Other Regional Press

• City MP Karl McCartney urges support for more trains from Lincoln to LondonMP Karl McCartney is urging people to support a call for more Lincoln to London trains before it is too late.
• Richard Branson: Profit is not that important to me Virgin rail boss Sir Richard Branson says the bidding process for the West Coast main line contract – including a planned direct link from Shropshire to London – was ’flawed’.
• Fight for better train services in Norfolk to continue - what would you like to see improved?The fight to get better train services in Norfolk, including faster trains between Norwich and London, is set to continue, county council leaders have pledged.
• More than one million people are living in 'transport poverty'Well over a million people in Devon and Cornwall are living in "transport poverty" which puts vital access to work and healthcare at risk.
• Councillors: 'Heathrow will be strong against competitors' HEATHROW Airport is in a 'strong position' to fight competition for its status as Europe's premier hub airport, according to councillors.
• Protest against proposed cuts to railways after government reportDEMONSTRATORS gathered at a railway station to protest against planned cuts to train services.

Global Rail News

• Driving Innovation: The Bombardier wayThe Technology Strategy Board (TSB) provides a good example of cross-industry innovation within the UK. But what of innovation across a global rail industry? the rail engineer was recently offered an opportunity to talk to Martin Ertl, Bombardier™s chief innovation officer, and learn how Bombardier Transportation is driving innovation throughout its global rail business. Bombardier [...]
• EU pledges almost €200m to ˜key™ infrastructure projectsNorth West England electrification, rail freight upgrades between Southampton Port and the West Coast Mainline and removing a bottleneck between Coleraine and Derry are among a number of projects which have been highlighted by the EU for investment. The European Commission has selected 74 projects across the continent that will receive almost €200 million in [...]
• West Coast has questioned future of franchise systemTransport committee member John Leech has said that although he believes the current system is flawed he sees no way of creating a fair process that looks at more than the financial return. The Liberal Democrat MP for South Manchester spoke to Rail.co after questioning Virgin and FirstGroup bosses on Monday. Mr Leech also said [...]
• Fhoss backs Railway ChildrenStaff at Fhoss Technologies have nominated the Railway Children as the company™s charity of the year. The company, based in Weston- super-Mare makes PPE, Personal Protective Equipment. Says Andy Kimitri, Executive Chairman of Fhoss Technology, ˜We are delighted to be raising money for Railway Children. It will be our main charity for 2012/13. We asked [...]
• Transport Secretary sounds warning to HS2 protestersNewly-appointed Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has said that ministerial changes will not alter the Government’s future plans for Britain’s transport network. Speaking in front of the Transport Select Committee for the first time, McLoughlin pledged his support to HS2 and said that he hoped to publish the preferred route of Phase 2 of the project [...]

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch wants to hear all your Olympic and Paralympic travel tales “ good and bad!During the Olympic and Paralympic Games we™ve heard some amazing stories of the great experiences visitors have had in getting to and from the Games “ and we want to hear more of them!

Railnews

• Thameslink deal to be signed by 'end of year' The new transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has revealed that the completion of the Thameslink rolling stock deal with Siemens has slipped again, from 'early autumn' to the 'turn of the year'. He was giving evidence to the Commons Transport Committee, who also heard that he intends to sign the West Coast franchise with FirstGroup 'when we can'.
• More West Coast revelations possible today New information about the controversial award of the Intercity West Coast contract to FirstGroup may emerge today, as recently-appointed transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin is questioned for the first time by the House of Commons Transport Committee.

Aviation Industry

• Bmi Regional to launch marketing driveNewly independent airline to target business travellers in first campaign

Other News Sources

• Anger over plans to cut buses to estate RESIDENTS are up in arms over plans to axe a Cramlington estate’s night-time public transport links.
• Work to begin next week on £247m M25 upgradePreparatory work for an upgrade to the M25 between Kent and Surrey is to begin next Monday.