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

Monday, 01 October 2012

BBC News

• Passengers ride freight line from Bristol-to-Portbury Campaigners hoping for the re-opening of a passenger rail route between Portishead and Bristol have been travelling on the line.
• Bus strike: School services not hit by First Cymru action School buses in south and west Wales will be unaffected by Monday's 24-hour First Cymru strike, but passengers using regular services will be hit in a walkout over pay.
• Airport delays due to computersHundreds of passengers are delayed at Glasgow Airport due to a failure of UK Border Force computers

Financial Times

• Greyhound UK on brink of extinctionParent company FirstGroup, which brought the iconic bus brand to the UK in 2009, focuses on problems in other parts of the business
• Revamped BMI set for take-offAfter almost five months of frantic activity, IAG™s unwanted stepchild will start flying as an independent carrier at the end of October
• FirstGroup chief aims to soothe fearsTim O™Toole will this week seek to reassure investors that FirstGroup is dealing with the challenges it faces when he gives a brief update

The Scotsman

• Renfrew Ferry firm reported to fiscal after ’water flooded vessel ’ THE operator of a historic ferry link has been reported for prosecution after water flooded into the vessel while passengers were on board, The Scotsman has learned.
• Edinburgh trams set to run six months ahead of schedule EDINBURGH’s controversial trams could be up and running at least six months earlier than expected.
• ScotRail trains hit record punctuality SCOTRAIL passengers enjoyed record punctuality this month, when fewer than one in 20 trains arrived behind schedule.

Derby Telegraph

• Rail firms send right signals to get on board Brazilian boomA GROUP of top Brazilian rail officials have been in Derby to talk about teaming up with city firms on multi-million-pound infrastructure projects for the world's two biggest sporting events.

Journal Live

• East Coast rail line could stay public, says LabourA LABOUR Government would consider keeping East Coast rail services in public hands, said party leader Ed Miliband.

Sheffield Star

• Call to let bikes on tram-trainsTRANSPORT bosses are being urged to rethink plans to ban bikes from new tram-trains between Sheffield and Rotherham.

Yorkshire Post

• Olympic cycling success inspires more people to get on their bikesThe success of Team GB cycling stars such as Sir Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins has inspired more people to get on their bike, according to research.

Other Regional Press

• Abertillery rail link could cost £16.7m, says South East Wales Transport Alliance A SCHEME to expand the Ebbw Valley train line on to a new spur to Abertillery could cost £16.7 million to build.
• CAMPAIGN TO STOP CUTBACKS TO BARROW TO MANCHESTER TRAINS BUILDING HEAD OF STEAM A CAMPAIGN to stop rail services between Barrow and Manchester from being scaled back has received local authority backing.
• Short-hop bus fares are cut by up to 20pc Transport operator Arriva said it hoped the lower price would attract non-bus users to public transport, helping to ease congestion on the roads. Journeys between Wellington and the Princess Royal Hospital will be cut from £1.70 to £1.50 – representing a saving of 11.5 per cent.
• Bus drivers set for 24-hour strike as pay offer rejectedBUS drivers and engineers will strike on Monday after rejecting the latest pay offer from operator First Cymru.
• Network Rail to put Gresley Road Triangle plans on show NETWORK Rail is holding a public exhibition to present plans for a new signalling centre, training facilities and offices on land next to Basingstoke railway station.
• CUMBRIAN FIRM'S RAIL STATION SOLAR GLAZING SYSTEM SWITCHED ON A power project led by a Cumbrian company at one of the world’s most famous railway stations has been switched on.
• Where is train station? Could you please tell me how long it takes this Goverment to make up its mind about a railway station? This record is now running quite thin. Miss Greening got the chop, what comedian have they put in her place? It’s a simple question, are we getting a railway station or not ? I get a year older every year and I think I will be in my box before this one is sorted out.
• 2M group claim Heathrow won't stop at third runway The 2M group of local authorities claim allowing a third runway to be built at Heathrow Airport will inevitably lead to a fourth.
• Controversial plan to replace historic railway gates in Plumpton THERE has been an outcry in Plumpton over news that a unique feature of the village’s heritage looks set to be taken away next year.
• Mayor backs road plansPLANS for a road improvement scheme aimed at increasing traffic flow at a busy junction have been agreed by Hartlepool Mayor Stuart Drummond.

Construction Enquirer

• Carillion set for £50m Doncaster airport link road Doncaster county council is set to sign a contract with Carillion to build an important link road between the city’s Robin Hood Airport and the M18 motorway.

Other News Sources

• Bombardier keen on rolling-stock project CANADIAN rolling-stock manufacturer Bombardier estimates that it would need to invest about R20bn over the first three years of the ambitious rolling-stock fleet renewal programme being run by the Passenger Rail Agency of SA (Prasa) should it be selected as the preferred bidder.
• ROUTES: Heathrow debate has regional implicationsNews that Patrick McLoughlin, the UK's new transport secretary, has postponed his decision over Heathrow's third runway until after the next General Election in 2015, has prompted a collective groan across the aviation industry and the wider business community.