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

Wednesday, 03 October 2012

BBC News

• 'Fundamental flaws' in West Coast bid competition - Today Programme Audio ClipThe Department for Transport has scrapped the decision to take the West Coast Main Line franchise off Virgin Trains and award it to FirstGroup. Instead it will rerun the whole competition again.
• West Coast fiasco adds to coalition woes You can only imagine Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin's reaction when he discovered there had been a catastrophic cock-up over the West Coast franchise.
• Forth Ports profits hit by costsForth Ports saw profits fall last year as a result of acquisition and debt restructuring costs but reports a rise in turnover.
• Bus lane traffic issues examinedA multi-agency group is being set up to tackle traffic congestion in Belfast city centre after the introduction of controversial new bus lanes.
• Rail crew shortages cancel trainsMore than 30 London Midland train services are cancelled because of crew shortages.
• West Coast Main Line: Government U-turn 'humiliating' - Audio ClipThe government has scrapped its decision to award the West Coast Main Line rail franchise to FirstGroup, because it says the bidding process was flawed.
• MPs 'to quiz minister about scrapped rail deal' - Louise Ellman MP Audio ClipThe Department for Transport has announced that the bidding process to operate the West Coast mainline is to be rerun, after it discovered technical flaws in the way the contest was decided.
• EADS boss vows swift BAE decisionThe chief executive of EADS calls a proposed $45bn (£28bn) merger with the UK's BAE Systems a
• Kingfisher to pay salaries 'soon'India's Kingfisher Airlines tells the aviation regulator that it will pay staff salaries, held up for the last six months, in the next few days.
• Boeing wins $6bn Brazilian orderBoeing secures its largest order from a South American airline, in a deal with Brazil's Gol worth up to $6bn.
• Toyota leads US car sales riseNew car sales in the US post the best month in more than four years, with Toyota Motor showing the biggest rise.
• Petrol sales suffer 'huge drop'Sales of petrol and diesel on UK forecourts fell significantly in the spring despite cheaper prices at the pumps
• West Coast Main Line deal ditchedThe government cancels its decision to award the West Coast Main Line rail franchise to FirstGroup and announces it will rerun the competition.
• Smart weather radar aims to help planes ride the storms There's a jolt - and passengers on a Qantas A380 en route from London to Sydney are bounced in their seats or sent tumbling in the aisles.

Department for Transport

• Better protection for UK holidaymakersAviation Minister Simon Burns has announced new rules to better protect holidaymakers from losing out if their travel company fails.
• West Coast Main Line franchise competition cancelledTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced that the competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled.

Financial Times

• Government axes West Coast rail contractDecision is partial victory for incumbent Virgin Trains, which had mounted legal challenge to the decision to award the contract to rival FirstGroup
• Fresh Kingfisher cancellations amid unrestIndian airline grounds flights until Thursday as a result of employee action, as it seeks to clear backlog of salaries within months
• FirstGroup sees first signs of recoveryTransport group says its UK bus business is improving but warns of considerable amount of work to be done with the underperforming division
• Banks and shipowners agree Torm rescue dealDanish group saved from potential insolvency in a move leaving existing shareholders with 10 per cent of the operator of the world™s second biggest fleet of oil tankers

The Guardian

• Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary says he's underpaid on £1m a yearOutspoken chief executive says being paid 20 times more than his average employee is not enoughRyanair's Michael O'Leary has enlivened the debate on executive pay by saying that being paid 20 times more than his average employee is too little, claiming to work
• West Coast rail contract halted in shock moveTransport secretary announces competition has been cancelled following discovery of flaws in franchise processThe future running of one of Britain's most prestigious and lucrative rail services, the West Coast main line, was thrown wide open after the transport secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, announced that the competition had been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the franchise process.The news could potentially put other franchises due to be settled in the next two years on hold and will raise questions over the whole system, with unions and Labour considerin...

The Herald

• Branson welcomes Government u-turn on West Coast Main Line Future Government rail plans were thrown completely off track today after ministers scrapped a deal which would have seen Sir Richard Branson's train company lose its West Coast franchise.
• Ferry strike off as deal extendedA PLANNED strike by Cale-donian MacBrayne ferry workers has been called off after its contract to run west coast services was extended by three years, the company has confirmed.
• Farmers in new road clear dealMORE farmers could be drafted in to clear snow from Scotland's roads in the event of another harsh winter after a new code of conduct was agreed.
• Soaring fuel prices lead to sales dropPETROL sales slumped by 10% in the first half of this year compared to four years earlier as drivers were hit by high prices and economic uncertainty, the AA has claimed.

The Telegraph

• West Coast Main Line contract: the key players The key players in the battle over the franchise to run the West Coast Main Line, which collapsed on Tuesday night as the government said the contract had been cancelled due to "significant technical flaws" in the bidding process.
• The cowardly transport department has failed the taxpayer Not for the first time, the Department for Transport has been exposed as a complete and utter shambles.
• More bikes sold than cars in Italy for first time since WW2 For the first time since the end of the Second World War the number of bicycles sold in Italy has overtaken the number of cars.
• West Coast Main Line bid process: a timeline FirstGroup's contract to run the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled by the Government due to "significant technical flaws" in the bidding process. The process will now be re-run. We take a look at the history of the bid.
• Government cancels West Coast Mainline contract due to 'flaws' in bidding process FirstGroup's contract to run the West Coast Mainline has been cancelled by the Government due to "significant technical flaws" in the bidding process, which will be re-run.
• Gas-guzzling sportscars to receive purchase tax of up to £23,000Buyers of large-engine vehicles would face a new purchase tax of up to £23,000 under plans drawn up by a government adviser.
• FirstGroup prepares for 'smooth’ takeover of West Coast Main Line The rail and bus operator, which bid £13bn to run the prestigious line for 15 years, said it has “every confidence” the Department for Transport’s process for awarding the franchise was “rigorous, detailed and fair”.

Reuters News

• Government scraps $9 billion West Coast rail dealLONDON (Reuters) - Britain scrapped on Wednesday a $9 billion (5.5 billion pounds) deal that had awarded the West Coast rail line to FirstGroup Plc, citing flaws in the government's figures, just a day after the company had said it was prepared to take over the key mainline train service this year.

Daily Express

• VICTORY FOR RICHARD BRANSON AS £5.5BN RAIL LINE DEAL IS AXED OVER ’FLAWS’ THE competition to run the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled after the Government admitted getting its figures wrong.
• FirstGroup shrugs off Virgin complaintTRAIN and bus company FirstGroup dismissed fears about its bid to run the controversial West Coast train franchise despite Virgin's last-ditch effort to derail it.

Mail Online

• West Coast Main Line: Government scraps rail deal after High Court challenge by Sir Richard BransonMinisters have ditched their controversial plans to strip Virgin Trains of its right to run the main London to Glasgow rail route.

The Mirror

• All in this together? Bus service cuts are 'hitting the poor, the disabled, the elderly and rural communities'Deprived communities and people in rural areas were hardest hit as bus operators had local authority funding slashed.
• School bus drivers fined after pupil filmed them using mobile phones at the wheel The 14-year-old boy handed the clips, taken on his own mobile, to his school and they were used in evidence

The Sun

• Virgin boss Richard Branson wins rail line fight SIR Richard Branson won a major victory last night as the decision to award Britain’s most lucrative rail franchise to FirstGroup was scrapped.

ATOC

• Making rail travel easier for passengers through integrated transportTrain companies are committed to making it easier for passengers to catch the train by improving links with other forms of transport,...

Journal Live

• North East must get ready to fight for high speed linkA BUSINESS leader has warned the North East could lose out on high speed rail in the face of Heathrow Airport-style opposition.
• Jet2.com hopes Newcastle airport new routes will take-offPASSENGERS will be able to discover the Ochre City, the Venice of the North and the Land of Fire and Ice with the launch of one-off trips from Newcastle.

London Evening Standard

• West Coast franchise award scrappedThe competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced.

Manchester Evening News

• FirstGroup sticks by West Coast franchise date The transport group that beat Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Rail to win the West Coast main line today said it still expected to commence the franchise as scheduled despite a legal challenge.

Metro

• Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary: I™m underpaid on £1m-a-yearRyanair boss Michael O™Leary has claimed his £1million-a-year salary is not enough. In his latest outburst, the budget airline™s colourful chief executive said: ˜I™m paid about 20 times more than the average employee and I think the gap should be wider. I probably work 50 times harder. ˜I was paid €1.2million last year for carrying 80million passengers. Aer Lingus™s boss [Christoph Mueller] got €1.3million for carrying 9million passengers. I think I™m the most underpaid and under appreciated airline boss in Europe.™ In a colourful interview for Management Today...

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Newcastle Airport loses bonus battle with EvershedsNEWCASTLE Airport has lost its battle with a city law firm over multi-million-pound bonuses. The airport had claimed Eversheds Solicitors had failed to prevent two executive directors taking higher-than expected bonuses.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post commented Shock as loss-making Red Flyer airport bus faces axeAN airport bus service is to be axed, just over six months since it was launched.

The York Press

• National Railway Museum launches mobile phone app THE National Railway Museum in York has launched a free mobile phone app to mark the anniversary of the London to Newcastle Jubilee line service.
• Cycle thief hits rail stations POLICE believe a man posing as a rail employee has been carrying out thefts from Selby station.

Wales Online

• School bus drivers caught using mobiles by pupil's evidenceTwo school bus drivers were caught illegally using mobile phones at the wheel - by a schoolboy detective.
• West Coast Main Line franchise decision cancelled by GovernmentThe competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced today.

The Shields Gazette

• West coast rail deal hits the buffersTHE competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled following the discovery of significant flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted.

Other Regional Press

• West Coast Mainline decision scrapped The competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced today.
• UK & World News: West Coast franchise award scrappedThe competition to run trains on the West Coast Main Line has been cancelled following the discovery of significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced.
• Trains cancelled due to floodingBuses replaced trains between Preston and Carlisle due to flooding.
• Calderdale councillor: 50p car park fee is still cheaper than getting the bus - parking changes defended - see why hereA COUNCILLOR has defended plans to remove free car parking and increase fees.

Global Rail News

• FirstGroup Statement re West Coast Main Line franchiseWe were notified late last night that the Department for Transport (DfT) has apparently discovered significant technical flaws in the way their franchise process for the InterCity West Coast was conducted and have consequently cancelled the competition for this franchise. We understand the DfT has ordered two urgent independent inquiries into the West Coast competition [...]
• Network Rail contract award for Vital RailVital Rail has been awarded Network Rail™s LNE Possession Management Contingent Labour contract. Running for three years from November 10 2012, the contract award will deliver possession management for the LNE route between London King™s Cross and Berwick-upon-Tweed. The contract will be run by the newly-appointed head of possession management at Vital Rail, Terry Jarvis, [...]
• FirstGroup eyes December deadline for West CoastFirstGroup is continuing preparations to start services on the West Coast Mainline before Christmas despite a legal challenge by outgoing operator Virgin. “Our focus is to ensure a smooth transition with continuity for staff and passengers alike and to deliver the many benefits and improvements we are offering without delay or disruption. We continue to [...]
• Energy award for East CoastEast Coast has won an award for reducing energy use at its stations, depots and offices. The company has been awarded the Gold Carbon Saver Standard as part of the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme by Carbon Saver, an independent organisation which works with firms to save energy and contribute towards Britain™s carbon reduction commitment (CRC). [...]
• Free rail travel returns for 60-year-oldsTransport for London’s (TfL) rail services will once again be free for 60-year-olds from next month. The new pass will allow free travel by bus, Tube, tram, DLR, London Overground and most National Rail services in the capital. In 2010, the Government raised the age of eligibility from 60 to 61 – in line with [...]
• Wabtec takes over UK-based LH GroupRail vehicle engineering company Wabtec has bought UK-based LH Group for $48 million. LH, which overhauls diesel engines, transmissions, powerpacks and bogies, is the latest in a list of UK engineering firms to be acquired by the US company. In 2011, Wabtec announced that it was to take over Brush Traction – a Loughborough-based locomotive [...]
• Bombardier agrees €50m DB double-deck orderBombardier is to deliver five double-deck Twindexx Ario multiple units with regional train equipment to Deutsche Bahn AG (DB AG). DB AG won the contract to operate Germany’s North-South rail network in a Europe-wide tender. The new order is valued at approximately 50 million euros and is part of a current framework agreement of December [...]

Railnews

• Franchise chaos as DfT cancels West Coast award The Department for Transport has cancelled the award of the West Coast franchise to FirstGroup. The transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has admitted that there were 'significant technical flaws in the way the franchise process was conducted', and announced two official inquiries. Some civil servants face suspension, and the decision is set to disrupt the 2013 franchising programme. It also seems likely to cost taxpayers as much as £50 million or even more.
• Date announced for Virgin court challenge Virgin Trains will be able to test its claim against the DfT over the award of the West Coast franchise in the High Court later this month, because the date for the start of a hearing which could last for up to three days has been confirmed today.
• Government's rail fares policy under attack Fundamental reforms of the transport network have been urged by the Labour Party at their annual conference. Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle has called for 'rigidly enforced' caps on rail fares as well as a review of the rail passenger franchise structure.

Other News Sources

• FirstGroup statement re: InterCity West Coast Franchise We were notified late last night that the Department for Transport (DfT) has apparently discovered significant technical flaws in the way their franchise process for the InterCity West Coast was conducted and have consequently cancelled the competition for this franchise.
• The Battle for Heathrow An old adage holds that one gets only a single shot at a first impression, and rarely is this as true as in the realm of international travel. For better or for worse, foreign visitors’ initial view of Britain is London's Heathrow Airport, and the impression left is often closer to worse than it is to better.
• RMT strike on Mitie First Great Western contract over victimisation of union representativeRAIL UNION RMT announced strike action and action short of a strike today by members working on the Mitie contract on First Great Western over the blatant victimisation of union representative Sharon Petrie
• What are the lessons and legacy from 2012 transport? 2 October 2012 Transport in London performed well during London 2012 despite carrying record numbers of passengers[1].  What can be learned from this success under pressure that could improve the everyday operation of the network?  And what kind of transport legacy has the Games left behind? The London Assembly Transport Committee is reviewing the main lessons learned from transport arrangements during the Games, and identifying ways the Mayor and Transport for London (TfL) can maximise the transport legacy for Londoner...