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

Saturday, 13 October 2012

BBC News

• 'Major power failure' hits trainsTens of thousands of rail passengers have their journeys disrupted following a
• Pollution warning on third runwayA third runway at Heathrow would lead to many more early deaths from pollution than a new airport built in the Thames Estuary, a study warns.
• Carrier section prepared for moveAnother milestone is due to be reached this weekend in the building of the first of two new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers.

The Guardian

• Black cabs recalled in safety scareTaxi manufacturer issues emergency recall and suspends sales of TX4 model after discovering problems with power steeringThe company that makes London taxi cabs has launched an emergency recall of 400 black cabs after discovering a steering fault. It also suspended its shares and warned its financial poisition would be

The Herald

• Warning over rail franchise extensionThe UK Government is on the brink of compounding the
• Ferry firm suffers passenger dropFewer passengers used Scottish ferry services last year as a result of the economic downturn, higher fuel costs and poor weather.

Reuters News

• Sunday Times considering legal action against Lance ArmstrongWASHINGTON (Reuters) - London's Sunday Times said it may take legal action against cyclist Lance Armstrong, including pursuing him for alleged fraud over a libel settlement, in the wake of the United States Anti-Doping Agency's report labelling him a drug cheat.

Daily Express

• Flybe to expand with Finnair dealBRITISH regional airline Flybe is expanding its operations in Scandinavia after reaching an agreement with Finland's Finnair.

Daily Record

• Passengers forced to exit plane at Glasgow Airport via emergency chutes after cabin fills with smoke THE plane had just arrived from Turkey when the smoke, thought to have been caused by excess oil in a power unit, began filling the cabin resulting in the chutes being activated.

This is Money

• BMW to reward London Olympics Games Makers with bargain carsBMW will reward ‘Games Makers’ of the London Olympics by offering them the chance to buy a motor used to ferry around athletes and officials in the summer.

Birmingham Post

• RMT claims Virgin to get 18-month West Coast Main Line contract The Government is on the brink of compounding the "shambles" of rail privatisation by giving an 18-month contract to Virgin to carry on running services on the West Coast Main Line, the biggest rail workers' union has said.

Derby Telegraph

• MP to pose questions about Thameslink contract processA DERBY MP has tabled a series of Parliamentary questions asking Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin to clarify if there are any links between the West Coast Main Line rail franchise debacle and a contract for rolling stock on which city train-maker Bombardier missed out.

Liverpool Echo

• City businesses urge Government to let Virgin continue West Coast franchiseLIVERPOOL Chamber of Commerce has urged the transport secretary to allow Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Trains to continue running the West Coast Mainline link while the review into the franchise fiasco runs its course.

London Evening Standard

• ˜Solution to our aviation crisis must be above party politics™ The Labour party™s newly-appointed guru for major infrastructure projects says that a solution to London™s aviation crisis can only be achieved with cross-party political consensus.
• ˜Boris island™ is an unfundable white elephant, says boss of Dubai airportThe British boss of one of the world™s fastest growing airports says Boris Johnson™s proposal for an £80‰billion, four-runway hub in the Thames Estuary is œunfundable and a potential white elephant.
• Passengers hit by major rail delaysPassengers travelling in and out of London faced major delays on Saturday morning after a host of rail and Underground services were cancelled.

Manchester Evening News

• Yob banned from every car park and tram in Manchester city centreA yob has been banned from every car park in Manchester city centre and getting on ANY tram because of his 'prolific' criminal record.
• 'Rubbernecking' taxi driver killed friend in M60 smash tragedy A taxi driver was ˜rubbernecking™ at a crash on the M60 when he smashed his own car leading to the death of a pensioner passenger. Henry Mairs, 56, had a momentary lapse of concentration and crashed his private hire vehicle into another car in foggy weather.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Steam weekend under way on Keith to Dufftown lineSteam has returned to a Speyside railway for the first time in more than 50 years.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds nostalgia: The start of a transport revolutionOne hundred years ago a revolution began in Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Post

• Leaders join forces for better rail routecouncil chiefs along the East Coast Main Line have joined forces to demand greater involvement in plans for a new franchise deal for a new operator to run the rail route.

Bucks Free Press

• Plane crash could have been prevented, air traffic controller claims THE MID-AIR crash which killed five people, including a Marlow pilot, could have been prevented, an air traffic controller has claimed.
• Biker organisation "appalled" at motorcyclist tragedy A NATIONAL biker organisation has spoken of its disgust at the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of 52-year-old Loudwater resident Jeremy Edwards.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Road safety day for motorcyclists and scooter ridersMotorcyclists and scooter riders are invited to a road safety awareness day in Peterborough.

Other Regional Press

• Cable causes delaysREPLACEMENT bus services were laid on after train services were disrupted when a train ran over a loose cable.
• Cyclists set off for charity challenge A group of novice cyclists made up of staff and parents from St Joan of Arc school in Rickmansworth set off this morning for a gruelling 250 mile cycle adventure.
• UK & World News: Poor 'terrified' by fuel price hikeWarnings over a
• Kayaker rescued by fishing boat in Portland harbour A kayaker was rescued by a fishing boat after capsizing in Portland Harbour.
• Pensioner who killed cyclist in road accident avoids prison A pensioner who killed a cyclist in his cement mixer lorry has walked free from court.
• Sailor Geoff™s county honourDISABLED sailor and Portsmouth hero Geoff Holt is among four new Deputy Lieutenants of Hampshire.
• Motorway crackdown on illegal lorriesOne vehicle was seized and nine more were given warnings or fines as police officers helped to lead an operation to tackle lorries in Northamptonshire.
• Northampton MP criticises ˜slow™ London train speedThe average speed of trains travelling from Northampton to London is just 67mph, a report by Northamptonshire County Council has revealed.
• Appeal for witnesses after man hurt in Aberdeen road accident diesPOLICE today appealed for witnesses after the death of a pedestrian injured in an Aberdeen road accident.
• Thousands head off to sun as rain lashes Aberdeen areaTHOUSANDS of holiday-makers flocked to Aberdeen Airport as rain lashed the North-east.
• Talks in bid to avoid strike by First Aberdeen bus driversTALKS between bus company First Aberdeen and union leaders are due to take place at conciliation service ACAS next month in a bid to settle a dispute over pay.

Aviation Industry

• Transport commissioner talks tough on SES implementationWith the Single European Sky (SES) initiative now into its tenth year œand still not delivering, European Commission VP-Transport Siim Kallas is talking tough with EU member states, saying they œneed to be made accountable if they do not meet their targets.

Other News Sources

• Your Interview: Brighton and Hove Buses boss Roger French In our new weekly feature your Interview, we give you, our readers, the chance to ask key figures across Sussex the questions you want answered. This week managing director of Brighton and Hove Bus and Coach Company Roger french answers your questions
• Transport workers in worldwide push for safe, decent workUnionists in Nepal and India marched several kilometres to a rally at the Indo-Nepali border this week to stand up for the rights of road transport workers.
• The week ahead at the London Assembly 12 October 2012 Public meetings coming up next week Tuesday 16 October 2012Aircraft noise and air pollutionHealth and Environment Committee “ 10am in the ChamberThe Committee will question the following guests about managing noise and other environmental impacts from air traffic[1] to help inform its response to the Government™s draft Aviation Policy Framework: No read more
• Rail unions protest at Euston and nationwide in call for renationalisation of rail after West Coast fiascoIn advance of the announcement expected on Monday from the Government on who will be running the West Coast Mainline from 9th December, rail unions, under the joint Action for Rail umbrella, will be holding a protest at Euston station this morning, and railway stations in every region, calling for renationalisation and an end to the McNulty cuts to jobs and services in the name of profit.
• United Ocean Services soldNYSE-listed International Shipholding Corp confirmed yesterday that it will acquire US-flag drybulk owner United Ocean Services for $111M.
• Maersk cuts Asia/Europe route capacityMAERSK Line, the world™s biggest box liner, said today it plans to cut capacity on key Asia/Europe routes, on which it predicted volumes would fall 3% this year.
• Considerable efforts required to make most of Europes inland waterways - UN reportPrint ...

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• Franchise subsidy details fuel rail funding debate Updated figures revealing the subsidies for all rail franchise areas in England have been published by the Department for Transport.The figures put together the subsidies paid directly to train...