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

Sunday, 14 October 2012

BBC News

• Trio march to London over cutsA teacher, a civil servant and a fireman begin a 156 mile (251 km) march from Cardiff to London in protest at UK government cuts.
• VIDEO: Health warning over third runwayA third runway at Heathrow would be worse for public health than a completely new airport in the Thames Estuary, according to a study funded by American university MIT.

The Herald

• Fears for Scapa Flow as council lets foreign ships dump dirty water in bayORKNEY Council is under fire for giving the go-ahead to foreign ships to dump dirty water into Scapa Flow, one of Scotland's most precious and historic bays.

The Independent

• Driver dies in Beachy Head plungeA driver has died after the car he was in plunged 400ft from Beachy Head. Related StoriesPassengers hit by major rail delays1.6m adults living with their parentsHeathrow third runway 'would triple pollution deaths'Mega-rich at war! Party crowd vs The well-heeledHow long do Arctic Convoy heroes have to wait for a fitting honour?

The Observer

• Nuclear submarine collides with cruiser off US coastInvestigation under way as LA-class submarine USS Montpelier collides with cruiser USS San Jacinto on SaturdayA nuclear submarine has collided with a cruiser during routine operations off the east coast of the US.The US Fleet Forces Command said the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Montpelier and the Aegis cruiser USS San Jacinto collided at about 3:30pm on Saturday.No one was injured, and the extent of any damage to the vessels was not clear on Saturday evening, said Lieutenant Commander Brian Badura.
• Audit costing £1m 'might have stopped' west coast rail fiascoThe fiasco of the west coast main line rail franchise bids could have been avoided if the government had not cancelled an external audit to save money, according to people who have worked at the Department for Transport.

The Scotsman

• Call for ban on first class travel perksTHE Scottish Government is under pressure to ban first class travel perks for civil servants after a quango splashed out thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ cash on funding expensive rail trips for staff.
• Labour MP hits out at probe into rail fiascoAN INVESTIGATION into 
the West Coast Main Line rail fiasco must be transferred to a fully independent individual or lose all public credibility, Labour has said.

The Telegraph

• Alex James flies a Supermarine SpitfireI have always loved flying machines. I got my pilot’s licence 15 years ago at a time when I was living out of a suitcase with the band. Travelling in a light aircraft was the best way to get around. Blur’s drummer, Dave Rowntree, and I used to fly a heap of a Cessna – that stank of fags and stale takeaways – from city to city on tour, a flying white van. But until last week, I’d never got near the controls of a fighter.
• Third Heathrow runway could triple pollution deathsA third runway at Heathrow would triple the number of early deaths from pollution linked to the airport, a new study claims.

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.
• Virgin on course to win contract to run West Coast railVIRGIN Trains is poised to be awarded a contract to run the West Coast Mainline (WCM) until a new franchise is sorted out for the key rail route.

The Mirror

• Hidden costs: Budget airlines charge up to £160 to correct mistakes on ticketsRyanair will hit you in the pocket if a mistake needs correcting at the airport

This is Money

• Learn for a year before you can take your test: Insurers call for shake-up to cut young driver toll of road deathsInsurers say an overhaul of the rules governing young drivers, like Stephanie Baldwin (pictured) is needed to cut the death toll on roads and the sky-high cost of insurance.

Manchester Evening News

• Metrolink fares set for inflation busting rise in the new year Metrolink fares will increase above inflation AGAIN in January “ as passengers pay towards the cost of new trams and the expansion of the network.
• South Manchester, Altrincham and Eccles Metrolink lines closed on Sunday for engineering workThree Metrolink lines will be closed all day on Sunday as engineers carry out work as part of the network™s expansion. No trams will run on the South Manchester, Altrincham and Eccles lines. Services on the Bury and Oldham lines will terminate at Victoria Station.

Metro

• Pollution from third Heathrow runway 'could lead to more early deaths'New research from US university MIT claims that 50 people a year die early due to pollution from Heathrow Airport and that this figure could rise to 150 should a third runway be built. Heathrow Airport' struggle with capacity is behind calls for a third runway (Picture: Alamy) The report claims that if a second airport was built on the Thames Estuary, which is an alternative option to expanding Heathrow, the level of deaths from pollution would remain at 50 per year. Steve Barrett, the author of the report, said that a new airport on the estuary - and the subsequent closure of Heathrow - wo...

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Bus fares in Tyne and Wear could go up with councilBUS fares in Tyne and Wear could rise by 20% if councils take control, critics have warned. Local authorities are set to consider introducing quality contracts, in which they roll the clock back 30 years and take charge of bus routes.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Day-long deluge brings chaos to roads and railTORRENTIAL rain brought road and rail chaos to the Highlands and islands yesterday with Inverness recording the highest rainfall in the UK.

The York Press

• Rail bid probe 'must be external'The investigation into the scrapping of the West Coast Main Line contract must be carried out by an independent individual, Labour urges.
• Driver cut free from car after A59 crash A DRIVER had to be cut free from a two-vehicle car crash on the A59 on Friday evening.
• Extra London train service from Grand Central YORK-BASED train operator Grand Central is to launch a fifth daily service to and from London.

Other Regional Press

• Train time details revealedRAIL chiefs have revealed more details of an extra service connecting Hartlepool to London.
• Fury over Dorset bus service cuts by South West Coaches COMMUNITIES are up in arms after a bus company revealed it was axing services in Dorset.
• Road to reopen following lengthy repairsLong-suffering drivers who have been forced to endure a lengthy detour around Northampton during maintenance work to a bridge have been told the road is likely to reopen next week.
• Timetables change on X9 bus service NEW operator Stagecoach is making minor changes to the X9 timetable between Witney and Chipping Norton after replacing RH Transport.
• 'Use this chance to improve Hinksey rail bridge' PLANS to replace a vital bridge linking a village to Oxford must be rethought to help OAPs, parents and cyclists, residents say.

Other News Sources

• Firms back bigger HeathrowBUSINESS bosses are backing a new four-runway airport at Heathrow to protect the economy in Reading and Berkshire.
• BUSINESS CLASS CUSTOMERS TO GET A BETTER NIGHT'S SLEEPnbsp; Qantas has announced a number of enhancements to its international Business service to help customers get a better nightrsquo;s sleep. Key among the improvements to the business class...
• Busting Bus Bunching With Traffic SignalsImage via Wikipedia Transportation officials equipped with increasingly sophisticated technology are considering ways they can use traffic signal-prioritization not just to speed the progress of ...
• Horseshoe Curve remains must-see for rail fansShe and her husband, Sam, are "escaped Californians" with a home in South Dakota. As retirees, they have been traveling the United States in an RV for 16 months. And now, in early fall, ...