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

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

BBC News

• In-car smoke 'breaks toxic limit'Smoking in the car, even with the window open, makes pollution that exceeds official
• Virgin in West Coast route talksVirgin Trains will be asked to continue to run services on the West Coast Mainline for at least another nine months following the decision to scrap the latest franchise decision.
• VIDEO: Car recharging points 'an issue'A lack of recharging points, particularly on motorways, has been cited as one of the reasons for relatively slow sales of electric cars.
• VIDEO: Paralympian struggle with London transportOne of the UK's most successful Paralympians claimed London was simply too inaccessible
• Airport operator BAA drops nameGlasgow Airport operator BAA says it will change the name under which it operates its UK airports.

Department for Transport

• Department for Transport to negotiate with Virgin on temporary operation of West Coast rail servicesVirgin to remain as operator while a competition is run for an interim franchise agreement.

Financial Times

• Virgin secures West Coast extensionPlan is first part of temporary fix that should see incumbent run the country™s busiest intercity line until at least September 2013
• Short-term fix for West Coast line contractCompromise deal sees incumbent Virgin Rail operate route as government says decision on long-term operator is not expected for another three years
• BAA leaves baggage behindFor Colin Matthews, the decision to drop the umbrella company™s name in favour of individually branded airports was simply a reflection of reality

The Guardian

• Virgin to run west coast trains for another yearTransport secretary is warned his solution to rail franchising fiasco could create legal and political problems down the lineVirgin will continue to run trains on the west coast mainline for the next year, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed, but opponents and lawyers warned that his decision could be storing up more legal and political problems for the future.McLoughlin told the Commons he would be

The Herald

• Rail chaos warning over plans for West Coast linePASSENGERS on the West Coast Main Line face further uncertainty after it emerged train services could be run by three different operators in three years.

The Telegraph

• BAA rebrands as 'Heathrow' Airports operator BAA has broken with the past and rebranded as “Heathrow” after deciding its name, a vestige of the British Airports Authority, was no longer appropriate for the smaller company.
• Two-for-one special on the West Coast threatens more rail chaos Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin's decision could mean three operators for the London-to-Scotland line in as many years.

Reuters News

• Virgin to run rail line while government fixes bidding fiascoLONDON (Reuters) - The government faced fresh humiliation over a botched competition to run the country's west coast rail service on Monday, when it asked Virgin to continue operating the line on an interim basis, only weeks after choosing a rival company.

Daily Express

• Rolls-Royce will put you on the road to successROLLS-ROYCE provides power systems and services for use in the air, at sea and on land, and is organised into four divisions: civil aerospace, marine, defence aerospace and energy.

ATOC

• ’Savvy shoppers’ set to save millions on Christmas rail travelBritons are expected to cut the cost of Christmas travel to see friends and family by using a Railcard and by snapping up cheap Advance tickets, according to rail companies....
• ATOC reponds to the Transport Secretary's statement on the West Coast Mainline franchiseResponding to the Transport Secretary’s statement to the Commons on the Intercity West Coast franchise, a spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies said:  ...

Birmingham Post

• Virgin Trains to run West Coast Main Line for nowRail operator Virgin has been asked to continue running the troubled West Coast Main Line for another few months, the Government has said.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Virgin to continue running West Coast Main Line for next few monthsRail operator Virgin has been asked to continue running the troubled West Coast Main Line for another few months, the Government has revealed this morning.

Liverpool Echo

• Government ask Virgin to keep running Liverpool to London West Coast rail lineTHE Government today confirmed rail operator Virgin will be asked to continue running trains between Liverpool and London for at least another nine months.

London Evening Standard

• Joy for Richard Branson as Virgin are given West Coast line for another yearVirgin boss Sir Richard Branson was celebrating today after securing control of the West Coast Main Line for another year while a new competition is held for the franchise.
• Car tax: Motorists will no longer need insurance certificateDrivers will soon no longer have to produce their motor insurance certificate when buying a car tax disc under plans unveiled today by the Government.
• Virgin runs rail line in short termSir Richard Branson's train company is set to carry on running the West Coast Main Line for the time being, following a Government decision.

Manchester Evening News

• Transport for Greater Manchester is named best transport authority in BritainBosses at the region™s transport body are celebrating after being handed a top award. Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has been named transport authority of the year at the National Transport Awards in London.
• Transport for Greater Manchester cuts weekly scholars bus pass to £7The cost of a weekly pass on many of the region™s school buses is being dropped by almost a fifth.

Metro

• Virgin asked to run West Coast Main Line for at least nine monthsThe government has asked Virgin to run the West Coast Main Line for at least nine months as the government sorts out its rail franchise mess.Although Virgin's current franchise is set to end on December 9, it has agreed to continue to operate the train line for between nine and 13 months until an interim franchise agreement is decided upon. Virgin Trains has agreed to run the West Coast Main Line for around another year (Pic: PA) This agreement has been patched together by the Department for Transport (DfT) after it realised its calculations were wrong when it decided to hand the business over...

Sheffield Star

• Bus stop congestion is driving Sheffield residents barmy RESIDENTS have been left frustrated by delays to a project to build a bus bay which will alleviate congestion at a busy Sheffield road junction.
• Rail depot set to create the ˜wrong type of jobs™PLANS for a large new rail depot in the east end of Sheffield, to take delivery of resurfacing materials for the city’s roads as part of the £2 billion repair programme, are being opposed by the organisation with the job of driving regeneration in the region.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Anger at extra cash for city™s ˜best bus service™PLANS have been approved for a package of improvements to a major Sheffield bus route – using a share of £1.3 million transport funding.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Council must confront fear and confusion over link road route “ MSPMoray™s MSP is urging council officials to be clearer on their case for the controversial Elgin western link road.

Wales Online

• Virgin to keeping running West Coast Main Line in the short termRail operator Virgin has been asked to continue running the troubled West Coast Main Line for another few months, the Government has said.

Yorkshire Post

• Now researchers say smoking in your own car should be illegalResearchers have backed a proposal to ban smoking in private cars after they found that the habit produces pollutants which could be harmful to passengers.
• Virgin Trains will continue to run West Coast rail lineSir Richard Branson’s train company is set to carry on running the West Coast Main Line for the time being, following a Government decision yesterday.

Bucks Free Press

• Decision expected on Oxford - High Wycombe rail link RAIL bosses are expecting a new route between High Wycombe and Oxford to get the go-ahead in the next few weeks.
• Fares to rise on Arriva Buses THE price of travelling on Arriva buses will go up this weekend due to Government funding cuts and a rise in fuel tax, the company says.

Reading Evening Post

• Plans to extend King's Road bus lane Proposals to extend the King’s Road bus lane went out for statutory consultation last week.

Other Regional Press

• Wirral cabinet to consider how extra transport funding will be allocated WIRRAL Council's ruling cabinet will this week consider a report setting out how a funding boost for local transport schemes will be allocated. It was announced in July that the borough would receive a £3.2 million share of a £19.9m grant awarded to the Merseyside Transport Partnership, which incorporates Merseytravel and the five Merseyside local authorities, from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
• Pleas for new bus service to serve CatheringtonDEMANDS have been made for a bus service in Catherington as many people feel isolated.
• Virgin to run West CoastVirgin Rail will continue to run the West Coast Main Line through Lancashire while its future is thrashed out, it has been confirmed.
• Bus services restored after u-turnBUS users in Hartlepool have been granted a reprieve after transport chiefs performed a u-turn and reinstated two services which had been withdrawn amid savage budget cuts.
• Railway footbridge to get go ahead?A new railway footbridge, over the Bedford to Bletchley railway line in Ford End Road could get the go ahead on Monday.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Manchester transport authority hailed for network improvementsAn organisation with responsibility for transport operations in the north-west of England has welcomed a new award.Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) won the prize for Integrated Transport Authority of the Year at the National Transport Awards in London and received a "highly commended" for the improvements it has made to bus services.According to the organisation, it is the first to have been given the title twice within three years, having demonstrated "progress, improvement and innovation in public transport" over the past year.Outlining the organisa...

Global Rail News

• Track partnership in training exerciseWhile the world™s focus has been on the Olympics based in East London, a major training exercise has been conducted in West London. A collaboration between London Underground and Balfour Beatty Rail, Track Partnership is responsible for the renewal of track and drainage assets on the London Underground Network. In preparation for doubling the volume [...]
• Whiteboards written offThe UK™s rail networks are getting busier. This is reflected in increasing activity levels within depots, in turn placing increasing burdens on depot staff and existing infrastructure. Improving productivity and efficiency are therefore key to reducing these pressures and to the continued successful operation of rail depots across the country. Good planning, organisation and communication [...]
• Poll: Is a contract extension for Virgin the West Coast Main Line™s best option?The Government’s is in talks with Virgin to extend the operator’s contract for up to 13 months, but is it the right decision to keep the West Coast under private sector control?
• Rail team complete Mont Blanc challengeA team of five rail explorers have raised more than £13,000 after successfully traversing the highest mountain in Europe. Dave Burgess, Chris Lukehurst, Matt Sercombe, John Westwood and the Managing Director of Kelly Integrated Transport Services, John Tuite, reached the summit of  Mont Blanc on September 21 to complete the fundraising expedition for the Railway Children [...]
• Transport ministers agree India-Austria rail partnershipTransport ministers from India and Austria have signed an agreement which aims to strengthen relations between the two countries. Indian Railways Minister, C.P Joshi has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Ms Doris Burse, Federal Minister of Transport, Innovation & Technology of Austria, to build a long-term relationship and bilateral cooperation on rail, road [...]
• Virgin Rail Group to retain West Coast on temporary contractVirgin has been handed back the keys to the West Coast Main Line for at least another nine months while the government seeks to draw up a new franchise deal. Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin today announced that Virgin Rail Group would be retained as the route’s operator for nine to 13 months beyond the original [...]

Railnews

• Virgin to lead three-stage West Coast repair? The government has named Virgin Trains as the most likely operator of intercity services on West Coast after 8 December, and officials are now said to be working 'flat out' to agree terms for a temporary contract of between 9 and 13 months. This would then be followed by two more franchises.

Aviation Industry

• Bombardier begins assembly of CSeries first flight test vehicle Bombardier has begun assembly of the CSeries aircraft™s first flight test vehicle (FTV1) at its Mirabel, Québec facility.
• Kingfisher extends flights stoppage by eight daysIndian airline will not resume flights until at least October 20 as dispute with staff continues

Other News Sources

• 'Safe at 17' Car Club launches Charitable TrustThe Under 17 Car Club’s ’Safe at 17’ approach to novice driver training would cut road casualty figures among newly-qualified drivers by more than three quarters if adopted nationally, preventing 310- deaths and around 4,500 life-changing injuries a year while saving the country £500 million a year.
• Transport union RMT pledges full support for People's Charter in ScotlandTRANSPORT UNION RMT today pledged full support for the campaign behind the People's Charter in Scotland and promised to use the Charter as vehicle to mobilise backing for the public ownership of rail, ferries, buses and the wider range of public services
• RMT response to Virgin West Coast stitch upRMT General Secretary Bob Crow on Virgin West Coast contract.
• Firms back bigger HeathrowBUSINESS bosses are backing a new four-runway airport at Heathrow to protect the economy in Reading and Berkshire.
• Armitt and Adonis set to pick panel for infrastructure commissionExclusive: Sir John Armitt will meet with former Labour transport secretary Lord Andrew Adonis this week to find six names for his infrastructure commission announced by shadow chancellor Ed Balls last month.
• Virgin to be asked to keep running West Coast trainsGovernment wants current operator to continue for œshort period following franchise decision debacle
• Koch to replace DiLeo as ACTE bossAppointment of new executive director announced at Rome conference