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

Friday, 14 December 2012

BBC News

• Parents angry over school bus cutMore than 20 high school pupils face a near three-mile walk to school from next month, say their parents, after their bus service is stopped.
• Ferry strike move 'disappointing'Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown expresses
• Is it over for cash on transport?Will contactless bankcards spell the end for cash and paper tickets on transport?
• Drop in London transport crimeTransport-related crime went down 2.3% during the summer despite record passenger numbers during the Olympic Games, according to latest figures.
• Rail staff in Christmas Eve strikeWorkers on ScotRail are to strike on 22 December and on Christmas Eve in a dispute over the sacking of an employee, the RMT union says.
• Airline attacks Dreamliner faultsThe head of Qatar Airways criticises Boeing over manufacturing faults that have led to the grounding of one of its three 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

Financial Times

• Iata upgrades airline profit forecastsCarriers expected to record combined net profits of $6.7bn this year, up from previous estimate of $4.1bn, on consolidation and cost-cutting
• Ryanair loses appeal over Aer Lingus probeSupreme court gives the UK Competition Commission the go-ahead to look into the low-cost carrier™s 29.8% stake in Ireland™s flag carrier
• Cameron seeks to allay Airbus fearsThe prime minister has said the government is ˜positively engaged and committed™ to Airbus, EADS™ main subsidiary and maker of passenger jets
• NY taxis to adopt ˜e-hail™ technologyNew Yorkers will soon be able to hail a cab with their smartphone after the Taxi & Limousine Commission voted in favour of a 12-month pilot exercise

The Guardian

• Heathrow runway delay is hurting aviation industry, warns Iata chief Head of global aviation association says government's 'chopping and changing' of ministers shows lack of understanding

The Herald

• Free wi-fi on ScotRail trainsFREE wi-fi will be available on all ScotRail train services between cities and in the Fife and Stirling areas from the end of next year, the Scottish Government has announced.
• Borders Railway builders appointedA £220 million contract to build a 30-mile railway between Edinburgh and Tweedbank in the Borders has been handed to BAM Nuttall in a deal expected to create around 500 jobs.
• ScotRail anger at Christmas walkoutsSTRIKES by ScotRail staff on the last Saturday before Christmas and Christmas Eve have been branded a cynical move designed to cause maximum disruption to passengers.
• Airport chief's concern at public funds given to rivalTHE head of Edinburgh Airport has claimed public money is being used to give its west coast rival an unfair advantage.
• Rail strike row letter revealedTHE passenger at the centre of a ScotRail dispute wrote a letter of complaint detailing how he was reduced to tears in a

The Scotsman

• ScotRail prepares wi-fi rollout for servicesFREE wi-fi will be available on ScotRail trains between Scotland’s cities by the end of next year, ministers announced yesterday.
• Transport costs harm job prospectsThe job prospects of young people are being hit by rising transport costs, a report warns.

The Telegraph

• Government criticised for lack of action on aviation policy The Coalition's approach to aviation has come under withering attack from the industry's most senior figure.
• Death of the 'car tax disc' as DVLA records become digitisedThe car tax disc could be axed under plans being considered by the government, it was claimed last night.
• Cheaper air fares as oil prices fallTourists can expect to pay less for their flights next year, claims the aviation industry's leading economist.

Mail Online

• Ghost trains: How locomotives from the early 20th Century would look if they were still running along their old routesPhotographer Stuart McPherson has brought back to life the Midland and Great Northern Railway by merging archive images with pictures of how it looks now.
• Is it the end of the road for the tax disc? Scrapping paper version would cut costs and streamline services to motorists, say ministersOfficials say that because police can tell instantly from access to the DVLA computer whether a car has been taxed or not, there is no longer a need for proof on the windscreen.

Belfast Telegraph

• Titanic night of celebrations for British Airways To celebrate British Airways presence back in Northern Ireland, British Airways recently hosted an evening of entertainment at Titanic Belfast. Related Storiesfactfile€39.5bn bailout handed to SpainSoftware product to save NHS moneyEx-trader among trio arrested in Libor probe€39.5bn bailout handed to Spain

Daily Post (North Wales)

• £3m to help maintain A55 and North Wales network in flooding aftermathWELSH transport minister Carl Sargeant will today announce an extra £3m to maintain the North Wales road network in the aftermath of flooding which closed the main A55.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Festive travel misery as ScotRail staff to strike on December 22 and Christmas EvePassengers face uncertain festive train travel after ScotRail’s main union announced strikes on the Saturday before Christmas and Christmas Eve over the sacking of a ticket examiner.

Liverpool Echo

• Scou-cycles: Mayor Joe Anderson to bring Boris Johnson's rent-a-bike scheme to LiverpoolLIVERPOOL is to get its own version of the ’Boris Bike’ hire scheme that has taken London by storm.

Liverpool Post

• Record sales levels help drive Jaguar Land Rover's global expansion LUXURY car maker Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has posted a record-breaking month for car sales.

London Evening Standard

• News in brief: Record revenue at accountant KPMG, Games speed up National Express, Modest rebound for manufacturersBig Four accountant KPMG announced record $23 billion  (£14.3 billion) revenue across its international operations today. However, growth slowed down significantly in the second half of the year, 2.1% against 6.4% for the first six months, as the global slowdown intensified.
• Bus passengers get on board with first ˜wave and pay™ systemLondon bus passengers today became the first in any major city to use revolutionary œwave and pay plastic cards on public transport.
• Tube station car park charges to go up by eye-watering 18.73%Underground travellers already facing above-average fare increases in the new year will also have to put up with huge hikes in Tube station car parking charges.
• Kia bags top consumer awardKia Motors have motored off with the 2012 Which? Award for best car manufacturer, having fought off stiff competition in the first year it was shortlisted for the accolade.

Sheffield Star

• Double delight for Sheffield railway station bosssheffield railway station’s boss has revealed details of improvements for passengers to be made next year – as he was named East Midlands Trains’ manager of the year.
• Wi-Fi popular on bus tripsBus company Stagecoach Yorkshire has clocked up a digital milestone.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Bidder in last-ditch attempt to save airportCAMPAIGNERS behind a last-ditch attempt to prevent Sheffield City Airport being lost for ever said this week that a potential buyer had emerged who offered the hope of it being reopened.

This Is Local London Network

• Transport for London introduces contactless card payment on buses from today Bus passengers can pay for their journey using credit, debit or charge cards from today.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Airport on course for lowest passenger figures for 15 yearsCardiff Airport is on course to record its lowest annual passenger numbers in 15 years, new figures show.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Protesters™ day of action aims to derail train fares increaseCampaigners handed out Christmas cards of protest to commuters at Peterborough railway station in a bid to derail planned fare hikes.

Plymouth Herald

• Region is 'poor relation' in transport investmentPLYMOUTH is lagging behind most of England when it comes to government spending on transport, say city MPs.

Global Rail News

• Taking ownership: Privatisation and the rail industryAndy Milne considers the success of the mix of individual staff power with private sector dash as the rail industry prepares for more change next year. Time and again the rail industry finds itself in a quandary when it considers the question of ownership. Everyone has a view as to what should be done about [...]
• New Richard Morris book to raise money for Railway ChildrenRichard Morris started his railway career with British Rail in 1970. His new book ˜Iron in the Blood™ covers 30 of the last 42 years. The book is full of amusing stories like the time he threatened the Kray Twins without realising who they were, forgetting to make Peter Parker a cup of tea, receiving [...]
• Indian Railways: Passenger and freight revenue upPassenger and freight revenue have both increased in the first eight months of this financial year, Indian Railways has announced. Revenue rose to $14.49 billion between April and November 2012 compared to $12.15 billion in the same period last year. Freight earnings also increased to $10.01 billion, recording a rise of 24 per cent from [...]
• First S Stock train in service on Hammersmith & City lineThe first of 53 new S Stock trains has entered service on the Hammersmith & City line. The new Underground train, which began operation between Hammersmith and Barking on December 9, is part of a £1.5 billion rolling stock order to replace 177 vehicles across the Metropolitan, District, Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. Nigel [...]
• €90m Brazil tram contract for VosslohSão Paulo’s transport authority has awarded a contract for 22 trams from Vossloh and Brazilian firm T’TRANS worth 90 million euros. The bi-directional trams, which will be delivered between 2014 and 2015, will be designed at Vossloh’s Valencia plant and manufactured alongside T’TRANS. The vehicles have a capacity for 400 passengers and can be operated [...]
• Railway Children locomotive to undergo major overhaulA Victorian steam locomotive which starred in The Railway Children is to make its final appearance before undergoing a major overhaul. Built in 1887 by Beyer Peacock in Manchester, Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway No. 957 is best remembered for its role in the classic 1970 film where it starred as ˜The Green Dragon™. The locomotive, [...]
• Ground broken at Charlotte Streetcar light rail projectTransport officials have broken ground on the first phase of a 10-mile light rail line in Charlotte, North Carolina. The initial 1.5-mile section of the $37 million Charlotte Streetcar line will include six stops along an east-west transit corridor. A groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier this week at the Presbyterian Hospital – one of the [...]
• King of Morocco inaugurates Casablanca tram routeThe King of Morocco, Mohammed VI, has inaugurated Casablanca’s first tramway. The new 31km line – the longest line to be built as part of one project – links the city’s east and south-west districts, calling at 48 stations. In 2009, Casablanca’s transport authority awarded Alstom a 120 million euro contract to supply 74 Citadis [...]
• BAM Nuttall named as main contractor for Borders RailwayBAM Nuttall has been announced as the main contractor to deliver Scotland’s new £294 million Borders Railway. Network Rail had said earlier this year that it was working alongside the construction giant to design the new line, which is due to enter service in 2015. Today’s announcement confirms that BAM Nuttall has been awarded the [...]
• Metrolink to call at new Oldham to Rochdale line stopsThe first Metrolink services will arrive at Derker and Shaw & Crompton this weekend. The first in-service tram to arrive at Derker is due to leave the Oldham Mumps stop on Sunday at around 6.50am and arrive at 6.54am. The same tram is then due to arrive at Shaw & Crompton at around 6.59am. Councillor [...]

London TravelWatch

• We answer some frequently asked questions about contactless paymentsWe answer some frequently asked questions about the introduction of contactless payments on London's buses

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• Qatar And UAE in Top Five Most Attractive Countries for Infrastructure InvestmentThe Infrastructure Investment Index published by International Built Asset Consultancy E C Harris sees Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in the top five most attractive countries in the world for infrastructure investment, ranked on criteria including ease of doing business, economic, political and social environment, and availability of finance. The Index, published recently, analyses [...]The post Qatar And UAE in Top Five Most Attractive Countries for Infrastructure Investment appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Aviation Industry

• Kingfisher admits talks with Etihad over investmentGrounded Indian carrier in discussions with Abu Dhabi-based airline and other investors
• Ryanair to launch Manchester-Krakow serviceNo-frills carrier opens new airport bases in Poland and the Netherlands
• Easyjet confirms Manchester-Moscow launch dateCarrier will launch new service from March 28 with four flights per week

Other News Sources

• RMT announces strike dates after overwhelming vote for action across ScotRail over victimised memberRAIL UNION RMT confirmed strike dates today after members voted overwhelmingly for strike action and for action short of a strike in a ballot of all First Scotrail members over the victimisation and dismissal of a member whose only 'crime' was to assist a member of the public in ensuring they had the correct ticket for a journey in line with company policy. RMT members delivered a strike mandate of more than two to one in support of the campaign for reinstatement in a vote last month.
• Click Travel unveils hold function for rail ticketsBusiness travellers can hold train tickets for up to two hours before confirming purchase