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

Tuesday, 18 December 2012

BBC News

• Why bus drivers are being taught about dementia Thousands of bus drivers around Britain are being given special training so they can help passengers with dementia. It's part of an initiative by the Prime Minister which is trying to encourage everyone to be more aware of the needs of older people who have dementia, to help them in their daily lives.
• Waterlogged runway keeps Land's End Airport closed Land's End Airport in Cornwall is remaining closed because of a waterlogged runway, managers say.
• Patrick McLoughlin on road, rail and airport plans [video]The transport secretary dismissed the UKIP threat to the Conservative Party, saying it had yet to compare to the electoral success of the SDP in the 1980s which had by-election successes.
• Manx government makes bus driver appeal ahead of strike The Department of Community, Culture and Leisure has asked residents with a Public Passenger Vehicle (PPV) licence for help during a proposed bus strike.
• Bridge demolished for new roadA Wrexham railway bridge is to be demolished to make way for a new carriageway.
• VIDEO: 80mph motorway speed limit U-turn?The government could be set to abandon plans to raise the motorway speed limit in England and Wales to 80mph.
• 'Hybrid' ferry in shipyard launchThe first of two pioneering "hybrid" ferries has been launched by the deputy first minister from the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow.
• Rise in airport passenger numbersPassenger numbers across Scotland's 11 regional airports increased by more than 10% in November.
• VIDEO: Steam train takes to UndergroundA steam train built more than 100 years ago took to London's Underground system at the weekend
• Boxing Day Tube strike confirmedLondon Underground drivers are to strike on Boxing Day and 18 and 25 January in a row over bank holiday pay, a union confirms.

Financial Times

• Boxing day Tube strike set to go aheadAslef, the main drivers™ union, has secured a vote of more than 90% of members in favour of industrial action over bank holiday rostering
• Boskalis raises offer for DockwiseDutch marine services group increases its bid to €18 a share, making it likely that its acquisition of the heavy-lift transport company will go through
• Koc group wins Turkish highway concessionPartners gain 25-year deal for $5.7bn in the country™s second-biggest privatisation to date, indicating that funding for infrastructure projects has eased

The Herald

• Hybrid ferry makes historyTHE world's first sea-going hybrid ferry has been launched from the Ferguson shipyard in Port Glasgow after a £20 million investment in the green technology.

The Telegraph

• Christmas getaway under threat as unions announce strikesWave of strikes, engineering on one of Britain's key rail arteries and nearly 100 miles of roadworks are threatening to make this year's Christmas getaway one of the most difficult in recent years.
• East Coast Main Line: Thousands stranded as trains cancelledThousands of commuters were left stranded last night as overhead wire damage led to trains being cancelled.

Daily Record

• Nicola Sturgeon launches pioneering hybrid ferry from Port Glasgow shipyardTHE vessel, named Hallaig after the poem by Sorley MacLean, is the first commercial ship to be fully built on the River Clyde for over five years.

Mail Online

• Chaos for Christmas: Rail unions plan Tube and train walkouts targeting the holiday getaway AND Boxing Day salesIt will be the third successive Boxing Day walkout by Tube drivers in a dispute over Bank Holiday pay, which dates back to an agreement in 1992.
• Thousands of rush hour commuters left stranded after damaged power lines cause ¿massive¿ disruption on line linking Kings Cross and ScotlandRail bosses warned of a ‘massive job’ working through the night and beyond to fix the problem on the East Coast mainline as the great Christmas getaway begins.

The Mirror

• The choo-Tube train: First steam train for over 100 years runs on London UndergroundMetropolitan Steam Locomotive Number 1, which dates from 1892, pulled a restored original Victorian first-class carriage from Earl™s Court to Moorgate

London Evening Standard

• London needs THREE new runways, say business leaders Two new runways at Heathrow and another at Gatwick are needed to stop a shortage of aviation capacity from crippling Britain’s economy, business leaders said today.
• Boris Johnson: Let's ban rickshaw menace from London's streets Boris Johnson has branded rickshaws dangerous and called for them to be banned from the West End.
• Boris airport could be ’superhub’ at Stansted Boris Johnson will include Stansted in a £3 million feasibility study into a new superhub airport in the South-East.

Manchester Evening News

• Torrential rain leads to flooding across Greater ManchesterHighways Agency bosses also warned of large pools of standing water building up on motorways.

Metro

• Aero Porter review “ up in the airA baggage handler doesn™t sound like the most exciting job in gaming, but this new 3DS download is one of the best puzzle games of the year.
• Heathrow airport ˜needs at least four runways™Heathrow airport needs to expand by ˜preferably two more runways™, according to business leaders.

Sheffield Star

• MP backs call for inquiry into Sheffield airportCAMPAIGNERS calling for Sheffield City Airport to be reopened have won the backing from Labour MP Paul Blomfield.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Bus staff™s Christmas fund cash disappearsHundreds of bus workers were left out of pocket after discovering thousands of pounds saved by staff in a Christmas savings scheme were no longer there.

Yorkshire Post

• Company bosses call for extra London runwayHeathrow airport should have “preferably two more runways”, business leaders have said.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: County council investigates 20 rail sites where vehicles are at risk of going onto the tracksSUFFOLK County Council is investigating 20 rail sites across the county where vehicles are at risk of going onto the tracks, the East Anglian Daily Times can reveal.

Other Regional Press

• Arriva has payment withheld because Leicester patient transport service misses targetsHealth bosses have withheld payment of £4,434 from the company responsible for ferrying patients to and from hospital.
• UPDATE: Preston Bus Station recommended for demolitionTown Hall bosses in Preston have agreed “in principle” to demolish Preston Bus Station.
• Slaithwaite Railway Station celebrates the 30th anniversary of its reopeningTHE RE-OPENING of a railway station which put a village back on the map was celebrated on Saturday.
• Residents launch petition to save Weymouth bus services CALLS are being made to reinstate a service that provides a ˜lifeline™ for bus users in communities around Weymouth.

Global Rail News

• Video: Model centenary celebration for Grand CentralGrand Central Terminal’s 100th anniversary is the inspiration behind this year’s annual model train show at the New York Transit Museum. This year’s model railway features miniature Metro trains departing Grand Central Terminal (GCT), travelling through New York City, and a surrounding countryside scene. The tribute comes ahead of GCT’s centenary in February 2013. “This [...]
• Indian Railways handed energy saving awardsIndian Railways has been presented with 11 awards for energy conservation at the 11 National Energy Conservation Awards 2012. The awards were presented by the President of India Pranab Mukherjee and represented the most won by any Indian industry. Indian Railways has taken steps to reduce energy consumption within the organisation, in particular setting up [...]
• Christmas returns to Waverley stationHoliday cheer has returned to Edinburgh Waverley after station refurbishment works cancelled Christmas at the Scottish terminal last year. Sixteen schoolchildren from Athelstaneford Primary School joined station staff for the festivities together with Santa and railway chaplain Nicola Goncalves to switch on the Christmas tree lights. Station manager Juliet Donnachie said: œWe are really pleased that we [...]
• Women in engineering: Change the mindset to change the balanceFollowing the NSARE inspection in the summer, it was made clear that expert training within the rail industry is of paramount importance. However, what is also of great importance is ensuring that we have new blood and a diverse workforce coming into the industry. It’s crucial that we address this issue and look to change [...]
• Developing IlfordBombardier’s Ilford depot is a heavy maintenance depot in Essex, situated between Ilford and Seven Kings stations. It is operated by the company’s Services Division which has two roles – providing routine daily maintenance services for the train operating companies (TOCs) and offering more substantial vehicle overhaul and reengineering/asset life extension programmes for the rolling [...]
• Government loan to support Dallas Orange Line extensionThe U.S. government has approved a $120 million loan to advance construction of the third phase of the Orange Line in Dallas. The $397 million light rail extension, which will connect Irving, Texas, with Dallas Fort Worth Airport (DFW), is part of the city’s plans to create a 90-mile light rail network by 2014. Transportation [...]
• MTR orders new North-South Corridor trainsMTR has placed an order with Hyundai Rotem for 37 trains to run on the new North-South Corridor of the Shatin to Central Link (SCL). Hong Kong’s North-South Corridor, which is due to be completed in 2020, will extend the existing East Rail Line across the harbour to Wan Chai North and Admiralty. Hyundai Rotem [...]
• RATP to operate new Arizona tramwayFrench public transport operator RATP has won a three-year contract to operate and maintain a new tram system in Tucson, Arizona. The Sun Link Tucson Streetcar line, which is due to enter revenue service at the end of 2013, will be 6.2 km (3.9 miles) long with 18 stops. RATP subsidiary RATP Dev will be [...]
• Tube drivers confirm Boxing Day strikeLondon Underground drivers have announced three days of industrial, including Boxing Day, in a row over holiday pay. Train drivers’ union ASLEF has said that 90 per cent of members who voted were in favour of industrial action on December 26, January 18 and January 25. General Secretary Mick Whelan said: “This result shows the [...]

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• New Job Board Launched!MENA Rail News Launches Dedicated Job Board for Rail Jobs in the MENA Regions We have a fantastic launch offer for recruiters of rail professionals in the Middle East and North Africa area. MENA Rail News brings you the latest news on infrastructure and development projects, and now has a dedicated job board bringing together recruiters [...]The post New Job Board Launched! appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Rail-Tech Europe 20139th International Conference and Exhibition on Rail Technology If your company is involved in any of the following or related rail activities, you will certainly benefit from exhibiting at Rail-Tech Europe 2013: Construction of railway track and railway bridges Consulting, design & engineering Electrification & catenary systems Light rail systems Maintenance and service equipment Passenger [...]The post Rail-Tech Europe 2013 appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• SIFER 20138th International Exhibition of Rail Technology SIFER offers an exceptional marketing opportunity for companies in the following industry sectors: Rolling stock Infrastructure Passenger transport technology Rail vehicle interiors It is the ideal meeting place in France for policy-makers, rail operators and manufacturers, combining presentations of the latest technological innovations with a stimulating programme of supporting [...]The post SIFER 2013 appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Railtex 2013The UK’s definitive rail event returns to Earls Court, London for its 11th edition on 30 April to 2 May 2013 Railtex is the all encompassing showcase for technological innovation across all sectors of the rail supply market. Against a backdrop of continuing investment in rail and significant ongoing projects, Railtex provides a timely opportunity [...]The post Railtex 2013 appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Dubai Metro Success Reflects Changes in Culture and AttitudesThe Chairman of the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) believes there’s a transition in culture and attitudes taking place in Dubai. Mattar Al Tayer says people are embracing the benefits of the public transport offered by the Dubai Metro. More than 213 million passengers have been carried on the Metro’s Red and Green lines since [...]The post Dubai Metro Success Reflects Changes in Culture and Attitudes appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Aviation Industry

• American bundling fliers' extrasOver the last four years, airlines have been charging for extras that were previously included in the price of a plane ticket, such as checked bags, food, drinks and pillows.
• Heathrow passengers face Boxing Day travel disruptionPlanned Tube strike will coincide with cancellation of all Heathrow Express and Heathrow Connect services

Other News Sources

• RMT suspends Scottish ferries strike action after progress in talksShipping union RMT confirmed today that it has suspended a programme of strike action on northern isles ferry routes after progress in discussions with SERCO and as a gesture of good will to island communities.
• North London Rail Signallers' strike over jobs attackFollowing a 100% vote for action in a ballot for industrial action over Network Rail's unacceptable plans to halve the number of Shift Signaller Managers working at West Hampstead, rail union RMT today confirmed strike action as follows: -
• Further 72 hour strike announced as RMT steps up fight for pay and workplace justice for Tyne and Wear Metro cleanersTRANSPORT UNION RMT confirmed today that cleaners working for Churchill's on the Tyne and Wear Metro will take a further 72 hours of strike action from Sunday 23rd December in their battle for pay and workplace justice:
• Tube drivers call boxing day strike London's tube drivers have announced a strike on the busiest shopping day of the year, as well as Christmas eve.
• News from Jenny Jones AM: Concern over drink driving enforcement 17 December 2012 The number of people charge with drink driving in London fell from 12322 in 2010 to 11036 in 2011. The Institute of Advanced Motoring has questioned whether drink driving has lost its œsocially unacceptable stigma. Their analysis of the national 2011 road casualty statistics showed that more than half the increase in road deaths were alcohol related. Jenny Jones said: crime, drink driving, transport ...
• The Ian McCrae Travel AwardThe Ian McCrae Travel Award was established as a memorial to the life and work of Dr Ian McCrae, who was an internationally-respected air quality scientist and an active member of the Institute of Air Quality Management.
• CAA announces decision in Aer Lingus Heathrow complaint caseThe UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published its decision on a complaint made by Aer Lingus about landing charges for small aircraft and charges on airlines for passengers on domestic and Irish flights at Heathrow Airport.
• Deutsche Bahn remains 'committed to London trains'German rail operator still wants to operate from St Pancras despite launch delays