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

Saturday, 22 December 2012

Cogitamus

• The TransportInfo team would like to wish all of you the very best for the season!We will be taking a little break over the holidays. TransportInfo will not be updated on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and also on 1 January 2013. Well, that's unless something epoch making happens and we can't stop ourselves... Thank you for your continued interest and support.

BBC News

• More disruption to Christmas travelHeavy rain and problems on the railways mean problems for some Christmas travellers are set to continue.
• Boeing uses potatoes to test wi-fiUS aircraft manufacturer Boeing used unusual substitutes for passengers while testing its in-flight wi-fi system - potatoes.
• Tolls 'could pay for new roads'A plan to fund roads using tolls which drivers would pay to private companies, is to be included in the coalition's new policy agenda.
• Rail freight terminal approvedPlans for a rail freight terminal at a former aerodrome near St Albans are approved by the government.
• Probe into rail platform injuryAn investigation begins after a member of the public fell down a gap between a train and the platform at Charing Cross station, suffering
• Disrupted rail services resumeTrain services from London's Paddington return to normal following two days of disruption, National Rail says.
• Steve Jobs' super-yacht impoundedSteve Jobs' £85m high-tech yacht Venus is impounded at the Port of Amsterdam after designer Philippe Starck claims he is still owed money.

Financial Times

• Osborne eyes motorway chargesGovernment debates imposing extra charge for using trunk routes in its need to invest in updating highway network but fears alienating voters
• Chaos makes highways charge a hard sellAgainst a backdrop of difficult journeys and frayed nerves motorists may be dismayed to learn there could be a new charge for using main routes

The Herald

• Port had no plans for bad weatherACCIDENT investigators have criticised contingency plans at a Scottish port after a P&O ferry suffered a number of accidents while berthing in heavy winds.
• Sleeper train investment pot halvedTHE Scottish Government has been accused of short-changing rail passengers after halving a £100 million investment pot originally earmarked to provide new Caledonian Sleeper trains.

The Scotsman

• MEP attacks new rules on car insuranceNEW rules which raise women’s car insurance costs have been criticised as “gender equality for gender equality’s sake”.

The Telegraph

• Drivers facing threat of new toll roadsMotorists could face new tolls or pay some of their road tax to private companies who take over the running of the motorway network, under plans being discussed in Whitehall.

This is Money

• EU ruling to send car insurance costs for young women up £300An EU ruling means it is now illegal for insurers to set prices according to gender – and young women are set to be hit hardest.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Demise of BMI Baby brings warmth to homeless in countyCHARITIES across Derbyshire have benefited from the demise of an airline – with thousands of in-flight blankets being...

London Evening Standard

• Tube commuters 'will jam roads to beat parking fees'The huge rise in car parking fees at Tube stations will lead to œchaos in residential streets in the outer suburbs, it was claimed today.
• Cycle lanes for undertaking busesBus stops are to be redesigned to prevent cyclists being forced into traffic as they ride past buses picking up passengers.

Northern Echo

• Roof cut off car to free trapped occupants after A690 crash FIRE crews had to cut the roof off a car to get to five people trapped after a two-vehicle crash.

Sheffield Telegraph

• New ticket machines for stationSHEFFIELD railway station is gearing up for improvements next year.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Crofter calls for action over ˜notoriously dangerous™ roadA Lochaber crofter is calling for Transport Scotland to take action over a stretch of trunk road he claims is so dangerous it is costing lives.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: Seahorse Club award for maritime journalist Felicity LandonSUFFOLK-based freelance journalist Felicity Landon has won a major international award for her work in the maritime, transport and logistics press.

Western Daily Press

• Somerset Standard published Residents renew campaign to cut speed limit on outskirts of FromeFamilies living alongside a busy stretch of road on the outskirts of Frome have renewed their campaign to get the speed limit...

Other Regional Press

• Last ditch effort to get iconic station protectedA heritage group has revealed it will make a third attempt to get Preston bus station listed status.
• Talks take place with bus station investorA mystery investor interested in investing in Preston’s bus station has met with Town Hall bosses.
• Christmas gift to MINI staff - 150 extra jobs thanks to a big gear-change in shifts UP TO 150 new jobs are to be created at the Mini plant after workers gave the green light to a groundbreaking change in shift patterns.
• East Grinstead Courier and Observer published New state-of-the-art East Grinstead railway building open at lastCOMMUTERS at East Grinstead rail station have been making the most of its sparkling new building, which opened on Monday.
• Brentwood Gazette published Brentwood Community Transport looking for new chairmanA CHARITY that helps the people of Brentwood to stay mobile is looking for a forward-thinking chairman.
• Essex Chronicle published Mayor of London Boris Johnson backs four-runway Stansted planSTANSTED could be transformed into a four runway airport if the Mayor of London gets his way.
• Tears and tinsel as sailors come home to PortsmouthBOUNDING down the gangway at top speed, homecoming sailor George Halsall wasted no time finding his girlfriend among the waiting crowd of families.

Global Rail News

• Thales appoints new chief executiveThales chief executive Luc Vigneron has stepped down following a breakdown in communication with the group’s two main shareholders. The signalling systems provider will now be led by Jean-Bernard Lévy, who has previously held senior roles with Matra Communication, Oddo et Cie and Vivendi. Thales’ two main shareholders, the French state and Dassault Aviation, have [...]
• Bombardier signs automated people mover contract extensionBombardier has agreed a new 41 million euro deal with airport operator AENA Aeropuertos Españoles S.A.to continue to run and maintain the automated people mover system at Madrid-Barajas International Airport. The driverless system became the first of its kind in Spain after coming into operation in 2006. It is the longest airport people mover in [...]
• Southern launches 116-vehicle procurement competitionSouthern has launched a procurement competition for 116 electric vehicles with an option for a further 140. The trains could be used on Thameslink routes before being cascaded to newly-electrified HLOS routes as new Siemens rolling stock is introduced. In today’s announcement, Southern also confirmed an order for 40 more Electrostar vehicles from Bombardier. The [...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• Signalling Solutions secures rail contracts in UK Signalling Solutions, a joint venture between Alstom Transport and Balfour Beatty, has secured contracts worth £34.8m to refurbish signalling systems at various locations on Network Rail in the UK.
• Hitachi subsidiary acquires The Railway Engineering Company in the UK Hitachi Europe has acquired UK-based The Railway Engineering Company (TRE) from James Fisher & Sons.

Railnews

• 'Key elements' agreed on Siemens Thameslink order Commercial agreement has been reached on 'key elements' of the controversial Thameslink rolling stock deal. Transport minister Simon Burns told MPs that the Siemens-led bidding consortium has now moved on to detailed negotiations with sources of private sector finance. It has also been confirmed that new train orders placed nominally by Southern are really being negotiated on behalf of the DfT to provide trains for newly-electrified lines.

Transport for London

• Mayor provides £3m investment for Hounslow to help boost local economyThe Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has today announced £3m for Hounslow to invest in transport projects that will benefit the local community. TfL has allocated the money through Local Implementation Plan (LIP) funding for the borough to spend on projects that support the Mayor's Transport Strategy.

Aviation Industry

• Civil Aviation bill passed – opportunity to address environment ignoredThe Civil Aviation Act became law on 20th Dec. The Act could have been used to address some of the environmental impacts of aviation, but the government chose not to use the opportunity. The only mention of the environment in the statement by Aviation Minister Simon Burns is: “providing the CAA with a new role to promote better [...]

Other News Sources

• News from Caroline Pidgeon - 2013 must see dramatic improvements in access to the Tube 20 December 2012 Caroline Pidgeon AM, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the announcement that manual boarding ramps on the Tube which were introduced during the London 2012 Games at 16 Tube stations will now be kept and extended to more stations said: "This announcement is incredibly welcome and something I have long supported. It is only right that this much needed commitment to improving access to the Tube has been made in a week when it was confirmed that London would host the 2017 Paralympic Ath...
• Space Launch System core completes preliminary design review The core of the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA's large new rocket, has officially passed its preliminary design review (PDR). The core stage, containing...
• Balfour Beatty wins £13m upgrade to 30-year-old Kessock BridgeBalfour Beatty has won a £13.2 million Transport Scotland contract to carry out resurfacing and upgrading works on the 30-year-old Kessock Bridge.