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

Tuesday, 08 January 2013

BBC News

• Rail investment plans announcedNetwork Rail sets out its business plan for the next five years promising £4bn worth of investment in Scotland.
• Boeing Dreamliner catches fireJapan Airlines says that a fire broke out on one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners shortly after it landed in Boston following a flight from Tokyo.
• VIDEO: Cycle highway extension plannedPlans to extend eastwards one of London's cycle superhighways have been sent out to public consultation.
• VIDEO: Marking the Tube's 150 year historyAs the Tube marks its 150th anniversary this week, BBC London looks at how it has developed.
• Man charged over girl crash deathA man is charged with causing the death of a 13-year-old girl who was killed in a crash involving a car being pursued by police.
• Air passengers' vehicles damagedDamage worth more than £30,000 has been caused to vehicles parked on land used by a private firm to store Heathrow air passengers' cars.
• Backing for expanded airport planA public consultation finds 65% of people support plans to boost passenger numbers at Luton Airport.
• Crossrail's impact on LondonAerial photos show Crossrail's impact on London
• Cycle highway extension plannedPlans to extend eastwards one of London's cycle superhighways are sent out to public consultation.
• Tube disrupted by falling plasterServices at one of London's busiest Underground stations are affected after plaster fell from a ceiling.
• VIDEO: Toyota shows off self-driving carToyota has chosen the technology's world annual showpiece CES event in Las Vegas as the stage to demonstrate its self-driving car.
• New car sales hit five-year highNew car sales rose sharply in Scotland in 2012 to reach their highest level for five years, according to industry figures.
• Appeal after mystery rail deathThe death of a man found on a Glasgow railway track remains unexplained and leads to a police appeal for information.
• West Coast errors 'not deliberate'Civil servants did not
• Little improvement in car salesCar sales, an important economic indicator, remained flat in Northern Ireland last year, growing less than in any other UK region.
• Faith schools face free bus cutsA council is to consult on plans to cut free bus travel for children at faith schools, unless they can prove their religious belief with such evidence as a baptism certificate.
• Tube: From railway to lucrative brandLondon's underground rail service is an international brand.
• 'International' title for airportAberdeen Airport is rebranding itself as Aberdeen International to help a drive to expand its roster of destinations.
• Spitfire collapse closes airportEast Midlands Airport closes for two hours after the undercarriage of a Spitfire collapsed as the plane came in to land.
• Network Rail unveils £37.5bn planA £37.5bn plan to develop the UK's railway network over a five-year period is announced by Network Rail, including more capacity and better reliability.

The Herald

• Franchise errors 'not deliberate'The misleading of ministers by civil servants in the West Coast rail franchise fiasco was not deliberate, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told the House of Commons Transport Committee yesterday.

The Telegraph

• Burns defies criticism over use of ministerial carA bleary-eyed Simon Burns defied criticism over his use of official cars and once again was chauffeured-driven to his job as rail minister.
• Good Samaritan horrified as car destroyed after helping crash survivorsA Good Samaritan was forced to watch firefighters destroy her car to free two crash survivors she had allowed to shelter inside.

Daily Express

• Shake up for air traffic controlPART of the ownership of Britain's air traffic controller, Nats, could soon change hands as tour operators Thomas Cook and Tui explore a potential sale of their interest.

Mail Online

• Moment driver realises he's gone over a bridge for bikes and pedestriansThe Jaguar driver eventually realised his mistake, profusely apologised, and reversed all the way back down the £2m bridge at the north end of Cambridge station.
• Now hard-pressed commuters are hit with station car park fee rises - just days after season ticket hikeRail companies have increased the cost of parking by up to 8 per cent in some areas such as High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire.
• Cheaper petrol plan for rural drivers: Motorists could receive 5p a litre discountThe mid-term review suggested ministers want to extend a scheme to cut fuel duty in areas which have been worst hit by prices hitting £1.40 a litre or more.
• Man charged with causing death by dangerous driving after fatal crash that killed 13-year-old girl in South LondonThe girl died after a Peugeot 308 that was being chased in New Cross, south London, by a marked police car hit the Volkswagen Polo she was sitting in (pictured).

ATOC

• ATOC responds to union claims over station car parkingIn response to claims made by the TSSA relating to station car parks,...

Network Rail

• Rail industry plan lays foundations for the futureThe rail industry today set out a plan to deliver government priorities for rail and respond to the challenge to provide a better value railway for Britain and help drive economic growth.

Bristol Live

• The Bristol Post published Protest planned at bus station over First's pricesArticle

London Evening Standard

• Central line commuters delayed as falling plaster closes part of Oxford CircusCommuters faced major congestion at Oxford Circus station tonight after plaster fell off part of the ceiling over the Central line platform.
• Second World War Spitfire crash lands at airportA Second World War Spitfire has crash landed at an airport.
• 2012 new car sales accelerate to 2mMore than two million new cars were sold in the UK last year, an increase of 5.3% on 2011 and the highest since 2008, new figures show.
• Holiday getaway was ˜smoother™ insist rail bosses despite chaosRail bosses today defended their claim that the Christmas getaway would be smoother due to lessons learnt during the Olympics, despite travellers facing huge disruption on Christmas Eve.
• Rail bid errors 'not deliberate'The misleading of ministers by civil servants in the West Coast rail franchise fiasco was "not deliberate", Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has told MPs.

Manchester Evening News

• Rail passengers could travel direct to London from Rochdale, Eccles, Manchester Victoria and Audenshaw under new plansTrain group Alliance Rail Holdings has asked the rail regulator to allow it to run services along the existing West Coast Main Line. Passengers travelling to the stations from London Euston would no longer have to change at Manchester Piccadilly after 2016.

This Is Local London Network

• London to Paris bike ride to raise money for North London Hospice The North London Hospice is encouraging cyclists to sign up for its fundraising bike ride from London to Paris this summer.

Wales Online

• £1bn upgrade 'will bring Wales' Victorian railways into 21st century'Wales’ ageing Victorian railway network is set to be “brought into the 21st century” by a 10-year modernisation plan worth £1bn, Network Rail’s route managing director for Wales claims.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Flight instructor says tragic pilot was fully trainedA flight instructor denied that a wealthy businessman had not completed his full training before he certified his application for a helicopter pilot’s licence only weeks before he crashed to his death.

Yorkshire Post

• Railways in region on track for £4bn revampFASTER journeys and better stations are promised as Network Rail unveiled plans to spend £4bn on the rail network serving Yorkshire amid warnings of tough choices ahead over future investment.

Blackpool Gazette

• Diversions as rail bridge work startsMOTORISTS and shoppers are preparing themselves for months of disruption as work begins on an integral rail project.
• Jets deal end to cuts in payFYLDE MP Mark Menzies has applauded aerospace staff who gave up a day’s pay every month to save colleagues’ jobs after it was announced the deal has been scrapped.

Bucks Free Press

• Farage: Voters turning to UKIP because of HS2 UKIP Leader Nigel Farage told Chesham and Amersham MP Cheryl Gillan in a live televised today debate many of her constituents were turning to his party because of the Tories' stance on HS2. var options = {ballot_id: '5808'}; panelHandler.loadPanel('ballot', 'ballot_9207607135808', options);

Carlisle News & Star

• Cumbrian pupils walked home along busy main road after bus breakdown A PARTY of 20 children aged between 12 and 16 walked home along a busy main road after their school bus was stricken by brake failure.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Cross country route gets major boostAN HOURLY service between Ipswich and Peterborough is coming closer following the publication of Network Rail’s five-year plan.
• Region set for rail investmentABOUT £1.4 billion is to be spent improving the rail link between the region and London over the next five years.
• Network Rail proposals welcomedPOLITICIANS and business leaders have welcomed Network Rail’s proposed investment in the region’s infrastructure – but have vowed to maintain the pressure.

Other Regional Press

• Train travellers™ left confused over parkingCommuters were left confused by parking prices at Bedford Railway station this week after signs advertised a cheaper rate.

International Herald Tribune

• Plane Carrying Vittorio Missoni Lost Near VenezuelaVittorio Missoni, the head of the prominent fashion house, was aboard a small plane that has disappeared, a company spokeswoman said.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Private roads find few friends7 January 2013: The lack of an update today shows that, outside Downing Street, plans to build new roads with private funds have very little support. read more

Global Rail News

• New pictures give bird™s-eye view of Crossrail constructionAerial images showing the development of Crossrail projects across London have been released. Between 2013-15, work on the Crossrail project will be at its peak. Milestones will include: The launch of Sophia, Crossrail™s fifth tunnelling machine in January, followed by a sixth tunnelling machine, Mary, this summer. Construction of the new Crossrail Custom House station [...]

Railnews

• Call for HS2 to go to Stratford A former British Rail director is calling for the Government to think again about the London terminus of HS2, saying that Stratford would make a better hub than Euston, particularly as two of the platforms at Stratford International are unused.
• New protest at station car park charges A rail union has condemned rises in station car park charges which have followed increases in train fares last week. The TSSA said some motorists are now being expected to pay an average of 18 per cent more than they did last year, and described the changes as a 'rip off'.

Railway Gazette

• DLR operating contract extended to 2014UK: On January 7 Transport for London announced that Serco Docklands will have its contract to operate the Docklands Light Railway extended by 18 months. The contract extension is worth around £100m and will cover the period from April 2013 to September 2014. The terms are the same as in the current contract of 2006. Serco will remain responsible for the operation of services, and maintenance of rolling stock and infrastructure. The extensions to Stratford International, Lewisham and Woolwich Arsenal are not included in the network maintenance, as these are covered under separate arrangements...

Transport for London

• DLR operating contract extended until September 2014 Transport for London (TfL) announced today that the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) has granted an 18-month extension to its contract with Serco Docklands Ltd to operate the railway on its behalf.
• Passengers to benefit from £45m Upgrade of Vauxhall Tube stationVauxhall Tube station will be transformed over the next few years, with a £45 million upgrade that is part of a major investment designed to support the growth and regeneration of the surrounding area.

Other News Sources

• Balfour Beatty-Skanksa wins £320M M25 managed motorways contractContractors Balfour Beatty and Skanska have won a £321M design and build contract to upgrade two sections of the M25 around London for client the Highways Agency today.
• Cycle thieves use chat rooms to target victimsCycling clubs have been warned that bike thieves could be going online to research potential targets in chat rooms.
• RAIL UNION RMT WARNS OF YEARS OF OVECROWDING AFTER MELTDOWN IN RAIL FLEET REPLACMENT PROGRAMMERail union RMT warned today that passengers face years of a poisonous combination of fare increases and chronic overcrowding as the national rail fleet replacement programme has been thrown into a total meltdown due to the knock-on effect of the Siemens/Thameslink shambles.
• Indian transport unions launch sensitisation programmes in wake of brutal bus attackITF-affiliated unions in India have reacted quickly to launch sensitisation programmes for their members following the rape and torture of a 23 year-old woman on a private bus in Delhi.
• Coalition pledges to speed up road buildingThe coalition government will speed up road spending, provide capital for schools and push forward with major rail schemes, it pledged in its mid-term review.
• £30 million-a-year bill to Sussex taxpayers for bus passes Free bus passes are costing Sussex taxpayers nearly £30 million a year “ and the bill is set to continue to rise
• Hole lot of misery Torrential rain and wet weather has created œhavoc on Sussex roads “ with hundreds of potholes forming in a matter of weeks

Other Subscription Services

• Serco wins £100m Docklands light rail extension Transport services and outsourcing specialist Serco has been been granted an 18 month extension to its contract to run the Docklands Light Railway.Transport for London announced that Serco Docklands...