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

Tuesday, 15 January 2013

BBC News

• Easyjet drops 'cheap jibes' adsThe budget airline Easyjet withdraws an advertising campaign which critics said damaged the reputation of a Kent resort.
• Olympic road layout reverts backA roundabout and two traffic islands which were removed from a junction in Windsor ahead of the 2012 Olympics are to be brought back.
• Airport consultation was 'flawed'Campaigners say the public are largely against plans to expand Luton Airport, doubling its capacity to 18 million passengers a year.
• The great London airport debateIs more room needed in London for planes? Last year the government decided to kick any decision about building new runways around London into the long grass.
• Record year for Heathrow airportHeathrow says it handled 70 million passengers in 2012, the highest number on record, as the crowded airport saw bigger and fuller planes.
• German truck maker MAN cuts shiftsGerman truck maker MAN cuts workers' hours and pay, as it feels the effects of the eurozone debt crisis.

Financial Times

• Airport links to regions under fireBusiness groups tell MPs inadequate long-haul aviation connections from their regions are threatening efforts to rebalance the British economy
• UPS™s Europe strategy upended by EUUS delivery group did not bank on antitrust concerns over the deal, which represented a bold bet to bolster the company™s position in Europe

The Herald

• Rail workers in new strike threatHUNDREDS of rail signal workers across Scotland are to be balloted for strike action in a move that threatens to cause widespread disruption to passengers.

The Independent

• 'This year, end up in Malaga, not Margate': EasyJet withdraws advertising campaign after criticismEasyJet has apologised and withdrawn an advertising campaign after being accused of making œcheap jibes about a seaside town.Related StoriesOnly half of police officers would report colleague for 'beating up suspect attempting to escape arrest'Banks must serve society, not rule it says incoming Archbishop Justin WelbyThe worst is yet to come: Snow moves in as forecasters warn more is heading our waySo, are we going to cope with the snow this time around? Councils and transport operators insist there will be no repeat of 2010 winter crisisWhat has the European Court of Human Rights ever done f...
• So, are we going to cope with the snow this time around? Councils and transport operators insist there will be no repeat of 2010 winter crisis Councils and transport operators today insisted there would be no repeat of the winter crisis of 2010 which saw a prolonged period of freezing weather bring Britain to a virtual halt.Related StoriesTechnical fault delays British military plane bound to assist French efforts to halt al-Qa™ida-linked rebels in Mali, just minutes after David Cameron hails its capabilitiesOnly half of police officers would report colleague for 'beating up suspect attempting to escape arrest'Banks must serve society, not rule it says incoming Archbishop Justin WelbyThe worst is yet to come: Snow moves in as foreca...

The Telegraph

• Commuters around the world strip for the annual No Pants Subway RideCommuters around the world strip for the annual No Pants Subway Ride.
• New curbs on foreign licencesA loophole which allows foreign drivers to get a licence without proving they have passed a test has been closed by the Government.
• EasyJet pulls 'insulting' Margate adsEasyJet has apologised and withdrawn an advertising campaign after being accused of making

Mail Online

• EasyJet: Drops advertising campaign 'Malaga not Margate'Kent residents took offence at the budget airline publicly poking fun at their town (pictured) and EasyJet has since apologised and said there was 'no intended criticism of the town'.
• First blast of winter: Chaos on roads and railways as up to six inches of snow falls throughout the UKUp to 10cm will fall in places, making roads treacherous, and Newcastle, Leeds Bradford and Luton airports say that flights could be disrupted.

The Mirror

• Road to snowhere: More traffic hell on the way as temperatures plunge to minus 15CBitterly cold temperatures are expected over the next few days with snow likely to be at its worst tomorrow and Thursday

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Low Moor railway station plan is on the right track, say experts Bradford Rail Users’ Group believes plans for a new rail station at Low Moor will not be scrapped – despite continual delays.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 8-weeks of work to fix flooding blackspot on A55ROADWORKS on two stretches of the A55 are set to cause chaos for motorists for the next eight weeks.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Call to give elderly free travel on city tramsCITY leaders have launched a major offensive to ensure elderly and disabled people will be able to travel for free on Edinburgh’s trams – in a move backed by an Evening News campaign.

Journal Live

• Gateshead MP Ian Mearns slams rail firm on service in northEAST Coast trains have been accused of abandoning the North East as one MP hits out at cheaper Scottish tickets.

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail wants to ban alcohol from all stations and trainsMERSEYRAIL bosses are seeking Government powers to ban boozing on all trains and stations on the network.

London Evening Standard

• 'UK is losing 1.2bn a year because of poor air links', say business leadersLack of direct air links to emerging global markets is harming UK trade, business leaders told MPs today.

Manchester Evening News

• Passengers stranded as Manchester-bound Ryanair jet leaves Warsaw 30 minutes earlyPassengers were left stranded in an airport terminal “ after a plane took off half an hour early. About 20 passengers returning to Manchester from Warsaw Chopin Airport in Poland were left behind after the Ryanair jet set off at 11am “ 30 minutes ahead of schedule.

Sheffield Star

• Bidders express an interest in Sheffield airportTWO groups could make offers to buy the old Sheffield City Airport and reopen it to provide services to Heathrow and Amsterdam.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Airport: Concern heightens with new bus link to Bristol rivalConcern for the future of Cardiff Airport has intensified after a coach company announced plans to run a direct bus service between south Wales and its nearest rival in Bristol.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Wolverhampton taxi fares rise first in four years Taxi fares in Wolverhampton are to rise for the first time in four years, it has been announced.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds and Bradford Airport: ˜Kiss and fly™ tax triples for minibus driversControversial new airport charges will hit drivers of larger vehicles in the pocket.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Manningtree: Rail operator stages U-turn over servicesRAIL operator Greater Anglia has staged a U-turn on plans to shake-up branch line services between Manningtree and Harwich.

Sleaford Standard

• Anger over ˜shoddy™ surface on major roadAction has been pledged after readers bombarded The Standard with their frustration about the crumbling state of a major road in Sleaford.

Other Regional Press

• Oyster card users overcharged millions of pounds in Islington Transport bosses have been accused of ripping off Oyster card users by millions of pounds at Islington stations.
• £3.7m extra to treat Northamptonshire™s weather-worn roadsThe Government today announced millions of pounds more for road repairs in Northamptonshire on the day the county was hit by the first snowfall of 2013.
• Land near proposed HS2 site should be sold for homes, Government minister claimsA Government minister is arguing land near the proposed HS2 rail network should be sold cheaply for homes, despite a report warning that the housing market has “completely stagnated” as a result of the plans.
• EasyJet pulls 'Malaga or Margate' ad campaignA budget airline has apologised after a huge backlash when it compared Margate unfavourably with a Spanish resort.

Global Rail News

• DMRC uses plays to highlight site safetyPlays stressing the do’s and don’ts of construction site safety are being used by India’s biggest metro operator the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC). Between now and 2016, 300 plays will be performed at Delhi Metro sites until the completion of Phase 3 of the current extension project. DMRC said the plays have been introduced [...]
• Half-time at GlasgowFor the first time in the station’s history, the platforms at Glasgow Central station are being completely refurbished. The Glasgow Central Station Platform Renewals project aims to improve all existing platform structures, excluding platforms 12 and 13, to ensure that they are able to meet the requirements of a 50 year design life. Network Rail’s [...]
• San Diego Orange Line station upgrade completeA new service has been launched on San Diego’s light rail system to mark the completion of a $17 million station redevelopment programme. Nine stations have been renovated on the city’s Orange Line as part of a $720 million project to rebuild all stations from Old Town to San Ysidro and from La Mesa to [...]
• Orbital link carries one million passengers in first monthA new section of the London Overground has transported one million passengers since it opened in December. The Clapham Junction to Surrey Quays link completed London’s new Orbital railway when it came into operation on December 9. Transport for London™s (TfL), chief operating officer for rail, Howard Smith, said: “The popularity of the new service [...]
• Latvia electrification programme backed by EUFunding has been approved for preliminary work to be carried out into the electrification of a key section of Latvia’s railway network. The European Union (EU) has pledged 1.4 million euros to the project, which once complete, will improve speed and reliability of trains on the network. The electrified section will run between Rezekne and [...]
• HyderWSP scoops London Bridge design contractA joint venture agreement has been signed between Hyder and WSP to carry out design work for the redevelopment of London Bridge station. HyderWSP will work alongside main contractor Costain on the project, which will see the complete phased demolition and reconstruction of London’s oldest station. The improvements are being funded by the £6 billion [...]
• Honolulu rail project delay costing less than expectedDelays in the construction of Honolulu’s new elevated rail system will cost less than initial estimates suggested, HART has announced. Work on the project has been put on hold after a Supreme Court ruling meant a new archeological study would have to be carried out on the proposed site before the project could continue. The [...]

Other News Sources

• Committee seeks views on Forth Road Bridge Bill The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee is today inviting interested individuals and organisations to contact it with their views on the Forth Road Bridge Bill.
• Sacked Underground staff to set up 'soup kitchen' protest on Tuesday33 RMT London Underground 'Trainpeople' staff - who face the prospect of dismissal this week - are taking their demo right to the heart of the company that treated them so appallingly this Tuesday.
• RMT to ballot all Scottish signallers in long-running rosters disputeRAIL UNION RMT announced today that, following a series of well attended meetings with the unions signalling Grade Members throughout Scotland over the attack on the rosters agreement, which has provoked a series of strikes in the Stirling area, RMT is now preparing to ballot all Scottish signallers for industrial action over the issue.
• Airlines, economists and aviation experts to debate London™s airport capacity 14 January 2013 Does London need additional airport capacity to ensure the economy doesn™t suffer? Is Heathrow close to running at full capacity or will demand for air travel decrease? The London Assembly will tomorrow hold a roundtable discussion on the need for increasing capacity. Airlines, business representatives, environmentalists and other aviation experts will attend to answer questions from the Transport Committee, which will feed into the Assembly™s investigation[1]. ...