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

Tuesday, 05 March 2013

BBC News

• Police tackle March bus crime risePolice in Birmingham vow to end a
• Rolls-Royce paid no corporation taxInternational engine builders Rolls-Royce paid no corporation tax in the UK in 2012, its annual report reveals.
• Rolls-Royce paid no corporation taxInternational engine builders Rolls-Royce paid no corporation tax in the UK in 2012, its annual report reveals.

The Telegraph

• Steamed up windscreens could come to an endPeering through a misty windscreen as the rain buckets down could become a thing of the past thanks to a material developed by American scientists.
• Shipping lanes could open over the North Pole due to climate changeArctic sea ice will be so thin by the middle of this century that ships will be able to sail directly across the North Pole for the first time, experts have predicted.
• Transport minister to hold first 'green summit' on high speed railEnvironmental and community groups could be given a say in the design of viaducts and bridges along the high speed rail network.

Daily Express

• Etihad scores as passengers pass 10 millionABU DHABI'S Etihad Airways has hailed the benefits of a buying spree after it tripled annual profits.
• Ryanair woos FlybeRYANAIR has stepped up efforts to gain European clearance for a takeover of Irish rival Aer Lingus at the third attempt after lining up a deal with regional airline Flybe.

Mail Online

• First-class rail travel booms as students and football fans help ticket sales soar to more than 11 millionFirst class rail travel has hit a record high in Britain but it's thanks to boozy revellers and youngsters rather than stuffy city gents and business executives, new figures show.
• The Rolls that reads the roads: £225,000 supercar scans ahead to pick the right gearThe Rolls-Royce Wraith is likely to be one of the stars of the upcoming Geneva Motor Show with its party piece being that it uses GPS mapping to pre-select the correct gear for what lies ahead.

ATOC

• ATOC comments on planned Easter improvement workA spokesperson for the Association of Train Operating Companies (ATOC) said: “Train companies will run over 6,...

Belfast Telegraph

• Short's profits take off as jet sales soarOne of Northern Ireland's largest employers made a £50m profit last year as robust demand for its jets helped weather the global economic storm.Related StoriesDebenhams' profits feeling chillIT firm raises £2.5m in fundingBank of Ireland racks up £1.2bn losses but outlook is improvingMexican tycoon is world's richest man, claims Forbes'Geek' praises our hi-tech talent

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Region's businesses 'ready to deliver new rail network' says Keighley MP Businesses in this region are œready, willing and very able to help deliver the new HS2 high-speed rail network, says Keighley MP Kris Hopkins.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Public and school transport under focusBUS services are under review in a bid to shave some savings from a cash-strapped council’s annual £2.4m bill.
• Staff tell of “nightmare” bus journey with unruly pupils in DenbighshireFOUL and abusive language, threats and aggressive behaviour is what bus drivers have to put up with on a notorious route from a secondary school.

London Evening Standard

• Spanish airline Iberia to cancel 1,300 flights Spanish airline Iberia will cancel 1,300 flights this week as workers begin a second round of strikes in protest against the company's plans to lay off almost a fifth of its workforce.
• British Airways chief slams Theresa May in ˜spurious figures™ row over Chinese visasBritish Airways supremo Willie Walsh today accused Theresa May of making an œunjustified attack on London business leaders as a new row broke out over Chinese visas.

Manchester Evening News

• CBI calls for better links to Manchester Airport Poor road and rail links are hindering efforts to secure direct long haul flights from Manchester to emerging markets.
• New managing director of Manchester Airport named as Andrew Cowan Andrew Cowan has taken over the role from Andrew Harrison who has taken on the same position at Manchester Airports Group's latest acquisition, Stansted

Sheffield Star

• Derbyshire highway repairs budget pledgeOPPOSITION Labour members have pledged to raise road maintenance spending in Derbyshire by taking 
£1 million from a fund providing grants to community groups if they seize control of Derbyshire County Council at the May elections.

This Is Local London Network

• Improved bus service between Sutton and Brighton A bus service between Sutton and Brighton is being improved.

Yorkshire Post

• Track repairs threaten to derail growth in isolated HullFEARS have been raised a Yorkshire city could suffer massive economic consequences for future jobs and growth if engineering works cause its main rail links to be temporarily severed.
• HS2 to put young people on right track with training in new skillsTHE Government will use the £33bn HS2 project to provide skills training for young people in Yorkshire and across the country, the Skills Minister said as new figures show the number of people signing up for apprenticeships in the region has nearly doubled since 2010.

Bucks Free Press

• Bucks blueprint highlights county's HS2 mitigation needs A BLUEPRINT highlighting what Buckinghamshire needs if the controversial HS2 line is built was handed over to the Transport Secretary by one of the county's MPs this week.

Other Regional Press

• Sort out our bus servicesI SAW in the Evening Post the photograph taken in Upper Killay of residents waiting for their bus that did not turn up.
• UK & World News: Jaguar plans 700 engine jobs boostCar giant Jaguar Land Rover has given the economy a huge boost by announcing plans to create 700 new jobs and £165 million of extra investment.
• Kirklees Council pledge on roadworks ahead of Tour de FranceROADS in Huddersfield to be used by the world’s best cyclists will be improved.
• Cruise passengers sent home after ship detained at Portland Port A CRUISE has been cancelled and hundreds of passengers sent home after a ship was detained by authorities at Portland Port.
• Signalling problem causes further delays on trains from BedfordRAIL passengers have experienced delays of up to 20 minutes on services from Bedford this morning (Monday).

Bus and Coach.com

• Revenue rises at StagecoachRevenue on Stagecoach UK Bus operations outside London rose by 3,8 per cent in the 40 weeks to 3 February when compared with the same period last year.
• South Yorkshire's Brown to MerseysideSouth Yorkshire PTE director general David Brown is moving to Merseytravel, the Merseyside PTE, as chief executive and director general.
• Gas buses join Arriva North WestArriva North West has introduced the first of ten MAN EcoCity gas buses to its services in Runcorn.
• Stagecoach discount to support jobseekerStagecoach has launched Britain's first long-term nationwide discounted bus travel scheme for jobseekers.
• Norfolk-wide smartcard trialA pilot government-backed smartcard scheme is to be trialled on the bus network in Norfolk.
• Revenue and profit down at NatExNational Express Group revenue dropped by 18 per cent to £1,831,2million in 2012, down from £2,238,0million in 2011 as the result of a dramatic reduction in its rail operations.

Global Rail News

• Pearl in the OysterHard working staff and generous passengers in London have boosted the fortunes of the Railway Children charity with a cheque for almost £52,000. Staff at London Underground helped calculate money left on soon-to-expire Oyster cards donated by the public to the Railway Children. Cards are collected in special boxes at four London stations: King’s Cross, [...]
• Morson announces rail appointmentMorson International has appointed Gary Smithson as the new associate director of the company’s rail and automotive divisions. Gary had previously held the position of executive manager at the global recruitment company for the last two years. Morson International is a global supplier of specialist technical personnel and in 2012 was named as the UK™s [...]
• London Midland celebrates Project 110London Midland has celebrated its Project 110 by naming a specially liveried 350110 Project 110 at London Euston. The increase in speed from 100 mph has seen travel times slashed by over half an hour between London and Nuneaton, Lichfield, Tamworth, Rugby, Stafford and Stoke. To gain certification for running at 110mph the trains had [...]
• Official opening for Rio monorail plantState officials in Rio de Janeiro have opened a new assembly plant in the region which will produce monorail vehicles for the World Cup host city of Manaus. The 41,000 square metre site has been constructed following a $30 million investment from MPE, Scomi and Quark. The factory, which includes three sheds for assembly and [...]
• Final contract awarded for Gold Line extensionThe third and final design-build contract has been awarded for a major light rail extension project in California. The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Authority has handed a $48.7 million contract to Webcor Builders for final design and construction of parking facilities for future stations along the Pasadena-Azusa line. Habib Balian, chief executive of the [...]
• Spain looks to take advantage of North American rail freight growthRail industry representatives from Spain are heading to the USA to explore rail freight opportunities across North America. The Spanish Railway Association (MAFEX) will visit the US in March to attend the 18th Annual Research Review of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) in Colorado. At the event, MAFEX members will meet with the main [...]
• The Karlsruhe Friendship BridgeThe construction of Phase Two of Nottingham’s tram network has been going on for a while, but much of it has been hidden from view. Now, though, there are some exciting developments that, for the first time, show clearly that the project is well on the way. The most visible of these is an iconic [...]
• Shortlist drawn up for Sydney rail linkThe New South Wales (NSW) government has drawn up a shortlist of companies to carry out the surface and viaduct civil works for Sydney’s North West Rail Link. Minister for Transport Gladys Berejiklian announced the project’s latest milestone last week. “Work is pushing ahead on the North West Rail Link and we are really enthused [...]
• Bombardier challenges DB claimsBombardier has described a legal challenge by Deutsche Bahn (DB) over alleged problems with its 481 series trains as “without merit”. DB is seeking damages totalling 350 million euros after the operator had to replace wheels and axles on Berlin’s S-Bahn trains. Bombardier Transportation has today publicly denounced the claims, describing the allegations as “defamatory”. [...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• Bombardier delivers E464 locomotive to Trenitalia Bombardier has delivered an E464 locomotive from its Vado Ligure manufacturing plant to Italian rail operator Trenitalia.

Aviation Industry

• Iberia workers start second strikeMore than 1,000 flights cancelled as staff take industrial action
• Air capacity squeeze could cost the UK billionsBusiness group outlines potential loss of trade to emerging markets
• Easyjet set to enter FTSE 100 for first timeNo-frills airline to become 'blue chip' company thanks to high share price
• Dreamliner grounding forces Qatar to change new schedulesAirline has to reduce Chicago flights and postpone service to Chengdu

Other News Sources

• Campaign for bus shelter ends in success for residents in Witham BUS shelters to protect residents from the wind and rain have now been installed after an 18-month battle.
• ETS unveils new name and brandLondon-based travel firm will celebrate 30th anniversary with a rebrand

News from Europe

• Denmark pumps oil money into rail upgrades THE Danish government has announced plans to use North Sea oil revenues to finance a €3.7bn investment in the country's railway infrastructure over the next decade, which will reduce journey times between Denmark's five largest cities.