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

Tuesday, 19 March 2013

BBC News

• Crook O' Lune bridge repairs start Work has started to repair a Grade II listed bridge across the River Lune in north Lancashire.
• Northampton to start hire scheme like London's 'Boris Bikes' An urban bicycle-hire scheme will soon be coming to Northampton and it will have docking stations across the town.
• Bicycles on buses scheme a first for the Highlands Buses travelling between Cromarty and Inverness will have room to take up to four bicycles in a scheme that has been described as a first for the Highlands.
• Wakefield Kirkgate: £4.6m raised for 'worst' station's upgrade A charity has raised £4.6m for the "transformation" of Wakefield Kirkgate station, and said work would begin within two months.
• New bus station to open in Mansfield An £11m bus station is to open in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire.

The Guardian

• Budget 2013 said to include Wi-Fi and mobile access on trains funding Chancellor expected to announce installation of special equipment on trains that could boost travel

The Independent

• Lib Dem minister Norman Baker releases pop single Lib Dem junior transport minister Norman Baker has released a pop single with his band The Reform Club. Related StoriesFewer TVs, but more television in British homesLiberal Democrat minister Norman Baker releases pop single 'Piccadilly Circus'V&A forced to cancel Napalm Death gig over fears for historic building'Toffishness and twittishness' - Boris Johnson spills beans on Bullingdon Club and reveals childhood ambition to be 'world king'

The Telegraph

• Hooligans make bus journeys a miseryHundreds of thousands of bus passengers are having to put up with anti-social behaviour every day, an authoritative study has found, with one in ten journeys marred by drunkenness, loud music and aggression.
• Newly qualified drivers could have to display probationary platesYoung drivers could be forced to display

Mail Online

• Low-cost airlines, estate agents and gyms could face court over fairness of their hidden chargesBusinesses could be taken to court over hidden contract charges under proposals put forward by the Law Commission and the Scottish Law Commission.

ATOC

• Big growth in rail travel for some of Britain’s biggest cities despite recession Fourteen cities, six of them among the most populated in Britain, recorded double-digit growth in rail journeys over the last five years despite a double dip recession. Figures released today by the...
• Train companies respond to disruption to some rail servicesResponding to today’s disruption to some rail services,...

London Evening Standard

• Transport must retain funding to keep London world class, says reportLondon™s transport system must not fall victim to cash cutbacks, an influential report warns today.
• New safety rules could ban just-qualified drivers from carrying passengers Newly-qualified drivers could be stopped from carrying other young people and made to display "probationary plates" under a safety shake-up.

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield bus services just the ticketMORE than four fifths of South Yorkshire bus users are satisfied with their journeys according to a major national study - as passenger numbers continue to grow.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Traffic chaos looms in roadworks blitz MOTORISTS are facing a month of traffic chaos in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire as more than 500 sets of roadworks are carried out over the next four weeks.

Plymouth Herald

• City MP Oliver Colvile in live online Herald Q&A What are your views on the loss of Plymouth Airport and can it be reopened?

Other Regional Press

• Last-minute plea to save Liverpool railway station A last-minute plea has been made to save one of Liverpool's oldest railway stations after dismantling work began on an original cast iron canopy.
• Work to start on transformation of Kirkgate Railway Station Work is expected to start to transform Kirkgate Railway Station next month.
• Major delays on commuter trainsCommuters faced a bad start to the week with long delays and cancellations on some Southeastern trains to London because of
• Airlines in price war over Aberdeen flightsTWO airlines have launched a price war after Virgin Atlantic announced it was set to offer œzero fares on flights to Aberdeen.

Bus and Coach.com

• Nottingham tops passenger satisfactionNottingham's bus passengers are the most satisfied in England with a score of 92 per cent, according to the latest Bus Passenger Survey by Passenger Focus.
• New strategy to promote public transportA strategy to improve transport integration and encourage people to make more sustainable choices has been published by the government.
• French giant buys Selwyns TravelRATP Dev has purchased Selwyns Travel of Runcorn.

Global Rail News

• Black Death burial pit discovered at Crossrail siteCrossrail archaeologists have discovered a mass burial site in Farringdon, believed to be the final resting place of 14th century Black Death victims. Thirteen skeletons, thought to be around 660 years old, were found laid out in rows 2.5 metres below the road that surrounds Charterhouse Square in central London. Historical records reference a burial [...]
• HS2 backed by High Court rulingThe High Court has ruled in favour of the Government, backing its proposed high-speed rail project between London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds. Out of 10 areas challenged by opposition campaigners, the government received backing in nine, losing out only in a dispute over how the property compensation consultation was conducted. On March 15, the judge [...]
• Big reveal for revitalised Bronx stationAn iconic New York subway station, built in 1917 in the style of an Italian villa, has been returned to its original splendour after undergoing a $66.5 million revamp. The two-year restoration programme included the refurbishment of the mezzanine passage with new tiles and ornamental mosaic bands, and the installation of intricate mosaic panels designed [...]
• New Eurostar website to go liveEurostar’s new-look website will “transform and speed up” ticket booking when it is launched tomorrow, the operator has said. The redesign will significantly reduce the number of steps required to buy a ticket, cutting the time it takes to book a journey from London to Paris in half. Travellers will be able to book a [...]
• Russia to help develop Vietnamese rail infrastructureRussian Railways has signed an agreement with Vietnamese Railways and An Vien to jointly design and build new rail infrastructure in the country. The Vietnamese government wants to develop the country’s ageing railways and this deal goes a long way to assuring the construction and operation of a new railway line in South Vietnam. Vietnam’s [...]
• Video: Exploring the Trans-Mongolian railwayThe Trans-Mongolian Line is one of the world’s epic railways, cutting its way through some of the planet’s harshest terrain along seven-and-a-half-thousand kilometres of track. The route runs along the better-known Trans-Siberian Railway out of Moscow, branching off at Ulan-Ude and connecting the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbaatar with the Chinese capital of Beijing. Two Spanish [...]
• Saving hospital honouredSportsman and Strictly Come Dancing star Michael Vaughan joined representatives from The Children’s Hospital Charity and East Midlands Trains to name Meridian 222 004 of East Midlands Trains ‘Children’s Hospital Sheffield.’ Staff at Sheffield station have been supporting the charity through fund-raising and auctions, as well as displaying charity promotional materials throughout the station. Owen [...]
• Swanage “ Wareham service resumes41 years after being axed, a regular service connecting Swanage and Wareham is set to resume in two years time thanks to a £1.47m grant. Government funding will pay to upgrade track and bridges and two 1960s heritage diesel bus trains to mainline running standards. The Swanage Railway Company says the service will be on [...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• Desiro Main Line Passenger Trains Desiro Main Line (ML) is an addition to Siemens' Desiro platform of commuter trains. The Desiro class represents a variety of electric or diesel trains with multiple units designed especially for shorter routes.

Railnews

• HS2 objectors to appeal against High Court verdicts HS2 objectors who had their arguments rejected by the High Court on Friday say they'll appeal against some aspects of the judgement. Of ten claims opposing the Government's plans for High Speed rail nine were rejected, although parts of the compensation arrangements were ruled to be unfair and must be redrafted.

Aviation Industry

• Demand for premium cabins falls in EuropeIATA says that growth in global premium sales is being driven by Asian markets
• Easyjet begins Gatwick flights to MoscowNo-frills airline is the first to operate services from Sussex airport to Russian capital
• US airline market 'must be investigated'Business travel group wants full study into impact of mergers between US carriers
• Fastjet moves closer to South African dealAfrican no-frills airline wants to buy collapsed carrier 1 Time

Other News Sources

• Heathrow sees increase in passengers Heathrow handled 70million passengers in 2012, despite a dip in holiday-flight traffic.
• LEPs to compete for new housing and transport fundGroups of English councils and businesses will take control of central government cash from 2015 under Treasury plans announced today.