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

Thursday, 11 April 2013

BBC News

• Further phase of Belfast roadworksMotorists travelling through central Belfast from Monday are warned to allow extra time for their journeys as a new phase of roadworks begins.
• GM to invest 4bn euros in OpelUS carmaker General Motors says it will invest 4bn euros in its European marques, Opel and Vauxhall.

Financial Times

• Global airlines: ups and downsSince late last year share prices have been soaring, but now they are descending again. Is this a temporary correction, or should investors buckle up?

The Independent

• Go-ahead for Kent airport expansion angers green lobby Controversial plans to expand a small local airport in Kent into a regional hub were approved by the Government tonight, to the anger of conservationists and some locals.

Daily Record

• Driver and passengers escape injury after train smashes into vacuum cleaner hung under bridgeTHE Inverurie to Edinburgh ScotRail service struck the Hoover as it approached Arbroath station shortly after 8pm on Saturday,

Mail Online

• Jane Harding: Network Rail fined £450,000 for health and safety breaches over 'entirely preventable' deathA judge at Birmingham Crown Court also fined signalman Adrian Maund £1,750 for his part in the death of Jane Harding, whose car was struck by a train in Herefordshire.
• Britain's pot-holed roads are SO BAD Honda is is forced to build special track in Japan to test new carsThe company has created a track complete with potholes and cracks at its Takasu test-facility in Hokkaido. For added realism, it even has UK road signs and roundabouts.

Belfast Telegraph

• Ryanair bid to recoup takeover feesRYANAIR claims it should be refunded €770,000 (£656,000) in VAT for professional services related to its unsuccessful 2006 bid to take over Aer Lingus, the Irish High Court heard.Related StoriesPassengers rise 4% for airportGranola makers feed business with the help of Invest NITrade growth forecast is slashedTurbulent times for HeathrowNew head of chartered accountants    
• Passengers rise 4% for airportStansted Airport handled almost 4% more passengers last month than in March 2012, figures show. The Essex airport saw more than 1.34 million passengers pass through in March 2013. This was 3.8% more than in March last year, with planes flying 79% full last month compared with 77% in March 2012.Related StoriesRyanair bid to recoup takeover feesGranola makers feed business with the help of Invest NITrade growth forecast is slashedTurbulent times for HeathrowNew head of chartered accountants    

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented New all-day bus ticket valid on range of operatorsBUS operators and the city council have joined forces to introduce a brand new ticket which allows travel throughout Derby all day.The multi-operator Spectrum day ticket, launched tomorrow, is designed for people who need to commute to and from work, go shopping, or take a day trip to anywhere in the city.It will be available on most Arriva, Trent Barton, Notts & Derby and Littles' services and allows unlimited day travel within the Derby area and built up area of South Derbyshire...

London Evening Standard

• One millionth ‘wave and pay’ bus journeyLondon's move towards a cashless public transport system has gathered pace as one millionth bus journey using the “wave and pay” cards was registered today.
• Halfords bike sales dive thanks to cold weatherThe near-Arctic recent weather froze sales of bikes at retailer Halfords in its final quarter but drove a spike in purchases of its car maintenance products, from batteries to windscreen wipers.
• Heathrow will fall out of top five airports, says BA boss Willie WalshThe owner of British Airways today warned that Heathrow could fall outside the world’s top five busiest hub airports within 10 years and slip out of the top 30 within 20 years because of political inability to solve London’s aviation capacity crisis.
• Driver ordered crying two-year-old off busA bus driver has ordered a two-year-old girl off his vehicle because she was crying.

The York Press

• Campaign to keep motorcyclists safe A CAMPAIGN to reduce the number of motorcyclists killed or injured on the roads in East Yorkshire has been relaunched.

Reading Evening Post

• £1 million cycle route for Lower Earley A cycle leader hopes a £1.1 million cycle route in Lower Earley will encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel by bike.

Other Regional Press

• Maps show noise impact of Heathrow runways PEACE and quiet in north-west Surrey could be drowned out forever if Heathrow Airport is allowed to develop into a four-runway hub, according to new research by an anti-expansion group.
• Cash injection for safety on Bedfordshire cycle routesA GRANT for £300,0000 has been awarded to help develop a dangerous junction into a ‘turbo-roundabout’ for safer cycling.
• Easter train service is not so eggsellentCHILDREN missed out on fun on the railways once again after an Easter service was cancelled at late notice.

Airportwatch

• Footbridge to close to make way for tram extension A FOOTBRIDGE linking the Station Street tram stop to Nottingham railway station will close later this month as part of the project to extend the network to Clifton and Chilwell.

Global Rail News

• First images of Birmingham New Street concoursePassengers have been given a sneak preview of Birmingham New Street’s new concourse after a selection of special volunteers were allowed behind the scenes. More than 200 volunteers were invited to New Street, which will partially open on April 28, to test out the facilities including the new ticket office, wayfinding signs and the ease [...]
• Video: Blasting the way for New York’s underground railwayAn amazing video has been posted online showing New York ‘sandhogs’ blasting away rock and earth beneath Grand Central Terminal for the East Side Access mega project. The short film shows the moment hundreds of explosives are set off to create a new section of tunnel underneath Manhattan. Once complete, the caverns, which lie 50 [...]
• Has third rail had its day?This fascinating question was posed and debated at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ headquarters during a recent seminar organised by the Railway Engineers’ Forum (REF). The REF, a grouping of the railway interests of the engineering and associated professional bodies, aims to hold a joint technical seminar once a year. With the emphasis on growing [...]

Aviation Industry

• Irish regional CityJet CEO impressed with bidders Irish regional CityJet CEO Christine Ourmières said she is impressed with the caliber of bidders for the carrier. read more
• Airbus chief says US vs. Europe divide is obsoleteThe battle between the US and Europe for aerospace supremacy is an obsolete notion, Airbus president and CEO Fabrice Brégier told a Washington DC audience. read more
• Porter Airlines to order 12 Bombardier CSeries aircraft Canadian regional Porter Airlines has signed a conditional purchase order for 12 Bombardier CS100 aircraft, with 18 options. read more
• IAG’s new offer for Vueling is acceptedIncreased bid by BA’s owner wins support of Spanish airline’s board

Other News Sources

• SEGRO spec scheme in Heathrow SEGRO launches first speculative scheme in Heathrow for five years SEGRO in its Airport Property Partnership joint venture with Aviva, has started its first speculative warehouse construction in Heathrow in five years.
• Away with Heathrow. Let's have Thatcherow Boris Johnson has acutely smuggled his passion for a new airport onto the rolling Thatcher coverage bandwagon. The London Mayor has called for any new airport to be named after her, while the Daily Mail's editorial is unwilling to wait on events: "why wait to build a new one, which could take for ever? How about renaming Heathrow?" it asks.
• taking a look at all things transport Regular readers of this column will know that I have mentioned public transport in the form of trains and buses, and also private transport principally in the form of cars, with a sideways nod to cycling.
• £678,000 for Reading's roadsMOTORISTS could soon have smoother journeys around after Reading's roads were promised £678,000 for repairs.