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

Friday, 12 April 2013

BBC News

• Bus station 'too far' from citySome services are not stopping at Wolverhampton's bus station because passengers say it is too far from the city centre, operators say.
• VIDEO: Village starts electric car sharingLondon has Boris bikes and now Pembrokeshire has its own innovative vehicle sharing scheme.
• How 'green' are electric cars?Are electric cars really that good for the environment?
• Airline in 30-plane Bombardier orderA Canadian-based airline has ordered up to 30 planes from Bombardier, in a boost for its factory in east Belfast.
• Japan carmakers to recall 3.4m carsJapan's top four carmakers are recalling a total of 3.4 million cars over a defect in passenger airbags, including tens of thousands in the UK.

ITV News

• Transport charity responds to North East economic review The Sustans charity, which promotes sustainable transport, has responded to the publication of the North East review to encourage economic growth in the region.

Financial Times

• Stobart directors committed for civil trialTinkler and Howarth face contempt of court charges in reference to statements made in a case hearing claims over illegal air operations

The Herald

• Surge in train passengersTRAVELLERS faced with soaring fuel prices and conjested roads are turning to Scotland's railways in ever-increasing numbers.

The Scotsman

• Edinburgh roads ’among worst in Europe’ ONE of Scotland’s top transport academics has called for greater investment in Edinburgh’s “very poor” roads – warning that we are falling far behind many similar European cities.

Reuters News

• London Heathrow's March traffic up 3.9 percentLONDON (Reuters) - Passenger traffic at London's Heathrow airport rose 3.9 percent in March, boosted by strong growth on European and Chinese routes, Heathrow Ltd said on Friday.

Belfast Telegraph

• Passengers rise 4% for airportStansted Airport handled almost 4% more passengers last month than in March 2012, figures show.Related StoriesNew online property selling service to save house-hunters cashShnuggle has its overseas business all wrapped upMothercare overcomes bumpy patch as sales liftG8 summit will enhance our status as digital hub, says academicUlster Bank appoints two new directors    
• Turbulent times for HeathrowAirlines chief Willie Walsh has renewed his assault on the Government's tourism policy, warning Heathrow will be eclipsed by faster-growing hub airports and British travellers face tougher travel restrictions from countries frustrated by our visa regime.Related StoriesNew online property selling service to save house-hunters cashShnuggle has its overseas business all wrapped upMothercare overcomes bumpy patch as sales liftG8 summit will enhance our status as digital hub, says academicUlster Bank appoints two new directors    

Bolton News

• Passengers get fairer deal as bus company cuts fares BUS operator First has cut its fares by 28 per cent after a “postcode lottery” for ticket charges.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford rail users are invited to quiz East Coast managers Train operator East Coast is offering passengers the chance to put questions, comments or suggestions about its services to senior managers.
• 40,000 drivers caught speeding in M62 roadworks West Yorkshire Police have performed a U-turn over a refusal to provide the Telegraph & Argus with statistics of how many motorists have been snared by speed cameras in the M62 roadworks.
• Councillors back new bus lanes on A641 from Odsal to Wyke New bus and cycle lanes aimed at cutting congestion on one of Bradford’s busiest roads will soon be up-and-running.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented Roadworks to improve Pride Park link with A52MAJOR work to improve roads in and out of Pride Park from the A52 is set to take place next year, the leader of Derby City Council has revealed.Councillor Paul Bayliss said the work would be aimed at making changes that would help users of the new multi-use sports arena at the site, due to open in late 2014.He said the authority regularly received complaints and comments from people who found themselves in "gridlocked" traffic when they left Pride Park in the evening rush...

Edinburgh Evening News

• Edinburgh roads ‘among worst in Europe’ONE of Scotland’s top transport academics has called for greater investment in Edinburgh’s “very poor” roads – warning that we are falling far behind many similar European cities.

London Evening Standard

• POLL: Should a future London airport be named after Margaret Thatcher? Boris Johnson has called for a future London airport to be named after Margaret Thatcher.

Wales Online

• Rhymney Valley bus services face the axe in £200,000 cuts Caerphilly council could scrap subsidies on nine routes, including services to Ysbyty Ystrad Fawr in Ystrad Mynach

Yorkshire Evening Post

• 40,000 caught by M62 speed cameras between Brighouse and RothwellALMOST 40,000 motorists were caught by 50mph speed cameras on a stretch of the M62 last year, it has been revealed.

Blackpool Gazette

• £1.8 trunk route boostA £1.8m grant to widen a busy trunk road and make it safer for residents to cross has been welcomed by campaigners.

Other Regional Press

• High-speed Gosport to Fareham bus route celebrates first year A BUS route which has made the journey between Gosport and Fareham quicker for bus users has celebrated its first birthday.
• Campaigners positive after National Express meeting over axed coach route Campaigners were positive their fears over a decision to scrap a National Express stop in their town were being taken seriously by the transport firm’s chiefs following a meeting on Wednesday.
• Cycle riders celebrating tunnels way People in Bradford on Avon joined in the opening of Bath’s Two Tunnels Greenway with a bike ride to the celebratory festival.
• Take off for airport runway expansionThe government has today given approval for Lydd Airport to expand its runway and build a new terminal for 500,000 passengers a year.
• Boris: Name airport after Margaret ThatcherA huge international airport in Kent should be named after Margaret Thatcher, according to London Mayor Boris Johnson.

Freight on Rail

• Brussels to allow massive road-trains across Europe. Freight on Rail is calling on Brussels to set maximum limits on the length and weight of HGVs in its new legislation 1 to avoid more fatalities 2, more road congestion and pollution.

Global Rail News

• Harry Beck honouredThe birthplace of Harry Beck, designer of the iconic London Underground linear map, has been honoured with a blue plaque. Harry Beck was born at 14 Wesley Road, Leyton, E10 in 1902. Beck started work for London Transport as an engineering draughtsman in the London Underground Signal Engineer’s office. In 1931 he produced his first [...]
• Royal backing for MallardThe prince of Wales has agreed to become the patron of Mallard 75, the national Railway Museum’s season of events marking 75 years since Mallard broke the world steam speed record at Stoke Bank near Grantham in 1938. The centrepiece of the celebrations will be the Great Gathering, a spectacular fortnight- long international family reunion [...]
• Venue and dates confirmed for Infrarail 2014Organisers of Infrarail 2014 have confirmed that Earls Court will host the 10th event in the series between May 20 and 22. More than 200 companies from the world of rail infrastructure took part in the 2012 show. Specialists in track, signalling, electrification, safety and structures welcomed just over 4,500 managers, engineers and decision-makers in [...]
• European loan for Warsaw Metro extensionConstruction of Warsaw Metro’s new 6.7 km central section has secured a 238 million euro loan from the European Investment Bank (EIB). The extension includes seven stations plus a 400m-long connecting tunnel between the new and the old metro lines. The EIB has already agreed a loan for the purchase of new rolling stock, with [...]
• Energlyn and Churchill Park station design goes on displayImages of the future £5.3 million Energlyn and Churchill Park station have gone on display to the public. The new station will provide the area with direct access to and from Cardiff for the first time. The Welsh European Funding Office has helped to fund the scheme, which has been developed jointly by the Welsh [...]
• Design contracts awarded for Helsinki Western MetroPöyry has been awarded the design contract by Länsimetro Oy for the next phase of the Western Metro extension in Finland. The Western Metro line will run from Helsinki to Espoo – the third largest city in Finland. Pöyry has already provided engineering services for the first phase of the Western Metro line, which is [...]
• Video: Regiolis undergoes dynamic testingAlstom’s next generation Coradia Polyvalent, or Regiolis, trains have been filmed completing test runs ahead of delivery later this year. To date, orders have been placed for 171 trainsets for the French regions. The first Regiolis train off the production line at the Alstom plant in Reichshoffen and presented to operator SNCF on June 14, [...]
• First two locomotives arrive in the UAEEtihad Rail has taken delivery of the first two locomotives for the UAE’s inaugural rail network. The first of seven EMD-built vehicles arrived at Mussafah Port, Abu Dhabi, yesterday (April 10) and along with the wagons delivered in December last year, will make up the UAE’s first trains. The locomotives will be moved to Etihad [...]

Railway Gazette

• Infrastructure funding in demandINTERNATIONAL: Greater government investment in rail infrastructure is needed, although few industry leaders believe that sufficient funds will be made available, according to a multi-modal study published by the Norton Rose international legal practice on March 15. Entitled The Way Ahead - Where are you now?, the group's fourth annual survey attracted more than 1000 responses from the rail, aviation and shipping industries. Some 84% of respondents from the rail sector said infrastructure investment would be the most helpful form of government support, up from 71% last year, with 88% consideri...

Aviation Industry

• Rescue plan for Cyprus Airways faces setbackCyprus Airways’ staff have rejected a rescue plan from the island’s government, putting its future in more doubt. Plans drawn up by Air France Consulting include slashing the 1,000 staff down to 350, cutting salaries by 17 per cent and reducing the fleet from 10 aircraft to six.

Green Miscellany

• British motorists now pay £1,000 per second in fuel dutyRoad clock counter reveals the astonishing amount of resources consumed, and pollution created, as a direct result of the way we travel each day. Car breakdown provider, ETA, looked at the driving habits of 800,000 motorists over a three month period and used that information to provide a fascinating insight into how much money we motorists spend at the pumps…

Other News Sources

• Adonis calls for new strategic transport agency for North East A new transport agency should be set up in England's North East to take on strategic transport planning powers and fund major projects, according to a report by Labour peer Lord Adonis.
• No Heathrow third runway in 50 years, says Walsh There will be no third runway at Heathow "in 50 years" but British Airways won't be moving airports, Willie Walsh told industry leaders yesterday.
• Rail closure on Doncaster to Cleethorpes line could hit local tourism THE council has set aside money to market events amid concerns that a closure on the Doncaster to Cleethorpes line could harm local tourism.
• Stansted completes a hat-trick of world’s best airport awards London Stansted Airport has once again been named the world’s best airport for low-cost airlines at the World Airport Awards for the third successive year,
• Evolvi and Chiltern claim first with DIY ticketingEvolvi Rail Systems and Chiltern Railways claim to have introduced the UK’s first plain paper train ticketing system available exclusively to corporate travellers.