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

Tuesday, 23 April 2013

BBC News

• First bus passengers in Bristol have their say on fares An online survey is being carried out for First bus passengers in Bristol to tell the company what they think about the cost of its fares.
• North Norfolk Railway signal box catches fire A 106-year-old railway signal box has been severely damaged by fire - five months after being returned to the site for the first time in 40 years.
• Night flights must be protected, says business group [video]A lobby group for businesses has said night flights to London's airports must be protected in order to safeguard the economy.
• Lorries in free toll road trialLorries are given permission to use the M6 toll road for free throughout July.
• HS2 spells double trouble in StaffsThe role rail plans are playing in one county's election
• VIDEO: What's happening with rail franchises?Problems with franchises for some rail services have left the government running a major train line, with calls for it to remain in public hands.
• EU 'must not dictate railway plans'MPs raise concerns over European Union plans to standardise railways, saying governments should be allowed to set their own transport programmes.
• Thatcher posters banned from TubePosters of Margaret Thatcher due to be shown at Westminster Tube station are banned by the advertising company CBS.
• Tube station shut after 'track fire'A west London Tube station closes during the evening rush hour after
• BA places order for 18 Airbus A350sBritish Airways orders 18 new Airbus A350s in a deal worth $6bn (£3.92bn).
• Boeing 'may never find 787 fault'Boeing has admitted that it may never know what caused the battery malfunctions that resulted in all its 787 Dreamliner aircraft being grounded.

Financial Times

• Industry seeks to cut aircraft noiseSustainable Aviation said noise generated by the UK fleet could be cut by 20 per cent by the middle of this century compared with 2010 levels
• Boeing in the dark over 787 battery firesDespite saying the cause of the battery failures on its Dreamliner aircraft might never be established, group insist the jet is safe to fly
• British Airways orders 18 Airbus A350sAirline’s parent group IAG signs $6bn deal to buy new wide-body aircraft, just weeks after agreement with rival Boeing for 18 of its Dreamliners

The Guardian

• Earth houses give pupils refuge from Heathrow noise Superadobe domes first used for Gulf war refugees rise up at Hounslow schools coping with lessons under flight path
• Two arrested in Canada over alleged passenger train terrorist plotPolice say men had direction and guidance from al-Qaida elements in Iran and that attack was still at the planning stageTwo men were arrested on Monday night and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from al-Qaida

The Telegraph

• The latest images from the Crossrail construction site beneath LondonThe latest images from the Crossrail construction site beneath London.    
• We will scrap planned petrol duty increases, says David CameronPM drawing up plans to help motorists with tax breaks or subsidies for

Network Rail

• Birmingham New Street’s 150-year history revealed as station switchover nearsA selection of original plans and drawings detailing the 150-year history of Birmingham New Street have been published for the first time, as passengers await the opening of the first half of the station’s new concourse in under a week’s time – the first major change to New Street station in over 40 years.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Thieves targeting cyclists as £3k bike stolenA CYCLE fitness instructor today warned that thieves were increasingly targeting expensive bikes after his £3000 model was stolen during a raid on his home.

Journal Live

• A69 safety calls after two deaths days apartCALLS for a safety review on one of the region’s main roads have been repeated after the second fatal accident on it in just over a week.

London Evening Standard

• Mayor to speak against Heathrow expansionBoris Johnson will be the star speaker at a mass rally this month against the expansion of Heathrow, as leaders of the campaign promise a “bare-knuckle fight”.
• London ‘won’t get boost from airport expansion’An independent report into airports expansion today accused groups in favour of boosting capacity of “distorting” the economic arguments.
• Two held over Canada 'train terror'Two men were have been arrested and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from al Qaida, police have said.

Sheffield Star

• MP in appeal for bus fares to be reduced for young people Cheaper bus fares could be on the way for young people - with proposals revealed for a 70p multi-journey ticket.

The York Press

• Anger over changes to village bus service ELDERLY and disabled people will be hit by planned changes to a bus service between York and the east coast, one passenger has claimed.

Crewe Chronicle

• UK & World News: Two held over Canada 'train terror'Two men were have been arrested and charged with plotting a terrorist attack against a Canadian passenger train with support from al Qaida, police have said.

Plymouth Herald

• Plymouth bus lane fine total passes £1 million DRIVERS in Plymouth have now paid out more than £1 million in bus lane fines. The Herald can reveal the running total generated from the city's bus lane cameras currently stands at a whopping £1,001,960.20.

Other Regional Press

• VIDEO: Referendum on Heathrow expansion launched todayEvery person on the electoral register has been sent a voting card as Richmond Council launched its referendum on Heathrow expansion today.
• CBI backs night flights at Stansted Airport THE CBI has urged the Government to maintain the current night flights regime for Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick.
• Blast as bus bursts into flames in busy streetThis is the dramatic scene after a bus was engulfed in flames on a busy West Kingsdown road.
• Lufthansa flights at Aberdeen International Airport cancelledA SERIES of flights to and from Aberdeen International Airport were cancelled today as a result of a strike by airline staff.
• Passengers face extended wait for Weymouth bus shelter WORK has been delayed on a project to build a new bus shelter by the King’s Statue in Weymouth.

Global Rail News

• County Mayo cure for freightMonday 4th March was a big day for Iarnród Éireann and Port of Waterford when DFDS Logistics re-launched a container train reconnecting County Mayo with Rotterdam and the rest of Europe. Writes Tim Casterton DFDS operates the sea route from Rotterdam to Waterford helping Ireland move containers to and from mainland Europe. The new train [...]
• Aedas to lead Oxford station redevelopmentDesign consultant Aedas has been chosen to produce designs for the redevelopment of Oxford railway station. The appointment has been made by Network Rail, Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, who are working together to draw up a plan to improve the station and surrounding area. Figures collected by the Office of Rail Regulation [...]
• Eurostar on track in 2013Eurostar experienced its strongest-ever booking period in January to post ‘encouraging’ first quarter figures. A ticket promotion at the start of the year, which offered 150,000 seats between London and Paris, Brussels or Lille for £59, saw the cross-border high-speed rail service outperform its previous sales record set during the ash cloud disruption in 2010. [...]
• Work starts on BordersMain construction work is now underway on the new railway to reconnect Edinburgh with the Scottish Borders. Following six months of preparations, excavation of the track alignment for the new line through the Monktonhall area and the new Shawfair station site has begun. The new Borders Railway will open in 2015, re-establishing a passenger rail [...]
• Archive reveals New Street heritageOriginal plans for Birmingham New Street dating back 150 years have been published to coincide with the opening of station’s new concourse later this week. Plans for the original 19th century station and its 60s makeover have been added to Network Rail’s online archive to mark the next milestone in the site’s history. The first [...]
• What to see at Railtex 2013 #5In the run up to Railtex, Rail.co and the rail engineer will be looking at the must-see innovations on display at this year’s event. FP McCann Stand A107 FP McCann, manufacturer of precast concrete cable troughs and other railway-related items, will be showing the parts it is currently supplying to the Peterborough station project. Peterborough [...]

Aviation Industry

• Airbus's Biggest A350 Vindicated as Boeing Faithful Places OrderLess than a year ago, Airbus SAS was struggling to secure orders for its biggest A350 variant as airlines decried the plane as flawed.
• Alitalia names new chief Alitalia has gone outside the aviation industry for its new CEO, Gabriele Del Torchio, who has already taken up his duties. read more
• Austria bans Emirates A380, denies Qantas codeshare to Vienna Austrian aviation authorities have denied permission for Emirates to operate its Airbus A380 on some of its 13X-weekly Dubai-Vienna flights. read more
• IAG, British Airways commits to 18 Airbus A350-1000s International Airline Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways and Iberia, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Airbus for 18 A350-1000s, plus 18 options. read more
• RwandAir orders one Bombardier Q400NG Kigali’s RwandAir has signed a firm purchase agreement for one Bombardier Q400 NextGen turboprop airliner, in an order valued at approximately $33 million based on list prices. read more
• Qatar Airways still awaiting 787 go-aheadAirline has yet to set a date for the return of the Dreamliner

Other News Sources

• Make some noise over Heathrow Heathrow airport is part of the fabric of life in the London Borough of Hounslow.
• Ban Night Flights Now Say Hounslow Council Consultation told life a 'living hell' for residents near Heathrow Hounslow Council has urged the Secretary of State for Transport, the Rt. Hon. Patrick McLoughlin MP, to introduce an immediate ban on night flights from Heathrow Airport.