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

Wednesday, 24 April 2013

BBC News

• Road campaign catches 239 speedersPolice have catch nearly 250 drivers breaking the speed limit in a four-day campaign in the Forth Valley area.
• HS2 scraps bridge demolition planPlans to demolish 18 bridges are scrapped
• Bank is 'most disliked' Tube stationLondoners asked to rate the capital's Underground stops nominate Bank station as the network's worst.

Financial Times

• Siemens warns on late Eurostar deliveryRail division faces further embarrassment and charges after it warns of delays over delivery of trains to the high-speed cross-Channel rail service
• Delta cuts capacity to remain in blackAirline expects declines in April of between 2 to 3 per cent because of the sequestration spending cuts, as well as a decline in leisure travel
• IAG poised to gain control of VuelingOwner of British Airways and Iberia to pay €123.5m and increase stake in the Spanish budget carrier to 90.5%, providing important source of growth

The Guardian

• Invest £1bn a year to boost cycling levels tenfold, urges reportCross-party inquiry calls for 'fundamental cultural shift' and proposes target of 25% of journeys made by bike by 2050Britain should aim to increase cycling use more than tenfold in the next few decades by investing £1bn-plus a year to make its roads more cyclist-friendly, a cross-party report by MPs and peers recommends.Such a scheme would pay for itself many times over, boosting the economy and health of the nation by reducing pollution, congestion and inactivity, according to the findings of the Get Britain Cycling inquiry by the all-party parliamentary cycling group.The benefits w...

The Independent

• If Heathrow has anything to declare, it should be ’Welcome to Britain’ I’ve been infuriated for years by the absence of any distinctively British or London welcome at the country’s premier airport
• Cut speed limits to get millions more cyclists on the road, urge MPs The speed limit in towns should be cut to 20mph and more dangerous drivers jailed in an effort to persuade millions more people to take up cycling, MPs of all parties say in a report today.Related StoriesDonald Macintyre's Sketch: Nigel Farage is easy to laugh at… that means he’s dangerousDisabled face losing homes under benefit cutbacksChancellor's biggest challenge yet as UK teeters on brink of a triple-dip recessionGeorge Osborne is under growing all-party pressure to boost housebuilding to kickstart the economyWomen miss out in labour market as new jobs go to men  &n...

The Scotsman

• Calmac strike moves closer as union talks stall UNION chiefs have accused ferry bosses of treating staff “with contempt” over proposed 25% pay cuts and are threatening strike action.
• Edinburgh tram opponents admit they must ’face future’ OPPONENTS of Edinburgh’s controversial tram scheme have admitted they must “face the future” after taking part in the first public tram trip today.

The Telegraph

• Allow drivers to go 'flat out', says new police chiefA new police and crime commissioner has been heavily criticised for declaring that speed limits should be abolished and drivers should be able to go
• Compulsory cycling lessons in schools 'would make for fitter, happier, safer children'Cycling should be placed on the National Curriculum to combat the obesity crisis and improve levels of road safety, according to a powerful coalition of transport and health experts.    

Reuters News

• Siemens train delivery to Eurostar delayed Siemens will deliver high-speed trains to Eurostar, the operator of the Channel Tunnel passenger train service, later than expected, a member of the German engineering conglomerate's management board told a newspaper.

Mail Online

• London's most boring project: £14.8bn Crossrail tunnel takes shape below capital... but they've been going three years and are still only a fifth of the way throughThese incredible pictures show the immensity of the task faced by engineers revamping the capital's creaking transport infrastructure.
• Police commissioner Stephen Bett says drivers should be able to go 'flat out' and speed limits should be scrapped on motorways'We ought to drive to road conditions rather than set limits,' said Stephen Bett (pictured), who is paid a salary of £70,000 as the independent PCC for Norfolk.

The Mirror

• Campaigners call for fare deal for England and Wales rail users as Scotland plans off-peak price freezeThe Scottish government plans to freeze off-peak prices for two years and stop the “split ticket” anomaly

Network Rail

• Places available on unique rail industry graduate scheme in the south of EnglandThe rail industry is seeking 50 more graduates to join its unique 18-month Track & Train work placement scheme.

Belfast Telegraph

• Bombardier plugs in to renewable energy AIRPLANE manufacturer Bombardier has revealed it has lodged a planning application to build a renewable energy plant next to its premises in east Belfast.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Police station will be on bus route Keighley Police Station will be served by buses for the first time from July in agreement between the Town Council watch and transport committee and TLC Travel, with support from the police.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Edinburgh trams bosses down to last £20mTransport experts insist Edinburgh’s trams project can still be completed within the revised budget even though there is less than £20 million left in the funding pot.

Journal Live

• Bus boost for North East coach operator A COACH holiday operator has invested in a new fleet of 20 Mercedes touring vehicles to meet demands for its breaks from the North East.

Liverpool Echo

• Mersey bus operators offering free travel on selected routes in Catch the Bus weekBUS rides on routes across Merseyside will be free next week.

London Evening Standard

• Smart car and Prius drivers face paying the C-chargeDrivers will be hit with a £10 increase to £130 for the congestion zone penalty charge from May 20.
• HS2 tunnel extended under west London to cut chaosRail chiefs today tore up plans to knock down 18 bridges for the London section of HS2 and agreed to build an eight-mile tunnel instead.

The York Press

• Blueprint proposes major upgrade for York Station YORK'S railway station will need a major upgrade to cope with a huge increase in passengers and the demands of new rail schemes, the city’s development blueprint has said.

Wales Online

• Network Rail criticised for lack of investment in Welsh infrastructure New figures reveal Wales received just £15m of £2bn spent by Network Rail

Other Regional Press

• Stansted Airport: Business leaders called to justify high number of night flights. A PRESSURE group has called on business leaders to justify the high number of night flights allowed at Stansted Airport.
• Suffolk community transport group elects new board An umbrella group representing community transport operators across Suffolk has elected a new board to drive it forward.
• Government to update stance on M4 relief road THE Welsh Government has promised an update on its stance on the M4 Relief Road by mid-July.

Global Rail News

• Gaining rail business advantage in BritainExpanding investment in the rail industry offers challenges and opportunities for rail businesses. The Rail Industry Contractors’ Association is all set to help small and medium businesses get ahead. Network Rail has recently announced its investment plans for the next Regulatory Control Period, 2014-2019 (CP5). The level of investment is huge and clearly demonstrates the [...]
• What to see at Railtex 2013 #6In 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. Harmill Systems Stand C111    Harmill Systems, the specialist depot plant and equipment engineers, will be exhibiting its new innovative road rail Train and Bogie Mover (TM300). A 4-wheel-drive vehicle with 4-wheel-steering [...]
• Canadian police prevent terrorist train attack plotThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested and charged two men who they believe were planning to carry out a terrorist attack against a VIA passenger train. Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, from Montreal and Toronto respectively, were arrested as part of an investigation named Project Smooth, which was led by the [...]
• CSR Puzhen awarded catenary-free tram orderCSR Puzhen has won an order for 15 catenary-free Flexity-style trams for the Chinese city of Nanjing. The new trams, which come off the back of an order for 18 light rail vehicles won by CSR Puzhen earlier this year, will operate on two lines in the city’s downtown districts. CSR Puzhen will build the [...]
• Skanska wins ‘giant’ Norwegian rail projectSkanska Norway has won a 175 million euro contract to build a nine kilometre section of double track between Farriseidet and Porsgrunn. The project, which is due to be completed by August 2016, includes the construction of three tunnels, six bridges and two wildlife crossings. The contract is the largest single body of works to [...]
• HS2 to recommend Ealing and Northolt tunnelHS2 has set out revised proposals to construct a tunnel beneath Ealing and Northolt to avoid lengthy bridge demolition works. Plans announced in January set out a surface route along the Northolt corridor through north west London. A study has now found that constructing a 9 km tunnel would actually be a much simpler and [...]
• Consultation launched over Wolverhampton metro extensionResidents and businesses around Wolverhampton are being asked to give their views on the £15 million Midland Metro extension. The extension would run along Piper’s Row with a stop directly outside the bus station before terminating at the rail station. Centro has said the extension will “open up areas for regeneration and serve as a [...]

Aviation Industry

• Singapore Airlines doubles Virgin stakeThe airline bought shares making up 9.9 per cent of the company from Richard Branson's Virgin Group for $123 million at 48 cents a share.

Other News Sources

• Tesco's low carbon drive secures landfill gas powered fleet Tesco has signed a deal with Gasrec to power one of its fleets with waste-derived fuel from landfill sites and anaerobic digestion facilities.
• Heathrow Express offers web booking through Aer LingusFirst for Irish carrier and premium train