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

Friday, 26 April 2013

BBC News

• New railway station at Energlyn to meet Caerphilly demand Growing demand for trains in Caerphilly has prompted plans to open a new £5.2m station north of the town centre.
• Gas-powered buses introduced in Reading [video]Britain's biggest fleet of gas-powered buses is being introduced in Reading.
• Call for better access at Bridgwater railway station A railway users group is calling for improved disabled access at Bridgwater railway station in Somerset.
• Brighton MP Simon Kirby calls for second rail line A Sussex Conservative MP has called on the government to build a second rail line to improve links between London and the south coast.
• Edinburgh sees rise in pollutionEnvironmentalists call for
• Hyundai pulls suicide bid car advertCarmaker Hyundai apologises and pulls an online advert that depicted a man attempting to kill himself with exhaust fumes in its new model.
• VIDEO: Minister does not wear cycle helmetTransport minister Norman Baker said he does not wear a helmet while cycling, saying he does not feel the need for one, as it was a
• Heathrow terminal sculpture unveiledA new 259ft (79m) long sculpture destined for Heathrow Airport's Terminal Two is unveiled by its manufacturer in Hull.

Financial Times

• United Continental losses narrow slightlyThe biggest US airline by revenues continues to buck the trend of wider improvements in profitability and yields across the industry
• Weak UK trading weighs on Aer LingusAbout 100 more jobs will be cut amid a widening of operating losses because of higher fuel and airport charges and weak trading in the UK

The Guardian

• Lydd airport awaiting clearance for expansion takeoff Kent airfield's expansion ambitions are test case for future of UK flight network
• US senators reach deal to spare aviation sector from sequester cuts Senate rushes through legislation to end delays and cancellations, with House expected to approve bill on Friday

The Independent

• Least used railway station in Wales comes on the market Station House at Roman Bridge train station, Conwy, (pictured) was originally built to provide transport for the farmers and slate quarry workers in the area in 1879 by North Western Railway

The Telegraph

• Former Transport Secretary to speak out against Heathrow expansionJustine Greening, the former Transport Secretary, is planning to speak out against a third runway at Heathrow for the first time since she was moved from her job in charge of airports.    

ATOC

• "Record numbers of people with disabilities are travelling by train": ATOCResponding to a poll about disabled rail travel, David Sindall,...

Network Rail

• EMBARGOED: Final countdown for Birmingham New Street's half-time switchoverPassengers using Birmingham New Street are now just two days away from seeing the first half of their new station as the Network Rail and Mace project team make final preparations for the half-time switchover on Sunday 28 April.The switchover will see the first major changes at New Street in over 40 years and mark a major milestone in the redevelopment of the station, which started in 2010.

Belfast Telegraph

• Airline seeks redundancies in cost-cutting bidAER Lingus is seeking 100 voluntary redundancies as part of an overall cost-analysis project, as it announced a revenue rise in the first three months of 2013.Related StoriesServices sector powers our recovering economySpotlight falls on G8 summitJobless figure in Spain now over 27%Car insurance dip costs AdmiralProfits tumble sparks pay revolt    

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Shipley Glen tramway to open for Bank Holiday weekend Shipley Glen tramway will transport visitors to the heights and back on the Bank Holiday weekend with trips on Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 12 noon until around 4.15pm, weather permitting. For more information visit shipleyglentramway.co.uk
• MP Gerry Sutcliffe supports call for traffic calming action on road where gran died in cab crash horror An MP is backing calls to slow down traffic on a road where a grandmother was killed just a few steps from her front door.

Journal Live

• Political row rages over free parking in MorpethA POLITICAL row has erupted over a long-running campaign by business leaders for a fairer system of car parking charges across Northumberland.

Liverpool Echo

• Iconic 'Yellow Duckmarine' bus tours in Liverpool face fight for future after inspectionLIVERPOOL'S Duckmarine bus tours faces a fight for its future after inspectors found minimum standards were not being met.

London Evening Standard

• Our man takes a flight on the A380 superjumbo simulatorIt is the ultimate computer game as you appear to take the controls of the world’s largest commercial airliner for a journey around the world.
• Cyclists' fear increased danger in major redesign of West EndA major redesign of key roads in the West End was criticised today for increasing the danger to cyclists.
• Do NOT eat noisily, clean your ears or listen to Jessie J with inadequate headphones: the Tube rules1) DO NOT ENTER THE CARRIAGE BEFORE OTHERS HAVE LEFT IT
• Woman in Switzerland held key clue in mystery of stowaway who fell from Heathrow planeA stowaway trying to enter Britain plunged to his death from the undercarriage of a plane en route to Heathrow on his 26th birthday, an inquest heard today.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: All change on the buses as timetables get an overhaulThe biggest bus firm in Leeds has announced a timetable shake-up that it says should be just the ticket for passengers.

Yorkshire Post

• HS2 campaigners face down rail chief at Yorkshire Mafia event in Leeds RESIDENTS will stage a protest against the planned HS2 Leeds to London high speed rail link as the chief executive of the firm behind the project visits Yorkshire today.

East Anglian Daily Times

• East Anglia: New trains still several years awayRAIL passengers on the main line between London and East Anglia are likely to have to wait at least five years for new trains.
• Woodbridge: New automated machine at station is just the ticket for train passengersA SUFFOLK market town has welcomed the arrival of an automatic ticket machine at its railway station.

Peterborough Telegraph

• New figures reveal more Peterborough residents getting on their bikesThe proportion of residents in Peterborough regularly using bicycles for their journeys has increased, new Government figures reveal.

Other Regional Press

• Margaret Thatcher Airport plans groundedPlans to name a Thames Estuary airport after Baroness Thatcher have been thrown out of parliament.

Global Rail News

• Members confirmed for government franchise boardTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has named the final four members of a new government advisory team to shape the future of rail franchising. The Franchise Advisory Panel will be led by Eurostar chairman Richard Brown, who produced a review into the franchising process following the collapse of the West Coast competition. The panel has been [...]
• Seattle King Street station opens after $55m refurbA $55 million project to modernise Seattle’s 20th century King Street Station has been completed. City officials have now cut the ribbon on the modernised station which sits on one of the USA’s busiest passenger rail corridors serving Vancouver to the north and Eugene, Oregon, to the south. The project received $32.9 million from the [...]
• TfL boasts record reliabilityTransport for London (TfL) is on course to post record Tube reliability figures. Figures collected between January and March have shown that London Underground is operating 97.5 per cent of scheduled services, with 187 million passenger journeys made on the network in the first three months of 2013. During the period, TfL has also implemented [...]
• Fall in first quarter for CAFCAF has recorded a 19.1 per cent drop in net profit in the first quarter of this year. The Spanish rolling stock manufacturer saw net turnover fall to 403.9 million euros from 463.7 million in 2012. Turnover has, however, remained up on the 2011 figure of 399.3 billion euros. Net profit came in at 27.5 [...]
• The migration of skillsWe are all familiar with the concept of exporting goods from the UK, but what about exporting skills overseas? Writes Lawrence Dobie, education and training director at Vital Services Group In recent years Britain has seen a dramatic increase in skilled and experienced engineers migrating abroad to facilitate the development of projects across the world. [...]

London TravelWatch

• Transport for London responds to our concerns about the Mayor’s Vision for CyclingLondon TravelWatch’s Policy Committee, which met for the first time on Tuesday, looked at Transport for London’s (TfL’s) latest Cycle Superhighway proposals and quizzed them about the move towards assigning more dedicated street space for cyclists.

Aviation Industry

• Dreamliner set to return to the skiesEthiopian Airlines likely to be first carrier to resume 787 services
• Virgin Atlantic to suspend Manchester-Las Vegas serviceCarrier blames high fuel prices and taxes for decision to cut winter flights

Other News Sources

• Heathrow welcomes Freight Transport Association's submission to the Airport's Commission Heathrow Airport today welcomed the Freight Transport Association (FTArsquo;s) submission to the Airports Commission, which recognised Heathrowrsquo;s position as the most significant...