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

Thursday, 02 May 2013

BBC News

• Irish bus workers to vote on strikeMembers of the union Siptu working for the Irish transport company Bus Eireann ballot for strike action.
• Rail station had '14 people' a yearDenton is named as one of the UK's least-used mainline train stations, serving 30 passengers between between 2011 and 2012, a new study finds.
• Airliner 'had narrow miss with UFO'A passenger aircraft had a narrow miss with an unidentified object over Glasgow, an official report has revealed.
• Future highways may glow in the darkGlow-in-the-dark ice alerts and other road revamps
• Global air travel 'rises by 5.9%'The International Air Transport Association (Iata) says air passenger travel grew by 5.9% in March compared with a year earlier, boosted by emerging markets.
• US car sales drive to six-year highUS vehicle makers reported double-digit sales growth for April, giving the industry its best month in six years.

The Guardian

• The station with 14 passengers a yearNew figures reveal that the three least used rail stations across Britain are in Darlington, Manchester and SurreyIt has emerged that some mainline train stations are now operating with fewer than 30 passengers not just in an hour, or a day, but in a whole year. Teesside Airport station in Darlington had just 14 passengers in the 12 months ending March 2012, and only 18 the year before that.

The Independent

• Teesside Airport station's 14 passengers - in a whole yearSome main line train stations are operating with fewer than 30 passengers - not just in an hour or a day but in a whole year.Related StoriesBicycle's front brake failed in road crashJargon annoys office workersBritain’s ghost trains: The deserted stations without any passengersMastiff explosion: Questions asked after Taliban overcomes UK's best armoured vehicle and kills three British soldiers in HelmandMoD names three soldiers killed in Afghanistan IED blast as Government says it will ask questions about Mastiff armoured vehicle in Helmand    
• Britain’s ghost trains: The deserted stations without any passengers They are platforms without a purpose; stations where you won’t see a soul. While many commuters are forced to shove their way on to overcrowded trains during the rush-hour, there are some stations that serve just a handful of passengers a month.Related StoriesBra wars: Lingerie tycoon Michelle Mone's ex-husband sets up rival underwear firm with woman at centre of couple's splitBicycle's front brake failed in road crashJargon annoys office workersMastiff explosion: Questions asked after Taliban overcomes UK's best armoured vehicle and kills three British soldiers in HelmandMoD names three sold...

The Scotsman

• Commonwealth Games railway station set to reopen THE transport hub for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games will re-open to rail passengers in Dalmarnock in three weeks’ time - six months late because of a surprise find beneath the station.
• Keith Brown facing challenge over Orkney ferry TRANSPORT minister Keith Brown has been challenged to face the people affected after the ’lifeline’ ferry service between Orkney and Scrabster was put out of action.

Mail Online

• World's oldest railway tunnel hidden by a rockery for 36 years is discovered 10ft underground in a back gardenThe historic Fritchley Tunnel, in Crich, Derbyshire, can be traced back to 1793, two years earlier than the previous record holder. The tunnel was nearly lost forever when a previous land owner sealed up the passage in 1977 to build a rockery.

ATOC

• Bank holiday weekend top attractions offers by train revealed Six million passenger journeys are expected to be made by train over the bank holiday weekend with many people heading to some of the UK’s top attractions to take advantage of cut price entry...

London Evening Standard

• Mayor's rail takeover ’would harm services’ Boris Johnson’s plans to take over suburban rail routes into London received a blow today as the Conservative leader of Kent council ruled them “totally unacceptable”.
• ‘London has enough runways already’... Assembly report casts doubt on aviation crisisThe Government’s claim that the South-East faces an aviation capacity crisis was thrown into doubt today after an influential report suggested London has enough runways already.
• Olympics boost brings record number of passengers to Tube - and delays are down by 20 per centThe number of Tube journeys rose by five per cent to a record 1.2bn last year after the Olympics boosted passenger numbers.

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport grows passenger numbers Manchester Airport is growing faster than any other major UK airport with 680,000 more passengers in the last year.

Northern Echo

• Teesside Airport rail station passenger numbers drop - to 14 for an entire year A RAILWAY station serving one of the region’s airports has been named the least-visited in Britain after passenger numbers fell to just 14 for an entire year.
• Arriva North East wins landmark discrimination case brought by wheelchair passengers A BUS firm accused of discriminating against disabled people has won a landmark court case.

Sheffield Star

• Full steam ahead for electrification of Sheffield to London rail lineDates have been revealed for completion of major schemes worth hundreds of millions of pounds, which will improve Sheffield’s rail connections with London and Manchester.
• Rail firm faces strike ballot in row about agency staffStaff at South Yorkshire’s main local train operator are being balloted for strike action in a dispute over the use of agency and sub-contracted workers.
• Sheffield road deaths ‘all-time low’The number of pedestrians killed on South Yorkshire’s roads has more than halved in the last two years.
• 12 rundown each week in SheffieldTwelve pedestrians are killed or injured on South Yorkshire’s roads every week, according to new police figures revealed today.

The York Press

• Hugh Bayley puts forward “smart-ticketing” idea for buses YORK should have a “smart-ticketing” system for buses, one of the city’s MPs has said.
• Lendal Bridge plan is defended YORK’S traffic boss defended controversial plans to close York’s Lendal Bridge to cars as a new petition was launched in support of the project.

Wales Online

• Heart of Wales Bus and Coach Company due to go into liquidationCreditors of the bus company, whose sole director is controversial businessman Clayton Jones, are due to meet in Swansea tomorrow

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Sky Ride Leeds: Council launches one-off mass participation bike ridefor one day only Leeds city centre is set to go traffic free to make way for thousands of cyclists - it was announced today.
• Bus staff return to classroom to help Leeds pupilsFirst bus staff are returning to the classroom to help a group of Leeds school pupils prepare for a better future.

Other Regional Press

• Local News: Poor passenger numbers for Teesside Airport railway stationTeesside Airport rail station had just 14 passengers in the 12 months ending March 2012, new figures show.

Global Rail News

• Half time at New StreetPhase Two of Birmingham New Street’s radical facelift is now underway and passengers are beginning to see the results of the work that has been going on behind the scenes[...]
• Rail Engineer App unveiled at RailtexVisitors at Railtex 2013 will be the first to get hands on with The Rail Engineer’s new fully-interactive iPad edition. Rail Media’s latest digital offering will not only allow regular[...]
• IEP win for Nomad DigitalHitachi has awarded Nomad Digital the contract to supply On Board Server (OBS) systems for the new fleet of IEP trains. Nomad systems will be installed on all 92 Hitachi[...]

Aviation Industry

• Easyjet trials mobile boarding passesNo-frills giant to test new system at four UK airports
• Lufthansa reaches deal to end strikesPay agreement with union will prevent further disruption to flights

Other News Sources

• Proposal of new Cabinet Members for Transport and Sustainable Development The Leader of Bath & North East Somerset Council is proposing changes to two of the positions in the Cabinet.
• New Free Wi-Fi at Stansted is a download hit The new free WiFi service at Stansted has proved to be a download hit with over 68,000 users registered in the first month using over 2.5million free minutes.
• King Alfred buses return in force to Winchester WINCHESTER residents can be forgiven for thinking they travelled back in time last weekend.
• Update: Controlled explosions carried out at Gatwick as passengers describe 'total chaos' Bomb disposal team are investigating a suspicious vehicle at Gatwick.

Other Subscription Services

• HISTORIC JOURNEY MARKS THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE SOUTH WEST TRAINS AND NETWORK RAIL ALLIANCE A passenger train has used an international platform at Waterloo station for the first time since the last European service left more than five years ago.
• Battersea Northern line TWA application submitted Transport for London has today (30 April) submitted a Transport and Works Act Order application seeking powers to extend the London Underground Northern line to Battersea.Subject to the government...