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

Thursday, 09 May 2013

BBC News

• Train line open after war bomb findTrains resume operating between Swansea and Carmarthen after the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb led to services being suspended.
• HS2 legislation outlined by QueenLegislation paving the way for development of the HS2 train line to Leeds and Manchester is announced in the Queen's Speech.
• Crossrail recycling lost heritageLost industrial heritage being used by Crossrail
• VIDEO: TfL budget 'must be protected'The London Chamber of Commerce says ministers must protect Transport for London's budget in the next spending review.
• Tesla Motors sparks up first profitElectric car maker Tesla Motors drives into profit for the first time in its 10-year history, reporting a profit of $15m (£9.65m).

Financial Times

• Delta shows strength with dividend pledgeUS airline company plans to return $1bn cash to shareholders over the next three years through dividend payments and share repurchases

The Herald

• New campaign encourages Scots to ditch the car for short journeysPeople are being urged to ditch the car for short journeys and get active to help to save the environment.
• Six killed as boat hits Italian port's control towerSIX people were killed and three are missing after a container ship crashed into a control tower in the northern Italian port of Genoa.

The Scotsman

• Train driver in hospital after stone attack A train driver has been taken to hospital after a stone was thrown through his window.

Mail Online

• Dozy bird brings motorway traffic to a standstill for 30 minutes after getting in flap in foggy weatherRush hour drivers were left queuing behind the disorientated swan as it waddled along the M9 motorway near Linlithgow in Scotland this morning.

ATOC

• HS2 Hybrid Bill & High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill announced in Queen's Speech is "good news for passengers and the economy"Commenting on the HS2 Hybrid Bill and High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill announced in the Queen's Speech, Michael Roberts, Chief Executive of the Association of Train Operating Companies,...

Network Rail

• Work starts to refurbish historic Frome railway stationWork has started on a £500,000 project to refurbish and repair the Grade II listed railway station at Frome in Somerset.

Birmingham Post

• New Monarch hangar at Birmingham Airport reaches construction milestone A new aircraft maintenance hangar which could create 300 jobs at Birmingham Airport has reached a construction milestone.

Bolton News

• Bus drivers on road with rival companies MORE than a third of drivers laid off following the dramatic collapse of a Bolton bus firm have been rehired by rival companies.

Journal Live

• Rail study could bring services back to NorthumberlandA NEW study could signal the green light for a long-awaited rail project to finally move forward after being stuck in the sidings for months.

London Evening Standard

• Keep spending on transport to safeguard jobs, says TfL chiefTransport chiefs today called on the Government for billions of pounds of investment as they revealed figures showing how London’s travel network safeguards jobs across the UK.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Greens call for city-centre revamp into transport hubThe Highlands and Islands Green Party yesterday called for Inverness city centre to be redeveloped as a focal point for bus and rail services.

Yorkshire Post

• Government presses ahead with HS2 linkThe Government showed its clear determination to keep the £33bn HS2 rail project linking Yorkshire with the capital firmly on track with two new pieces of legislation.

Bucks Free Press

• Queen confirms HS2 legislation to go ahead THE Queen has confirmed this morning the government will press ahead with plans to build the controversial HS2 railway line.
• Gillan leads call for HS2 debate after Queen's speech CHERYL Gillan has called for a Parliamentary debate on HS2 after the Queen confirmed today legislation to bring it a step closer will go through.

Other Regional Press

• Official opening of iconic bus stationStoke-on-Trent's iconic new bus station will be officially opened by the Lord Mayor on Saturday, May 11.
• UK & World News: Five dead after cargo ship crashes into Italian port control tower (VIDEO and GALLERY)AT least five people have been killed after a cargo ship crashed into a dock as it left Genoa, toppling the Italian port’s control tower into the harbour.
• Strike ballot for railway workersNorth West rail workers are to be balloted for strike action.
• £23.1m road improvements coming to Kirklees in the next two yearsKIRKLEES is to get road repairs and improvements totalling £23m.
• Kirklees Cabinet back £690,000 for road made worse by “winter and motorists avoiding M62 roadworks”KIRKLEES Cabinet yesterday backed spending £690,000 on a maintenance scheme along the B6118 between Grange Moor and Colnebridge.
• ’Biggest Yorkshire town without station’ Elland turns up heat to re-establish rail linkWITH a population close to 15,000 Elland is often described as the ’biggest town in Yorkshire without a railway station’.
• FCC appoints new managing directorFIRSTGROUP, which runs the Thameslink railway line, has appointed a new managing director of First Capital Connect.

Global Rail News

• MTR opens new metro line in BeijingThe first phase of Beijing’s newest metro line has opened to passengers. Line 14 is MTR Corporation’s third metro project in Beijing. The Hong Kong company already operates Beijing Metro[...]
• Rio tram contract awardedFrench rail operator RATP Group has won the contract to build and run a new tram network linking Rio de Janeiro with the city’s regenerated port district. RATP will work[...]
• Alstom to supply new AKN Eisenbahn trainsAKN Eisenbahn has awarded a 60 million euro contract for 14 Coradia Lint regional trains. The new trains, which will be manufactured at the Alstom Salzgitter site in Germany, will[...]
• Live music returns to London trainsMusicians will be clambering to get on Overground trains later this week as the onboard festival Sound Tracks returns for another year. London’s rail network will not only take festival-goers[...]
• Squeezing more from the tubeAnyone strap hanging on a crowded Victoria line train could be forgiven for not believing that, a few months ago, its upgrade gave a 21% increase in passenger capacity. The reality is that the various challenging capacity improvement projects being undertaken by London Underground (LU) barely keep pace with London’s insatiable demand for tube travel. [...]
• Queen announces legislation for HS2 constructionLegislation that will lay the groundwork for the construction of HS2 has been announced by the Queen during the State Opening of Parliament. Two draft bills, one that gives the[...]

Railnews

• £88m order confirmed for longer Overground trains A deal worth £88 million has been signed with Bombardier by Transport for London, which said earlier this year that it intended to increase the size of the Overground fleet in response to sharply rising demand.
• Labour criticises London Midland office closures Labour has accused the Government of 'adding insult to injury' after the Department for Transport published a guidance note explaining its reasons for allowing some London Midland ticket offices to close. Four stations are to lose their offices, and the hours at some others will be shortened. Labour's shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said ministers had 'again chosen to put the private train companies before passengers'.
• Queen gives green light to next stages of HS2 The Queen has given a green light to the next stages of HS2, by announcing the Government's intention to move ahead with two Acts of Parliament – one of which would provide legal powers to acquire land for the first phase between London and Birmingham. Speaking in Parliament, the Queen said:

Aviation Industry

• Singapore Airlines boosts Indonesia servicesCarrier will add flights to key Indonesian destinations from July
• Euro watchdog raises privacy fears on NDCEC group concerned new airline distribution system could lead to “profiling of individuals”
• Finnair aims to double Asia-Europe revenue by 2020Airline will continue strategy of pushing its routes to the Far East
• BA owner sees boost in premium salesTraffic grows at sharp end of the aircraft for IAG

Other News Sources

• Quadricycles set to get transport vehicle tagNEW DELHI: Amid the battle between automakers, the government appears set to allow a new category of vehicles - quadricycles - that will be transport vehicles with a seating capacity of up to eight people and a top speed of 70kmph.
• Blackburn and Darwen cyclists invited to train as bike ride leaders BLACKBURN with Darwen residents are being encouraged to get on their bikes, and encourage others to do the same.
• New Brighton bus lane is legally unenforceable Despite a paint job the new bus lane on Lewes Road, Brighton, will not be enforced until 2014
• Major milestone for Air New Zealand's Boeing 787-9 programmeThe first of Air New Zealandrsquo;s Boeing 787-9 aircraft to be constructed has achieved a major milestone this week with the arrival of the first major part of the new aircraft at Boeingrsquo;...