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

Thursday, 16 May 2013

BBC News

• Air routes linking Oban with Scottish destinations mooted A transport organisation has sought public views on whether new air routes should be provided in Scotland.
• Wrexham 'school specials' bus services see funding cut Funding to 15 school bus services in Wrexham is to be withdrawn to save £100,000 a year.
• Our love/hate relationship with traffic cones Following their introduction in the UK about sixty years ago, the humble traffic cone has permeated our lives - either as intended, as an instrument of traffic management or, perhaps, as part of a night of merry mischief.
• New station for Exeter's Newcourt development A £1.5m train station serving Exeter is to be built as part of the government's New Station Fund.
• Ilkeston train station bid wins £4.5m investment A new railway station is to be built in a Derbyshire town after the scheme got government backing.
• Cycle path protesters in courtOpponents of plans to tarmac and widen a gravel cycle path take their case to court in the hope of securing village green status.
• City's 'Dutch-style' bike lane plansBuses and cyclists could get dedicated priority lanes to make commuter routes across Manchester quicker and safer as part of a £54m scheme.
• HS2 rail benefits are 'unclear'The HS2 rail project has an estimated £3.3bn funding gap and the benefits for the economy are

Financial Times

• EasyJet makes case for more aircraftEasyJet chief executive Carolyn McCall insists that the budget airline has significant opportunities to poach market share from Europe’s flag carriers
• EasyJet: a stellar pathLow-cost airline’s trajectory does not look set to flatten any time soon as the promise of improved returns for full year lift shares 6%
• Watchdog rejects case for HS2 linkThe findings by the NAO undermine comments by David Cameron who said this year that no amount of opposition to the HS2 link would turn him against it
• Virgin Australia hit by profit warningAirline blames weak economic conditions and a move to a new reservations system for profit downgrade that triggered a sharp decline in its stock

The Guardian

• HS2 rail project has £3.3bn funding shortfall, warns spending watchdog MP condemns 'farcical' government business case amid concerns over whether regions will benefit economically
• Eurostar's revised policy on bike bags will discourage cycle travel Last week, Eurostar announced a revised cycle policy on its trains – the second change in six months.
• Birmingham airport calls for UK-wide aviation expansion to help economy Manufacturers need better flight links outside London if coalition is to fulfil vow to rebalance economy towards exports, says CEO
• UK government to oppose 2025 European vehicle emissions target Department for Transport argues that proposal will delay agreement on 2015 and 2020 targets

The Herald

• Brown calls for high-speed rail link to be extended to ScotlandHIGH-SPEED rail should be extended north of the Border to challenge the dominance of air travel between Scotland and London, the Transport Minister has said.

The Independent

• Restricted Heathrow is failing to serve UK, warns airport tsar Sir Howard Davies tells Simon Calder that London’s hub needs to think nationally
• EasyJet asks passengers to slim down carry-on bags Just when the long-suffering passenger had got to grips with budget airlines’ hand-luggage rules – easyJet is about to introduce a “two-class” system for carry-on bags.
• Ministers hit the buffers as auditors question the case for HS2 train link Ministers have failed to make a clear “strategic case” for their ambitious plan to build a new high-speed railway between London and the North, the Government’s auditors claim.

The Scotsman

• Plane captain in cockpit lockout after toilet tripAn airline captain was accidentally locked out of his cockpit after going to the toilet, forcing his co-pilot to make an emergency landing.

The Telegraph

• Linking Heathrow to UK regional airports 'critical' to solving capacity problem, says Howard Davies Linking Heathrow to UK regional airports 'critical' to solving capacity problem, says Howard Davies
• It’s Heathrow, not rail, that needs quick action The National Audit Office’s report into the High Speed Rail 2 project will make uncomfortable reading for ministers.
• HS2 will damage 'irreplaceable' ancient woodland, say campaignersThousands of acres of ''irreplaceable'' ancient woodland will be damaged by the planned high speed rail link between London and Birmingham, campaigners warned ahead of the publication of a key environmental assessment of the scheme.    
• Rail chiefs accused of ignoring warnings about dangerous level crossingThe families of three people killed on the same level crossing have demanded an inquiry after accusing rail chiefs of ignoring warnings that it was a potential death trap.    
• Row breaks out over National Audit Office verdict on High Speed Rail 2A devastating report by Whitehall's spending watchdog demolishing the business case for a high speed rail network has dealt a major blow the Government's flagship project.    
• High Speed Rail 2 business case ridiculed by National Audit OfficeA devastating report by Whitehall's spending watchdog demolishing the business case for a high speed rail network has dealt a major blow the Government's flagship project.    

Mail Online

• See underneath aeroplanes without having to strain your neck: Amazing pictures captured by photographer perching on runwayThe series by Jeffrey Milstein is entitled 'AirCraft: The Jet As Art', and features craft ranging from the Boeing 747 to a Goodyear blimp.
• Mercedes-Benz unveils firm's new flagship S-Class limousine that can adapt its suspensionMercedes-Benz unveiled its new flagship S-Class limousine in Hamburg and said it can adapt its own suspension within fractions of a second.
• Controversial HS2 rail link has £3bn 'black hole' in its budget after ministers got their sums wrongThe publication the National Audit Office report has cast serious doubts over the £33billion rail link and provoked a furious row after a senior minister called the economic justification for it ‘ludicrous’.
• Would you fly on a plane with no pilot? As the first passenger jet with no one at the controls roars over Britain, passengers could soon face a worrying dilemmaFor the first time in aviation history, a ‘pilotless’ passenger plane was flying over mainland Britain recently. According to the air industry, it is the future of flight.

ATOC

• One search made every two seconds using rail appRail passengers are increasingly turning to smartphones to check train times on the move, with the equivalent of at least one train journey now being searched every two seconds using the official app....

Belfast Telegraph

• Airline halves winter lossEASYJET, Northern Ireland's most popular airline, has halved its winter losses in the first part of 2013.Related StoriesAsda six flying off to StatesOil giants issued warningFinally, we can see light at end of tunnelConcern grows as French economy struggles to recoverEurozone recession enters sixth quarter    

Edinburgh Evening News

• Borders rail link: £150m plan for Penicuik spurA VITAL £150 million rail line connecting Penicuik to central Edinburgh could be reopened for the first time in half a century.

Liverpool Post

• Merseyrail joint operator Serco on track to meet targets INTERNATIONAL services provider Serco said it is on track to meet expectations for the 2013 financial year, in a trading update ahead of its annual general meeting today.

London Evening Standard

• New Thames crossing could go ahead at Greenwich after U-turn on scrapped planBoris Johnson is on the brink of a U-turn over his decision to scrap plans for a new crossing over the Thames in East London, the Standard has learned.
• Tube's historic HQ to be turned into high-price flatsThe historic home of London Underground is to be converted into expensive flats as part of a drive by transport chiefs to raise more than £1 billion.
• Ryanair flight diverted away from Greek holiday island as it was 'too dark to land'A Ryanair flight from London to the Greek island of Kefalonia was diverted 200 miles away to another airport because it was “too dark to land.”
• NAO: HS2 faces £3.3bn funding gapThe HS2 high-speed rail project has an estimated £3.3 billion funding gap which the Government has yet to decide how to fill, a report from a Whitehall spending watchdog says.

Nottingham Evening Post

• nfahy commented Major disruption at Nottingham Station after freight train track...Rail services are returning to normal after significant delays. There was a major disruption at Nottingham railway station after a freight train got stuck at a track interchange earlier today. East Midlands Trains said on Twitter that the incident had caused track damage and disruption to services passing through the station. They said: "Train services are unable to run between Nottingham and Skegness and Nottingham and Lincoln. "Rail replacement coaches have been requested to shuttle...

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Plea to take part in roads surveyHundreds of Highlands and islands businesses are being urged to take part in a survey that will help assess the economic impact of dualling the A9 and A96 roads.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• HS2 tunnel to be built under BirminghamA 1.2-mile underground tunnel will be built in Birmingham to house part of the controversial £33 billion high-speed rail line, under plans revealed today.

Yorkshire Post

• High-speed rail line to Yorkshire ‘faces £3.3bn funding shortfall’THE planned high-speed rail line linking Yorkshire to London is facing a £3.3bn funding shortfall according to a hard-hitting report which questions the project’s business case.

Bucks Free Press

• £3.3billion black hole found in 'overambitious' HS2 plans 'OVERAMBITIOUS' plans for the new HS2 railway line has created a £3.3billion funding black hole, a damning report has said.

Carlisle News & Star

• Rival bus companies resume battle for Carlisle passengers Stagecoach is cutting the price of some unlimited-travel tickets to persuade commuters to leave their cars at home and take the bus.

Sleaford Standard

• Derailed freight train delays services between Sleaford and NottinghamA derailed freight train in the Nottingham area has delayed passengers travelling to and from Sleaford by up to 90 minutes.    

Other Regional Press

• Transport minister to meet Cornwall's rail representatives to discuss rail franchise THE transport minister is in Falmouth tomorrow for a tour of its emergency sea rescue services before meeting rail representatives to discuss the Great Western rail franchise.

Campaign for Better Transport

• UK Government responds to Fare Anomalies Campaign 15 March 2013 Last month Transport Scotland announced that they were getting rid of decades old rail fare anomalies across many routes, making fares simpler and cheaper for rail users in Scotland. As a result of this we asked you to write to Simon Burns MP, Minister for Rail, to ask if this can be done in Scotland, why not in England and Wales? read more

Global Rail News

• HS2 adds tunnel to West Midlands routeHS2 is proposing to add a tunnel beneath the M6 Bromford Viaduct to its Phase Two route map to avoid “major remodelling” of the road network around Birmingham. The West[...]
• Alstom to deliver traction systems to Nanjing MetroAlstom has announced a 28 million euro contract to supply traction systems to a new line on the Nanjing Metro system. The Shanghai Alstom Transport Electrical Equipment (SATEE) joint venture[...]
• DfT pledges £18m to build four new stationsThe government has announced an £18 million investment in Britain’s railway that will see four new stations build around the country. Investment has been confirmed under the New Station Fund[...]
• Last tram of new fleet arrives in KrakowBombardier has delivered the final tram to Krakow as part of the city’s latest order from the rolling stock manufacturer. Krakow Transport Authority MPK Krakow has ordered 74 light rail[...]
• Transforming 460sBritain’s railways are attracting more passengers than ever before, despite all the grumbling about higher fares. This success is, in turn, putting pressure on capacity. Network Rail is working hard to increase the overall capacity of the railway so that more, longer trains can be run every hour. The Rail Engineer always contains reports on [...]
• The future looks brightThe expansion of the railways and their place at the heart of recession-beating Britain was further emphasised by Minister of State for Transport, Simon Burns. Speaking at the Railtex exhibition in Earl’s Court, London, the Minister said, ’Our railway has already seen passenger journeys double since privatisation, while freight business has grown by 60%. The [...]
• Riding New Zealand’s TranzAlpineAmong the best ways of seeing New Zealand – a landscape made famous by the Lord of the Rings film – is by rail. David Shirres reports after a journey by the TranzAlpine train across the Southern Alps, one of KiwiRail’s scenic trains. KiwiRail offers three scenic rail journeys On the South Island are the [...]

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch welcomes the work of the Mayor’s Roads TaskforceAt this month’s London TravelWatch Board meeting, the independent passenger watchdog discussed with TfL the emerging conclusions of the Mayor’s Roads Taskforce.

Railnews

• Consultation launched on Crossrail 2 A consultation has been launched by Network Rail and Transport for London on the possible routes and destinations which could be served by Crossrail 2. Crossrail 2 is based on proposals for a new Underground line linking Chelsea and Hackney which were first aired more than 20 years ago. The draft route map now published includes Cheshunt in the north and several places in the south western suburbs including Hampton Court, Chessington South, Shepperton and Epsom.
• Union leader calls for level crossing safety inquiry A rail union is calling for the House of Commons Transport Committee to investigate Network Rail's level crossing safety policy, after several fatal accidents at crossings which had previously been reported to be dangerous. The general secretary of TSSA, Manuel Cortes, made the call at his union's conference after claiming that there had been warnings before a 13-year old girl was killed on a tramway crossing south of Hucknall near Nottingham, four years after a previous fatal accident on the adjacent National Rail track.
• Transport secretary hits out at HS2 report A new report from the National Audit Office published today has criticised the Department for Transport for failing to prepare an adequate business case for building HS2, but the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin said he did not accept the report's core conclusion and that the case for the project was clear.

Aviation Industry

• Dreamliner flights resume at HeathrowQatar Airways becomes first airline to restart 787 services to UK hub

Other News Sources

• Ryanair Launches New Partnership With Looking4parking Ryanair today (15 May) launched a new partnership with Looking4Parking, the UK's leading and fastest-growing car parking provider, offering low cost parking at 9 of Ryanair's UK airports. nbsp;...
• QANTASLINK JETS TO GET BUSINESS CLASSQantasLink will upgrade the interiors of five Boeing 717 aircraft to include Business Class and in-flight entertainment for all passengers.QantasLink Executive Manager John Gissing said the...