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

Friday, 17 May 2013

BBC News

• Bakers Dolphin has coaches cut following inquiry The operating licence of Weston-super-Mare-based Bakers Dolphin Coach Travel has been cut by the Traffic Commissioner for the West of England.
• 33% of Scots roads 'unacceptable'Recommendations to improve the condition of Scotland's local roads two years ago have not yet led to any significant improvements, according to a report.
• £20m pledged for Balmoral Show roadsAbout £20m has been pledged to construct two major roads linking the new site of Balmoral show to the motorway network, it has been claimed.
• VIDEO: HS2 rail report 'based on old data'The government has rejected a report by the National Audit Office which questions the benefits of the HS2 high-speed rail project.
• Economic benefits of HS2 questionedThe HS2 rail project has an estimated £3.3bn funding gap and the benefits for the economy are

Financial Times

• Virgin Atlantic chief vows return to profitCraig Kreeger says the Olympic Games had ‘severely dented’ demand for business travel as it reports pre-tax loss of £69.9m for the year to February 28
• Stobart says it has moved on from coupsCumbria-base haulier reports 24% jump in full-year pre-tax profit to £36m for the 12 months to February 28 and revenues up from £491.7m to £572.4m
• Backing for two hubs a blow for HeathrowThe Davies Commission, set up to investigate the UK’s airport capacity crunch, says an airline alliance moving away from Heathrow could be a solution

The Guardian

• Airports commission: all expansion models are still on the table for Britain Discussion paper includes developing a single, massive airport or building new runways near London and in the regions

The Herald

• Local roads still in need of urgent repairsRECOMMENDATIONS to upgrade local roads more than two years ago have yet to result in any significant improvements, a new study said.

The Independent

• Join Ryanair! See the world! But we're only paying you for nine months a year They tend to look pretty miserable, and now perhaps we will understand why. A former member of Ryanair's cabin crew has blown the whistle on the conditions of work at Europe's largest budget airline.Related StoriesBomber marks 70th anniversary of historic World War II Dambusters raid with Derwent dam flypastWhat a pong! After a seven year wait, the world's smelliest 'flower' blooms in CornwallSally Bercow’s tweet gave a ‘nudge and a wink’ to Lord McAlpineJudge declares taxman's 'political deal' with Goldman Sachs legalIPCC to re-examine custody death of Sean Rigg   ...

The Scotsman

• Pedal on Parliament bid to improve cycle safetyORGANISERS of Sunday’s second Pedal on Parliament in Edinburgh are hoping to top last year’s 3,000-strong turnout to put pressure on ministers to improve cycle safety.
• Call to remove tributes from beside railway tracksTRIBUTES to people killed on the railways should be removed from beside tracks because they upset train drivers, members of their main union have urged.
• Scottish road repairs: Slow progress on backlogROADS chiefs are failing to tackle a repairs backlog fast enough, with little improvement in the past two years, public spending watchdogs report today.

The Telegraph

• Gatwick urges better pricing to compete with Heathrow London's aviation capacity problems can be eased in the short-term by “flexible” pricing that will allow smaller airports to better compete with Heathrow, it has been claimed.
• The truth is that we can't afford a shiny new transport system like HS2History is littered with failed projects that appealed to politicians in thrall to modernity, says Fraser Nelson    

Mail Online

• Petrol sharks pile on agony for drivers: After price-fixing raid on BP and Shell, damning report reveals traders are driving up costs for motoristsThe AA revealed how traders are hitting fuel prices – causing three steep rises this year alone and increasing the cost of filling up a family saloon by £5.

Network Rail

• Leeds station to become art gallery as it hosts national photography exhibitionLeeds is one of five of the country’s biggest and busiest railway stations whcih will become art galleries this summer, hosting a special exhibition showcasing stunning images from the Take-a-view Landscape Photographer of the Year competition. Visitors will also have the opportunity to get expert advice from celebrated landscape photographer and founder of the competition, Charlie Waite. Leeds' exhibition will launch on Sunday 16 June
• First major changes for passengers as London Bridge redevelopment gathers paceThe first major phase of the redevelopment of London Bridge station will begin later this month when three platforms are taken out of use until spring 2014.

Belfast Telegraph

• Airline halves winter lossEASYJET, Northern Ireland's most popular airline, has halved its winter losses in the first part of 2013.Related StoriesDrinks giant Diageo set to refresh police gamesAgri-food shines through economy gloomFarming sector to grow as global population soarsThomas Cook in debt cutting moveCoach tour firm destined for growth with air travel bid    
• Coach tour firm destined for growth with air travel bidA local independent specialist tour operator has launched a new dedicated air holiday division.Related StoriesLook to emerging markets: RICS chiefDrinks giant Diageo set to refresh police gamesAgri-food shines through economy gloomFarming sector to grow as global population soarsThomas Cook in debt cutting move    

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• £1.8m Bingley Railway Station revamp is welcomed Work starts this month on a £1.8 million project to improve a gateway to a town centre.
• Bradford's Low Moor railway station project sidelined A £2.5m bid to build a badly-needed railway station in Low Moor has been rejected by the Government but its supporters say it is not the end of the line.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Victory for campaigners after bypass U-turn Transport Minister Edwina Hart confirms path of Bontnewydd and Caernarfon bypass had been changed

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented HS2 report asks: where's the money?EXPERTS who have examined plans for the multi-billion-pound HS2 rail network have criticised its justification on business grounds and said it has a £3.3 billion funding shortfall which the Government has yet to decide how to fill.In a report published today, Government spending watchdog the National Audit Office said that it had "reservations" about the Department for Transport's business case, which it is using to justify the £33 billion high-speed rail link.The DfT...

Liverpool Post

• Merseytravel wastes £6.5m of taxpayer’s money on smartcard companyMORE than £6.5m of taxpayers money was wasted by transport authority Merseytravel on the purchase of a smartcard company that never made any money.

London Evening Standard

• Minister hits back at HS2 ˜fretting bean counters"Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin hit out at “fretting bean counters” today as he rejected spending watchdogs’ criticism of plans for the new high-speed rail line.
• Estuary: new exhibition inspired by Boris Island airport set to open in LondonAn art exhibition inspired in part by Boris Johnson’s plans to build a floating airport in the Docklands will open tomorrow.
• Train death should act as warning, says schoolgirl's fatherThe father of a teenage girl killed after she walked onto a railway line into the path of an oncoming train spoke of his hope today that lessons would be learned from the tragedy.
• Petrol and diesel prices down: AAAverage petrol and diesel prices have fallen but the situation remains fragile, according to the AA.

Manchester Evening News

• Virgin boss vows to return to profits Virgin Atlantic's new boss vowed to get the airline back in profit within two years after it reported more big losses today.

Nottingham Evening Post

• This is Nottingham commented Watchdog's HS2 timetable warningA spending watchdog says it isn't clear whether the £30bn HS2 rail project will deliver the business and economic benefits that Government claims. The National Audit Office this morning issued a critical report about the work that has gone into the first phase of the project. It says government must do more work to show what benefits the project might bring, claims data used to assess its benefits is out of date, and says government is facing a £3bn funding gap in the first phase. It...

Sheffield Star

• Summers of Supertram chaos as rails replaced in SheffieldMotorists and traders have been warned of ’several summers’ of traffic chaos in Sheffield – after plans were unveiled to replace rails on the 20-year-old Supertram network.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• MPs urge jail for any oil chiefs in price fixMPs have demanded jail terms for any oil chiefs involved in price-fixing – and called for hard-pressed motorists to get their money back through fuel duty cuts.

Yorkshire Post

• Pickles’ levy ban challenged as councils seek transport boostCOUNCIL tax payers in West Yorkshire could be asked to pay an extra precept on their bills to support a £1bn transport fund that its supporters say will help grow the area’s economy.

Other Regional Press

• Transport concerns over hospital service movesHOSPITAL chiefs say they are committed to ensuring patients and visitors in Hartlepool will be able to get to the Stockton site.
• Rail strike threat over ‘degrading’ uniformsVirgin Trains staff in Lancashire are threatening to strike over plans to introduce ’skimpy’ new uniforms.
• Penniless bus driver turns away studentA SCHOOLGIRL was refused entry onto a bus because the driver did not have enough change for her £20 note, leaving her stranded.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Transport barriers to opportunities for young people16 May 2013: We're holding an event today looking at young people's travel and how  transport can be a barrier to accessing employment and other opportunities. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• CILT WELCOMES NEW BOARD MEMBERS The results of the keenly-contested Board Elections of The Chartered Institute of Logistics & Transport - CILT (UK) - have been revealed. Six board places were available, and the Institute is pleased to welcome three highly-talented and influential new members to the board, and the return of three equally well-known and effective members who were seeking re-election.
• HOW LIQUID AIR COULD BOOST THE LOGISTICS SECTOR The Centre for Low Carbon Futures (CLCF) believes the use of liquid air could significantly boost the efficiency of the UK's logistics sector.
• EXTRA FREIGHT FERRY REQUIRED FOR ISLE OF MAN TT EVENT The Steam Packet Company has confirmed that an extra freight ferry will be needed to transport vehicles to the Isle of Man in time for the famous TT Festival.
• STANSTED CHIEFS HAIL SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT Bosses at Stansted Airport have welcomed the Transport Select Committee's latest report, which refutes claims that a new hub airport is needed in the south-east of England.
• LONDON BRIDGE RAILWAY STATION SET TO BE IMPROVED The first phase of work to enhance services at London Bridge railway station is set to get underway this month.

Global Rail News

• EIB increases funding for Polish Pendolino orderThe European Investment Bank (EIB) has said it will lend PKP Intercity an extra 118 million euros to support the purchase of a new fleet of Pendolino trains. The Polish[...]
• Eurostar chairman steps down to take government roleEurostar has revealed who will take over as chairman after confirming that Richard Brown is to leave the company to head the government’s Franchise Advisory Panel. Clare Hollingsworth will take[...]
• A city of two talesWestgate has a shabby chic vibe influenced by a Sixties redevelop-ment that no doubt felt fresh and innovative in its day. It’s no longer up to the job expected of it. Writes Graeme Bickerdike Cut through the gloom though and a success story emerges: passenger numbers there have risen by 500,000 in seven years, reaching [...]
• Fresh concerns published over HS2 business caseFurther doubts have been raised about the business case for Britain’s high-speed rail system on a day that HS2 published more details about how it plans to build the new[...]
• Carillion training centre launched to meet electrification skills shortageInfrastructure and support services provider Carillion has opened a pioneering training centre, for rail engineers across the industry, to develop skills needed to help deliver a £2 billion electrification expansion[...]

Railnews

• 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.
• Richard Brown to step down from Eurostar Eurostar chairman Richard Brown has announced that he will be stepping down at the end of June. He became chief executive in 2002 and then chairman in April 2010, when he was succeeded as chief executive by Nicolas Petrovic. He also recently advised the Department for Transport on its future franchising programme and is now the chairman of its Franchise Advisory Panel.

Aviation Industry

• Easyjet goes on corporate deals blitzAirline set to make further inroads into European business market
• Competition between airports must be increased – GatwickCapacity squeeze could be eased by using spare slots away from Heathrow
• Virgin Atlantic blames Olympics for higher lossesCarrier expects to return to profitability within two years
• ANA reports new 'problem' with modified DreamlinerAll Nippon Airways has reported a "minor" problem with a modified Dreamliner undergoing a test flight.The Japanese carrier said a damaged electrical distribution panel, unrelated to the battery system that grounded the entire Boeing 787 fleet in January, was to blame.

Other News Sources

• Bechtel wins £36m TfL upgrade work Bechtel has been awarded the £36m contract to increase capacity at Vauxhall tube station.