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

Thursday, 20 June 2013

BBC News

• Transport body seeks suggestions for £39m spend People are being asked how £39m earmarked to improve traffic hotspots in Norfolk and Suffolk should be spent.
• Clocks run fast at Waterloo stationPassengers are told to take care when reading the time at Waterloo station after it is found some clocks are running fast.
• New Subway card prompts price changePrices for multiple-journey tickets on Glasgow's Subway system are revised to cope with the introduction of new smartcard technology.
• The history of the peanut airlinesBiro bans and other tales of the low-cost revolution
• Eurotunnel accused of overchargingBrussels says passengers going through the Channel Tunnel are paying over the odds, because Eurotunnel is overcharging the train companies for using the track.

The Guardian

• Delays and high prices leave rail passengers dissatisfied Customer satisfaction hits the buffers as railway users complain about delayed journeys and poor-value tickets
• All aboard the New Bus for London Boris Johnson's grand replacement for the bendy bus, which will run from Hampstead to Pimlico, was billed as the greenest, cleanest in the world but does it live up to its promise?
• Long-term transport plan urgently needed, say engineers Institution of Civil Engineers call for immediate action to improve maintenance and guarantee Highways Agency funding
• Brazil protesters win U-turn on fare risesRio and São Paulo leaders back down on public transport fare increases in face of mass unrestAuthorities in Brazil's two biggest cities have made a U-turn on public transport fare increases in the face of mass protests that have overshadowed the country's build up to next year's World Cup.In advance of major demonstrations on Thursday, the leaders of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro announced that bus and subway price rises will be rescinded, but it is far from certain that this will be enough to mollify public unrest.Although the demonstrations began on a small scale last week in opposition to th...

The Herald

• Twenty's Plenty: cyclists should benefit from residential speed zones, say MinistersAll residential areas should have 20mph zones to make them better for cyclists, according to a refreshed action plan from the Scottish Government.
• Overloaded tourist boat that sank on loch had been bannedA TOURIST boat that sank on Loch Lomond with six passengers had already been banned from use as the skippers were not qualified, an investigation has found.
• Bid to turn neglected housing estate into bike townA NEGLECTED housing scheme could be transformed into Scotland's first purpose-built
• ScotRail passengers happy with serviceRAIL passengers in Scotland are more satisfied with their train services than passengers south of the Border, a survey has found.

The Scotsman

• Lothian Buses boss gets 26% pay rise THE man at the wheel of ­Edinburgh’s main bus operator saw his pay increase by 26 per cent to £265,000 last year, The Scotsman can reveal.
• All Scottish residential streets ’should be 20mph’ All residential areas should have 20mph zones to make them better for cyclists, according to a refreshed action plan from the Scottish Government.

The Telegraph

• Russian train speeds to next stop with doors openPassengers were filmed looking apprehensive and bemused as the underground train in Russia moved to the next station with its doors open.    
• EU moves to cut high Eurotunnel chargesThe European Commission has moved to cut what it has called

Mail Online

• Rail delays the worst for six years, say passengers as just 40% say tickets are value for moneyOne in eight passengers are unhappy with their unreliable train services at a time of inflation-busting fare rises and bumper bonuses for rail bosses in the latest survey by consumer watchdog Passenger Focus.

Network Rail

• Cumbernauld electrification works get underway
• Workers on track to better health at Birmingham New StreetConstruction workers rebuilding Birmingham New Street station are being shown how to live a healthier lifestyle. Network Rail and delivery partner Mace have been working together to raise awareness of the health and well being of the workforce on what is one of the largest construction projects in the West Midlands.
• One month until Nottingham's big changeWith just a month to go before the biggest change to the railway in Nottingham for more than 40 years begins, passengers are being advised to find out more about how their journeys will be affected.

Belfast Telegraph

• easyJet deal for 135 new planesBudget airline easyJet is to upgrade and expand its fleet under a deal to buy 135 Airbus planes over the next nine years. The no-frills carrier said the new 180-seater A320 planes will allow it to boost passengers carried from 60m a year to 90m. The move will mean easyJet can replace around 85 of its current 211-strong fleet of 156-seaters.Related StoriesUlster Bank aims to raise £27m by selling city basesKing's last bid fails to win £25bn for economyRyanair boosts its fleet by 175 new planesFirm's £7m factory 'will drive exports'Standard row earns rebuke for Deloitte  &n...
• Bombardier sales brings £25m cash injection to the economyPlane-maker Bombardier has announced billions of pounds worth of aircraft sales as well as a £25m injection into the Northern Ireland economy as the company exhibits at the Paris Air Show.Related StoriesUlster Bank aims to raise £27m by selling city basesKing's last bid fails to win £25bn for economyRyanair boosts its fleet by 175 new planesFirm's £7m factory 'will drive exports'Standard row earns rebuke for Deloitte    
• Airline in $297m order for part-Belfast built aeroplanesANOTHER airline has signed a deal to buy planes part-made in Belfast at the Paris Air Show.Related StoriesUlster Bank aims to raise £27m by selling city basesKing's last bid fails to win £25bn for economyRyanair boosts its fleet by 175 new planesFirm's £7m factory 'will drive exports'Standard row earns rebuke for Deloitte    
• Ryanair boosts its fleet by 175 new planesLow-fare airline Ryanair has confirmed it will be buying around £10bn of new planes in a move which will create more than 3,000 jobs.Related StoriesAirline in $297m order for part-Belfast built aeroplanesUlster Bank aims to raise £27m by selling city basesKing's last bid fails to win £25bn for economyFirm's £7m factory 'will drive exports'Standard row earns rebuke for Deloitte    

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Northern Rail 'doing its best' says rail users' group after poor results in passenger satisfaction survey A major survey of all the country’s train operators has found Northern Rail has the highest number of passengers who rated their journey as unsatisfactory or poor.

Bristol Live

• Mayor set to win battle over rapid bus route Read more: MAYOR George Ferguson looks set to have his way over changing the route of the controversial rapid bus system between the Long Ashton park and ride site and Bristol Temple Meads.

Derby Telegraph

• Jail threat for bus service fraudsterTHE ex-director of a Spondon bus company has been told he must pay £68,371 within six months or face 20 months in jail.
• Derby Telegraph commented Free fares plans are food for thought for bus companiesBUS firms are considering an announcement from Derby City Council's leaders that it wants to introduce free bus fares for young people aged "up to 18 or 20".The Labour cabinet hopes that an application to the Department for Transport for the city to be a "Better Bus Area" will give it access to an extra £1.6 million to improve bus transport.It would be available over five years from April 2014.Councillor Ranjit Banwait, cabinet member responsible for transport, said he...

Edinburgh Evening News

• Bus drivers get 2% raise as boss pockets £265kA MASSIVE pay rise for Lothian Buses boss Ian Craig today prompted an outcry over “fat cat” salaries.

Journal Live

• Newcastle Airport begin last-grasp court fight over bonus blameNEWCASTLE Airport has begun a last-gasp effort to claw back money lost when its former boss walked away with a multi-million bonus.

London Evening Standard

• Late-running trains mean commuters in London are even less satisfiedPassenger satisfaction on London commuter services has fallen because travellers are increasingly frustrated by late-running trains, according to a major survey published today.

Northern Echo

• Government argument for re-privatising East Coast rail line demolished by Adonis A KEY Government argument for re-privatising the flagship East Coast rail line is demolished today, ahead of a Commons debate.

Sheffield Star

• Doncaster firm lands Sheffield tram contractA multi-million pound project to improve Sheffield’s tram network will get under way at the end of this month.
• Bid to boost cyclist numbers in SheffieldEveryone knows cycling is good for your health - now Sheffield business owners are making it good for our bank balances too.

This Is Local London Network

• Campaign to bring the tram to Sutton celebrates early success Sutton Council's campaign to bring trams to the borough is celebrating an early success.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Motion to celebrate Leeds factory’s war effortsA Leeds aircraft factory where the famous Lancaster bomber planes were produced during the Second World War has been commended in Parliament.
• Leeds: £50 to park outside your own home?Thousands of permit holders could be charged £50 a year to park outside their OWN homes in a move that the council says will boost its coffers by £1.5m.

Yorkshire Post

• Extra trans-pennine route ‘needed to boost economy’THE case for reopening the Woodhead rail route between Sheffield and Manchester should be re-examined as poor links with the North West are holding back the Yorkshire economy, according to a new report.

Blackpool Gazette

• Rail link ‘crucial to resort’s future say sign-up tradersBusiness leaders and traders have emphasised the importance of a Blackpool to London rail link for the town’s future.

Other Regional Press

• UK minister tight-lipped on Severn Bridge toll plans TRANSPORT Minister Stephen Hammond refused to be drawn on the future of the Severn Bridges, at Westminster yesterday.
• City will be flying high with stronger links to airportCLOSER links are being forged between Portsmouth and the county’s only airport as a way to boost the local economy, tourism and trade.
• Inside bus station renovationThis week the Times & Citizen got an exclusive first look at plans for the inside of Bedford’s long-awaited bus station redevelopment.
• Rail satisfaction low say passengersA national passenger survey has found that First Capital Connect customers are among the least satisfied in their country.

Global Rail News

• London Bridge designs deliveredDetailed designs for London Bridge station have been delivered by the HyderWSP joint venture to main contractor Costain. Work is already underway on side to deliver the transformation as part[...]
• UK light rail figures boosted by OlympicsLight rail journeys in the UK have risen to the highest level recorded in the ’modern era’, according to a new government report. Figures published this week detailing the performance[...]
• Parisian train transformed into Impressionist masterpieceA train on the Transilien Paris – Saint-Lazare line has been transformed to ressemble famous works of art in recognition of the railway’s link with one of the country’s most[...]
• Prince of Asturias opens Albacete-Alicante high-speed lineThe Prince of Asturias has inaugurated the new high-speed line connecting Albacete, Villena and Alicante. Nine services a day will operate in each direction, eventually reducing the journey time between[...]
• Alstom explores light rail opportunities in JapanAlstom and Japan Transport Engineering Company (J-TREC) have established a new partnership to pursue light rail opportunities in Japan. The two companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to[...]

Railnews

• Minister gives green light for tram-trains The first tram-train service in the UK is being given the go-ahead by transport minister Norman Baker today. The service, costing around £60 million, will run from early 2016 between Rotherham Parkgate and Sheffield city centre, using both the existing tramway and the national rail network. Three new dual-voltage tram-trains are being built by Vossloh.

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair could move into trans-Atlantic flightsRyanair, Europe's biggest budget airline, could start selling low-cost trans-Atlantic flights if it secures enough twin-aisle aircraft and gains access to cities in both Europe and the United States, its chief executive said on Wednesday.
• The history of the peanut airlinesIf you had to think of an airline which would spare no expense to make its passengers happy, Ryanair might not be the first that came to mind.

Other News Sources

• Heathrow to fund pro-expansion campaign group HEATHROW Airport will provide funding to set up a pro-expansion campaign group, it has been announced.
• East Midlands Trains: Transport Companies Join Forces to Help Nottingham Passengers Keep on the Move This Summer Train operator East Midlands Trains has joined forces with local bus operator, trentbarton, to help provide alternative travel options for passengers during this summer's major re-signalling work at Nottingham Station.
• Parliament to debate cycling report after Huppert's callMP Julian Huppert has succeeded in his call for a Parliamentary debate into a report on how to make cycling safer across Britain.