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

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

BBC News

• M6 toll road could open 'for free'The operators of the M6 Toll say they will open it for free when the main M6 is closed, if they are released from a government deal.
• Bus delay concern for school pupilsSecondary school pupils arrive late for lessons because of bus delays in rural areas of Gwynedd, a parent claims.
• VIDEO: Stonehenge road closes permanentlyWork to permanently close a main road running alongside Stonehenge has started.
• Runway closed after aborted take-offA runway at Manchester Airport closes briefly after an aircraft develops an engine problem on take-off.
• Passenger train hits gas canisterPolice criticise vandals after a passenger train heading to London Victoria hits a gas canister thrown on to the railway line near Swanley, Kent.
• London's most polluted road namedThe North Circular is named London's most polluted road in a study carried out for London's mayor.

Financial Times

• Delta secures Virgin Atlantic stakeCarriers unveil code-share deal that will allow UK airline to offer customers a much bigger range of US destinations as it challenges BA
• Gatwick proposes to cut fee riseThe airport’s initial proposal of a 4% increase above inflation was rejected by the regulator, leading to a second proposal of 1.5%
• Rio de Janeiro aims for gold medal public transport systemCommuters have taken to the streets to show their frustration at the rising cost of public transport and the poor quality of services
• US latest frontier for high-speed trainsNew rules open up North American market to European-designed trains

Mail Online

• Drivers who can't park named and shamed on Facebook after leaving their cars in precarious positionsCars which are parked in terrible positions are being photographed and uploaded onto a Facebook page called: 'Spotted: Parking like a t***!'
• Plane skidded off runway when it was travelling TWICE the recommended speed because pilot was rushing to get out of the way of aircraft landing behind himAn inquiry reveals the Boeing 737 was travelling at 23mph when it should go no faster than 11mph when landing. The plane ran onto the grass (pictured) at Birmingham airport.

The Mirror

• Majority of UK train operators owned by European state rail firms, survey revealsTravellers are boosting the profits of state-owned railways in Germany, France and Belgium as well as private investors

Network Rail

• Safer route for Cannock Chase cyclistsMountain bikers using the trails through Cannock Chase can look forward to safer journeys with the opening of a new bridge over the railway line that runs through the forest.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• £200,000 plea for bus firm partnership Approval for an extra £200,000 for bus operators to continue developing a partnership agreement to improve public transport is being sought from the West Yorkshire’s Integrated Transport Authority.

Journal Live

• North think tank warns George Osborne over transport funding snubGEORGE Osborne must not miss the chance to correct a transport funding snub in this week’s Government Spending Review, a think tank warns.

London Evening Standard

• £10bn ’Canary Wharf’ planned for HS2 hub A vision for a "Canary Wharf of the railways" regenerating one of west London’s most deprived neighbourhoods is being unveiled this week.
• £40m funding for key London rail routeProjects worth nearly £40 million to improve a key London to Scotland train route have been announced by Network Rail (NR).
• Network Rail chiefs in secret plan for £10m 'double bonus'Senior bosses at Network Rail could receive up to £10 million in bonuses over the next three years, secret documents reveal today.
• Discover forgotten metro-land at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre A range of exciting events to celebrate the 150th anniversary of London Underground will take place in the beautiful Vale of Aylesbury at the Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in an area that is now a forgotten part of ‘Metro-land’. 

Manchester Evening News

• Pictured: World's biggest plane, the Antonov 225, touches down at Manchester Airport The plane landed at about 1pm carrying a cargo consignment and is expected to stay at the airport overnight before departing at 9am tomorrow.
• Taskforce leads high speed rail revolutionFormer London Olympics boss Lord Deighton, who is also commercial secretary to the treasury, will be unveiled as the taskforce leader
• Close north-south divide business leaders urge chancellor Business groups today called on chancellor George Osborne to close the north-south divide and release cash for major transport schemes in the region.
• In pictures: Holiday jet drama at Manchester Airport as pilot aborts take-off after engine fails The Thomas Cook Airlines Airbus A330 had started its take-off roll when a loud bang was heard and one engine on the twin-engined plane failed. The pilot brought the aircraft to a safe halt.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Tram's popularity hits buffersArticle

Sheffield Star

• Ryanair launches flights to Tenerife from Robin Hood AirportLow cost airline Ryanair has announced a new winter sun route to Tenerife from Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport.

The York Press

• Speed restrictions come into force for Park&Ride work UPGRADES to roads in west York as part of the city’s Access York transport scheme will mean new speed restrictions coming into force.

Wales Online

• Confusion over airport express link after Welsh Government appears to back down on plansPlans for a mooted express bus link between the city centre and Cardiff Airport are a 'shambles', with the Welsh Government refusing to acknowledge it will happen, it is claimed
• Thomson to carry out checks to determine cause of emergency landings at Cardiff Airport Holiday firm to investigate cause of fault as problem plane experienced difficulties with its wing flaps on two separate occasions over the weekend

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Sleek nose-cone HS2 train design is unveiled before crucial MPs vote This is what the new trains on the controversial HS2 rail line between the Midlands and London will look like.

Yorkshire Post

• Enterprise body to pick transport winnersAN EXTENSION to the popular Monsal Trail cycle route and a £4.5m improvement to a major Chesterfield roundabout are just two of the schemes set to bid for a share of a multi-million pound Government fund.

Other Regional Press

• New £115,000 transport boss joins Leicestershire County Council Leicestershire County Council has recruited a new £115,700 director of environment and transport.

Campaign for Better Transport

• HS2 - does it meet the tests for greening transport?24 June 2013: The House of Commons is debating the High Speed Rail (Preparation) Bill this Wednesday. So is HS2 meeting our tests for succcess? read more

Global Rail News

• Network Rail sets out £40m West Coast improvementsNetwork Rail today revealed details of a series of projects, worth nearly £40m, aimed at improving the reliability of the infrastructure and punctuality of train services on Britain’s busiest mixed-use[...]
• Train cake marks Heathrow Express anniversaryA giant train-shaped cake made from 60kg of buttercream and 80 sheets of Madeira sponge has been baked by a team of expert bakers to celebrate Heathrow Express’ 15th birthday.[...]
• Greater Avignon places Alstom tram orderAlstom has won an order for 24 Citadis trams for the Greater Avignon Metropolitan Area. The 45 million euro contract covers the delivery of a fleet of new vehicles in[...]
• More X’Trapolis trains destined for Melbourne railsThe Victorian Coalition Government has ordered a further eight X’Trapolis trains to add to Melbourne’s growing fleet. Ministers announced the order as the last of the last run of seven[...]
• Winner of Helsinki bridge design competition announcedA competition to design a light rail bridge across the Kruunuvuorenselkä river in Helsinki has been won by WSP Finland. The winning entry, named Gemma Regalis, stretches for 1,167 m[...]
• Nangang Extension contract awardedThe Taiwan High Speed Rail Corporation (THSRC) has awarded a 20 billion yen (£133 million) contract that will see the delivery of the Nangang Extension Project. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI)[...]

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• RailTrends 201321-22 November 2013 The W New York Hotel, New York, USA The premier conference of rail professionals 2013 Freight Game Changers: Coal, Commodities, Politics and Passenger Rail RailTrends is a two-day conference for ALL of the rail-industry disciplines and stakeholders. It is attended by the financial and capital communities, owners, lenders, operators, marketers and every [...]The post RailTrends 2013 appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Railnews

• Network Rail unveils £40m West Coast project Network Rail has published details of a £40 million scheme to upgrade key elements of the West Coast Main Line. The project follows a critical report from Virgin Trains chief operating officer Chris Gibb, which highlighted weak points along the route.

Railway Gazette

• Alstom announces Ukrainian tram manufacturing agreementUKRAINE: On June 24 the TramRus joint venture of Alstom and Transmashholding announced an agreement with Ukrainian bus manufacturer City Transport Group to produce trams for the Ukrainian market. Under the agreement, City Transport Group would manufacture and maintain Citadis CIS trams under licence from TramRus, to replace current ageing fleets. The 100% low-floor Citadis CIS would be a development of Alstom’s Citadis family, with 1 524 mm gauge bogies suitable for track conditions on existing networks, and winterised to withstand temperatures as low as -40°C. The trams would be between 25 ...

Aviation Industry

• Qatar set for early entry into OneworldDoha-based carrier is expected to join alliance by the autumn
• BA and Virgin unite against Heathrow chargesAirlines call for CAA to reduce fees at UK’s hub airport or services will suffer
• Delta completes purchase of Virgin Atlantic stakeTwo carriers will also begin codesharing within the next few days

Other News Sources

• Aylesbury MP defends decision not to vote against HS2 David Lidington has said he will not be voting against HS2 when it comes before Parliament this week.