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

Saturday, 13 July 2013

BBC News

• French train crash: Rescue goes on at Bretigny-sur-Orge Rescue efforts are continuing to find the passengers of a train that crashed at Bretigny-sur-Orge, south of Paris, on Friday afternoon.
• Trains back on after hoax alertTrain services between Belfast and Carrickfergus have resumed after a security alert is declared a hoax.
• Network Rail plans more trains through Manchester Plans to increase the number of trains running through Manchester city centre have been revealed.
• Jet 'forced to return to airport'A Boeing 787 Dreamliner jet is forced to return to Manchester Airport following
• VIDEO: Dreamliner catches fire at HeathrowRunways at London's Heathrow airport have closed after an incident involving an Ethiopian Airlines jet.
• Invensys confirms takeover approachUK engineering firm Invensys confirms it has received a takeover approach from France's Schneider Electric, which it is likely to accept.
• Car industry in £1bn funding boostThe government and the car industry are to invest £1bn developing an advanced propulsion centre, dedicated to creating low-carbon engines.
• Dreamliner fire probe continuesInvestigators continue to try to establish the cause of a fire on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow, as airline schedules are disrupted.

Financial Times

• Heathrow fire revives Dreamliner worriesReaction to the latest incident underlined the continued nervousness surrounding the aircraft after concern about battery fires
• Investigators probe 787 fire at HeathrowAnalysts said the incident would be a serious setback for Boeing and the Dreamliner if the fire turned out to involve the aircraft’s battery system
• Comment: What it’s really like to fly a commercial airlinerThe recent Asiana Airlines jet crash has put the spotlight on common international airline practices
• Londoners rediscover joys of river travelPassengers using Thames Clippers’ improved service more than doubled from 2,700 to 6,400 in the four weeks after it was launched in April
• At least six killed in French train crashAn intercity train crashes into a station south of Paris during rush hour, killing at least six people and injuring 12

The Guardian

• Paris train crash kills six people and injures hundredsIntercity train travelling to Limoges derails and crashes into platform at Brétigny-sur-Orge station in Paris suburbAt least six people have died and over a hundred were injured when a packed French intercity train derailed and crashed at high speed into a station outside Paris.The French railway company SNCF said the train travelling from Paris to Limoges was carrying 385 passengers when it derailed at 5.15pm on Friday at Brétigny-sur-Orge in Essonne, 20km south of Paris.Four of the train's seven carriages ploughed into a crowded platform at rush hour on one of the busiest days of the year fo...
• Boeing 787 Dreamliner blaze at Heathrow revives safety concernsIncident leads to closure of runways at airport, while technical fault causes another 787 to abandon transatlantic flightFears over the safety of the world's newest passenger plane have been raised further after a Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by Ethiopian Airlines caught fire at Heathrow airport – and another 787 carrying British holidaymakers to Florida returned home after a technical fault.Arrivals and departures were suspended for over an hour at the London airport as fire crews put out the fire on the Boeing 787, which was still at a departure gate, just after 4.30pm on Friday.Heathrow s...

The Herald

• British travellers suffering more flight delaysFlight punctuality at major UK airports fell in the first part of this year, according to official figures.
• Train chief castigated for disaster responseQuebec's premier toured Lac-Megantic, scene of a runaway oil-train explosion, and criticised the US railways chief for not responding in person more quickly to the disaster.
• Golden payday for Stagecoach chairmanSIR George Mathewson was waved off with a £113,000 golden goodbye when the former Royal Bank of Scotland chief stepped down from his part-time position as chairman of rail and bus group Stagecoach in April.

The Independent

• Boeing shares tumble after Heathrow fire on Ethiopian Airlines Dreamliner as second plane forced to return to Manchester Thousands of passengers booked to fly to and from Heathrow airport have had their travel plans wrecked following a fire aboard a Boeing 787 on the ground.Related StoriesFunerals cancelled as fire shuts Welsh crematoriumTaliban shooting victim Malala Yousufzai is the most courageous girl in world, says Gordon Brown as 16-year-old schoolgirl addresses UN General AssemblyFrom Russia with Hate: What's not to like about billionaire Andrey Borodin's life?Free school meals for every primary school pupil? Education Secretary Michael Gove joins the war on packed lunchesBoeing shares tumble after Heath...
• Heathrow reopens after Dreamliner fire blocks runwaysAn Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner caught fire at Heathrow Airport today.Related StoriesTaliban shooting victim Malala Yousufzai is the most courageous girl in world, says Gordon Brown as 16-year-old schoolgirl addresses UN General AssemblyFrom Russia with Hate: What's not to like about billionaire Andrey Borodin's life?Free school meals for every primary school pupil? Education Secretary Michael Gove joins the war on packed lunchesBoeing shares tumble after Heathrow fire on Dreamliner as second plane forced to return to ManchesterBoeing shares tumble after Heathrow fire on Ethiopian ...

The Scotsman

• Paris train crash: 7 dead, dozens injuredAT LEAST seven people were killed and dozens more injured when a French intercity train derailed at a station near Paris on Friday evening.
• Heathrow Airport closed by Boeing Dreamliner fireA FIRE on a parked Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane brought Heathrow Airport to a standstill as both runways were closed for 90 minutes yesterday.
• RMT’s Bob Crow calls on unions to form new partyTRANSPORT union boss Bob Crow will seek to exploit Labour wranglings with trade unions by urging the movement to break ties with Ed Miliband and create a party that “speaks for working people”.

The Telegraph

• Dreamliner: world's 'most eco-friendly aircraft' has troubled historyThe Heathrow fire is a fresh blow for the Dreamliner which was supposed to revolutionise aviation.    
• Boeing Dreamliner fire at Heathrow sparks travel chaos and new concerns about aircraftThousands of travellers face delays and cancellations after an empty Boeing Dreamliner caught fire at Heathrow Airport, raising concerns about its safety.    

Mail Online

• Six people either crushed to death or electrocuted in French rail crash horror as train smashes into platform south of ParisThe high speed intercity train was travelling from the French capital to the city of Limoges when it derailed onto its side in a train station in the suburb of Bretigny-sur-Orge at about 3.15pm GMT.

Network Rail

• Stafford works have no equal for CEEQUALNetwork Rail’s Stafford Area Improvements Programme (SAIP) is helping set the sustainability standard on major projects, recording one of the highest ever scores in the prestigious CEEQUAL scheme.
• Network Rail closes one in ten of Britain’s level crossingsThe closure of Moors Gorse level crossing in Cannock Chase, Staffordshire means Network Rail has now closed 700 level crossings across Britain – around 10 per cent of the total – since 2009 as part of its £130m national level crossing investment programme.
• Apprentices take to the tracks for realMore than 180 apprentices have joined up with railway maintenance teams across Britain for on-the-job training after successfully completing the first year of Network Rail’s advanced apprenticeship scheme.

Belfast Telegraph

• Chocs away as easyJet starts to replace fleetBUDGET airline easyJet has been given the green light to modernise its fleet after shareholders backed plans to order up to 235 new aircraft – defying objections from founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou.Related StoriesLinden Foods tastes success with awardPub staff reopen for business again with new chainBanks will reap £30m from Royal Mail sell-offCollapsed pub chain Botanic Inns in £14 million debtCollapsed pub chain Botanic Inns in £14 million debt with Ulster Bank and drinks firm biggest creditors    

London Evening Standard

• France train tragedy cause probedInvestigations are continuing into what caused a train carrying hundreds of passengers to derail and crash into a station outside Paris, killing at least six people and leaving dozens more injured.

Manchester Evening News

• Tests to discover if trams are on track Trams will begin running along the new town centre Metrolink line this month.

The York Press

• National Railway Museum chief gets job on permanent basis THE acting director of York’s National Railway Museum has been appointed to the role on a permanent basis.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Angry Leeds residents left in the dark by overgrown treesFed-up residents living near a train station have hit out at Northern Rail for neglecting the upkeep of trees which now loom over their houses.

Yorkshire Post

• New man in charge at rail museumA NEW director has been appointed at the National Railway Museum in York after his predecessor stepped down while the venue was mired in a series of controversies.
• In a class of their own – MPs still opting to travel in best seatsTRANSPORT Secretary Patrick McLoughlin is among MPs who continue to enjoy first class rail travel despite expenses rules designed to encourage them to travel with the masses.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 route given 'safeguarding' protection A 'SAFEGUARDING' zone preventing any other development has been set up along the proposed route of the HS2 railway line.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Peterborough City Council cabinet to re-consider bus subsidy cutsThe decision to cut subsidised bus services in Peterborough will be reviewed by the council’s cabinet after councillors said not enough consultation had taken place.

Sleaford Standard

• £2m more on road repairsWith the area’s roads having taken a battering over the last two years, Lincolnshire County Council has allocated an additional £2 million of funding to spend on road maintenance.

The Shields Gazette

• £9.3m boost for new Shields transport hubA VISION to transform South Shields Town Centre took a major step on the road to reality today after the council won £9.3m in Government cash to create a new transport hub.

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch publishes its 2013 Annual Review London TravelWatch has published its Annual Review for 2013. The publication highlights the independent passenger watchdog’s achievements over the last financial year.

Railway Gazette

• Waterloo orders Bombardier light rail vehiclesCANADA: Waterloo Regional Council approved an agreement with regional transport authority Metrolinx for the purchase of 14 Bombardier light rail vehicles on July 10. The vehicles will be used for...

Aviation Industry

• US Airways-American merger moves step closerShareholders in US Airways have approved the deal with rival carrier
• Leeds Bradford to offer free wifiAirport will give customers up to 30 minutes of free access
• Heathrow closes runways due to aircraft fireFire crews called to deal with incident on Ethiopian Airways Dreamliner

Other News Sources

• Bam Nuttall faces second busway cost overrun rowContractor Bam Nuttall is embroiled in a dispute about costs on the £90M Luton Dunstable busway project, the project’s client said this week.
• 'Six dead' as France train derails
• No plans for more station staff after Ryan Harrison deathStaffing will remain the same at railway station where a young man tragically died
• Peak rail?At a time when French, German and Spanish governments are losing their enthusiasm for expensive high-speed rail, has rail reached its natural peak? The Scientific Alliance discusses the issues.
• Air bookings will take longer under NDC – GTMC bossNew IATA distribution system could have big impact on travel bookers