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

Friday, 19 July 2013

BBC News

• Tunnels to close for six weeksBirmingham's main city centre tunnels will close later for six weeks to allow the first major work in their 40-year history to be carried out.
• VIDEO: Sun guzzler: New solar family carStudents at the University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands say they have created the world's first solar-panelled family saloon.
• Rail boost for Edinburgh FestivalVisitors to the Edinburgh Festival are to benefit from a major expansion to rail timetables with new services and extra carriages on other routes.
• Train hits pram put on railway lineAn investigation is launched after a train hits a pram and plank of wood which were placed on a railway line in Glasgow.
• Air ticket 'discrimination' concernAirlines want to offer customers
• Hitachi wins £1.2bn UK train dealHitachi Rail Europe wins a £1.2bn contract to build new UK trains at its plant in the north east of England.
• Network Rail bosses get £2m bonusesFive Network Rail bosses will share £2m in bonuses if they hit performance targets as part of a new deal.
• Air inquiry urges Dreamliner actionAir accident investigators looking at the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner fire at Heathrow may have identified the cause.

Financial Times

• Hitachi wins £1.2bn East Coast train dealHitachi Rail Europe wins contract to build trains for East Coast main line, as the Japanese company tries to establish itself in the European rail market
• Rising costs of HS2 alarm shadow chancellorEd Balls warns £43bn high-speed rail line from London to the north of England must deliver value for money as concerns grow over rising costs
• Stansted owner to make case for new runwayOperator to say Stansted could be location for a four-runway hub – capable of dealing with 160m passengers a year – should inquiry rule out Heathrow’s expansion

The Guardian

• How an expanded Heathrow would help tackle emissions [Colin Matthews - Chief Executive, Heathrow]Your editorial (Gearing up for Airstrip One, 18 July) says it is hard to imagine how the UK will cut greenhouse gases by 80% by 2050 if it is building a third runway at Heathrow. Here is how it can be done.
• Heathrow fire on Boeing Dreamliner 'started in battery component'Investigators say crew would have struggled to contain blaze once plane was in mid-airThe fire on board a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow last week started in a component carrying lithium batteries, investigators have said, in a blaze that crew would have struggled to contain mid-flight.Early findings show that the fire, which burned through the fuselage of the plane and filled the cabin with acrid smoke, could not have been easily extinguished, or quickly detected while the plane was airborne.Britain's Air Accident Investigations Branch (AAIB) has urged American aviation authorities to ensu...
• Dreamliner returns to Boston airport after mechanical indicator alertJapan Airlines spokeswoman says Boeing plane turned back to Logan International airport as 'standard precautionary measure'A Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane operated by Japan Airlines returned to Boston's Logan International airport on Thursday after a mechanical indicator alert came on.

The Herald

• Petrol prices to soar by 5p this summerPETROL pump prices could soar 5p a litre, burning a hole in the pockets of holiday motorists, the AA warned.
• £1.2bn deal will cut East Coast rail timesPASSENGERS on the East Coast Main Line between Scotland and England will have their journeys cut by up to 18 minutes after the Government announced a £1.2 billion contract.

Mail Online

• Heathrow third runway plans: Dithering that leaves us stuck on the runwayYesterday, Heathrow bosses put forward three more sets of proposals to Sir Howard Davies, the economist chairing the latest leisurely inquiry into increasing airport capacity in the South East.
• Five rail bosses on £11m gravy train: Three-year pay and bonus deal 'is a reward for failure'The top executives at Network Rail could share bonuses of £5million on top of their six-figure salaries, despite years of dismal performance and inflation-busting fare rises.

The Mirror

• Network Rail bosses could pocket £7million over three years in bonusesThe scheme could almost treble chief Sir David Higgins’ £577,000 basic salary to £1.5million in 2015 if he meets targets
• Petrol prices to rise by 5p a litre this summer, AA report warnsOil price speculators, a weaker pound and a surge in the cost of oil by nearly £6 a barrel are blamed for the sudden leap
• Pilotless drones to fly over England looking for missing walkersThe pilotless aerial vehicle will be equipped with a number of TV and infra-red sensors remotely controlled from the ground.

Network Rail

• Bridge Road railway bridge improvements to start in KirkstallResidents will soon see improvements to Bridge Road railway bridge in Kirkstall.
• Network Rail AGM sets out progress and members approve incentive scheme to deliver better value railway for BritainNetwork Rail’s 11th annual general meeting has taken place today in Cardiff, at which chief executive David Higgins set out the progress made by the company in improving Britain’s railways over the past year. Highlights include:

Belfast Telegraph

• Aer Lingus concern for share sale by RyanairRyanair shouldn't be allowed to oversee the sale of its near 30% stake in Aer Lingus because it might otherwise sell it to

Daily Post (North Wales)

• New railway stations, faster buses and park & ride sites - the new integrated transport plan for North East Wales There is strong support for a direct rail service to Liverpool, as well as 'green corridors' and more cycling routes

Edinburgh Evening News

• Lothian MSP - ˜Spend £20 per person on cycling"A LEADING Lothian MSP says £20 should be spent on cycling infrastructure and safety for every person in Scotland in a “once-in-a-generation” fund designed to bring roads up to European standards.

London Evening Standard

• First stage of £21m Gatwick revamp open to publicThe first stage of a £21 million revamp of Gatwick airport's South Terminal shopping area has opened to customers.
• London heatwave: Tube passengers sweat it out in hot weather as temperatures exceed 34C to beat BaliTube passengers today complained of suffering in sweltering conditions as the heatwave continued.
• Power giant and HS2 put apprentices on the fast trackEight young Londoners have the chance to light up their careers after landing apprenticeships at a leading power company and the new high-speed rail line.
• 140mph East Coast line train contract to create hundreds of new jobsNew 140mph trains that will shave 18  minutes off journeys from London to Edinburgh were announced for the East Coast Main Line today.
• Heathrow Dreamliner blaze cause confirmedA blaze on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner plane that caused disruption at Heathrow airport last week was triggered by a fire in its emergency locator transmitter (ELT), investigators have confirmed.
• Rail boss defends extra bonus planNetwork Rail members have approved a fresh lucrative bonus package for its top directors - despite fierce criticism from unions about the firm's performance.
• Boeing Dreamliner in new flight woeA Japan Airlines flight to Tokyo has returned to the US amid a suspected fuel pump issue on the Boeing 787 aircraft.

Northern Echo

• Hitachi contract announcement will bring jobs to Newton Aycliffe and faster trains to the region TRAIN journey times from the North-East will be cut within five years after ministers announced a £1.2bn contract which will see the next generation of express trains being built in the region.
• Business and political leaders hail Hitachi announcement BUSINESS and political leaders have reacted with delight to today's announcement that Hitachi has been awarded a conrtact to build express trains in Newton Aycliffe.
• Name of Newton Aycliffe train building facility changed to Merchant Park THE name of the park which will be home to Hitachi Rail Europe's train-building facility in Newton Aycliffe has been changed, after a well-known internet firm enforced copyright laws.
• Hitachi deal is a proud moment for retiring business leader A MAN who played a key role in bringing train building back to the birthplace of the railways said the venture had been
• Hundreds of jobs secured as Hitachi wins train building contract for its Newton Aycliffe site HUNDREDS of jobs at a new train building factory will be safe for the rest of the decade after it won a £1.2bn Government contract, rail bosses said today.
• Hitachi rail contract is the icing on the cake as Newton Aycliffe celebrates 65th anniversary SIXTY-FIVE years ago work began to create a new County Durham town where poverty, unemployment and squalor would be no more. As Newton Aycliffe embarks on the next exciting phase in its history as a centre for train-building, Lizzie Anderson looks at how it all began.
• Joy for Newton Aycliffe as Hitachi clinches £1.2bn Government trains deal A £1.2BN contract for new 140mph trains that will reduce journey times on key intercity routes was announced today by the Government.

Sheffield Telegraph

• New calls for central rail link Sheffield city leaders this week urged the Government to rethink plans for the location of the city’s planned high-speed rail station, currently earmarked for a site near Meadowhall.

The York Press

• York to London rail times to be cut in investment boost MORE than £1 billion of investment in rail services across the country will mean new, faster, more reliable services on the East Coast Main Line.

Wales Online

• £2m bonus deal approved for Network Rail directors despite union criticismProtesters urged members at Cardiff meeting to vote against lucrative package for bosses, as unions criticise the firm's performance
• Could Cardiff Airport form a new UK hub alongside Birmingham and Heathrow? Experts want expansion and improved rail links for airport owned by the Welsh Government

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds HS2 station design revealedCity leaders in Yorkshire were urged to make the most of the benefits a new high speed rail link will bring as designs for the new station planned for Leeds were unveiled.

Blackpool Gazette

• ‘Grin and bear train delays’ rail users toldA Fylde coast transport expert today urged rail users to “grin and bear” delays caused by ongoing major works on the West Coast Main Line.
• Out-of-town tram ban callA passenger watchdog today backed calls for visiting pensioners to be charged to travel on Blackpool’s trams.

East Anglian Daily Times

• East Anglia: Progress made on rail improvements as 50% of demands metMPs and rail bosses from across the region believe that significant progress is being made towards boosting East Anglia’s rail services.

The Shields Gazette

• Buses shake-up bid on meeting agendaTRANSPORT bosses are set to decide whether to give the green light to a major overhaul of bus services in South Tyneside.

Other Regional Press

• VIDEO: London Luton Airport celebrates 75 years of historyLondon Luton Airport welcomed passengers to join in on their 75th anniversary celebrations today as a special event was held to mark the occasion.
• Thirsty work on Lancashire’s train tracksWorkers improving Lancashire’s rail network in sweltering hot conditions are getting through 100 barrels of water a day - and using 3,000 bottles of sunscreen.

Bus and Coach.com

• 8th European Bus and Coach ForumOpportunities for senior coach groups and off-season travel will be the topics for debate at the 8th European Bus and Coach Forum, organised by the International Road Transport Union (IRU), in cooperation with the International Social Tourism Organisation (ISTO), the European Tour Operators’ Association (ETOA) and the Belgian Federation of Bus and Coach Operators (FBAA).
• BUUK sets up separate Scottish bodyBus Users UK has set up a separate Scottish body, Bus Users Scotland, to work with the Scottish Government, local transport authorities and bus operators.
• Optare up for RGF cashOptare has received a conditional offer of funds from the government’s Regional Growth Fund which could be worth up to £1,5million.
• Wrightbus makes Indian progressWrightbus is to open a production centre in India in conjunction with an un-named European partner which is already active in the country.
• VIP Contracts manager wins appealA transport manager whose judgement was described by West Midlands traffic commissioner Nick Jones as “wholly unacceptable” has successfully appealed against Jones’ ruling that he should be disqualified from working in the bus and coach industry for five years.
• Inquest hears tyre failure led to crashThe blow-out of a 19-year-old tyre has been identified as the probable cause of a coach crash on the A3 near Hindhead last year in which the driver and two passengers died.
• MegabusGold new London linksTo maximise utilisation of its £500,000 Van Hool megabusGold sleeper coaches, Stagecoach this week introduces new services between London and Plymouth and between London and Cardiff.
• “Hard work” ahead at FirstFirstGroup chief executive Tim O'Toole warns of “hard work for some time to come” as the group announces details of its performance in the three months to 30 June.
• Stagecoach boosts NE partnershipWith the aim of derailing plans for bus quality contracts which are to be discussed at next week's meeting of the Tyne and Wear Integrated Transport Authority, Stagecoach and Go-Ahead have announced that they will be meeting one of the local authorities in the ITA area to discuss the extension of an established voluntary bus partnership.

Global Rail News

• Gallery: IEP train interiorsWith the government confirming a £1.2 billion order for new trains to serve the East Coast Main Line, new images of the future interiors of Hitachi’s Class 800 rolling stock[...]
• New Hitachi trains to replace Intercity 225 fleetThe Department for Transport has announced the next phase of its £5.8 billion Intercity Express Programme, confirming an order with Hitachi for 30 new electric trains for the East Coast[...]
• Bombardier picked to supply Southern EMUsBombardier has been selected to supply 116 new EMUs for train operator Southern. The new carriages, which are worth £180 million, will operate on the Thameslink route to allow current[...]
• TVZ delivers first Russian double-deck trainTver Carriage Works (TVZ), a subsidiary of Russian rolling stock manufacturer CJSC Transmashholding, has delivered the first of a new fleet of double-decker trains for the Russian market. The 15-car[...]
• Münster machineryEvery four years, Europe’s railway engineers and equipment manufacturers gather at the town of Münster, in northern Germany for the IAF (Internationale Ausstellung Fahrwegtechnik) – the International Exhibiton for Track Technology. It has been going for some time, this year was the twenty-sixth, and it has become THE place to go for track engineers, manufacturers, [...]
• Design consultant named for next phase of Delhi Metro extensionMott MacDonald will be the detailed design consultant for phase three of the Delhi Metro system’s expansion after winning the contract from the Hindustan Construction Company–Samsung joint venture. The project[...]

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• Railway Renaissance for African RailAfrica is experiencing a railway renaissance, according to a study just published by German consultancy, SCI Verkehr. While South Africa is the only country currently with a fully developed rail network, the study notes the overall African network is set to grow to over 96,000 km by 2017, with existing lines improved and upgraded. SCI [...]The post Railway Renaissance for African Rail appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Railnews

• DfT confirms second Intercity Express order The Department for Transport has confirmed a new order worth £1.2 billion for Hitachi Intercity Express trains, bringing the future fleet to a total of 866 Class 800 vehicles. Hitachi Rail Europe will build 30 more nine-car electric sets at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, and the new order for 270 vehicles will allow the replacement in 2018-19 of the InterCity 225 sets on the East Coast Main Line.
• More new trains to bridge Thameslink cascade gap Southern, acting on behalf of the Department for Transport, has chosen Bombardier to supply 116 more electric multiple unit vehicles at a cost of around £180 million, so that some existing Thameslink trains can be cascaded to newly-electrified lines in the next year or two. The DfT no longer has the option to delay cascades from Thameslink until new trains from Siemens can be delivered to the route, because of a two-year delay between the confirmation of Siemens as preferred Thameslink rolling stock bidder in 2011 and final close on the deal in June this year.

Aviation Industry

• Virgin Atlantic CEO cautious on A380 delays, upbeat on 787-9 deliveriesVirgin Atlantic Airways CEO Craig Kreeger is cautious about the deferred delivery delays of its Airbus A380s, but more upbeat about the Boeing 787-9 and the introduction of regional Little Red. read more
• Investigators identify cause of Heathrow Dreamliner fireBlaze on Ethiopian Airlines’ 787 caused by new type of battery failure

Other News Sources

• GA has key role to play in future airspace planningA major conference assessing the growing demands on the use of airspace in the UK has heard that the general aviation sector has a significant part to play in a future airspace strategy. The event, hosted by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) in Central London on 15 July, discussed the future of Class G airspace as part of an overall plan to ensure the nation's airspace remains fit for purpose. Over a hundred users of Class G airspace - private, military and commercial pilots - heard spea