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

Saturday, 20 July 2013

BBC News

• 'Chaos' predicted as tunnels shutBirmingham's main city centre tunnels close for six weeks to allow the first major work in their 40-year history to be carried out.
• Aerial surveys of A9 and A96 roadsA £590,000 contract is awarded for aerial surveys of where the A9 and A96 are to be upgraded to dual carriageway.
• Last ferry of its kind hits 45A small community-owned car ferry that maintains the oldest crossing between the mainland and Skye is 45 years old.
• Officials 'borrow ministers' cars'Civil servants have been borrowing ministers' official cars for their own use, it has emerged.
• Clegg 'backs free child bus passes'Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg is "very keen" to introduce free bus travel for all under-16-year-olds in England, the Daily Telegraph has said.
• Expansion plans revealed at StanstedNew runways and handling up to 160 million passengers are included in Stansted Airport's expansion plans.

Financial Times

• US regulator tells airlines to inspect Dreamliner beaconsLocation of a fire, on Ethiopian Airlines 787 on the ground, coincided with the location of the emergency locator transmitter, near aircraft’s tail

The Independent

• Is HS2 support coming off the rails? Consensus rocked by Labour and Lib Dem concern The all-party consensus in favour of the proposed high-speed rail link from London to the North is under strain amid growing Labour and Liberal Democrat concern about the £50bn project

The Scotsman

• More English families fly from Scots airports to saveENGLISH holidaymakers are travelling north of the Border to fly off on their summer break in an attempt to cash in on the different school holiday terms in Scotland.

The Telegraph

• Children go free on busesChildren would be offered free bus travel under plans being drawn up by Nick Clegg to help families. The Deputy Prime Minister is championing the scheme within government to cut costs for families.    
• Vince Cable: Case for HS2 still to be madeThe case for the High Speed Rail train link between London, Birmingham and the north of England is yet to be made, according to Vince Cable.    

Mail Online

• Ryanair plans to sell advertising space on its own fleet of planes to boost profitsThe low cost airline has revealed it will allow companies to plug their products or services on the wing tips and front and rear parts of the fuselage of jets.

The Mirror

• HS2: Vince Cable says case for £43billion High Speed 2 rail line 'still being made' Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls also warned that there would be no blank cheque for the project if Labour won power
• Gritters called in as heatwave MELTS roads in 32C heat while fires devastate countrysideThe lorries, only usually used when it is icy, were sent out after the heatwave caused road surfaces to melt and become sticky

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published RMT accuses East Midlands Trains of stalling as industrial action...A UNION has accused Derby train operator East Midlands Trains of using delaying tactics to avoid addressing a number of issues it has raised with the company.From today, staff at East Midlands Trains who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union will begin industrial action short of a strike because of a "comprehensive breakdown in industrial relations" with the firm.The union says that the operator has refused to engage with it on several issues, including the...

London Evening Standard

• Stansted could be four-runway hub for just £9.5bn, say ownersThe new owners of Stansted today outlined plans for a four-runway airport which it said could solve the aviation crisis at a fraction of the cost of rival proposals for Heathrow and the Thames Estuary.
• Free bus travel for children planChildren could be offered free bus travel under plans being considered by the Liberal Democrats, it has emerged.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Sunshine welcome as tall ship pays return visit to north portInvergordon was bustling with visitors yesterday following the arrival of two cruise ships.
• ‘Reconnaissance’ plane to help map out new A9 A plane will be used to survey the A9 and A96 after Transport Scotland awarded a £590,000 aerial survey contract as part of plans to dual the two routes.

The York Press

• 20mph limits for west York approved - but now face a fresh challenge CONTROVERSIAL 20mph speed limits are set to be introduced on streets in west York - but a decision to approve the scheme by the city's transport chief today is to be challenged by opposition councillors.
• National cycling championships in York tomorrow CYCLING fans can indulge in a feast of two-wheeled action tomorrow when one of the sport’s biggest events comes to York.

Blackpool Gazette

• Tram fun day on track to draw huge crowdsTens of thousands of people are set to turn out to celebrate the exciting world of trams.

Crewe Chronicle

• UK & World News: Free bus travel for children planChildren could be offered free bus travel under plans being considered by the Liberal Democrats, it has emerged.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Ipswich: Roof stability one of many reasons behind operation length after man climbed onto roof at railway stationBritish Transport Police officials have defended the amount of time it took to coax a man down from a roof at Ipswich train station.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Council orders 20 tonnes of granite dust in case roads melt as heat wave rolls onFriday, 4pm: As the heat wave rolls on, Peterborough City Council has revealed it has ordered 20 tonnes of granite dust should its roads begin to melt.

Other Regional Press

• Low passenger figures blamed for night bus axeTHREE of Wigan’s night bus services are to be scrapped at the end of the month because of low passenger numbers.
• £1m bill to repair road damaged by landslide THE massive crack that has shut a road between Oxford and Abingdon will cost about £1m to fix.

Global Rail News

• Extra trams ordered for Norwegian light rail networkThe operators of Norway’s Bergen tram system have exercised an option from an earlier contract with manufacturer Stadler for eight additional light rail vehicles. As well as the additional Variobahn[...]
• ROSCO “disappointed” by IEP orderRolling stock leasing company Eversholt Rail has said it is “disappointed” that the government has chosen purchase new rolling stock rather than upgrade the current fleet of Intercity 225s. The[...]
• Skanska UK results “healthy but slightly behind target”Skanska UK has described its half-year results as “healthy but slightly behind target” after posting an operating margin of 3.2 per cent. Announcing its figures for the last six months,[...]
• Las Vegas high-speed rail link in doubtPlans to link Southern California and Las Vegas by high-speed rail have hit the buffers after the US Government announced that it had suspended the project’s application for funding. XpressWest[...]

Railnews

• Heatwave continues to disrupt train services Failure of two of its four diesel engines and associated air-conditioning units led to many passengers having to endure temperatures of almost 31 C in a CrossCountry service from Manchester to Bournemouth last night. The 16.27 from Manchester Piccadilly was eventually taken out of service after two hours when a replacement train was provided to take passengers onwards from Birmingham International.

Aviation Industry

• British Airways to boost Jersey capacityAirline will add extra flight from Gatwick to fill gap left by Flybe
• Corporate travellers spending more on trains and carsConcur expense report suggests switch away from flights when possible

Other News Sources

• Eurostar benefits from rise in business travellersTrain service sees "more positive" outlook for the corporate market