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

Tuesday, 13 August 2013

BBC News

• Million passenger mark for airportScotland's busiest airport handled more than one million passengers last month, passing the seven-figure milestone for the first time.
• Navigation system stolen from shipThieves who stole a flare gun and a ship's navigation system from a boat in Edinburgh are being sought by police.
• Tube ticket office closure claimsAll 268 Tube ticket offices could be closed under
• Rail fare rises to be announcedMillions of commuters will find out later how much regulated rail fares will increase next year when the latest inflation figures are published.
• Stansted staff plan holiday strikesWorkers who scan baggage at Stansted Airport are to strike over the bank holiday weekend later this month in a row over pay.
• Musk unveils 'Hyperloop' ideaUS-based entrepreneur Elon Musk reveals details of his proposed near-supersonic

Financial Times

• Drivers avoid southern Europe toll roadsGroups in Spain, Portugal and Italy report falls in traffic in the six months until the end of June in a development that has surprised analysts
• Creditors slap claims on KingfisherIndian banks that are owed about $1.4bn by Kingfisher Airlines have taped a notice on its headquarters, claiming the building is to be seized
• Tesla founder reveals Hyperloop amid hooplaAmbitious plan for new form of high-speed transport that it is claimed could link some of the world’s major cities more efficiently than high-speed rail

The Guardian

• Billionaire investor Elon Musk unveils plans for Hyperloop transport systemPayPal founder outlined plans for system which will be a cross between 'Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table'Billionaire investor Elon Musk has unveiled plans for a

The Telegraph

• Commuters paying the price for 'botched' franchise negotiations, Labour saysCommuters could have been spared above inflation fare rises next year if the Government had not botched its most recent negotiations with train operators, Labour has alleged.    
• Ryanair hits out at 'internet trolls' in war of words with pilotsA furious group of Ryanair pilots claim the low-cost airline is orchestrating a campaign to bully them into silence by
• Stansted baggage staff threaten holiday disruptionFamilies flying out of Stansted Airport over the late August bank holiday are facing the threat of disruption because of a strike by baggage workers.    

Daily Record

• Street-sweeping cart loses out in its brush with Edinburgh traffic wardenNOW the capital's city council, which raised £5.6million in parking fines last year, will have to pay itself the £60 penalty.
• Passenger numbers soar as July figures show Edinburgh Airport going through the million mark for the first time.GLASGOW and Aberdeen terminals also record big increases as air travel continues to flourish.

Mail Online

• Ryanair refused to refund ticket of passenger who died 'because she died too soon'Doug Parsons, from Norwich, left, has hit out at the budget airline after they denied his application for a refund when his mother Beryl (pictured with him, right) died.
• Rail passengers stage protests as fares outstrip wages for sixth time in seven yearsCampaigners say January's rise will be the sixth time in seven years rail fares have outstripped wages.

The Mirror

• Thefts from rail passengers rose by 16% with criminals targeting smartphones and tablets British Transport Police blamed pickpocket gangs targeting owners of hi-tech devices such as iPhones and iPads.

Network Rail

• Work starts on £8m Hexham Goods Yard retail developmentNetwork Rail has been granted planning permission for a major redevelopment of the goods yard at Hexham station and will start on site during August to create a modern £8m retail facility. This investment will also deliver station improvements for passengers.
• Diversionary works are in the pipeline..A series of essential preparatory works have begun in support of the proposed new railway flyover at Norton Bridge.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Road casualties down a quarter in North Wales with snow possibly being responsibleResearch shows that most accident happen in fine weather, with snow keeping people off the roads

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Bus company boss hits out at rival firm for giving 'free' travel...BUS company Trent Barton has criticised a rival after it started letting passengers on to its services using TB tickets.Jeff Counsell, managing director at Trent Barton, has hit out at YourBus for accepting his firm's Zig Zag day tickets on its services.The tickets, which cost £5, entitle the holder to a day's unlimited travel on Trent Barton's network throughout Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.But last week, YourBus announced via its Facebook page that it would be accepting the tickets on...

London Evening Standard

• EXCLUSIVE: Every single London Tube ticket office could be axed in plan to save millionsAll 268 Tube ticket offices could be closed under plans to save millions of pounds, the Evening Standard has learned.
• Rail fare rise protests at stationsProtests against rail fare rises will be held across the country amid warnings that the cost of train travel is set to be 40% higher from the new year than six years ago.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published City's £100m rail station revamp project moves into its...THE next phase of a £100 million upgrade at Nottingham Station is underway.New signals are being fitted after work to install new track around the station has been completed.Equipment on the track itself such as train warning systems are also being installed and will be tested until the completion of the project on August 25.The majority of services at the station stopped last month to allow for the works, which Network Rail say will improve reliability and speed up services.The first...

Sheffield Star

• Bus changes isolation fear for pensionersA Sheffield community could be left isolated by changes to bus services, one of its councillors has warned.

The York Press

• Grand Central hopes to extend its right to run East Coast services A YORK-based train company is hoping to extend its right to run services on the East Coast main line until 2026.

This Is Local London Network

• Two stops in 40 minutes: Morning misery on Northern line Morning commuters are experiencing misery on the Northern line thanks to a signal failure at Camden Town.

Blackpool Gazette

• Rail decision expected next yearVirgin Trains bosses expect to find out early next year if a fresh bid to run direct services between Blackpool and London has been successful.

Carlisle News & Star

• Track beds at Carlisle station like 'open sewers', claims union chief Parts of Carlisle Railway Station have been labelled “open sewers” and so badly contaminated that rail workers have had to destroy protective clothing.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: Council fails in bid to land part of £160m government funding in cycling - despite hosting elite cycle racesCouncil chiefs and leading cycle groups have reacted with dismay after a bid to land part of a £160million government investment in cycling was rejected.

Other Regional Press

• Luton Airport plans nothing to do with us, says ownerPLANS for a further three runways at Luton Airport have nothing to do with those who own it, it has been confirmed.
• New railway stations and train services proposed for Gwent A MULTI-MILLION rail strategy that proposes new stations and lines including a link between Ebbw Vale and Newport has been put out to consultation.
• MP calls for new HS2 station in NorthamptonshireMP and rail activist Brian Binley has called for a new 
station to be built in Northamptonshire if the new high speed rail link goes ahead.

Bus and Coach.com

• Retailers asked to support bus fundingThe South Yorkshire PTE has taken the unusual step of asking major out-of-town retail sites and supermarkets for financial contributions to support tendered bus services.
• Plymouth Citybus to compete with FirstPlymouth Citybus is introducing a service between Plymouth and Tavistock in October, using four high-specification ADL Enviro400s with leather seats and free wi-fi.
• Two more “sinuous beauty” bus routesThe next two London bus routes to be converted to Borismaster operation have been named.
• Revenue up, losses down at OptareOptare has increased its revenue and cut its pre-tax losses in the year to 31 March.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Treasury minister's role in road funding 'in danger of looking like pork barrel politics' 12 August 2013: As reported by the FT, we have uncovered emails that show a £290 million road in a marginal constituency was funded thanks to the intervention of Danny Alexander. read more

Global Rail News

• South West launches train procurementTrain operator South West Trains has launched a procurement for between 135 and 250 carriages, which potentially could result in 50 new five-car trains, allowing 200 metre 10-car sets to[...]
• McLoughlin announces Lake District electrification plansThe British government has set out its plans to electrify the West Coast Main Line branch line between Oxenholme and Windermere in the Lake District. The £16 million investment would[...]
• Contactless payment coming to French rail networkSNCF has agreed an order with VeriFone Systems for 12,000 PDAs which will manage onboard ticket payments across the French rail network. The PAYware Wynid system will oversee the 1,65[...]
• Perth light rail project named in latest budgetMore than $430 million has been confirmed for Perth’s MAX Light Rail project within a $5.7 billion infrastructure investment strategy. The Government of Western Australia has also announced initial funding[...]
• Siemens to build Gurgaon Metro extensionSiemens is to build a seven kilometre extension to the automated Gurgaon Metro in India. The extension will see six new stations built in the south east of the city[...]

Railnews

• Personal property thefts increase on railway The number of thefts of personal property from railway passengers has risen by 16 per cent, partly because of organised pickpocketing gangs. There was also an increase in violent incidents, which rose by 201 on the National Rail network. New figures from British Transport Police reveal that in spite of these rises railway crime in general has continued to fall for the ninth year running, with a 2 per cent drop in 'notifiable offences' in 2012/13.

Aviation Industry

• IAG delists Vueling, re-organizes boardInternational Airlines Group (IAG) has begun to reorganize its newly acquired Spanish carrier Vueling by replacing the board and naming current CEO Alex Cruz as chairman. read more
• China’s Jiangxi province plans to launch local airlineThe Jiangxi provincial government has announced plans to launch a local airline. read more
• US Airways mechanics vote to keep IAM over Teamsters The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) said Monday that US Airways mechanics have voted to retain IAM as their union representative, rejecting an effort by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) to take over as the workers’ representative. read more
• FlyNiki postpones Embraer E-190 transfer to Air Berlin’s LGW Austrian-based low-cost carrier (LCC) FlyNiki, an Air Berlin partner, has postponed plans to transfer its seven Embraer E-190s to Air Berlin’s regional partner LGW. read more
• Air China Cargo orders four 757-200 passenger-to-freighter conversions Air China Cargo has awarded Precision Conversions with a contract to convert four Boeing 757-200s to 15-pallet freighter aircraft. read more

Other News Sources

• WIN signs up Greek business travel agencyIndependent TMC network bolstered by new European member