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

Sunday, 25 August 2013

BBC News

• Overground guards stage strikeLondon Overground rail guards begin a 48-hour strike as more than one million people are expected to attend the Notting Hill Carnival in the city.
• VIDEO: Close-up: UK's solar car race entryMeet the British team taking on the world with their unorthodox solar car
• VIDEO: The car which can fold up to parkSpencer Kelly looks at a car which can fold up to park in tight spaces, plus other tech stories.
• HS2 chief insists Labour backs plansThe boss of the HS2 rail project says she believes Labour still strongly supports the scheme despite some senior party figures raising concerns.

The Guardian

• Abandoning HS2 would be act of national self-mutilation, says AdonisFormer transport secretary says the lessons of the Channel tunnel and Thames airport must be heededThe Labour peer conducting a review of the party's policies on economic growth said that abandoning support for the HS2 high-speed rail line would be an

The Independent

• The wrong side of the tracks: Lobbyists for HS2 rail line funded by the taxpayerCritics are now scrutinising the Department for Transport's use of a lobbying firm, Westbourne Communications, to help to promote a railway that would eventually have 330 miles of track but has divided the public. HS2 Ltd, the body set up to steer the project, spent more than £80,000 on using Westbourne to July, while the DfT paid the London-based firm a further £24,000.

The Scotsman

• Passengers face west coast main line travel miseryRAIL passengers face yet more major disruption on the Scotland to London west coast main line because of improvement work originally planned as part of its £9 billion upgrade a decade ago.

The Telegraph

• Forget HS2, we should be improving our road network instead [letters]Improving Britain's roads would make more economic sense than building HS2
• Ed Balls says Labour's Ed Balls has signalled there can be
• I have seen a British cargo cult - it's called HS2What we really need in Britain are more motorways and road pricing, says John McTernan    
• Pullman dining: a great restaurant journeyMichael Portillo, no stranger to long train lunches, is delighted to find Pullman dining en route to Paddington    

The Mirror

• Tory Stephen Hammond wined and dined by rail bosses before he gets top job A top Tory was wined and dined by a rail company just months before he was made a minister in the Department of Transport. Stephen Hammond benefited from hospitality worth thousands of pounds from one of Britain’s biggest transport firms, DB Schenker Rail (UK).

Birmingham Mail

• Cycling from West Bromwich to Birmingham city centre Canal route takes you past some picturesque views on the towpath.
• Cycling is good for business, says Birmingham firmCycling cuts sick days, boosts productivity and could bring big savings for employers of all sizes.
• Birmingham Airport 'ignored' views of residents, say campaignersOutcry over proposed flightpath changes ahead of £65m runway extension

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Yorkshire motorists admit driving without an MOT More than a quarter of Yorkshire drivers have admitted to knowingly driving their cars without a valid MOT for as long as six months.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented Green light for link road is first step for new city business...PERMISSION has been granted to build a link road between two parts of the city, marking the first step to the development of a new hi-tech business centre, known as the Derby Global Technology Cluster.The "T12 link road" was unanimously approved at a meeting of Derby City Council's planning control committee last night. It will link Holmleigh Way, near to the A50 in Chellaston, and Wilmore Road in Sinfin.Phil Bailey is a Chellaston ward councillor and said he was looking forward to...

Manchester Evening News

• HS2 supporters slam ex-Chancellor Alistair Darling's criticism of rail project Mr Darling, a former supporter of the HS2 scheme in the last Labour government, announced yesterday he had changed his mind – describing it as ‘foolish’ because of spiralling costs and dubious value for money

Wales Online

• Are criminals using a scenic Welsh road to practice shooting on road signs?Bullet holes spotted in road signs along Gospel Pass in the Black Mountains have raised concerns it is being used for shooting practice

Bucks Free Press

• Chiltern Rail named most punctual operator once again CHILTERN Railways has been named top rail operator for right time train punctuality for the ninth period running, according to research released by Network Rail.
• Ex-chancellor changes mind on HS2 and warns of 'nightmare' FORMER Chancellor Alistair Darling says he has changed his mind over High Speed 2 and now warns it could create a 'nightmare' for the country's railway network.

Other Regional Press

• Shropshire commuters calling for direct link trains to LondonRail commuters have given their unanimous backing to the Shropshire Star’s campaign to reinstate a direct rail link between the county and London.
• Residents' anger at bus firm Arriva's scrapping of service Angry sheltered housing residents in Watford have branded the scrapping of a bus service they depend on “disgusting”.
• Petition calls for hoppa bus route to include Dock Road More than 300 residents have signed a petition calling for the route taken by the Berwick hoppa bus to be extended to include Dock Road.
• Leader's joy at new bus serviceNEATH Port Talbot council leader councillor Ali Thomas has spoken of his delight, ahead of a new bus service due to launch on Tuesday.
• Could RAF Croughton replace Heathrow?A move to potentially create a replacement for Heathrow Airport at RAF Croughton has left people in the Advertiser and Review region dumbfounded