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

Saturday, 21 September 2013

BBC News

• County’s road and rail transport plan is unveiled Transport for Lancashire has announced a package of road and rail improvements to boost economic growth over the next decade.
• Study to be done on impact of raising Corran Ferry fares The impact on communities of increasing fares on a council-run ferry service are to be investigated in a socio-economic study.
• Stansted Airport: Geoff Muirhead leaves Airports Commission A government advisor on the expansion of Britain's airport capacity has stood down after campaigners raised concerns over potential bias.
• Telford's 'box road' £11.8m improvements work date set A date has been set for work to start on £11.8m improvements to the ring road around Telford town centre.
• Tube staff to take strike actionTrain drivers on the Victoria Line are to go on strike next Tuesday evening in a row over working conditions.
• Ryanair to end 'abrupt culture'Ryanair is to reform its "abrupt culture", chief executive Michael O'Leary says. Speaking to shareholders at its annual general meeting, Mr O'Leary said: "We should try to eliminate things that unnecessarily" annoy customers.
• Network Rail in East Coast apologyNetwork Rail is forced to apologise after a summer of frustration and big delays on the East Coast Main Line, as pressure begins to pile up on the rail infrastructure company.

Financial Times

• O’Leary promises a kinder, gentler RyanairConcern voiced by investors that poor customer relations and aggressive attitude are putting off potential passengers
• Johnson steps in on plan to shorten HS2 linkLondon mayor Boris Johnson threatens to withdraw support for HS2 over plans to end the costly last few kilometres of the rail link before Euston

The Herald

• Network Rail apologises after delaysNETWORK Rail has apologised to rail travellers because it was to blame for seven out of every 10 delays on the East Coast mainline over the past month.
• Ryanair pledges to transform servicesRYANAIR has promised to transform its
• 350 bikes stolen in a year at city hotspotNEARLY 350 bikes worth £250,000 were stolen in one Glasgow theft hotspot in just one year.
• Plea for major upgrade to rail linksA MAJOR upgrade of train services from the central belt to Scottish cities in the Highlands, the north-east and Tayside is needed, according to campaigners.

The Independent

• Rail fares capped – but at £500 you could still go to New York or Dubai for the price of a ticket The price of a return rail ticket in Britain is to be capped at £500 – more than a return flight to New York or two tickets on the Orient Express with dinner and champagne.    

The Telegraph

• Police ready to get tough on 20mph limitsThousands of drivers who break urban 20mph speed limits face fines and points on their licence under new plans being drawn up by senior police officers.    

Reuters News

• Siemens names new CFO, makes more board changes Siemens named company insider Ralf Thomas as its new finance chief on Wednesday, replacing Joe Kaeser who was promoted to the chief executive's post last month following the departure of Peter Loescher in a bitter boardroom battle.

Mail Online

• Police launch 'suicide patrols' at busy railway lines across Britain in bid to stop desperate people from taking their own lives Police are mounting ’suicide patrols’ in a bid to stop desperate people killing themselves on the nation’s railway lines
• Bus driver sacked for taking eyes off the road to fiddle with handset with passengers on boardThe driver was recorded using a handheld device in Harlow, Essex, by a cyclist who was using a helmet cam. The rider, himself a bus driver, was so appalled by the incident he decided to shop his colleague.
• Two men arrested for 'endangering an aircraft' after flight diverted to StanstedThe Sri Lankan Airlines A330 Airbus, which was carrying 267 passengers and crew, was due to land at Heathrow Airport but was diverted to the Essex airport just after 7.30pm.

Network Rail

• Public event gives details road diversions for Northamptonshire bridge improvementsMembers of the public are invited to attend an information event about road diversion required to rebuild a rail bridge in order to increase journey times between London and Sheffield.
• New home for New Street furnitureNetwork Rail has donated surplus furniture from the old station offices at Birmingham New Street station to St Mary’s Hospice in the city.
• National train performance for period 6 is 92.3%Punctuality on the railways reached 92.3% during Period 6, according to monthly performance data released today by Network Rail. The data for Britain's train services covers the period from 18 August-14 September 2013. This compares to 94.0% for the same period last year. The moving annual average is now at 90.7%
• Perth station bridges accessibility gap

Birmingham Post

• Jaguar design boss admits he wasn't sure about SUV concept Jaguar’s design supremo Ian Callum has admitted he felt uncomfortable with the idea of producing the Midland car-maker’s first SUV.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Drunk airline pilot 'put hundreds of lives at risk' A drunk airline pilot who admitted being four times over the legal limit after he was arrested in the cockpit as he was about to fly from Leeds Bradford Airport ‘put hundreds of lives at risk’, a magistrate said.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Campaign group forms to save city's historic railway bridgeCAMPAIGNERS are on track to see the city's dilapidated Friar Gate bridge restored to its former glory.Around 20 enthusiastic people from across the city joined forces at a meeting held last night to share their memories of the historic bridge and discuss an action plan for its future.The 135-year-old bridge housed a railway station, which closed more than 45 years ago.Now residents have come forward to form a committee – named the Friends of Friar Gate Bridge.Maurice Swift, 76, of...

Journal Live

• Gateshead-based Petards secure multi-million Hitachi Europe framework contractSecurity and surveillance system manufacturer Petards has secured a multi-million pound framework contract to produce systems for the Intercity Express Programme

Liverpool Echo

• World's most famous tall ship in Liverpool cruise terminal debut The magnificent 1937-built windjammer will be at the landing stage until Monday

London Evening Standard

• Councils warn Boris Johnson over ’bizarre’ road funding cuts Council chiefs have warned of “unexpected, undesirable consequences” for the Mayor if he carries out a threat to cut their roads budget by 25 per cent.

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Oxford Road station is on track for overhaul Carried out by Network Rail as part of an ‘Access for All’ programme, it is funded by the Department for Transport as part of a scheme to improve accessibility at the busiest stations.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Moving cables delays work on tram routeArticle

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield cabbies in dispute with dog stadiumBlack cab drivers in Sheffield were reported to police after staging a protest when told they could not pick up fares from Owlerton Stadium.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Darling joins drive to block A9 speed trapsFORMER chancellor Alistair Darling has joined the battle to block the installation of average-speed cameras on Scotland’s most notorious road.

The York Press

• 'Secrecy' claim over changes to bus stop ONE of York’s busiest bus stops is to be moved to prevent queueing passengers blocking pavements in a scheme which will also see the city’s shortest road narrowed.
• Network Rail apology for East Coast line delays NETWORK Rail has apologised to rail travellers because it was to blame for seven out of every 10 delays on the East Coast Mainline over the last month.
• Big bus fares shake-up MANY York bus fares are to be cut as one of the city’s main operators attempts to attract more regular passengers.
• Villagers’ anger over speeding motorists VILLAGERS near York have spoken of their fears and frustrations after a series of road accidents outside their homes.

Bucks Free Press

• Frustration over spiralling costs to improve dangerous bridge PLANS to improve safety on a dangerous railway crossing in Gerrards Cross may have to be abandoned as costs spiral, a councillor said this week.
• Solution put forward for town's persistent parking problems A PLAN to introduce paid car parking spaces in Beaconsfield Old Town has been put forward to solve the long standing problem in the area.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Stansted Airport: Latest Ryanair deal is turning airport into a “mecca for cheap leisure flights,” say campaignersThe owner of Stansted Airport has refuted claims its latest deal with Ryanair is turning it into a “mecca for cheap leisure flights”.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Travel week urges residents to think about green transportResidents have been getting on their bikes as part of a healthy travel week in the city.

Plymouth Herald

• Plymouth MP speaks out against city bus route cuts A CITY MP has queried whether shareholders have been put before passengers in the bus route cuts by First Group.

Sleaford Standard

• Skegness to Nottingham rail services to miss Grantham stop during planned worksRail services between Skegness and Nottingham will not be stopping in Grantham during planned engineering works, it has been revealed.    

Other Regional Press

• Transport body seeks board members with drive A North- east transport body is looking for new board members to help drive the area’s roads and infrastructure forward.
• Report revealing hundreds of accidents near Mid Devon schools is slammed by road safety bosses ROAD safety bosses in Devon have slammed a report which says hundreds of children, pedestrians and cyclists have been involved in collisions near schools in Tiverton, Cullompton and Crediton.
• Crawley News published Zara and Ted Baker to open stores at Gatwick AirportGATWICK Airport has announced the latest names signed up to its South Terminal retail development.Zara, Ted Baker and Snow+Rock will be opening in the terminal's redeveloped departure lounge in early December.The new retail area is the final phase of an extensive £21 million transformation of airside shopping. The departure lounge has already seen 11 new or refreshed premium stores open since mid-July.Zara will open a 4,500sq ft outlet, its largest UK airport store to date.Ted Baker will...
• Surface repair work will close M3 slip roads overnight SURFACE repairs to the M3 junction six at Basingstoke will take place overnight next week.
• Safety signs for cyclists go up on 'dangerous' track NEW signs telling cyclists to get off their bikes on a hazardous footpath have gone up after a long campaign.
• St James depot sees last First busBus passengers have lamented the last ever use of the First depot in Northampton by public transport.

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• Bombardier Wins Signalling Contract for Kars to Baku LineCanadian railway giant Bombardier has won a $203 million contract to supply signalling and safety measures for the Kars to Baku line linking Europe to Asia by rail. It is part of a consortium with the Trans-Signal-Rabita Ltd, the Azerbaijani company charged with building the line across Azerbaijan. The railway giant has won the contract […]The post Bombardier Wins Signalling Contract for Kars to Baku Line appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Serco Signs Dubai Tram Operation ContractSerco Group plc (Serco), the international services company, today announces it has signed a contract with the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) to operate the Dubai Tram. The contract has a total value of £18 million and will see Serco operate the tram for five years, preceded by an initial 15 month period of […]The post Serco Signs Dubai Tram Operation Contract appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Aviation Industry

• London City unveils expansion plansAirport’s £200 million scheme will help to double passenger numbers
• O'Leary: Ryanair to stop taking the p***Airline reveals strategy to improve customer service
• Former MAG boss steps down from Airports CommissionMuirhead resigns from commission over “potential conflict of interest”
• Singapore Airlines and Tata to launch Indian carrierCompanies plan to operate full-service airline from New Delhi

Green Miscellany

• Hand-painted cycle helmetsThe jury might be out on the efficacy of cycle helmets, but most people seem to agree that they can be of some benefit to racers, mountain bikers and the very young. The challenge facing parents who choose for their children to wear head protection is how to make helmets seem appealing. An imaginative, if expensive, answer to the problem…

Other News Sources

• St Albans MP Anne Main calls for probe into behind-the-scenes rail freight meeting accusations St Albans MP Anne Main is calling for a probe into a fellow Conservative politician’s failure to declare a meeting with the developers behind controversial plans to build a rail freight terminal in Park Street.
• Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers: Radlett rail freight meeting with lobbyist 'was no conflict of interest' Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers has defended her decision not to declare a meeting with an influential lobbyist and former university friend.
• Enigmatic developer Chris Sawyer on remaking Transport Tycoon for mobile devices Chris Sawyer is one of gaming's greatest enigmas. In an industry that has taken to social media with great verve and fire, the creator of the classics Transport Tycoon and RollerCoaster Tycoon is a reclusive anachronism: no Twitter profile, no YouTube account.
• HS2 could terminate outside central LondonProject’s leader admits it may consider stopping line before it reaches Euston