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

Monday, 07 October 2013

BBC News

• Unsafe pylon affects Harlech to Porthmadog train services Early morning and evening train services between Harlech and Porthmadog in Gwynedd are being suspended from Monday for repairs on an unsafe pylon.
• VIDEO: Low cost airlines card fees 'too high'Some low cost airlines are charging excessive fees to people paying for flights using credit or debit cards despite a change in the law six months ago, according to the consumer group Which?
• MP claims 3p for 100m car tripFormer defence secretary Liam Fox successfully claimed 3p of taxpayers' money for a car journey of about 100 metres, expenses documents show.
• Rail link may be in use 'by May'A direct rail link from London to Shrewsbury could be introduced within seven months, a rail insider says.

Financial Times

• Transport: Freed from the wheelYoung professionals are flocking to the cities and driving less, forcing the motor industry to rethink the role of the car in American life
• City of London to kick out the carsClosing two of roads that run past Bank of England – most likely Poultry and Threadneedle Street or Cornhill – would help accommodate rising pedestrians

The Independent

• Virgin Trains set for £3.5m refurbishment – to remove smell from corridors Richard Branson’s rail franchise set to work with the Government to finally deal with problem of unexplained spreading toilet odour

The Scotsman

• Virgin to spend £3.5m to stop ’Pendolino pong’ Virgin trains are to spend £3.5m to tackle the smell from their toilets which has been nicknamed the ’Pendolino pong’.

The Telegraph

• Tax relief is just the ticket to placate hard-hit commutersWorkers who use public transport daily deserve protection from unavoidable fare rises, argues Boris Johnson    
• Give commuters a tax break, Boris Johnson saysRail and bus commuters should be given a tax break to cut the cost of their season tickets by hundreds of pounds a year, Boris Johnson has said.    

Birmingham Mail

• West Midlands tram vision hits the buffers Three decades after grand plan to link region with huge tram network, just a few miles of track are operating in the region

Derby Telegraph

• First Class revamp gives train firm and passengers food for thoughtSTAFF at East Midlands Trains were this morning handing out hundreds of free breakfast rolls to Derby passengers to mark the launch of its revamped First Class services.

Manchester Evening News

• Virgin's Little Red is a big success at airportMore than 250,000 passengers have flown Virgin Atlantic’s Manchester-London service in the first six months since its launch.
• Chinese link in Airport City deal A deal to see China’s biggest bank invest in the £650m Airport City scheme is understood to have edged closer to completion.
• Tributes to Sir Gilbert Thompson, the boss who made Manchester Airport take off The man who guided Manchester Airport to world-class status and helped lead its transition into council ownership has died.

Wales Online

• Fears over cost of free bus travel "Perhaps pensioners would prefer to keep the library open and pay a 10p bus fare, than have free bus rides and the library closed," says one transport figure

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds street light switch-off will begin this weekFrom this week some street lights in Leeds will begin to be switched off in the night in a bid to reduce energy costs and carbon emissions.
• Plans for £100m Leeds ring road move a step forwardplans for a major new ring road which is considered “critical” to a hoped-for housing bonanza in East Leeds are expected to move a step forward next week.

Yorkshire Post

• Fault that killed 228 still hits BA passenger jetsGrieving relatives are calling for swift action after it emerged three British Airways flights have suffered the same fault that led to a crash claiming 228 lives.

London24

• London cabs to make their way Down UnderThe famous London cab is to make an appearance in Australia, but not in the traditional black.

Other Regional Press

• £1.5m to help cut traffic congestion MOTORISTS can breathe a sigh of relief after council bosses won a £1.5m grant to install congestion-cutting measures along one of Reading’s busiest routes.
• Langdon Hills residents demand their bus service back MORE than 400 residents have signed a petition demanding a crucial bus service is reinstated.
• Book records railway lifeFrom steam to diesel, a

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• Mecca Builds “Eco Friendly” Airport with Rail LinksIn a SR4.5 billion expansion project, the new Prince Mohammed International Airport in Mecca is to build a metro station and bus station. This will make the airport Saudi Arabia’s first “eco friendly” airport. The rail links will get pilgrims to Medina via the railway station in Mecca and the Haramain railway, reducing congestion during […]The post Mecca Builds “Eco Friendly” Airport with Rail Links appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• High Hopes for Iran Railby the MENA Rail News Correspondent in Iran A new director for Iranian Railways (RAI) and high hopes for development of the industry and rail transport market in Iran. The new managing director for Iranian Railway Company (RAI) has been appointed last week, almost three months after the new government of Dr.Hasan Rouhani was elected […]The post High Hopes for Iran Rail appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Mistake #2: Lack of innovation and creativityMany bidders are too pre-occupied with being the lowest price technically acceptable compliant bid. You may be thinking what’s wrong with that? Isn’t that the best position to be in? Many customers go to great lengths to instruct bidders to submit bids which are compliant with their requirements and they state that you may be […]The post Mistake #2: Lack of innovation and creativity appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• GCC gears up for regional rail network as domestic routes forge ahead$18 billion rail scheme closer than ever to getting on track Dubai, United Arab Emirates; 25 September 2013 – The recently awarded multi-billion dollar contracts for two of the Gulf’s biggest rail schemes signals a turn of fortune for the planned GCC rail network that hopes to address mounting urban mobility issues confronting the region. […]The post GCC gears up for regional rail network as domestic routes forge ahead appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Other News Sources

• East Midlands Trains plans national customer service week National Customer Service Week will take place between 7 to 13 October and East Midlands Trains has revealed a host of exciting plans that will take place throughout the week at stations and on trains.
• East Midlands Trains plans national customer service week National Customer Service Week will take place between 7 to 13 October and East Midlands Trains has revealed a host of exciting plans that will take place throughout the week at stations and on trains.
• East Midlands Trains plans national customer service week National Customer Service Week will take place between 7 to 13 October and East Midlands Trains has revealed a host of exciting plans that will take place throughout the week at stations and on trains.
• Network Rail Awards telent Four Year National SCADA Contract telent has been awarded a contract by Network Rail to design, supply and install a new SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system, which will control traction power and distribution across the national network.
• Rail Freight and Handling Developments at Europe's Latest Container Deep Water Shipping PortUK – The pace is picking up as London Gateway, Europe’s latest deep water port, prepares to receive its first official cargoes. So far this month there have been several significant developments with the arrival of more of the giant cranes required to handle the anticipated flow of shipping containers and the naming of a locomotive to celebrate the partnership between port developers DP World and rail freight operator DB Schenker.