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

Thursday, 17 October 2013

BBC News

• Portsmouth 'luxury' bus fleet unveiled for routes 7 and 8 Twenty-six new "luxury" buses have been unveiled in Portsmouth, each named after naval ships based in the city.
• Highwood Road closure council vote More than 500 people who are upset about plans to ban cars from a road in north Bristol have attended a council meeting voting on a permanent closure.
• A14 toll road: MPs tell Westminster plans are "unfair" Plans for a toll road on part of the A14 are "arbitrary and unfair" and threaten to damage the East region's economic growth, MPs have said.
• Worcestershire County Council could cut lights and buses Street lighting could be reduced, bus funding slashed and family services changed in cuts proposed by Worcestershire County Council.
• Ryanair responds to air tax moveRyanair says it aims to increase its traffic at Irish airports by one million passengers a year after the Irish government scrapped an air tax.

Financial Times

• EU revives foreign airlines climate planSome developing countries regard the EU’s inclusion of foreign carriers in its emissions trading scheme as an unacceptable breach of state sovereignty

The Herald

• Staff shortage delays flightsA shortage of air traffic controllers at Stornoway is causing flight delays and cancellations.
• All-in-one fold-up guide shows how to navigate around the cityAN ALL-IN-ONE map of Glasgow showing how to commute around the city by bus, train, subway, bike or on foot has gone on sale.
• Row over number of bikes to be carried on new lineTHE controversial Borders ­Railway has run into a new row, this time over the number of bikes it will carry.

The Scotsman

• Michael Kelly: No place for Prestwick in flightplanThe failing Ayrshire airport serves no purpose other than to divert resources from a more apt, central hub solution, writes Michael Kelly

Greater London Authority

• Ticket office closures and 25% cut to TfL budget discussed at City Hall How will Transport for London (TfL) cope with a major cut to its revenue grant? To what extent will TfL need to cut staff costs and how can it maintain good levels of service and safety for passengers? Are reports that TfL is considering closing 268 Underground ticket offices[1] and removing most station supervisors[2] accurate? -

Mail Online

• Hidden cost of colourful cars: Motorists being forced to pay extra if they want vehicles in shades manufacturers don't consider the normAn Auto Express investigation found that even standard flat colours can cost hundreds of pounds extra, and that most brands only offer one free colour.

Birmingham Post

• First tram in new £40 million Midland Metro fleet unveiled New trams will go into service on the existing Metro route between Birmingham and Wolverhampton next year after undergoing several months of testing

Bolton News

• Task force to be formed to make case for improving Bolton's rail services A TASK force will be set up by Bolton Council to compile a report outlining why the town should have better rail services.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Train blaze 'emergency' is training exercise Rumours of a rail disaster in Haworth tonight have been quashed - firefighters were just training.

London Evening Standard

• Delays at London airports due to fog and power cutEarly-morning fog and a lunch-time power cut at one of the UK's busiest airports has caused travel chaos for thousands of air travellers.
• Brightcycles: how to glow as you goRevolights wheel lights
• British Airways cargo workers held as police smash 'multi-million pound cocaine ring' at HeathrowScotland Yard today smashed a suspected multi-million pound cocaine smuggling racket based at Heathrow airport.
• 'Hundreds of Tube ticket offices to shut' as machines replace staffHundreds of Tube ticket offices will be scrapped next year as Mayor Boris Johnson seeks to cut thousands of London Underground jobs, it was claimed today.

Sheffield Star

• Air quality boost as buses switch to cleaner fuelsBuses in Sheffield are switching from diesel to cleaner engine fuels as part of a £1 million scheme to improve air quality.

The York Press

• York transport bosses powerless if foreign-registered cars breach new traffic rules DRIVERS of vehicles registered overseas can breach York’s controversial new traffic rules without punishment, it has emerged.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster public urged to air cycling viewsDoncaster Council is asking residents for their views on a new proposed cycle strategy for the borough.     

London24

• 71 per cent would be ’concerned’ if Tube ticket offices closed Almost three in every four Tube users would be concerned if ticket offices at stations were axed, according to a new union-commissioned poll.

Peterborough Telegraph

• End in sight for £43m Peterborough railway station revampThousands of commuters at Peterborough railway station are to get a Christmas gift from Network Rail - but there will be station closures over the festive period.

Plymouth Herald

• Boris Johnson's plan could reopen Plymouth City Airport BUSINESSES have been told a new airport east of London would give Plymouth its best chance of connecting to emerging global markets – and even rescue the city's closed airstrip.

Other Regional Press

• First launches new naval-themed Star buses in PortsmouthLuxury buses named after Portsmouth-based warships have been unveiled in the city for the first time.
• English Heritage team set to visit PrestonEnglish Heritage is sending a team of experts to Preston this week to assess the city’s iconic buildings - including its newly listed bus station.
• Barry Sheerman criticised over HS2 rail scheme in CommonsDeputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said Labour was betraying the north by hesitating over its support for the scheme
• Traffic Commissioner revokes M O’Donnell & Sons' HGV licenceA heavy goods vehicle licence held by a Milnsbridge business has been revoked after a hearing found it had been abused for a number of years

Global Rail News

• New Birmingham tram unveiledCentro today held an unveiling ceremony at a depot in Wednesbury to show off the first of Birmingham’s new fleet of CAF trams. Birmingham is investing £40 million on 20[...]
• Singapore publishes new rail masterplanSeventy-five per cent of trips around Singapore will be made on public transport by 2030, according to the Land Transport Authority. The target was outlined in the Singapore Land Transport[...]
• Tenders launched for $1.6bn light rail system in SydneySydney has begun its search for the consortium that will design and build a new 12-kilometre light rail network for the city. The New South Wales (NSW) Government has announced[...]
• RailStaff Award winners: Part IIFollowing the RailStaff Awards event on October 5, Global Rail News is taking a look at each of this year’s worthy winners. Lifesaver wins Train Driver of the Year A[...]

Middle East North Africa (MENA) Rail News

• Dubai to Seek Private Funding for Extension to MetroDubai is seeking to appoint consultants to advise on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) to build extensions to the Red and Green lines of its metro system. The metro system was going to be built with public money until the city’s economy collapsed four years ago. The city couldn’t pay for the metro system that […]The post Dubai to Seek Private Funding for Extension to Metro appeared first on MENA Rail News.
• Oman to Use Continuous Welded Rail on its NetworkOmani authorities have chosen to use a Continuous Welded Rail (CWR) system on their rail network. This will mean that high speed and heavy freight can use the network. With CWR, rail lengths are joined together as one track – 18 metre sections are joined as one, so sections could be hundreds of kilometres long […]The post Oman to Use Continuous Welded Rail on its Network appeared first on MENA Rail News.

Aviation Industry

• Europe moves to extend aviation emissions taxIn a surprise move that could undermine the work achieved on aviation emissions by the ICAO Assembly earlier this month, the European Commission (EC) is proposing to extend its tax on aviation emissions to the portion of international flights that occurs within European Union (EU) airspace. read more
• Easyjet systems failure was ‘not caused by hackers’Airline’s flights suffer delays due to massive IT failure across Europe
• Gatwick terminal hit by power cutDisruption caused by electricity failure at airport’s South Terminal

Other News Sources

• Fog and flooding lead to disrupted flights and power outages at Gatwick Air passengers were facing delays and cancellations today due to early-morning fog and power outages.