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

Friday, 18 October 2013

BBC News

• New survey on trouble-hit Stromeferry bypass Highland Council is running a survey of businesses and organisations affected by closures of the A890 Stromeferry bypass in Wester Ross.
• Beijing to restrict private car use to tackle pollution China's capital, Beijing, has announced measures to combat worsening air pollution, state-run media report.
• Five coastguard stations to close in next two years Five coastguard stations will close in the next two years, transport minister Stephen Hammond has told the Commons.
• PM wrong over airport, says BorisDavid Cameron and George Osborne are "kidding themselves" if they think Britain can stay competitive without a new multi-runway airport, Boris Johnson has said.
• Bid for fuel discount in rural townsA fuel discount that applies to the Scottish islands and the Isles of Scilly could be extended to remote and rural parts of the UK mainland.

Financial Times

• Norwegian to launch UK-US routesBjorn Kjos, chief executive, says as well as flying between London and the US, he aims to run extensive flights between Asia and Europe

The Herald

• Seven Scots rural areas are targeted for cut-price fuel schemeMOTORISTS in seven mainland areas of Scotland are among those who will be guaranteed lower petrol and diesel prices if the Coalition Government is given the go-ahead for a rural fuel rebate scheme.
• Petition aims to stop rail line being privatisedCAMPAIGNERS and rail union chiefs are petitioning to keep a key rail line in public hands.

Network Rail

• Pact to Drive Bristol Temple Meads Redevelopment SignedNetwork Rail, Bristol City Council, West of England Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and English Heritage have come together to sign a 25-year memorandum of understanding to drive the redevelopment of Bristol Temple Meads station today.
• Local councillors join Network Rail for level crossing awareness eventLocal ward councillors, Councillor Christopher Poulter and Councillor Evonne Williams assisted Network Rail staff in a level crossing awareness event held yesterday at Spondon level crossing in Derby.
• Passengers in Kent and south east London advised of London Bridge service changesPassengers who travel into and through London Bridge station from south east London and Kent are being advised of changes to services from January 2015.

Liverpool Echo

• First glimpse of long-awaited Thornton Link Road as preparation work begins Sefton Council leader Peter Dowd drops by site

London Evening Standard

• Boris island airport scheme is 'sinking', says Gatwick bossThe boss of Gatwick today intensified the battle with its rivals to build a new runway in the South East- and claimed that Boris Johnson’s Thames estuary airport was “sinking without trace.”
• Rail line re-privatisation opposedCampaigners and rail union chiefs are handing over a petition in an effort to keep a key rail line in public hands. The petition, to stop the East Coast line being re-privatised, is being handed today to shadow rail minister Lilian Greenwood and Green Party MP Caroline Lucas

Manchester Evening News

• HS2 vital for future rail travel says Sir Howard Bernstein The region's railway infrastructure will come to a “grinding halt” if investment is not made in high speed rail.

Northern Echo

• Fuel price cut plan for Yorkshire Dales town THE price of fuel in a Yorkshire Dales town could fall sharply after it was selected to take part in an extension of the rural fuel rebate scheme – although other remote areas of the region are set to miss out.

Sheffield Star

• Rail firm’s ’significant’ support for good cause Sheffield to London rail operator East Midlands Trains and its parent company Stagecoach has raised £85,000 for a charity which helps children on the streets in the UK, India and Africa.
• Thousands back campaign to keep Doncaster rail link in public handsCampaigners fighting to keep the East Coast railway line, which serves Doncaster, in public ownership are travelling to London today to hand over a petition.
• Fresh plans to cut Sheffield railway station congestionTraffic jams affecting drivers and taxis dropping off and picking up passengers at Sheffield’s railway station are to be tackled.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Time we knew how long HS2 trips will take, says MP Tom WatsonJourney times between London and the West Midlands after the controversial £42.6 billion high speed rail line is built are still unknown, despite MPs being asked to back it, it has been revealed.

Yorkshire Post

• Mayor lambasts Chancellor over Heathrow George Osborne could be in favour of a new UK multi-runway hub airport and does not share the lack of ambition to compete with China evident elsewhere in the Cabinet and Treasury, Boris Johnson has said.
• Keep East Coast trains public say campaigners Campaigners and rail union chiefs are handing over a petition in an effort to keep a key railway line in public hands.

Daventry Express

• Police use new phone app to check car number platesDRIVERS with no insurance or tax, or driving with false number plates, now have no place to hide from Northamptonshire Police.

Doncaster Free Press

• Thousands back campaign to keep Doncaster rail link in public handsCampaigners fighting to keep the East Coast railway line, which serves Doncaster, in public ownership are travelling to London today to hand over a petition.    

Other Regional Press

• Minister works to plug gaps in bus service WORK is continuing to enable local companies to step in following Arriva’s shock bus service withdrawal.
• Free parking sends a powerful message that Bedford is open for businessWhile the crisis facing Britain’s high streets continues in the face of the rise of out-of-town and internet shopping, Bedford has been quietly bucking the trend.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Restrict longer lorries in urban areas say transport experts Longer HGVs, currently being trialled on UK roads, should be restricted to local authority designated routes on road safety grounds, say transport experts.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• IATA CALLING FOR AIR CARGO COOPERATION The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is calling on air cargo companies to work together to better the industry.
• WORLDS LARGEST CARGO SHIP DOCKS AT FELIXSTOWE Port of Felixstowe became the first port in the UK to handle the world's largest container vessel this week.
• AUTOLINK 2013 TO OFFER GREEN OPPORTUNITIES FOR TRANSPORT Autolink 2013 will have a focus on electrical storage and software when it takes place on November 14th.
• BORIS JOHNSON PUSHES THAMES ISLAND AIRPORT Boris Johnson has spoken in favour of his plan for a Thames Island airport during a trip to Hong Kong.

Global Rail News

• French rail reform bill announcedLegislation to put SNCF back in charge of France’s rail infrastructure has been unveiled by Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier. The reformed structure would see infrastructure manager RFF abolished and replaced[...]
• Vectron set to haul Swedish passenger servicesHamburg-based issuing house Paribus Capital has ordered two new Vectron locomotives to add to its portfolio of rental rail vehicles. Having received its unlimited homologation for Sweden in May, the[...]
• Ceará awards Fortaleza East Line contractThe State of Ceará in northern Brazil has appointed Acciona and Cetenco Engenharia to construct a new subway line in the World Cup host city of Fortaleza. Announcing the R$2.3bn (US$1bn,[...]
• Work begins on Central Subway extensionContractors have begun preparatory work on an extension to San Francisco’s Muni Metro system. Around $1.6 billion is being spent on the Central Subway Project, which will extend the T[...]

Aviation Industry

• American Airlines posts $289 million 3Q net profit as costs continue to drop American Airlines parent AMR Corp. earned net income of $289 million in the third quarter, reversing a $238 million net loss in the prior-year period, on a 6.2% year-over-year increase in revenue to $6.83 billion. read more

Other News Sources

• How Arriva manages supply chain finance David Loseby, Arriva’s director of procurement for Mainland Europe, will provide an exclusive look at how the company approaches supply chain finance on 3rd December when he speaks at the Supply Chain Finance Summit.
• Council wants permanent Piccadilly Line stop to mark its fiftieth Hounslow Council has asked Transport for London for a special birthday present on the Piccadilly Line. Next year will mark 50 years since the London Borough of Hounslow came into existence.
• Mail-drop to spread Heathrow closure threat message to 500,000 homesCampaign group BackHeathrow sending survey to 500,000 asking residents what they think of the threat of Heathrow Airport being closed