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

Saturday, 02 November 2013

BBC News

• ScotRail franchise shortlist namedFive rail companies are shortlisted by the Scottish government to bid for the ScotRail franchise, which is due for renewal in 2015.
• Railway consultation results delayedThe results of a public consultation over the future of the Waterside railway station in Londonderry will not be made public until at least February, ten months after the consultation closed.
• AUDIO: Scotland will 'benefit' from HS2The Transport Minister has announced a study into how Scotland can benefit from HS2.
• Nissan cuts annual profit forecastJapanese car-maker Nissan cuts its earnings forecasts, saying it is feeling the pinch of tougher market conditions and recent recalls.
• Plan to cut used car complaintsThe government is expected to announce the creation of a commission to look at the reasons behind high levels of complaints surrounding used car sales.

The Herald

• HS2 north of Border is not a priority for UK minister A UK transport minister has described taking HS2 to Scotland as "not top of my to-do list" just hours before his department unveils a study into a possible extension north of the Border.
• Public are urged to voice opinions on plans for £3bn upgrade of A9THE public have been urged to have their say on the design of Scotland's most expensive ever road project .
• Travellers delayed by faultTRAVELLERS faced disruption after a railway operator halted services when a live overhead cable threatened to break loose.
• Largest councils criticise Government's climate change planSCOTLAND's two largest councils have criticised the Government over its plan of action to tackle climate change, in another blow to Holyrood's green policy.

The Scotsman

• HS2: United front on rocks as ministers squabbleSCOTTISH Secretary Alistair Carmichael yesterday accused SNP transport minister Keith Brown of “pitiful” behaviour after he questioned the UK government’s commitment to extending HS2 to Scotland.

Mail Online

• London to Edinburgh in just THREE hours: Now HS2 could be extended to Scotland to slash journey timesThe UK Government has ordered HS2 Ltd to look at ways to cut journey times between northern England and Scotland for both passengers and freight.

Network Rail

• New footbridge opened in North SheenA new footbridge which provides a safe route across the railway near North Sheen station has been opened by Zac Goldsmith MP and Richmond upon Thames council leader, Lord True.

Birmingham Mail

• Bus bursts into flames in Acocks Green The out-of-service No 11 caught fire as it was travelling along Fox Hollies Road in Acocks Green

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Airline axes five routes after a business reviewArticle

London Evening Standard

• Not fare! Taxi app in £10 minimum chargeBritish Vogue editor Alexandra Shulman today attacked the decision by online taxi-booking service Hailo to increase its minimum fare to £10.
• Justine Greening: Expand Heathrow and we risk a plane crash in LondonCabinet minister Justine Greening today warned that expanding Heathrow would increase the risk of a plane crashing on London, stressing that “we cannot beat the odds forever”.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• HS2 is right for future of country Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin insistsTransport secretary Patrick McLoughlin told MPs in the House of Commons that he had no doubt HS2 was right for the future of the UK before a Bill authorising funding in preparation for the £50 billion scheme was cleared.

Yorkshire Post

• Rail forum provides platform to keep UK train-building industry on trackA forum to strengthen Britain’s train-building industry has been announced by Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin and Business Secretary Vince Cable during a visit to County Durham.

Blackpool Gazette

• Rail plan ‘will not hit bid for capital rail link’Plans to reduce severe rail disruption on the West Coast Main Line will not hit Virgin’s hopes of running a service from Blackpool to London by 2016, the train firm said today.

Bucks Free Press

• Residents slam transport chief over bus link plan RESIDENTS have slammed a transport chief’s decision to select a narrow residential road as the preferred route for a bus lane to the ‘Handy Cross Hub’.
• HS2 funding approved with no supporting votes from south Bucks' MPs FUNDING was approved to prepare for HS2 by an overwhelming majority of MPs yesterday, as two Bucks MPs opposed the bill and two others missed the ministerial vote.
• HS2 funding approved with no supporting votes from south Bucks' MPs FUNDING was approved to prepare for HS2 by an overwhelming majority of MPs yesterday, as two Bucks MPs opposed the bill and two others missed the ministerial vote.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Elmswell: Engineers discover more than 70m of damaged cable at railwayMore than 70 metres of cable had been cut from the railway near Elmswell station.

Other Regional Press

• Durham Tees Valley Airport should go for Government cash a third time, claims Sedgefield MPDurham Tees Valley Airport bosses should try to secure Government regeneration cash a third time, Sedgefield MP Phil Wilson has claimed
• Public bus service bid failure ˜missed opportunityA DOOMED bid to form a publicly-owned bus service to drive down fares in Aberdeen was today described as a missed opportunity.
• Call for MSPs to support speed cut bid for A90COMMUNITY leaders are today calling on MSPs to support their bid for a reduced speed limit on a major commuter route into Aberdeen.
• Clock glitch at Bedford Train Station car park run by FCC costs commuters doublePUTTING the clocks back can be a challenge for many of us to remember but you wouldn’t think it would cost you £4.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• DfT announces new rail forum The Department of Transport (DfT) has launched a Rail Industry Supply Chain forum to help improve the industry.

Global Rail News

• Adler station opens ready for Sochi 2014A new seven-storey railway station that will be used by spectators and athletes attending the Sochi Winter Olympics has been officially opened by Vladimir Putin. The new station in Sochi’s[...]
• Countdown to 321 demonstrator entering passenger serviceEversholt Rail unveiled its class 321 demonstrator to the press at Wabtec’s Doncaster plant on October 30. The train leasing company has installed 2 different passenger interiors, metro or suburban[...]
• Letter of intent signed for France-Switzerland cross-border serviceThe heads of SNCF and SBB have signed a letter of intent which will ’set the foundation’ for the operation of new cross-border services between France and Switzerland in 2017.[...]
• Study to boost HS2 benefits in ScotlandThe UK government has begun a new study which will look to increase the benefits of HS2 in Scotland and the north of England. The announcement follows yesterday’s (October 31)[...]
• Contractor chosen to build Hitachi IEP factoryHitachi has appointed Shepherd to construct its new rolling stock manufacturing site in Newton Aycliffe. The UK’s Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, and Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills,[...]

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch welcomes rail regulator’s plans for Britain’s railways over the next five yearsLondon TravelWatch welcomes the publication of the Office of Rail Regulation’s (ORR’s) final determination published yesterday and its commitment to put passengers at the heart of Britain’s railways.

Aviation Industry

• Mitsubishi confident on revised MRJ schedule Mitsubishi Aircraft Corp. claims to have fixed the problems that led to the most recent Mitsubishi Regional Jet (MRJ) program delay and is confident it can stick to the new schedule. read more
• Bmi Regional to cut five routesAirline to close crew bases at Birmingham, Edinburgh and Manchester

Green Miscellany

• Plastic Penny Farthing for 2013The Penny Farthing is over 140 years old, but the enduring fascination with the high wheeler bicycle has led to it being re-built using cutting-edge, contemporary materials. The development of the original Penny Farthing, or ‘ordinary’ bicycle, prompted innovations such as ball bearings, rubber tyres and hollow-section steel frames; features that remain in use today. The contemporary version by BASF…
• GPS cannon for police cars…and bicycles?Criminals trying to evade police face a new piece of high-tech law enforcement technology that is almost impossible to escape from – patrol cars in America can now fire self-adhesive GPS ‘tags’ at a vehicle they want to stop. The StarChase system is designed to reduce the danger posed to the public by high-speed police chases. A compressed-air, twin-barrelled cannon,…