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

Wednesday, 15 January 2014

BBC News

• New HS2 boss pledges to cut costsThe new chairman of HS2, Sir David Higgins, says he hopes to deliver the £50bn high-speed rail project more cheaply, as he starts the job.
• Further arrests after bus attackThree further arrests are made after a 66-year-old disabled pensioner was attacked on a bus in Stockport, Greater Manchester.
• Boeing probes 787 battery problemJapan Airlines finds potential battery fault on a Boeing 787, a reminder of last year's grounding of the entire fleet of Dreamliner aircraft.
• GM to pay first dividend since 2008US carmaker General Motors says it will resume dividend payments, capping a successful recovery since it was bailed out by the government in 2009.

Financial Times

• Capita regains congestion charge contractLondon contract win comes four years after the outsourcing company lost out to IBM following criticism of its initial performance
• Boeing hit by fresh 787 battery problemBoeing and Japan Airlines say smoke might have come from the battery, although neither company could confirm this, adding that the matter was under investigation
• Tesla shares rise despite charger fearsChief executive Elon Musk dismisses reports of ‘recalls’ due to overheating problems

The Guardian

• Tesla close to finishing nationwide network of 'supercharger stations'Drivers of Tesla electric cars can across the US for free Network to form chain from Connecticut to Los Angeles Tesla has 'more than 25,000' Model S vehicles on the road
• Parking fines in England: how much is your local council making?The Department for Transport is considering abolishing the minimum rates for parking penalty charges after criticism by the Commons transport committee that local councils use parking enforcement as a "cash cow". Using the latest parking fines data from the RAC Foundation, we've mapped the revenue generated from on and off street parking activities in 2012-13 for all English councils.
• Japan Airlines Boeing 787 grounded after battery leaks and lets off smokeThe incident raises new concerns a year after regulators grounded the global 787 fleet when two batteries overheatedJapan Airlines Co Ltd said it temporarily grounded one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners on Tuesday after white smoke was spotted outside the plane as cockpit warning lights indicated potential problems with the main battery and charger, and a battery cell appeared to be leaking.The incident raised new concerns about the 787's safety and reliability about one year after the global 787 fleet was grounded by regulators following the overheating of two batteries.Boeing said it was

The Herald

• Edinburgh to have 20 mph speed limitEDINBURGH is to become the first city in Scotland to impose a 20 mph speed limit across its streets.
• Cheer for drivers as fuel is cut 2p a litreThe price of supermarket fuel is to fall, providing drivers with some good mid-winter news.

The Telegraph

• China's 120mph railway arriving in LaosChina's mammoth engineering project to construct a railway from southwest China’s Yunnan Province all the way to Singapore is set to transform rural Laos
• Controlling cost of HS2 is vital, new chairman saysSir David Higgins, the new head of HS2, says that Britain needs an infrastructure fit for the 21st Century    

Mail Online

• Essex County Council lied to motorist about pothole, and now authority has been told to pay upFrank Cattrall, from Colchester, Essex, said the hole in the road ruined his Renault's suspension, but Essex County Council denied responsibility.

Network Rail

• Views sought as architects unveil first draft images of Peckham Rye’s multi-million pound redevelopmentThe next step towards a £25m revamp of the area around Peckham Rye railway station begins on Saturday, with the first chance for residents and rail users to see the latest design proposals at a public consultation event.

Birmingham Mail

• Fire service HQ in Birmingham under threat from HS2 planRail proposals include compulsory purchase of car park and rear yard at Nechells site

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• £29m Bradford to Leeds cycling super-highway moves step closer An ambitious new £29 million cycling ‘superhighway’ linking Bradford to Leeds moved a step closer yesterday.

London Evening Standard

• 14,000 fines are handed out in London cycle safety blitzMore than 14,000 motorists and cyclists in London got fixed penalty notices in a road safety campaign after a spate of cycling deaths.
• Tube ticket office protest planned A campaign to halt the closure of Tube ticket offices in London is to be stepped up, with a protest outside Parliament today, ahead of two 48-hour strikes.

Sheffield Star

• Extra morning buses to serve South Yorkshire commutersExtra buses are being introduced on a busy bus service in Barnsley.

The York Press

• Broken level crossing causing traffic chaos HAXBY level crossing has broken causing traffic problems and and delays to bus services using the route.
• Campaign launched over cuts to late-night bus service A CAMPAIGN has been launched against bus cuts which have left a village near York without a late-night service.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Coach firm stays on road with £4m fleetLittle over a year ago it looked as if an institution of the coach tour industry was to close for good – bringing an end to four decades of fond memories.

Yorkshire Post

• Existing rail links ‘must not suffer as HS2 built’PLANS for a new high speed rail link to Yorkshire should not be at the expense of investment in the existing intercity rail network, the Government has been told.

Blackpool Gazette

• Bus route revived but more could goTime is running out for residents to have their say on plans to cut funding for a dozen Fylde coast bus services.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Witham: Cyclist died on level crossing earmarked for closure, says reportA cyclist died at a level crossing earmarked for closure 10 years before, according to a rail accident report.

Other Regional Press

• Network Rail goes back to the drawing board on controversial summer line shutdownNetwork Rail has announced that it is reviewing plans to close the busy commuter line between Watford and Euston in a bid to slash the amount of time it is out of action.
• Arriva axes rival ’bus war’ serviceA not-for-profit bus company has accused Arriva of ’bullying’ them off a route between Dewsbury and Birstall’s junction 27 retail parks.
• Opinion: ’A bus station should be where you buy bus tickets,’ why First were wrong to cease ticket sales at Norwich bus stationI first raised this on FirstNorwich Twitter feed where I was told “it was not our choice”. However, this contradicts the information published by the council which states: “First Bus has decided not to offer their tickets for sale”. I ’m complaining for the following reasons:
• 'Boris Island' would close Southend AirportSOUTHEND Airport would probably have to close if a “Boris Island” airport goes ahead, a Government commission has warned.
• Gainsborough Central station dubbed 'worst' in country, but rail group won't give up A rail transport group says it will help efforts to update Gainsborough Central train station after it was dubbed the worst in the country by a seasoned commuter.
• Road shows to explain temporary arrangements during Bedford bus station demolitionROAD shows have been planned to explain temporary changes to Bedford bus station when the demolition of the building starts.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• National Express means business with executive level appointmentNational Express has appointed Martin Quail as Business Development Director in a move further strengthening its senior management team.

Global Rail News

• UK to establish high-speed rail engineering collegeThe new chairman of HS2, Sir David Higgins, has outlined plans to open a new college which will focus on developing the skills needed to deliver Britain’s high-speed rail network.[...]
• Brétigny-sur-Orge report recommendations to be adoptedFrench Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier has urged SNCF and RFF to implement the recommendations made in a preliminary report into the fatal Brétigny-sur-Orge rail crash. On January 10, the French[...]
• Alstom to renovate Milan suburban tramwayAlstom has won a €40 million contract to modernise a tram route linking Milan, Desio and Seregno. The contract, which was awarded by Italian contractor Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC),[...]
• Rio rail operator unveils first Metropolis trainsetRio de Janeiro train operator SuperVia has unveiled the first of 10 new trains being assembled in Brazil for the city’s suburban rail network. A total of 80 new Alstom[...]

Railnews

• New HS2 assessment promised for March The incoming chairman of the Government's High Speed rail developer HS2 Ltd has started work formally today, and one of his first acts has been to reveal plans for a new assessment of the scheme. David Higgins said a fresh analysis will be drawn up and delivered to the transport secretary in March. It has also been announced that 2,000 apprenticeships will be created at a new college to train HS2 engineers.

The Business Desk

• State of the Region: Concerns raised over transport infrastructureTRANSPORT infrastructure could hold back the Leeds City Region’s growth, business leaders have warned.
• General Appointments: National ExpressNational Express strengthens senior management team BIRMINGHAM-based public transport group National Express has appointed a new Business Development Director in a move to further strengthen its senior management team.

Aviation Industry

• To join Delta's elite, count dollars as well as milesFor the first time in decades, the loyalty of Delta Air Lines' elite frequent fliers isn't being measured by miles or flying alone.
• Parked JAL 787 has ‘main battery failure’; ‘white smoke’ reportedJapan Airlines (JAL) said a “main battery failure occurred” on one of its Boeing 787-8s parked at Tokyo Narita Airport on Tuesday. The airline reported that “white smoke” was seen in the incident, which resulted in no injuries. read more
• Sir David Higgins: Scrapping HS2 would be ‘disastrous’ for UK economyChairman pledges to deliver project "cheaper" and "get benefits to the north earlier"
• Ryanair adds routes from Athens and ThessalonikiAirline increases routes as part of $280 investment
• American Eagle to be rebranded as EnvoyRegional carrier will be given new name by parent American Airlines

Other News Sources

• 'Cock-up' as M25 speed cameras not switched on for five yearsThe Highways Agency aims to have speed cameras on the stretch of the motorway between the A3 junction and the M40 turned on by this summer
• Christmas storms put Southern Railway bottom of punctuality pileSouthern Railway and South West Trains both saw their punctuality figures nosedive, but the focus was on
• Cyclists hit back over "shaming" Facebook page A cyclist ‘shaming’ web page showing people riding on pavements has kick-started a lively debate about dangerous roads.