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

Friday, 28 February 2014

BBC News

• Adonis on the busesLabour's shadow minister for infrastructure has been out and about on the London bus service. What did he learn?
• Midlands rail managers on strikeSupervisors at one of the Midlands' key railway companies go on strike in a row over shorter hours.
• VIDEO: Car buyer snubs electric vehiclesCar manufacturers are producing more electric cars but the car buyer is still not sold on them.
• BAE to cut 75 jobs at PrestwickDefence contractor BAE Systems is to cut 75 jobs from its Regional Aircraft business at Prestwick Airport.

Financial Times

• Bombardier charges into electric busesCanadian manufacturer aims to break into the bus market by securing its first order for a wireless system it has developed to charge electric vehicles
• Qantas to axe 5,000 jobs amid A$252m lossAustralian carrier appeals to Canberra to guarantee its debts, as it initiates most radical restructuring since privatisation almost two decades ago
• Asia budget airlines: no flying profitsTony Fernandes, AirAsia boss, has gleefully retweeted reports of Qantas’s first-half loss. However, the gloating may be a little premature
• National Express beats cash flow targetNational Express hails performance of UK coach business and hopes to expand rail business and develop its operations abroad
• Maersk chief predicts ‘year of hard work’Conglomerate’s chief executive warns that pressure on freight rates will stifle container earnings while oil unit faces high drilling start-up costs
• Johnson approves driverless Tube trainsLondon ‘s mayor, Boris Johnson, has already approved introduction of driverless trains on the Piccadilly Line in a move that has incensed unions

The Guardian

• London Tube ticket offices: some numbers crunchedAs unions and management negotiate over a new "customer service model" for the Tube, the statistics involved can be read more than one way
• HS2 tunnel could save ancient woodland, campaigners sayA short extension could save up to one-third of the ancient woodland threatened by the high-speed rail project
• Britain's busiest railway stations becoming more crowdedNumber of people using stations across UK rose by 3.3%, figures from Office of Rail Regulation show

The Herald

• Britain's train stations getting more crowdedBRITAIN'S busiest railway stations are becoming ever more crowded, according to official figures.
• Experts back a light rail link to Glasgow AirportAN EXPERT report has re-ignited the debate over the decision to axe a city's airport rail link after it recommended using tram cars able to run on both light and heavy rail lines.
• My plea over railway litter Each year, Network Rail removes more than 1200 tonnes of litter from the operational railway in Scotland and this is a task which could be largely avoided if people took their rubbish to a bin.

The Scotsman

• MoD open to Leuchars becoming passenger airportSCOTLAND could be set for a new airport after military chiefs opened the door for one of their bases to be shared with commercial airlines.
• Trams considered for Glasgow airport rail linkTRAMS which can run on rail lines are to be considered by ministers for a new link between Glasgow Airport and the city centre – five years after they axed a planned rail line to the terminal.

The Telegraph

• Road races to return to BritainMotor racing could return on British roads as councils to be given power to suspend local traffic laws    
• Parking boss: we don't bully driversParking chiefs defend use of cameras to issue parking fines as ministers soften stance on CCTV ban    

Times Online

• Timely service a big selling point for National Express [Subscription]National Express is using the punctuality of Britain’s most reliable rail service in its pitch for the multibillion contract for Crossrail, the new London commuter network.

Network Rail

• Trespassers and vandals warned of risk to lives following recent incidents in the West MidlandsTrespassers and vandals who access and damage the railway are putting their lives at risk and causing delays and disruption to passengers, Network Rail has warned.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham bus lanes: New warning signs to be displayed - but no fines refundedCity council transport chief says clearer warning signs will go up before the weekend.

London Evening Standard

• Record rise in commuters using boats to cross the ThamesBoat journeys on The Thames in central London rose to a record 8.5 million last year thanks in part to tourists taking advantage of a fine summer.
• London cyclists are being scared off the roads as safety concerns increaseThe majority of cyclists in London are increasingly worried about safety and some are cutting down on journeys as a result, new figures revealed today.

Sheffield Star

• Flood-affected MPs in warning over new high-speed railway to SheffieldCross-party backing for a new high-speed railway serving Sheffield has been thrown into doubt due to flooding in Devon.
• South Yorkshire railway stations win awardEight South Yorkshire rail stations have been awarded by a national scheme for measures taken to provide a safe environment for both passengers and staff.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: Calls to slash council’s ‘gas guzzler’ petrol expenses and pump cash into cyclingCYCLING campaigners are at loggerheads with Leeds politicians after a proposal to scrap gas-guzzling mileage rates for council staff – and invest the savings into safer cycling routes across the city – was jettisoned during a key vote.

Yorkshire Post

• 26m passengers - Leeds Station gets even more crowdedLEEDS railway station is one of the busiest in Britain and is becoming ever more crowded, according to official figures.
• HS2 jobs plan at new station is unveiledBIRMINGHAM has unveiled a masterplan to create up to 14,000 jobs on land surrounding a new station serving the proposed HS2 rail line.

Bucks Free Press

• Call for HS2 funds to be spent helping flood victims COUNCILLORS last night agreed a formal motion calling for the government to spend money set aside for HS2 on helping flood victims in the West Country.
• Prime Minister called to step in over HS2 Chilterns row CONSERVATION groups will be delivering a letter to the Prime Minister today calling for an HS2 tunnel to be extended - saying it will save more than ten hectares of ancient woodland.

Doncaster Free Press

• Railway campaigners to hold day of actionProtesters from the Keep East Coast Public campaign are due to hold a day of action at Doncaster Railway Station today.     

East Anglian Daily Times

• Suffolk: Calls for investment boost as rail use continues to riseThe number of people using Ipswich station has doubled since privatisation in 1997 according to new figures.
• Essex: Rail passenger numbers fall across north of the countyThe number of passengers using rail stations in north Essex fell last year, according to new figures from the government’s official regulator.
• Stansted: Airport group MAG celebrates first anniversary of £1.5bn acquisitionManchester Airports Group (MAG) is today celebrating the first anniversary of its £1.5billion acquisition of Stansted Airport.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Model rail display shows future of trains in PeterboroughHundreds of commuters were given a glimpse of the future of rail travel in Peterborough.

Other Regional Press

• Portsmouth-based Ferryspeed announce appointmentAPPOINTING a new team member, Ferryspeed is continuing to develop its Channel Island logistics service.
• Public has their say on Durham Tees Valley Airport master planHUNDREDS of people have given their ideas on how a new Durham Tees Valley Airport should look.
• Wi-Fi upgrade on East Coast trainsTrain operator East Coast has begun a £2.2m upgrade of its on-train Wi-Fi to deliver a faster and more reliable ’click and go’ connection. The first two trains to be upgraded are now in service, with the rest done by this summer.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Campaigners respond to new station usage statisticsCampaign for Better Transport has responded to the release of new statistics from the Office of the Rail Regulator showing increasing passenger numbers at railway stations across Britain
• Campaigners respond to new station usage statisticsCampaign for Better Transport has responded to the release of new statistics from the Office of the Rail Regulator showing increasing passenger numbers at railway stations across Britain

Global Rail News

• 82m more people using UK railway stationsThe number of people using Britain’s railway stations rose by more than 82 million between 2012-13 – a 3.3 per cent increase on the previous year. Figures released by the[...]
• UK government sets up new rail bodyTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced plans to establish a new ’Rail Executive’ body to oversee industry matters within the Department for Transport (DfT). Although the Rail Executive has been[...]
• Birmingham’s HS2 station revealedBirmingham’s HS2 masterplan, which includes the revival of the original Curzon Street station entrance, has been unveiled by the city council. The plans were accompanied by a spectacular image of[...]
• Blue Line reconstruction to begin in ChicagoChicago’s subway operator (CTA) is to begin the next phase of $4 billion improvement programme. CTA is to start work on a $492 million reconstruction of the Blue Line O’Hare[...]
• 82,000 tickets sold on Paris-Barcelona TGVMore than 82,000 tickets have been sold on high-speed TGVs between Barcelona and Paris since the launch of the service in December. French Transport Minister Frédéric Cuvillier and Spain’s Minister[...]
• Wellington sells 30-year-old rail cars to South AfricaA company in South Africa has purchased a fleet of 30-year-old rail cars from the New Zealand capital of Wellington. The city has begun shipping the first of 34 electrical-multiple[...]
• Ukraine withdraws Hyundai Rotem trainsA design fault has been identified as the cause of cracks found in the frame of one of Ukrainian Railways HRCS2 trains. On February 12, Ukrainian Railways withdrew 10 trains[...]

Railnews

• Birmingham unveils major HS2 development scheme Birmingham city council has unveiled a major development around the proposed HS2 station near Curzon Street which it says could create up to 14,000 jobs. Regeneration of the 141-hectare site in Birmingham city centre would include around 2,000 new homes and more than 360,000 sq metres of office space. The council has estimated that the development could boost the local economy by £1.3 billion annually.

Aviation Industry

• American Airlines ends bereavement faresThe bereavement fare was once the airline industry's gift to the traveler, an acknowledgement that a customer was flying for the saddest of reasons: a medical emergency or death in the family.
• Ryanair Will Fly to US for $14, CEO SaysRyanair's colorful CEO is in the travel headlines again. But this time it's not for promising to someday charge passengers for using the bathroom in-flight.
• Qantas: jobs and routes cut after heavy financial losses5,000 jobs expected to go at struggling airline
• Regus opens mobile hub at Gatwick AirportNew hub located in the south terminals arrivals area