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

Tuesday, 04 March 2014

BBC News

• Northampton's new bus station opens with gridlockThe centre of Northampton was left in gridlock and police were brought in to manage traffic after the opening of a new £7m bus interchange.
• Loughborough relief road set to openA multi-million pound inner relief road in Loughborough is set to be opened.
• Stagecoach confirms £100m investmentPerth-based Stagecoach says it is to spend more than £100m on new vehicles this year in a

Financial Times

• Australia seeks to ease Qantas ownership curbsRival Virgin has lobbied Canberra against providing a guarantee to the flag carrier, arguing it would be unfair to favour one airline over another
• European airlines: near cruising altitudeShares in Europe’s flag carriers have done well, on fuel costs, efficiency, and the economy. There may be fewer gains in the future

The Herald

• Bus and coach maker secures fleet dealALEXANDER Dennis has secured around £65 million of work as part of Stagecoach Group's biggest ever bus and coach order.
• Revealed: The most congested roads in ScotlandSCOTLAND has the second and third most congested roads in the UK outside of London, a new report has revealed.

The Scotsman

• Stagecoach places record £100m order for 570 buses and coachesTransport giant Stagecoach is to plough more than £100 million into its fleet over the coming year after unveiling its largest ever order for buses and coaches, the bulk of which will be built in the UK.

The Telegraph

• Drivers spend 30 hrs each year in gridlockBritish drivers spend 30 hours in traffic jams each year, with London the second most congested city in Europe    
• British fuel tax highest in EuropeBritish drivers are more heavily taxed at the pump than any other motorists in Europe, a study has found    

City AM

• Video: The future of driverless transport is hiding at HeathrowDriverless vehicles are either the future of motoring or the death knell for public transport, depending on whether you take your travel news from Google or the RMT.

Mail Online

• Fuel tax burden in the UK is the worst in Europe, triggering calls for Osborne to cut duty by 3p in the BudgetMotorists in the UK pay the highest proportion of tax in the EU - despite a Government freeze on fuel duty since March 2011, damning new figures from the respected RAC Foundation reveal.
• Drivers waste 30 hours a year in jams: Britain's ten worst roads for congestion are revealed (and they are all in London)The London commute zone had the biggest increase in hours wasted, rising from 72 hours in 2012 to 82 hours last year.

Network Rail

• Sleaford and Metheringham residents invited to hear more about railway investmentPeople living and working in Sleaford and Metheringham are invited to two public events to find out more about plans for investment in the railway in their area.

Bolton News

• 'There was a humiliating, sub-human brawl to get the mid-morning train - we were beaten to it by younger, stronger, more forceful passengers' THERE’S just two days to go until we present our 1,000 strong petition against overcrowding on Bolton’s trains to Downing Street.

London Evening Standard

• HS2: Railways 'to receive a fraction of funding available should project be scrapped'Railways will receive only a fraction of the funding earmarked for the HS2 high speed rail project should it be scrapped, a report claimed today.

Manchester Evening News

• Campaigners' fury as nine TransPennine Express sent south in "crazy and scandalous" moveThe scheme to send 13 per cent of the 70-strong TransPennine Express fleet to the south of England

Northern Echo

• Newton Aycliffe schools join forces to tackle traffic problems PRIMARY and secondary schools in a County Durham town have joined together to tackle congestion, dangerous parking and speeding outside their gates.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published East Midlands Airport will 'handle double the amount of...EAST Midlands Airport will grow to handle more than double the current amount of annual passengers, according to a new plan.And bosses hope the airport will be able to transport people to "every top destination in Europe" in the coming years.Airport chiefs have launched a "sustainable development plan" which would see passengers more than double from around 4 million a year to 10 million a year in the next 25 to 30 years.Under the plans, 7,000 more jobs would be created with...

Other Regional Press

• Where will cash come from to repair transport network? Never in my time in Parliament have we managed to really grab the attention of those in Whitehall, those with the ability to "pull strings" and open the doors which have been previously closed to the South West when it comes to the need for infrastructure investment. The collapse of the sea wall at Dawlish, flooding for prolonged periods across the Somerset Levels, damage to Penzance station and the temporary flooding of the Greater Western main line link to Devon and Cornwall have certainly focussed minds and led to various public commitments of assistance
• New railway station footbridge will make it easier for passengers Network Rail has announced plans to build a new station footbridge to make life easier for passengers.
• Grimsby Telegraph commented Petition launched for direct train service to London from...On Friday we broke the story that rail passengers could reach London directly from Cleethorpes and Grimsby in just two hours and 40 minutes, if a new proposal gets the go-ahead. Chris Swale, a campaigner from Grimsby, has launched his own petition to try to bring a direct service to the capital from North East Lincolnshire. Consumer reporter Sam Kinnaird finds out more ... THE region could benefit hugely from a direct service to London, over 20 years after it was cut by British Rail, according...
• The Cornishman published Further delays for Land's End airport runway improvementsWORK to resurface Land's End airport and to refurbish the terminal buildings at St Mary's has once again been put on hold.The Council of the Isles of Scilly and the Isles of Scilly Steamship Company have said they are awaiting evaluation reports from the European Commission before public funds can be released.It is hoped that the work on the runway at Land's End will solve the problem of flights being cancelled because of waterlogging at the St Just airfield and travellers having to fly from...
• Borough and county councils “sorry for major teething problems” at new bus stationNorthampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council have apologised for the “major teething problems” at the new Northampton bus station on Monday.
• Dorset passengers concerned about hike in bus fares PASSENGERS have raised concerns with bus chiefs about fare hikes in Dorset.

Global Rail News

• South Island Line train arrives in Hong KongThe first new metro train for MTR’s South Island Line (East) has arrived at the Siu Ho Wan Depot. Changchun Railway Vehicles Co is building 10 three-car trains for the[...]
• The role of railways in WW1Every evening at 8 o’clock in Ypres in Belgium, four buglers from the town’s volunteer fire brigade assemble under the imposing Menin Gate. Passers by fall silent as the men sound the Last Post. The local police chief, Pierre Vandenbraambussche, instituted the practice as an expression of thanks by Belgium for those who died to […]
• Alstom presents first Indian-built trainsAlstom has delivered the first two trains destined for Chennai’s new metro system. The trains are the first to be built in India by Alstom and are part of a[...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• London Underground seeks supplier to build new air-cooled trains London Underground is looking for a new supplier to build the next generation 'new tube for London' walk-through and air-cooled trains.
• Running Order Available For the WiFi on Trains Conference The full running order and brochure is now ready for this year's WiFi on Trains Conference: Train Communications Systems 2014 (London, 11 and 12 June)! The main speakers will include Network Rail, who will discuss plans for the future of trackside wi…

Aviation Industry

• CBI calls for freeze on APDCBI calls on George Osborne to review "distortive" Air Passenger Duty
• Rolls-Royce faces scam-related charges in UKThe company also faces investigation in China for complaints of having made payments in return for a 2005 contract with Air China and a deal with China Eastern Airlines in 2010.
• Why airlines are running out of pilotsOn Friday, the U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report on the current and future availability of airline pilots.

Other News Sources

• Best Practice in Road Passenger Transport TenderingThe Department for Transport has commissioned Atkins and The TAS Partnership Limited to update the existing best practice guidance documentation on tendering bus service contracts and to undertake a full review of the barriers to achieving more cost effective and better value for money bus service procurement. Register your interest in taking part, provide comments and find out more information at http://www.transportconsultation.co.uk/