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

Tuesday, 18 March 2014

BBC News

• Paris car ban imposed after pollution hits highHundreds of police monitored traffic in Paris on Monday after high pollution levels prompted the French government to impose major restrictions.
• VIDEO: HS2 construction to start in the north?A Daily Politics panel looks at the construction of HS2 and whether it could be started more quickly in the north of England.
• Valleys rail electrification bill row between governmentsA major upgrade to the railways in south Wales is thrown into doubt as a row escalates between the Welsh and UK governments over who will pay for it.
• Rail electrification to create jobsAbout 100 jobs will be created in Swindon as part of the electrification of the rail line between London Paddington and Bristol.

Financial Times

• Jubilee Line extension inspires HigginsSir David Higgins says the high-speed rail line will provide same boost to the north if it is connected to cities such as Bradford and Liverpool
• HS2 has ‘potential to transform North’Sir David Higgins said Network Rail needed to invest in linking up a much wider range of cities to HS2 than just Manchester and Leeds
• MH370’s co-pilot made last communicationDisclosure comes as authorities also reveal that police had visited the homes of the two pilots hours after the aircraft disappeared nine days ago

The Guardian

• Fast-track plan for HS2 wins backing from George OsborneChancellor welcomes proposal to bring forward Crewe extension to 2027 but warns that £50bn budget will not increaseGeorge Osborne has backed proposals to bring forward by six years the planned extension to Crewe of the HS2 high-speed rail link between London, the Midlands and northern England. The move, which would see the first trains running on the Birmingham-Crewe section by 2027, was a key recommendation of a report by the HS2 chairman, Sir David Higgins.The chancellor welcomed the idea and asked HS2 to draw up firm proposals. He also backed Higgins's call for a more comprehensive redevelo...

The Herald

• Build HS2 faster to cut cost, says chiefTHE boss of HS2 yesterday challenged politicians to pave the way for faster building of the line to reduce its £50 billion cost.

The Telegraph

• HS2 needs to go in a different directionThe railway line is essential - but why not build from north and south simultaneously, asks Philip Johnston    

Daily Express

• Missing Malaysia Airlines plane: Jet expert probed as search area grows to 28 square milesINTELLIGENCE agencies were last night probing the background of a qualified aviation engineer who was among passengers on board the missing Malaysian airliner.

Mail Online

• Pictured: 'Reckless idiot' cyclist who rode through a train tunnel causing 14 HOURS of delays for commutersPolice are hunting for a selfish cyclist who caused 14 hours of delays after riding his bike off the end of Caerphilly railway station and into a nearby tunnel.
• Was Malaysian Airlines MH370 co-pilot's last message to base a secret distress signal?First Officer Fariq Abdul Hamid, 27, calmly said ‘All right, good night’ shortly before Flight MH370 vanished ten days ago.

The Mirror

• Live: Search for missing Malaysia Airlines moves to west of peninsula as records show it flew another 350 miles after disappearingOfficials believe they have made the first major breakthrough since the jet carrying 239 people vanished

Network Rail

• Seamless integration of HS2 will transform Britain’s railway, says Network RailNetwork Rail has today welcomed the report of the HS2 deliverability review as a clear statement of the benefits an integrated approach could deliver for passengers, freight users and local communities.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Rail line could be reopened with HS2 Transport chiefs should explore reopening a rail line that gave Bradford a direct link to East Coast routes, a report said yesterday.

Derby Telegraph

• ChrisM_DT commented Council says it 'genuinely believes' cycle track would not have...A SENIOR councillor has said Derby City Council "genuinely believes" its plans for a cycle track on part of a nature reserve would not have affected the wildlife. But cabinet member for leisure and culture Martin Repton said he would not rule out lookingat other potential sites for the track. Mr Repton was speaking after the council announced, last Friday, that it would not go ahead with the scheme on Pride Park. It would have meant the erection of a closed-circuit cycle track and...

London Evening Standard

• HS2: Brussels to northern England link ditched by GovernmentThe Government today dramatically pulled the plug on a Euston to St Pancras railway linking the High Speed line from the North of England to Europe.
• George Osborne to give go-ahead for £150m Barking rail projectGeorge Osborne will signal a £150 million rail link to speed up the construction of thousands of new homes in the capital in his Budget this week, it is revealed today.
• Simon Calder: No risk if airline is under ‘open skies’ pactI’m booked to Los Angeles with Norwegian in October. I understand there’s a row about the new flights. How worried should we be that these flights might not happen? — Peter Smith, Southend
• Probe into passenger on missing Malaysia Airlines flight 370 who had knowledge of flyingA flight engineer travelling as a passenger on the missing Malaysia Airlines jet was under increased police scrutiny today as the investigation widened.
• HS2 speed-up for north proposedThe boss of HS2 today proposed a speeding up of the building of the northern, phase two, section of the £50 billion project.

Sheffield Star

• Speed humps to be removed from roadSpeed humps on a Barnsley road are to be removed after complaints from residents.
• Tram works set to cause delays in SheffieldEngineers will replace worn out tram tracks along the Supertram route as part of the next stage of improvements to the service.
• Call to speed up HS2 to northA plan has been announced to accelerate the northern phase of the high-speed HS2 rail link – which will connect Sheffield to London.

The York Press

• Hospital charity on track for NRM ball YORK'S hospital charity is planning a dreamy fundraiser amid the engines of the National Railway Museum this midsummer.

Wales Online

• Tensions soar between UK and Welsh governments over electrification of South Wales rail linesWelsh Secretary attacks Labour administration's behaviour while Carwyn Jones expresses fears for invesntment
• CCTV images released of trespasser who tried to cycle through Caerphilly train tunnelPolice issue images of cyclist they want to speak to after more than 14 hours of delays were caused to services

Yorkshire Post

• Commons red tape blocking up economy says HS2 chiefBRITAIN’s economy is “constipated” by the slow pace at which MPs agree new infrastructure schemes, the new head of HS2 has warned as he called on Northern leaders to challenge Westminster to move more quickly.
• The North ‘must come together’ to fight for HS2THE North must speak with a single voice to lobby Government for a huge upgrade of the region’s existing railway network alongside HS2, the project’s new chairman has said.

Other Regional Press

• Bus passengers in Coventry warned to expect Friargate disruptionPeople using the buses will not escape the traffic chaos as major work starts on Saturday

Campaign for Better Transport

• Everyone can help stop the Norwich Northern Distributor Road17 March 2014: Please act now and help local people stop the Norwich Northern Distributor Road, which, as three-quarters of a northern bypass around Norwich, really is a road to nowhere. read more

Global Rail News

• Great Western electrification contract awardedUK Power Networks (UKPN) and ABB are to undertake an £87 million project to electrify the Great Western main line. The consortium will supply more than 30 new traction substations[...]
• Bombardier lands huge South African locomotive orderBombardier Transportation South Africa is to supply 240 TRAXX locomotives to operator Transnet Freight Rail (TFR). The contract, which is expected to be confirmed by the end of March following[...]
• Higgins looks to bring HS2 construction forwardHS2 boss Sir David Higgins has continued his focus on the north of England, suggesting that the government builds the new high-speed railway to Crewe six years earlier than originally[...]

Railnews

• McLoughlin welcomes Higgins' HS2 conclusions The transport secretary has welcomed the Higgins report into HS2. Patrick McLoughlin said the estimates of the costs of Phase 1 had been subjected to a 'robust and rigorous review'. The director general of the Rail Delivery Group Michael Roberts said:

Aviation Industry

• Did the Missing Malaysia Airliner Fly in the Shadow of Another Plane, ...This is just a theory, nothing official - although the official story changes from day to day, so it's not like officialness means anything in the disappearing 777 saga.

Other News Sources

• Sir David Higgins: HS2 fast-track will deliver contractor certaintySir David Higgins has stressed that speeding up construction of HS2 by three years will deliver greater certainty for contractors.
• Speed up HS2 and scrap link to channel tunnel - HigginsThe northern section of the £50bn high-speed rail line should be completed faster and the link with HS1 scrapped, according to HS2 chairman Sir David Higgins.
• Brighton bus bosses to hold meeting about number 24 Brighton bus bosses will be meeting with users to discuss the service.
• HS2: GTMC welcomes Higgins reportProposal for project speed-up 'good news' for the industry