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

Sunday, 23 March 2014

Financial Times

• Etihad Airways to raise its stake in Air BerlinEtihad has extended its reach by buying stakes in airlines around the world, including Aer Lingus, Air Seychelles and Serbia’s national airline
• Malaysian minister hits out at criticismActing trade minister frustrated at critics who have challenged Kuala Lumpur’s handling of the search for flight MH370

The Observer

• MH370 search focuses on Chinese images and debris spotted by planeImages taken by a Chinese satellite and separate sightings of scattered debris have become the focus of the search in the Indian Ocean for missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. On Saturday images taken on 18 March by a Chinese satellite were released, appearing to show an object measuring 22 metres by 13 metres about 1,550km (960 miles) south-west of Perth. The release of the images coincided with an update from the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (Amsa) late on Saturday that a number of small objects had been visually identified by one of the search planes.
• Britain urged to sign up to shipwreck treaty to protect underwater heritageBritain's rich maritime legacy is under threat from commercial treasure hunters who are accused by experts of plundering and destroying the nation's underwater heritage. A group of leading archaeologists and historians warn that unless the government intervenes to protect scores of historically significant wrecks lying beyond the country's territorial waters, sites including the graves of those lost at sea could be exploited and lost for good.

The Telegraph

• Who wants HS2? Stoke and Crewe certainly do!Not everyone is opposed to the high-speed rail link arriving on their doorstep - towns and cities in the North are fighting to host the new stations, finds Cole Moreton    
• Malaysia Airlines MH370: Finger of suspicion points at pilots as Chinese satellite spots 'debris'Data analysis rules out fire damage and intervention from passenger on vanished plane    

Daily Express

• Flight MH370: Airlines on RED ALERT over lithium battery FIRE RISK in passenger cabinAIRLINES were placed on red alert over potentially catastrophic fire risks from lithium mobile phone batteries just 11 days before Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 took off carrying a cargo of them, the Sunday Express can reveal.

London Evening Standard

• Driver held after cyclist killedA woman has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after a cyclist died following a collision with her car.

Sheffield Star

• Call to start work now to reap benefits of railwayHigh-speed rail is vital, but ’20 years too late’ according to key South Yorkshire figures backing the scheme.

The York Press

• Government roads cash for York "drop in ocean", say city leaders CITY leaders have claimed extra money for repairing York roads damaged by winter weather is
• Tour de France cost fear leads to budget meetings YORK council chiefs are in talks about the costs of staging the Tour De France Grand Depart, amid reports that the bill is soaring above budget.
• HS2 chief's plans could hit north's Euro rail links, says York council leader RAIL travel between York and France will be

Yorkshire Post

• Caring covers egg on cycle spiritCharity knitters are going the extra mile ahead of the Tour de France to support unpaid carers across Yorkshire.

Carlisle News & Star

• Five-vehicle crash shuts part of M6 in Cumbria A section of the M6 in north Cumbria was blocked following a crash involving a lorry and four cars.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Haverhill: Multi-million-pound Cambridge rail link could ease traffic problems on A1307A railway that has been closed for almost 50 years could be brought back to life in a multi-million pound project to galvanise Suffolk’s fourth-largest town.

Other Regional Press

• Bus and ferry services under threat due to cuts AN historic ferry route and dozens of vital bus services across Hampshire are under threat as transport bosses prepare to axe financial support.
• Borders railway rates as 'excellent' for its green designThe Borders Railway project team is celebrating after receiving an ’excellent’ CEEQUAL award rating in recognition of its outstanding environmental design credentials.
• Portsmouth North MP Penny Mordaunt criticises First Bus for £2 charge to man who lost his walletPORTSMOUTH North MP Penny Mordaunt has described a bus company’s decision to charge a man £2 to reclaim his wallet as ’poor customer service’.
• Landowner hits back in A40 slip roads funding row A ROW has broken out which casts doubts over plans for a long-awaited solution to Witney’s traffic problems.
• Yellow line row has drivers seeing redROAD markings put in to stop university students parking in a residential street may be removed less than two years after being laid down.
• Volunteers distraught after vandals wreck steam railway carriages POLICE are appealing for witnesses following criminal damage to railway carriages in Swanage.

Other Subscription Services

• Setback for rail devolution as McLoughlin stalls Proposals to devolve control of rail services in the West Midlands from London are being resisted by government - which is now considering a watered down approach similar to that recently agreed for...
• Liverpool Street to be reconfigured for Crossrail Platforms at Liverpool Street main line station are to be rebuilt in order to allow them to accommodate the new Bombardier Aventra trains being built for Crossrail.According to Transport for London,...