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

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

BBC News

• Heathrow and Gatwick unveil revised expansion plansHeathrow and Gatwick airports have both unveiled revised expansion plans in an attempt to secure permission to build the UK's next runway.
• Busiest airports report April growthGlasgow and Edinburgh airports enjoy a 4.9% year-on-year growth in passenger numbers in April.
• Second Heathrow Mers case identifiedA second case emerges of a passenger who travelled through Heathrow Airport and later tested positive for the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (Mers) virus.

Financial Times

• Rail chief warns on cost of upgradesThe Great Western line upgrade was originally priced at about £1bn but that is now under review because of rising costs, says Mark Carne
• Airlines given access to tracking serviceSatellite operator Inmarsat says after disappearance of flight MH370, it will give airlines access to part of its service to track long-haul aircraft

The Guardian

• Why Manchester needs the same transport powers as LondonSome UK cities are prevented from having Oyster-style ticket systems. They need more say over their local transport
• Heathrow third runway: revised plan for airport expansion to be unveiledAirport chiefs set out proposals including congestion charge and greater compensation for compulsory purchase of 750 homes

The Telegraph

• Airports Commission's shortlisted optionsA breakdown of the Airports Commission's remaining options for extra runway capacity in the south east of England

Mail Online

• Charge well-off families more to use roads using pay-as-you-drive technology, says Labour's favourite think tank Data held by HM Revenue and Customs could be used so that drivers are charged automatically according to their income level, IPPR said.

Network Rail

• Network Rail Consulting appoints new director to lead signalling and control systems deliveryNetwork Rail Consulting has appointed Andy Harrison as director of signalling and control systems.
• Rare artefacts unearthed as Thameslink transformation of north-south travel through London continues with rebuilding of city’s oldest stationMedieval floors, 16th century tobacco pipes and thousand-year-old timbers are just a few of the hundreds of artefacts that have been unearthed and preserved by Network Rail as the £6.5billion Thameslink Programme to transform travel to and through London continues with the rebuild of London’s oldest railway station, London Bridge.

Birmingham Post

• Chiltern Railways works with Eastside Projects on Moor Street Station art project The artwork will also be displayed at stations along Chiltern’s entire route, reinforcing how stations can be used as inspirational spaces to showcase art
• HS2 Curzon: A regeneration wave - cursory cosmetics won't do Sir Albert highlighted the views of Lord Deighton, expressed in his report on maximizing the economic growth and job opportunities from HS2, pointing out that railway stations could be used as a catalyst for growth.

Bolton News

• Hands off our trains, MP tells southerners THE MP for Bolton West has demanded assurances from the government that no more trains will be taken from the north to ease congestion in the south.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bradford Low Moor station gets planners approvalA long-awaited railway station at Low Moor, Bradford, moved a step closer yesterday when planning permission was granted.

London Evening Standard

• District Line trains smashed into one another on 'notorious' section of trackTwo District line trains smashed together as they passed each other when the track moved, it was revealed today.
• Mayor sets out plan for 22-mile ring-road tunnel under LondonPlans to transform central London with a 22-mile-long underground ring road can be revealed today.
• Londoners back Tube strike rule change, poll revealsLondoners overwhelmingly support calls to ban strikes unless more than half the workforce votes for them, a poll reveals today.
• Gatwick airport's second runway 'could boost economy by £40billion'A second runway at Gatwick would boost the UK economy by £40 billion, the airport’s chairman said today.
• London commuters 'face higher risk of blood clots'Commuters travelling into the capital to work every day are at higher risk of blood clots, research has revealed.

Sheffield Star

• Anger over ‘lack of buses’ for elderly in ConisbroughElderly residents on a Conisbrough estate claim they are being left stranded in their homes because of a lack of bus services.

Wales Online

• Free transport for eligible 16-19 year-olds in Cardiff could be withdrawn next yearThe Old Cardiff High School Trust Fund said it can no longer afford to pay the annual £280,000 costs to run the Passport to Travel Scheme.
• Edwina Hart announces £15.4m capital boost for transport in WalesCycling facilities, bus routes, road and rail interchanges and walking infrastructure across Wales will be funded

Daventry Express

• Concerns for communities affected by HS2 raised by Northamptonshire County CouncilNorthamptonshire County Council has formally submitted its concerns to parliament about the HS2 rail project – as part of the process for the scheme to be agreed.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Ipswich/Suffolk: Rail ownership questions fuel new political rowA new political row has blown up over the future of the region’s rail services after Labour said it was to look again at bringing the industry back into public ownership.

Other Regional Press

• Calls for public transport improvements before £13M Aviemore hospital is builtHealth chiefs have been warned that no real progress can be made on a new £13 million hospital in Aviemore until the "insanity" of the strath’s public transport system has been resolved.

Global Rail News

• Network Rail to take over high output programmeNetwork Rail is to bring its national high output track renewals programme in house once its operating contract with AmeyCOLAS expires next year. By delivering the programme itself, Network Rail[...]
• Hitachi chooses Newton Aycliffe traverser supplierMechan has won a contract to supply two traversers to Hitachi’s new train factory in County Durham. The Sheffield-based depot equipment manufacturer will develop an internal and external traverser for[...]
• Jacques Gounon: Imaginative, clever guyEurotunnel’s 20th anniversary marks a personal triumph for Jacques Gounon, the quietly spoken headmaster’s son from Créteil in south-east Paris. Writes Andy Milne The civil engineer took over as head of a beleaguered Eurotunnel in 2005 and spent two years wrestling with the organisation’s rapidly unravelling finances. By 2007 disaster loomed as Eurotunnel’s battered officiers recommended […]
• Thales picked for São Paulo monorail contractInternational engineering group Thales is to design and install the telecommunications systems for São Paulo Line 17 monorail. Alongside Brazilian partner T’Trans, the company will develop the CCTV, passenger information systems and[...]
• Azerbaijan buys KZ8A freight locomotive fleetAzerbaijan Railways has placed a €300 million order for 50 new KZ8A freight locomotives. The new electric vehicles, which will be built by the Alstom, KTZ and Transmasholding joint venture, EKZ, can[...]
• Pamplona acquires Beacon Rail LeasingLondon-based investment group Pamplona Capital Management LLP has finalised the purchase of UK rolling stock leasing company Beacon Rail Leasing for $450 million. The acquisition won’t affect Beacon Rail Leasing’s commitments[...]

Rail Technology Magazine

• Nencki Receives First Bogie Test Stand Order from South Africa Transnet Engineering has decided to purchase an NBT Loco 2 x 450 kN bogie test stand from Nencki, the first such Nencki unit to be used in South Africa.

Aviation Industry

• Virgin Atlantic Airways mulls Boeing 787-10sVirgin Atlantic Airways has confirmed it is considering the larger Boeing 787-10 as part of its fleet renewal program. read more
• Aer Lingus faces cabin crew strikeIrish flag carrier Aer Lingus is facing possible industrial action by cabin crew staff in a dispute over rostering and duty hours—the latest in a series of labor clashes. read more
• British Airways boosts flights to NewcastleBritish Airways will increase the number of flights it operates from London to Newcastle from June 2.Operated by an Airbus A320, the additional service on a Monday and Wednesday will increase the number of flights to 41 flights each week.

Other News Sources

• New train after passenger boomA new train service is to be introduced from Sheffield and Chesterfield to Belper to help meet “continued demand” for rail journeys from the town.
• Heathrow traffic and business commentary April 2014 6.2 million passengers passed through Heathrow in April 2014, up 6.7% on the month Taking into account the Easter timing change from 2013, underlying growth was 1.9% Seats per aircraft...
• Stansted Airport traffic results for April 2014 Stansted Airport has once again broken through the 18 million passengers a year mark following a 3.4% annual increase in passenger numbers in the12 months to April 2014. Itrsquo;s the...
• Easter getaways see 4.9% boost to Edinburgh Airport's April passenger numbers A strong performance during this yearrsquo;s Easter period helped Edinburgh Airport enjoy an increase of almost 5% in April passenger numbers. Last month saw a total of 842,372 people travel...