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

Friday, 13 June 2014

BBC News

• Borders to Edinburgh railway: Galashiels transport interchange work startsConstruction work is starting on a £5.2m transport interchange in Galashiels as part of the Borders to Edinburgh railway project.
• Bus' destroyed in arson attack'A fire which destroyed a bus in Birmingham was the result of a suspected arson attack, the fire service says.
• Airport bus contract deal 'urgent'The Cardiff Airport shuttle service is to go back out to tender
• Aer Lingus warns of 20% profits hitIrish airline Aer Lingus warns annual operating profits will be 10-20% lower than last year following a strike by cabin crew.
• Tesla to open up car patentsElectric car maker Tesla confirms it will open up its patents for others to use
• Plans for cap on courtesy car costsThe cost of courtesy cars should be capped to push down car insurance premiums, the competition regulator proposes.

Financial Times

• Tesla Motors opens door to tech secretsCalifornia-based low-emission carmaker to let rivals use its patents amid gamble it hopes will lower industry costs and open business opportunities

The Herald

• Motor insurance crackdown plansPlans for a crackdown on inflated motor insurance costs that would see an estimated £20 shaved off the cost of a typical driver's policy have been unveiled by the competition watchdog.
• Network Rail sees its profits hit more than £1bn Network Rail's (NR) annual profits have soared to more than £1 billion despite falling further behind punctuality targets.
• Motorists warn of A9 chaos caused by speed camerasDRIVERS claim a new safety system installed along the A9 has actually made the road more dangerous.

The Independent

• Profits at Network Rail pass £1bn but punctuality fallsNetwork Rail's profits soared above £1bn for the first time in the last financial year, but delays increased – and the track group blamed its missed punctuality targets on squashed commuters.

The Scotsman

• Edinburgh trams probe to be ‘swift and thorough’FORMER Lord Advocate Lord Hardie will start work immediately on establishing the public inquiry into the Edinburgh trams fiasco, Alex Salmond said yesterday as he announced the judge’s appointment.

The Telegraph

• Network Rail profits rise but punctuality dropsNetwork Rail profits soar but punctuality falls to 90 per cent, well below official target

Reuters News

• Airlines flying from UK could face more compensation claimsLONDON (Reuters) - Airlines flying out of Britain could face large rises in the number of passengers who can claim compensation for delayed and cancelled flights after a court ruling on Thursday.

Mail Online

• A1 is actually 10,000 years old: Excavations reveal UK route predates Roman times and was the site of an ancient 'service station' The Mesolithic settlement was unearthed beside the modern A-road near Catterick, North Yorkshire. Flint tools dating between 6000 and 8000 BC were also found.
• Bloodhound - a supersonic car that could travel at 1,000mph The cockpit of the supersonic Bloodhound SSC car has been unveiled, which aims to break the land speed record in the South African desert in 2015.

The Mirror

• Northern passengers forced to use trains more than 20 YEARS older than in the SouthA think tank ­estimated the average rail spend per head last year was £2,595.68 in London and just £5.01 in the North East

Network Rail

• Have your say: East Coast Main Line level crossingsPeople who live near the south end of the East Coast Main Line (ECML) are being encouraged to come and find out more about Network Rail’s plans for level crossings in their area.
• Littlehaven station’s £5m improvements completedNetwork Rail has completed a £5m project to extend platforms and improve Littlehaven station in Sussex.
• Record investment in Scotland's railways as Network Rail publishes its full-year resultsAlmost £600m was invested in improving and expanding Scotland’s rail network over the last 12 months, Network Rail revealed today in its full-year results for the 2013/14 financial year.
• £3m invested every day in the railway serving Yorkshire, the north east and East Midlands, Network Rail full-year results revealOver £1bn was invested in improving the rail network connecting London and the home counties with the East Midlands, Yorkshire and the north east over the past 12 months, Network Rail revealed today in its full-year results for the 2013/14 financial year.
• Record investment in Britain's railways as Network Rail publishes its full-year resultsAlmost £7bn was invested in improving and expanding Britain’s rail network over the last 12 months, Network Rail revealed today in its full-year results for the 2013/14 financial year.

Birmingham Post

• Jaguar Land Rover to create 150 jobs with new 'halo' vehicle divisionSpecial Operations division will be based in a new technical centre located close to the firm's Coventry HQ and will employ a team of 150 specialists

The York Press

• Bus firm warns of major timetable and route changes during Tour de France A BUS firm is warning passengers of major changes to routes and timetables when the Tour De France comes to York and North Yorkshire next month.
• New Park&Ride sites with fleet of electric buses are officially opened YORK'S two new Park&Ride (P&R) sites have been officially opened complete with a fleet of electric buses at Poppleton Bar.

This Is Local London Network

• First ever Boris bike hire race winner from Wimbledon Dozens of Boris bikes went head-to-head in the first event of its kind.
• Father thanks newspaper after Transport for London proposes road changes The father of a schoolboy who was hit by a car on a busy road has thanked the Surrey Comet, after its two-year campaign convinced Transport for London (TfL) to propose new safety measures.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Three coaches destroyed in Great Bridge fireThree coaches were completely destroyed after a fire broke out in a salvage yard in Great Bridge this afternoon.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 petitions to be considered from July MPs will start considering Parliamentary petitions against HS2 in July, it was announced today.
• Long train delays as line blocked from London RAIL commuter are facing delays this evening after a freight train blocked the northbound line from London to South Bucks.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Rail passenger numbers continue rapid increaseThe number of passengers using rail services in East Anglia has increased by 17.5% over the last three years according to new figures from infrastructure company Network Rail.

Other Regional Press

• Trafford MP criticises Network Rail over Urmston Railway Station fenceTHE MP for Stretford and Urmston has called on Network Rail to address residents’ concerns after it removed a wall at Urmston Railway Station without consulting them.
• Former Concorde pilot stands his ground over Heathrow expansion planA former Concorde pilot who is behind one of the two controversial plans to expand Heathrow had a blunt message for people in the Royal Borough yesterday.
• Ebbw Valley line upgrade done by 2016 - Carwyn Jones WORK to upgrade the Ebbw Valley railway line that could see an additional service to Newport or Cardiff will be done by 2016, the first minister told the Assembly.
• Transport costs will hit disabled studentsDisabled students from poor families will be spared from the brunt of new transport charges to school but hundreds more will have to pay a means tested charge
• Manston airport: Lydd airport boss Hani Mutlaq says he does not think Thanet site can reopen and criticises owner Ann Gloag for shutting siteThe boss of Lydd airport says he has little belief Manston airport could reopen, but has questioned its owner's morality for shutting it down.

Railnews

• Debt-ridden French railways are hit by strike A growing financial crisis on French railways has triggered a strike by rail workers, who are angry about the effects of impending cost-cutting measures. The 24-hour walkout by SNCF staff has caused TGV operations to be slashed, with only one train in three running in some areas. Politicians say major reforms are essential, but unions remain critical.

Aviation Industry

• New Airports Commission paper questions future growth of regional airportsThe Airports Commission’s latest call for evidence – published this week – considers possible means to promote more effective use of regional airports. The work comes in the context of the Government’s broad support for the growth of regional airports, as set out in the Aviation Policy Framework, alongside the Commission’s recommendations for South East […]
• EasyJet applies to join Heathrow committeeUK budget carrier easyJet has applied to join the London (Heathrow) Airlines Consultative Committee (LACC) and is refusing to rule out future operations from the UK hub. read more
• Aer Lingus blames strike threats for new profit warningAer Lingus has warned its 2014 operating profit could be between 10% and 20% lower than last year due to strike threats, which damage forward bookings. read more
• US moves to block Norwegian’s transatlantic plansLegislation approved over concerns airline will ‘dodge international labour laws’
• Lufthansa ‘concerned’ by growth of Gulf carriersAirline’s shares drop after profit warning

Other News Sources

• 'Boris bikes' wheel their way to Blackburn BLACKBURN cyclists can now follow the example of London Mayor Boris Johnson and hire a community pushbike to get around the town.
• Four cities shortlisted for HS2 collegeFour locations have been shortlisted to become the home of the National College for High Speed Rail, which will provide training for HS2 engineers.