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

Saturday, 27 December 2014

BBC News

• Road 'pinch points' action callTackling road
• Six injured in motorway crashesSix people are taken to hospital after two separate crashes a mile and 20 minutes apart on the M77 in East Ayrshire.
• The big freeze, speed cameras and 'hacked' carsThe big freeze, speed cameras and 'hacked' cars
• Family pay tribute to crash victimThe family of a man killed in a road crash in Aberdeenshire on Christmas Eve pay tribute to him.
• Holiday demolition work at stationDemolition crews are working right through the festive holiday to prepare the ground for Dundee's new railway station.
• VIDEO: Homeless offered bus to home countryThousands of people sleeping rough in London have chosen to return to their native countries after being offered a free bus trip or flight, in a charity-run scheme.
• King's Cross trains cancelled for dayAll trains to and from London King's Cross have been cancelled because of overrunning engineering work, Network Rail says.
• BAE wins $1.2bn US Army contractDefence giant BAE Systems is to supply the US Army with a fleet of armoured vehicles, in a contract reportedly worth $1.2bn.

Financial Times

• Qatar pits A350s against A380sAirline’s move casts fresh shadow over future of flagging superjumbo programme
• Tesla charges up with Roadster retrofitUpgrade will allow electric car to travel more than 400 miles on single charge
• Politicians row over Boxing Day trainsLabour and Tories trade accusations over lack of services
• Cable urged to act after City Link collapseBusiness secretary to meet RMT within days to discuss the situation

The Guardian

• Flight MH370: I just keep hoping he'll come homeNine months after the Malaysian Airlines flight disappeared, the family of its chief steward are still waiting for answers. There is no Christmas tree this year at the Gomes residence in Kuala Lumpur, no lights, and no big celebration over the holiday season; there's nothing to celebrate.
• King's Cross trains cancelled after Christmas engineering work overrunsNo services out of one of London's busiest railway stations on Saturday as Network Rail fails to complete maintenance on east coast line.
• City Link's collapse could hit more than 4,000 jobsOwner dismisses union's claims of asset stripping as staff warned to brace themselves for "substantial redundancies". Job losses from the collapse of City Link could rise to more than 4,000 after it emerged that the parcel delivery firm partly relied on a 1,000-strong army of self-employed van drivers and agency workers.
• UK snowfall leaves travellers strandedDrivers abandon cars in Sheffield and coach passengers take refuge in church, as snow crosses northern and central areas Snow caused serious travel disruption in northern areas of the UK overnight, with Yorkshire particularly hard hit.In Sheffield, the AA said vehicles were being abandoned, and the BBC reported that coach passengers had taken refuge in a church.Prince of Wales Rd, #Sheffield around 30 mins ago! Lots of abandoned vehicles locally! #uksnow Via AA patrol Ben pic.twitter.com/iqmzbQT1Ai” Continue reading...

The Herald

• One in every 100 new cars on Scotland's roads a hybrid or electricONE in every 100 new cars purchased in Scotland this year was an electric or hybrid, as sales of green vehicles hit an all-time high.
• Motorists urged to take care following snow warningsMOTORISTS are being urged to take extra care on the roads today after severe weather warnings for snow and ice were put in place overnight.

The Telegraph

• Speeding fines hit four-year high due to new digital camerasNew generation of speed cameras sees the number of fines reach the highest level since the Coalition came into power
• School-run parents 'fuelling rise in childhood obesity'The president of the National Association of Head Teachers says parents should stop driving their children to school to give them more exercise and responsibility

Mail Online

• 1,000 more jobs at risk after fall of parcel firm City Link: True number of workers at risk higher than first thought as bosses are branded 'cowards' for timing of announcement   It has emerged that the livelihoods of a further 1,000 contractors not directly employed by City Link, but work for the firm as self-employed drivers or agency support staff, are also under threat.
• Services in and out of London Kings Cross are cancelled tomorrow because of overrunning engineering works The disruptions by Network Rail will affect those planning to travel on East Coast, First Hull Trains, Grand Central and Great Northern lines today. Passengers are advised to find alternative travel.

The Mirror

• UK weather and travel: Live updates after thousands are stranded overnight as snow closes roads and airports Hundreds of travellers were stuck overnight as up to 10cm of snow fell in parts of the country, with weather warnings in place for more snow today

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bus lane fines backlog swells to £560,000 as Council issues record number of penalty ticketsA growing backlog of unpaid fines levied on drivers caught illegally using bus lanes stands at more than £1.4 million, new figures show.

Manchester Evening News

• Pilot of plane stuck on tarmac at Manchester airport calls police after three-hour snow delayAccording to reports from passengers on board the Germanwings flight to Hamburg, the flight was delayed for more than three hours because of snow

Northern Echo

• Sedgefield MP to back new bus service campaign AN MP is supporting a new Labour party campaign to give communities and passengers more control over their local bus service.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Bryan Steel: Why I'm launching my own cycling academyTwo-time Olympic medallist Bryan Steel from Mansfield takes a look back at the cycling year - and says there's a gap that needs filling.
• Letters Dec 27: 'Car users are an easy prey in Nottingham'So it's a fact that in 2013/14 Nottingham's Labour-controlled City Council was the biggest earner from parking charges outside London. The £12.1m profit generated from parking charges simply indicates their negative and damaging anti-private car and commercial vehicles attitude.
• Cycle events in Notts w/c Dec 28Sunday, Dec 28Time: 9amOrganised by: Erewash Valley Cycling ClubMeeting point: Magpie public house, Toton Lane, Stapleford; further pick-ups from Bridge Street car park (9.10) and Long Eaton station (9.30).Details: A split ride to Swarkstone and Alvaston.Length: 25 miles--Time: 9.30amOrganised by: Notts Cyclists' Touring ClubMeeting point: Trent BridgeDetails: A ride to the Vale of Belvoir, providing an ideal introduction to club rides.Length: 40 miles--Time: 10amOrganised by: TravelRightMeeting...

Sheffield Star

• SNOW: Live CCTV pictures of Sheffield roadsThe Star will bring you regular updates on the winter weather - but you can check Sheffield’s roads night and day by viewing the city’s live street cameras.
• South Yorkshire set for £60 million pothole repair cash boostA project to fix potholed roads in Doncaster, Rotherham and Barnsley is set for a multi-million pound boost.

The York Press

• Road funding fears are premature claims MPFears that the main road between York and Hull has missed out on transport funding
• Rail passengers on York-London route facing severe disruption tomorrow- services will terminate at Finsbury Park:Update 8.55pmRail passengers travelling between York and London on one of the busiest days of the year tomorrow are facing severe disruption - with trains unable to use Kings Cross.

Wales Online

• The most expensive toll road per mile in the world? Why the Severn Bridge is now the globe's costliest stretch of tarmacWith prices set to go up again in January, campaigners say the tolls on the bridge are holding back the Welsh economy

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds Bradford Airport celebrates biggest year in its historyLEEDS BRADFORD International Airport is celebrating a record-breaking year after welcoming more than 3.3million passengers through its terminal.

East Anglian Daily Times

• At least two taken to hospital after collisions on A14 and A12Emergency services had to free four people from their vehicles after two seperate incidents on Suffolk’s busiest roads.

Reading Evening Post

• Government cash to support use of electric carsCities urged to bid for £35 million pot of cash for charge-points and ultra low emission zones

Sunderland Echo

• Driver voices concerns over ‘dangerous’ Washington roadA DRIVER has voiced safety concerns about a Washington road after another accident.

Other Regional Press

• Transport giant First chooses prostate cancer charity as three year partner WORKERS at transport giant First, which runs Buses of Somerset and train services in the county, have chosen Prostate Cancer UK as the company’s charity partner for the next three years.
• Calls for road safety in Wiltshire schools CALLS have been made for police officers to visit schools to talk about road safety after four fatal accidents in Wiltshire in four weeks.
• Road works will cause delays in Pontypool DRIVERS are being warned that there could be severe traffic delays on Osbourne Road in Pontypool for four weeks from Monday 5 January.
• Northampton North MP calls for action over ‘dangerous and harmful’ delays on M1Roadworks on the M1 near Northampton are potentially dangerous and harmful to business in the town, according to an MP.
• Road safety calls set to be answered near Hampshire school CALLS for safety improvements on a Hampshire road used by schoolchildren look set to be answered.

Railway Gazette

• Railway Directory 2015 INTERNATIONAL: Marking its 120th year of publication, the latest edition of Railway Directory...
• World rolling stock market December 2014Canada: The province is providing C$17m for Ontario Northland to refurbish 16 cars used on Polar...
• World rail infrastructure market December 2014Australia: The first stage of TasRail's A$11m Advance Network Train Control System rollout has been...

Aviation Industry

• Brégier says A380 challenge is to get more customersAirbus CEO Fabrice Brégier has made it clear there is no doubt the A380 production program will continue. read more

Other News Sources

• Brittany Ferries low sulphur plans scupperedBrittany Ferries was “surprised” when it was told in October by the UK and French governments that its bid to get a two-year moratorium on tighter EU sulphur emission rules while it built its first LNG-powered ship was