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

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

Cogitamus

• Merry Christmas To All Our ReadersWe will be taking a little break over the holidays. TransportInfo will not be updated on 25 and 26 December 2014 and also on 1 January 2015. Well, that's unless something extraordinary happens and we can't stop ourselves…

BBC News

• VIDEO: Passenger films 'faulty' Virgin planeVirgin plane passenger Hardeek Desai films the Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 which was forced to make an emergency landing after suffering landing gear problems.
• Virgin jet makes emergency landingA Virgin Atlantic Boeing 747 with more than 450 people onboard lands safely at London Gatwick after a
• Damage worth thousands done to carsVandals caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to cars in an Aberdeen street over Christmas.
• Network Rail boss 'may take bonus'Network Rail chief Mark Carne tells the BBC an internal committee will decide on what bonus he should have, following recent major rail disruption.

Financial Times

• AirAsia jet likely ‘at bottom of the sea’Head of Indonesia search team says missing aircraft has probably crashed
• Passengers evacuated from stricken ferryTen dead and scores missing in aftermath of fire
• Network Rail chief calls for work reviewChristmas timing and poor communication targeted over chaos

The Guardian

• Virgin Atlantic pilot lands 447 passengers safely in Gatwick dramaApplause for the crew of Virgin flight to Las Vegas follows ‘non-standard landing procedure’ after landing gear failsA Virgin Atlantic plane carrying 447 passengers was forced to make an emergency landing at Gatwick after landing gear problems hit a US-bound flight.Hundreds of holidaymakers applauded in relief after their pilot returned the Boeing 747 to base safely following an unconventional journey that included dumping fuel at sea and flying low over the Gatwick control tower twice so that air traffic controllers could scrutinise the main undercarriage with binoculars. Continue reading...
• Ferry fire: at least 10 dead and dozens feared missing after rescue endsTally of dead and rescued is 43 short of number on ship’s manifest, and several of those saved were not on listA 33-hour-long operation to save almost 500 passengers and crew from the stricken Norman Atlantic ferry wrapped up on Monday night amid fears that the final death toll could prove much higher than the ten fatalities confirmed by the Italian and Greek coastguards.Italy’s defence minister, Roberta Pinotti, said 427 people had been rescued from the ship, which caught fire early on Sunday. The manifest contained 478 names, apparently leaving 43 unaccounted for. Continue reading...
• Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501: reports of debris spotted – rolling reportHuge international search for missing AirAsia Airbus A320 carrying 162 passengers enters third daySearch for missing AirAsia flight to expandAircraft accident rates at historic low despite high-profile crashesMelbourne student believed to be on missing AirAsia flightBrother of missing UK man “prepared for worst”Debris in sea not related to missing jet 5.26pm AEST Here are some higher resolution photos of three of the pieces of debris that Indonesian official say might belong to the missing AirAsia flight. 5.13pm AEST Indonesia Search and Rescue are saying the debris is possibly linked to the m...

The Independent

• Network Rail boss fends off bonus issue after travel chaos prompts investigation Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne repeatedly refused to reveal whether he will take his bonus yesterday, as pressure mounts over the major disruption suffered by passengers as a result of over-running engineering work.

The Telegraph

• MPs to investigate bonuses at Network RailMark Carne, Network Rail boss, laughs as he refuses to rule out taking £135,000 bonus as Transport Secretary says payout must be
• Network Rail bosses let the plane take the strainExecutives at under-fire railway body spend thousands on taxis and domestic flights
• EasyJet flight forced to divert after declaring an emergencyFlight from Geneva to Manchester lands at London Stansted after pilot declares medical emergency
• Virgin Flight VS43: Moment passengers are told how to brace for emergency landingA video has emerged of the moment a calm steward tells passengers on board Virgin Atlantic flight VS43 to prepare for a 'non-standard' landing at Gatwick

Mail Online

• Welcome to Britain...all services have been cancelled: RICHARD LITTLEJOHN on why the railways are another example of how the customers always come last  Network Rail is a classic example of the way all of our 'world-class public services' — from the NHS, to the airports, to the police — are run entirely for the benefit of those who work for them.
• BBC presenter confronts Network Rail boss Mark Carne if he will give up bonus Mark Carne appeared on BBC Radio 4 down the line from Cornwall, from where he has refused to cut short his holiday to take charge of the chaos caused when engineering works over-ran.
• Union Jack to go on British driving licences British driving licences will soon feature the Union Jack as well as the current European Union flag. Ministers say the changes mean motorists will be able to ‘fly the flag with pride’ on their photo-cards.
• Boris's OTHER high-wire howler: Not that zip-wire debacle but the £60m cable car across the Thames that's used by almost NO commuters, by ROBERT HARDMAN The £60 million trans-Thames shuttle is arguably the most pointless piece of public transport in the country, says ROBERT HARDMAN,
• Selling your car online? Watch out for crooks who message you for your details Online thieves are exploiting social media to target unsuspecting motorists trying to sell their cars on the web, according to CIFAS, the UK's fraud prevention service.
• Video from INSIDE Virgin Atlantic 747 reveals when pilot told passengers to brace for landing Footage from inside the Virgin Atlantic 747 flight reveals the dramatic moment the pilot told panicked passengers to adopt the 'brace' position.

The Mirror

• City Link boss who axed staff says 'we'd rather make cash than pay redundancy money'Fatcat Jon Moulton says they are in the business of making money for investors rather than helping those made redundant at Christmas
• Missing AirAsia flight QZ8501: Plane door and emergency slide 'spotted' by crews searching for vanished jetlinerShips and aircraft have been scouring the Java Sea for any trace of the AirAsia plane, which disappeared on Saturday with 162 people on board

This is Money

• Ferry fares poised to soar in Brussels war on dirty fuel Ferry passengers are being warned to expect a sharp increase in fares after rules curbing ‘dirty fuel’ come into force on Thursday.

Network Rail

• £7m investment project kicks off in Wimbledon - please check before you travel!Work has begun on a £7m project to rebuild a crucial railway junction in Wimbledon, which will affect journeys through the station for the next 6 weekends.
• Media statement from Network RailA number of vital rail projects in Network Rail’s £200m investment programme to improve and maintain Britain's railway have been completed this morning as millions of people return to work by train.

Birmingham Post

• Birmingham Airport is 'ideal target' for terror drone attack Security expert says airport has several factors which could make it ideal for terrorists attempting to fly a drone into a plane's engines

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Airport boss calls year a 'milestone' PASSENGER numbers at Leeds Bradford Airport reached a record in 2014 at more than 3.8 million, in a year which saw several landmarks achieved.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• A483: Final stage of £5.3m roadworks set to startWestbound exit slip road from the A55 will be reduced to two lanes for up to seven weeks as the last phase begins

London Evening Standard

• Virgin Atlantic plane makes emergency landing at Gatwick Airport after technical fault A Virgin Atlantic plane has made an emergency landing at Gatwick Airport after a technical fault occurred with one of its landing gears.

Manchester Evening News

• Revealed: The homeowners raking in thousands by renting out their car park spacesHundreds of savvy residents are cashing-in on Manchester's pricey parking by offering cut-price spaces

Metro

• Heathrow Airport showed an emergency landing on their TV screensNot the best way to unwind before a flight.

The York Press

• York bus services face the axe under council cuts TWO bus routes could be cut completely and several others reduced in money saving proposals being put forward by the city council.

Wales Online

• Putting the union flag on all new driving licences will create friction, Plaid Cymru warnsConservative transport minister Claire Perry says she will 'feel proud' to carry the new licence

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Metro plan to take passengers from Wolverhampton to New Cross back on trackA long-awaited new Midland Metro tram line from Wolverhampton to New Cross Hospital is being revived after 10 years on the shelf.
• Record number of drivers caught speeding by camerasA record number of motorists have been caught speeding by cameras in the West Mercia Police force area this year, new figures reveal.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds homeowners making hundreds of pounds by renting out drivewaysHundreds of savvy homeowners in Leeds are making extra cash by renting out their driveways and parking spaces to shoppers and commuters.

Yorkshire Post

• ‘Cycle hubs’ may be central to Tour de France legacy as city debate mootedA trio of Leeds “cycle hubs” are being developed as the city rolls towards a firm strategy for a cycling future.

Doncaster Free Press

• Enjoy your new cycle by keeping out of thieves clutchesPolice are urging people who have bought cycles as gifts this Christmas to consider how to prevent them from being stolen after Christmas.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Local MPs join chorus of disapproval over rail bonusesEast Anglian MPs have added their voices to calls for bonuses to be withheld from Network Rail bosses after a year of failures to complete work on time.

Sunderland Echo

• ‘Road cash won’t fill half of Sunderland potholes’GOVERNMENT cash to tackle the state of Britain’s roads is not enough says the Sunderland businessman leading the war on potholes.

Other Regional Press

• Row over access road continues NORTHWAY residents have vowed to continue their opposition to a new access road near their homes after previous efforts to scupper it failed.
• Railway bridge to shut A 10-month closure of First Turn railway bridge at Wolvercote begins on January 5.
• Motorists warned of winter hazards DRIVERS are urged to keep safe on the roads as temperatures are set to plummet this week.

C.N.N.

• AirAsia pilot's daughter: 'Dad, please come home'

Forbes

• Uber May Need To Become "Radio Uber" In Fast-growing India Market, Diminishing Its Appeal To InvestorsDelhi’s transport authorities on Monday modified the rules governing the operations of taxi aggregator Uber and its Indian rivals like Ola and TaxiForSure. The new licensing rules require Uber and other taxi hailing apps to set up infrastructure like parking facilities, a local office, a customer service center, as well [...]

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Minister plans for driverless car futureRail minister Claire Perry has made suggestions for how driverless vehicles could be used in the future. This could include driverless school buses and automated school runs. Ms Perry said: “It’s incredibly exciting because there is an opportunity to use time and capacity more effectively.” She acknowledged fears over “zombie robot taxis”, but said that with rigorous work to protect the vehicles from attacks by hackers, they have the potential to significantly reduce accidents, the majority of which are caused by driver error. The government ha...

Aviation Industry

• Search continues for missing AirAsia Indonesia Airbus A320A second day of searching for the AirAsia Indonesia Airbus A320-200 that went missing over the Java Sea early Sunday has turned up no sign of the aircraft, authorities said Monday. read more
• Transaero secures government loan guaranteeStruggling Russian airline agrees deal on state-backed loan

Other News Sources

• ACCIDENT HOT-SPOT: Lack of traffic lights driving Blackburn motorists crazy WHITE give way lines at a ‘dangerous’ Blackburn junction have been removed – leaving the road without any traffic control for almost a week.
• Staff at City Link warned of "substantial redundancies" Staff at parcel delivery service City Link are facing the potential of “significant redundancies” after the company went into administration.

EIN News Subscription

• Debris spotted in Java Sea 'is from missing AirAsia plane' … it's the AirAsia plane and the transport minister will depart … 06.38 BREAKING: An Indonesian transport ministry official says debris found … all airlines operating in the country. Indonesia’s acting head of air transport … the European Union from 2007 to 2009 on Indonesian airlines entering its airspace …