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

Wednesday, 07 January 2015

BBC News

• Hi-tech helps cyclists stay safeSmart pedals that warn when a bike is stolen and helmets for cyclists that spot an imminent collision have been unveiled at CES.
• London 24-hour bus strike date setWorkers at 18 bus companies in London are to stage a one-day strike on 13 January, the Unite union announces.
• Rolls-Royce breaks sales recordRolls-Royce Motor Cars sold a record number of cars last year, breaking through the 4,000 mark for the first time in its 111-year history.

Department for Transport

• Transport Secretary presses ahead with rail improvements in the northPatrick McLoughlin and Robert Goodwill met northern leaders to discuss ’Northern Powerhouse’ plan.

Financial Times

• Indonesia cracks down on aviation sectorAirlines ordered to brief pilots on weather conditions following crash
• Graft purge snares China Southern CFOChina’s largest airline has lost four top executives in a week
• Dark clouds mar Southeast Asia’s skiesLow-cost airlines face overcapacity, thin margins and the effects of a slowdown in China
• California steams as new rail line beginsGround broken in Central Valley but critics dub scheme ‘train to nowhere’

The Guardian

• Passenger planes to report position every 15 minutes under new UN tracking planUnited Nations’ aviation agency wants a worldwide system of tracking in place after disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370The United Nations aviation agency will propose a new standard that requires commercial aircraft to report their position every 15 minutes as part of a global tracking initiative in the aftermath of the disappearance of a Malaysian jetliner.The loss of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 last March sparked a global drive for a system that would make it possible to pinpoint the exact route and last location of an aircraft. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Six weeks of disruption on Edinburgh-Glasgow rail line COMMUTERS face six weeks of disruption on the key Glasgow to Edinburgh rail line as electrification works progress.
• Rail link essential for airportGLASGOW Airport needs a range of transport options including a rail link to and from the city centre for future success, according to management.

The Telegraph

• Is America falling in love with trains again?As ground is broken on Tuesday on America's first true high-speed rail line between Los Angeles and San Francisco, a new age of the train may be dawning in the US
• London bus workers set to strike in pay rowMembers of Unite union to walk out on January 13 as part of long-running campaign for single agreement covering pay, terms and conditions

Times Online

• Aviation officials purged in crash corruption probe [Subscription]Indonesia has announced a crackdown on corruption and malpractice in the airline industry, as recovery teams located what could be the tail of the crashed AirAsia plane.
• Prepare for weekend of wind, rain and transport disruption [Subscription]Severe weather warnings have been issued for Friday and Saturday, with forecasts of winds up to 80mph (130km/h). The conditions could cause widespread transport disruption.

Birmingham Post

• Stranded cargo ship has 1,200 Jaguar Land Rover vehicles and 105 JCB diggers on board The 51,000-tonne Hoegh Osaka became stricken on the Bramble Bank between Southampton and the Isle of Wight after it sailed from the Hampshire port with its cargo of 1,400 cars. There were also 65 Mini vehicles on board
• Land Rover announces final year of celebration for long-serving DefenderThe Midland car-maker is to launch three special editions of the legendary 4x4 as it nears the end of production

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Motorway network sees new era WORK by Ilkley-based building services group NG Bailey to create a new breed of motorway service station has been completed ahead of schedule.
• Rail bosses investigate ways to tackle litter problem RAIL chiefs have promised to look for a solution after complaints over excessive litter and untidy undergrowth around the rail station in the Saltaire World Heritage Site.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Notorious A5104 in Flintshire to have barriers repairedBroken fences along The Nant stretch of Corwen Road in Pontybodkin will be replaced this month

Liverpool Echo

• Just two pence to cross MerseyTheatregoers to cross the Mersey for just twopence for the first time since 1948!

London Evening Standard

• UK airlines in battle for routes as budget carriers and luxury flying "suites" take off There’s a $25,000 headache stirring trouble in London's airspace, and it comes with Egyptian cotton linen, a Savoy-trained butler and gold crockery.
• London bus strike: Thousands of bus workers to walk out in pay row Thousands of London bus workers are to stage a one-day strike in a row over pay, sparking fears of travel chaos in the capital.

Metro

• Brace for travel chaos as 27,000 bus drivers strike over pay dispute'Passengers pay one fare to travel on London's iconic red buses, yet there are over 80 different pay rates covering bus workers.'

Northern Echo

• Boro Taxis given final warning after second public inquiry THE North-East's largest taxi firm came close to being closed down today (Tuesday, January 6) for persistently flouting taxi regulations.

Wales Online

• Wales needs to stop dragging its feet and step up a gear when it comes to transport, says Professor Stuart ColeCongestion and travel costs on the M4 around Newport will be among the key discussions this year

Yorkshire Post

• Passengers angered by further cuts to region’s public transportPASSENGERS HAVE reacted with anger to cuts to South Yorkshire’s transport budget which include scrapping paper timetables and the closure of travel information centres as dozens of jobs are set to be axed.

Blackpool Gazette

• Hundreds join call to protect lifeline busesControversial plans to cut all subsidised bus services on the Fylde coast would not be needed if Lancashire was given London-style powers to regulate its buses, a senior councillor has said.
• BAE recruitment drive set to see Fylde coast rolesJobs will be created at a Warton aerospace plant as BAE Systems prepares to take on 710 apprentices across the UK this year – the highest intake in the company’s history.

Carlisle News & Star

• Union asks public for support in rail dispute Union members campaigned outside Carlisle railway station to gain public support against possible rail cuts and fare rises.

Doncaster Free Press

• Calls for quality bus contract in North LincolnshireA call has been made for powers to regulate bus routes and fares through a ‘Quality Bus Contract’.

Plymouth Herald

• Plymouth MPs grill transport secretary over Christmas rail 'chaos' QUESTIONS have been asked of the Government over the Christmas rail “chaos” which left thousands delayed and queuing in the cold for rescheduled trains to the West Country.

Other Regional Press

• First appoints MD for West Yorkshire bus businessA senior executive who oversaw Manchester's Metrolink tram system has joined FIrst as MD of its bus business in West Yorkshire
• Hop aboard West Lynn ferry service’s new boatBut passengers on the ferry across the river River Great Ouse can now travel without fear of it being grounded on sand banks in low tides.
• £40m transport schemes in pipeline to bring benefits to Exeter THREE major transport schemes totalling £40m are in the pipeline to bring benefits to Exeter. etwork Rail is seeking funding for £10m to improve the entrance to Exeter St David’s. And £10m is also the price tag on the Intermodal Freight Terminal to be built near to Exeter International Airport which would allow more freight to switch from road to rail
• VIDEO: Sneak preview of new £20 million Northampton railway stationThe Chronicle & Echo has been given a tour of the new £20 million railway station in Northampton ahead of it opening next Monday.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• David Wells to become FTA Chief ExecutiveThe Freight Transport Association is delighted to announce that David Wells has been appointed as FTA’s new Chief Executive Officer effective from 1 May 2015.
• Councils reveal extent of pothole problemsA Freedom of Information request has uncovered the scale of the pothole repairs backlog in local authorities throughout England. The request comes after the government announced a £6 billion fund to help councils keep their roads in good repair. Councils have attributed their shortfalls to a succession of hard winters and severe floods, chronic underfunding and the cost of getting their roads to defect-free standards. However, some councils are not experiencing any funding issues for road repairs. The council with the largest deficit is Leeds, which said it would require £1...

Rail Magazine

• GB Railfreight trebles aggregates work with new contractGB Railfreight’s five-year contract with Aggregates Industries trebles operator’s aggregates work
• Report seeks to improve Anglian connectivityBlueprint for transforming connectivity of East Anglia's passenger rail network outlines how new timetable could be achieved with alterations to infrastructure.
• Birmingham New Street just nine months awayThe new, bigger, brighter Birmingham New Street staton and Grand Central shopping centre is set to open in September 2015.

Aviation Industry

• Cathay Pacific and Flybe expand codeshare dealAgreement on flights between Amsterdam, Paris and four UK destinations
• Airline pricing tops buyer concerns for 2015Survey highlights major issues to affect buyers this year
• Bristol airport named world’s most punctualAirline data firm publishes 2014 punctuality league

Green Miscellany

• Auto industry confident it can meet 95 per cent recycling targetMetal recyclers and auto manufacturers prepare to comply with tough new EU targets

Other News Sources

• MP to meet transport secretary over London Bridge trainsA meeting has been pledged with the Department for Transport after Crispin Blunt raised the issue of reduced services from Reigate and Redhill to London Bridge
• Southern apologises after popular Brighton to London commuter train cancelled - again A train service that takes commuters from Brighton to the capital each morning was cancelled for the second day running.
• FAA Mistakenly Released a Draft Internal Report During NTSB InvestigationWASHINGTON - The NTSB has found that the Federal Aviation Administration mistakenly released investigative information, an error that violated NTSB regulations and party process in our...