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

Tuesday, 21 April 2015

BBC News

• Cameras to reduce rail-crossing riskSafety cameras will be placed at level crossings to deter motorists from jumping lights and risking high-speed collisions.
• Driverless cars plan for rural areasDriverless cars could help improve poor public transport links in rural Wales, Wrexham university academics claim.
• Airline bans passenger after tweetUnited Airlines banned a security researcher from a flight after he tweeted that he might be able to hack the aircraft's systems.
• Borders Railway timetable publishedThe return of rail services to the Borders comes a step closer with the publication of the timetable between Tweedbank and Edinburgh.
• Drivers reported for 100mph speedingThree motorists are recorded driving at more than 100mph on Aberdeenshire roads during a weekend police clampdown.
• Plane lands safely after emergencyAn aircraft returns safely to Aberdeen International Airport after reporting a problem shortly after taking off.
• VIDEO: Second transport strike to go aheadPublic transport workers are to take part in a second strike that will affect all bus and rail services in Northern Ireland, the union Unite has said.
• NI people 'are wedded to the car'The Audit Office says people in NI remain
• Warning of car insurance cost riseThe cost of UK car insurance will rise over the rest of the year, according to the AA, despite a fall in the first quarter of 2015.

The Guardian

• Cycling 'near misses' – your storiesLack of awareness, poor infrastructure and even outright aggression can make the UK roads a dangerous place to cycle at times. Our readers shared their experiences of close shavesThe Near Miss project, created by sociologist Rachel Aldred, set out to better understand the frequency and impact of cycling “near miss” incidents in Britain, recruiting nearly 1,700 cyclists to document their experiences. Last month we showcased a selection of the stories the project had collected – and invited you to contribute your own experiences. The fact that we received more than 1,200 comments is testament to...

The Telegraph

• London gripped by rush hour chaosSeveral tube lines are hit by delays after a spate of broken signals and faulty trains as unions warn that the network will be unable to cope when a 24 hour service launches later this year
• London's taxis take TfL battle to the street in West End strikeHundreds of black taxi drivers are expected to protest on Oxford Street on Tuesday afternoon over TfL's

Mail Online

• Parking charges are the fee consumers hate most: Expense beats paying for ATM withdrawals and credit card charges to top table of most loathed  Unreasonable parking charges topped the table of the most frustrating fees and charges consumers have to pay, according to a new poll. Nearly half of those surveyed said parking should be free.

Birmingham Mail

• Labour pledges to fix 24 million potholes if it wins the election Labour plans dedicated £300 million fund to fix potholes and make the roads safer. 

Birmingham Post

• Jaguar Land Rover may have to live with Evoque 'copycat' The Midland car-maker had pledged to take legal action against Chinese car-maker LandWind over its proposed X7 model, which Land Rover bosses said bears a striking resemblance to the Range Rover Evoque
• West Midlands' most prolific speed cameras rack up £3.3m in fines Freedom of Information request shows top 30 sites in the region for clocking speeding drivers during 2014

Bolton News

• Rail bosses meet commuters to talk about major electrification project that will close Bolton station at weekends for five months COMMUTERS had the chance to find out more about a project that will see Bolton train station closed at weekends for five months.

London Evening Standard

• Rush hour Tube chaos caused by derailed engineering train on the Central Line A derailed engineering train caused severe delays for commuters on the Central Line this morning.
• Heathrow wins Tory hopeful's backing in return for £7m noise-proofing for schools Heathrow chiefs today won over their first Tory parliamentary candidate in west London in their bid to build a third runway after pledging an estimated £7 million for noise insulation for his local schools.
• Remains of 'ghost' train station uncovered in south London by Thameslink engineers The remains of a ‘ghost station’ have been discovered by engineers working on a £6.5 billion rail project in south London.

Northern Echo

• Is this Britain's meanest bus driver? Arriva under fire after disabled Army veteran kicked off X66 near Darlington A DISABLED Army veteran has criticised a transport company, after he was kicked off a bus almost two miles from the nearest stop over a two-minute ticketing technicality.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published More flights out of East Midlands AirportTwo airlines are increasing their offering from East Midlands Airport.Thomson and First Choice will be increasing seats and adding routes to Pula in Croatia and Kefalonia in Greece from summer 2016. The new routes will go sale on April 23, 2015.Karen Switzer, director of aviation planning for Thomson and First Choice, said: "Adding more capacity from East Midlands and the introduction of a new routes to Croatia and Kefalonia demonstrates our commitment to the airport and the local area, and...

Yorkshire Post

• ‘Drone’ diverts flights Manchester flightsFLIGHTS at Manchester Airport have been disrupted due to a “potential drone sighting” in the area.
• Car cover costs may spiral yet againA GROWING number of injury claims despite fewer car crashes on the roads, has prompted calls for a fresh fraud crackdown as car insurance premiums look set to increase.
• Cameron promises fast-tracked HS2 in YorkshireHIGH SPEED rail between Leeds and Sheffield would be fast-tracked by a Conservative government, the Prime Minister will promise today as he tours the region.

Blackpool Gazette

• Fan tram to honour some of Pool’s most loyal supportersSome Blackpool fans are still proving their loyalty to the club – despite its current woes.

North Wales Live

• Liverpool City Region LEP launches worldwide marketing campaign for Superport More than £1bn of investment into port, logistics and transport facilities is transforming the investment potential of the region

Peterborough Telegraph

• Peterborough parliament candidate hustings on future of motorcycling alongside Lembit ÖpikPeterborough residents can join former Liberal Democrat MP, and TV show contestant, Lembit Öpik to hear how the city’s parliamentary candidates will support the future of motorcycling.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Manifesto calls on next Government to make bus travel a priority Bus Users has launched a 10-point manifesto for change in the run-up to the General Election 2015.  While buses make a vital and significant contribution to the economy, they still seem to be overlooked by policy makers, under-funded by central and local government and treated like the ’Cinderella’ of transport services. Bus Users wants to see the new Government make buses a priority. The Manifesto is calling for: Enhanced bus priority measures in town and city centres to improve reliability and journey times, encouraging people out of their cars and onto the bus; Acc...
• Underground freight travel tested in NorthamptonA high-tech study to see whether underground freight deliveries could become reality in the UK is to be carried out in Northampton. A government grant will allow Cambridgeshire company Mole Solutions to see whether its magnet and track-based system could work in urban areas. It is hoped the scheme could eradicate congestion and pollution from lorries. The firm's technical director Stuart Prosser said the feasibility study will run for nine months. A decision will then be made on its financial viability, which if successful could lead to pipelines being dug throughout the town. 'We're goin...

Rail Magazine

• Full timetable for Borders Railway published Scotrail reveals timings for reopened section of former Waverley Route.

Railnews

• SNP could change route priorities for HS2 The Scottish National Party has launched its manifesto today, but it is also warning that if it gains the balance of power in a coalition with Labour, it could insist on changes to the HS2 project so that construction starts from Scotland rather than between London and Birmingham. The latest polls in Scotland suggest that the SNP is likely to gain Labour seats north of the border, and that a Lab-SNP coalition at Westminster is a possibility after the election if the Conservatives lose ground.

Aviation Industry

• Abertis completes withdrawal from the airport business arenaSpanish infrastructure company Abertis has sold its stakes in Montego Bay and Santiago de Chile airports, completing the company’s divestment of all its airport business. read more
• Finnair names Pekka Vähähyyppä as CFOFinnair has appointed Pekka Vähähyyppä as its new CFO, replacing Erno Hildén who has held the position since 1997. read more
• Emirates plans to continue Qantas partnershipAirline’s president says deal has been “good for both companies”
• Qatar to add second A380 Heathrow flightAirline will introduce new superjumbo service from July
• Heathrow unveils smart screens for ground transportDisplays give live traffic and weather information to arriving passengers

Other News Sources

• Load securing guidance in focus at FTA Fleet Engineer conferenceMethods of securing loads, improving compliance and load securing standards will be in focus at the forthcoming FTA Fleet Engineer conference. ...