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

Saturday, 15 August 2015

BBC News

• VIDEO: Huge sinkhole closes Manchester roadA hole measuring 30ft across has opened on the Mancunian Way following heavy rain in the city.
• Car immobiliser 'easy to crack'Anti-theft devices found on millions of cars are vulnerable to a
• Apple car clues emerge from letterCorrespondence between Apple and an autonomous driving test site reveal nuggets of car plans.
• VIDEO: Edinburgh trams' £450,000 trade lossEdinburgh Trams report lower than expected losses of almost £450,000 which is less than expected due to higher than predicted passenger numbers.
• Rail operator fined over standardsFirst ScotRail was fined £576,000 over service standards in its last year as holder of the ScotRail franchise, according to a report.
• Sir Walter star of new rail routeTourism bosses hope worldwide interest in Sir Walter Scott will draw visitors to the Borders Railway after it opens in just over three weeks.
• Helicopter strike threat ballot duePilots union Balpa is to hold a ballot asking members if they are willing to take strike action over helicopter firm jobs losses.
• Edinburgh Trams lost almost £450,000Edinburgh Trams lost almost £450,000 in 2014 - less than expected due to higher than predicted passenger numbers.
• Huge hole opens on busy city roadA huge hole appears in one of Manchester city centre's busiest roads after heavy rainfall.
• VIDEO: Crossrail unearths 'plague' pitA mass burial site that may contain 30 victims of the Great Plague has been discovered in the City of London.
• New chiller cools 30C Tube platformA new air chiller system is installed at St Paul's Tube station as temperatures reach 30C.
• Man stabbed at Central Line stationA man is airlifted to hospital with serious injuries after reports of a stabbing at a London tube station.
• Airline bill for 'disruptive' manAn airline passenger is billed for £2,716 for costs incurred due to his alleged behaviour on a flight to Ibiza from Glasgow.
• VIDEO: Why has the price of diesel fallen?BBC business reporter Ben Thompson explains why the price of diesel has fallen to a five-year low.
• Diesel prices hit five-year lowThe average price of diesel has fallen below 113p per litre for the first time since 7 January 2010, according to the information group Experian Catalist.

The Guardian

• National Corvette Museum's wrecked cars drive up visits after sinkhole filledAttendees ogle at vintage sports cars back on display at Kentucky car museum after being severely damaged in 2014 pit fall: ‘It’s human nature to come and see’The car-swallowing hole has been fixed but not forgotten at the National Corvette Museum in Kentucky. Yellow tape now marks the boundaries of the cavity that became a sensation and put the museum on the map. And instead of a gaping sinkhole driving tourism, now it’s the vintage sports cars crunched by rocks and dirt.Work ended recently to fill in the pit that consumed eight prized sports cars in early 2014. The repaired exhibit area has ...
• Maldives debris not from missing flight MH370, says Malaysian ministerTeam was sent to Maldives to examine debris in Maldives after wing fragment was found on island of RéunionDebris found in the Maldives in recent weeks is not from a plane and therefore is unrelated to missing the Malaysia Airlines flight MH370, Malaysia’s transport minister has said.Last week Malaysia said a wing fragment found on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion was confirmed to be from MH370. The plane disappeared on 8 March last year with 239 people aboard while flying from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Continue reading...
• Sinkhole opens on busy Manchester roadSection of Mancunian Way could be closed for weeks after 40ft crater opens up following heavy rain Related: Weather woes: 20 signs you're on a British holiday A giant sinkhole has opened up on one of central Manchester’s busiest roads after torrential rain hit the city. Continue reading...
• Documents confirm Apple is building self-driving carExclusive: Correspondence obtained by the Guardian shows Project Titan is further along than many suspected and company is scouting for test locationsApple is building a self-driving car in Silicon Valley, and is scouting for secure locations in the San Francisco Bay area to test it, the Guardian has learned. Documents show the oft-rumoured Apple car project appears to be further along than many suspected.In May, engineers from Apple’s secretive Special Project group met with officials from GoMentum Station, a 2,100-acre former naval base near San Francisco that is being turned into a high-sec...

The Independent

• Passenger jet hit by lightning: Aurigny flight GR605 caught in thunderstorm A commercial jet flying from Guernsey to Gatwick which required a repair after being struck by lightning is to re-enter the air, after passengers complained of lengthy delays.
• Airport VAT: How I unearthed the great boarding pass scam – and led the charge to end it It is a scene repeated thousands of times a day at airports up and down the country.

City AM

• Diesel price falls to its lowest in five yearsGood news if you're planning a getaway this weekend: the price of diesel has fallen to its lowest in five years, after oil prices continued their inexorable slide yesterday.Figures by Experian Catalist showed prices fell to 112.48p per litre today, its lowest since January 2010. Meanwhile, the price of petrol has dipped to 115.24p per litre, its lowest in three months.Diesel prices fell below petrol at the end of July - there's now an average of 2.59p per litre between them, Calalist said. Yesterday Brent crude remained below $50, closing at $49.29 per barrel, while WTI crude, the...

Daily Record

• Motor trade group slam George Osborne’s plan to change MOT laws.. claiming it will cause 55 extra deaths on our roads a yearTHE Chancellor plans on pushing up the date of a motor’s first MOT from three to four years - but the Scottish Motor Trade Association insist they will fight the plan.
• ScotRail fined £576,000 after rail facilities fail to meet inspectors' standards AN inspection team monitored areas of station and train service quality, including ticket offices, shelters, graffiti and timetables, while the cleanliness of trains were checked.

Mail Online

• Last ditch talks to avert Tube strikeLast ditch talks aimed at averting a strike on London Underground were being held today, with time running out on reaching a deal. Members of the Rail Maritime and Transport union are due to stage a 24-hour walkout on Thursday in a long running row over jobs and safety under controversial plans to fund the Tube through a public private partnership (PPP). Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-33682/Last-ditch-talks-avert-Tube-strike.html#ixzz3irpGOvnH Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook
• Strong economy and cheap fuel mean number of vehicles on the road has increased  The latest figures by the Department for Transport reveal a record total of 314.6 billion vehicle miles covered by cars, vans and lorries in the 12 months to June.
• Airport shops refuse to pass on VAT savings: WH Smith, Dixons and Boots under pressure after refusing to change their prices It's emerged that airport stores are checking boarding passes to pocket VAT rather than save customers money, yet even though the scam has been unveiled, they have still not altered their prices.
• London Underground in rare photographs reveal Tube's fascinating early days As negotiations for the 24-hour tube service continue, MailOnline looks back at its fascinating history through archive pictures from the network's humble beginnings.
• Migrants board ships in Kos as part of emergency measures to relieve Greek island The Greek government has dispatched a ship to act as a floating registration centre on Kos. Ever-growing numbers mean the island can't cope so many are being transported to Athens.

The Mirror

• Diesel prices down to lowest in five years leaving it cheaper than petrol Lower fuel prices have followed falls in oil prices on world markets due to worldwide oversupply and less demand in China
• Jet2 air rage yob who terrorised cabin crew on flight to Ibiza - gets hit with £2,700 billJamie Ferguson, 21, Ferguson has already been handed a lifetime ban by the airline
• Traffic chaos expected for weeks after 40ft sinkhole appears in Manchester roadMancunian Way was brought to a standstill after the giant crater appeared on Friday morning

Birmingham Post

• Former Sparkbrook tram depot regeneration could be blocked Councillors have been recommended to reject plans to breathe new life into derelict disused old tram plant opened in 1913
• First drive: 2016 Range Rover Sport 3.0 SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic The 2016 Range Rover Sport is already on the market. We get behind the wheel of the luxury SUV to see if it drives as well as it looks.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph published Pauline Latham: My pledge to help roadworks victims win cashA DERBYSHIRE MP says she will meet businesses to advise them on how to get compensation over "nightmare" roadworks.Pauline Latham, who represents Mid Derbyshire, is concerned that some businesses in Little Eaton are still out of pocket because of roadworks on the A38 last year.Firms say they lost more than £100,000 between them because of the project.Mrs Latham said: "It's a really serious amount of money and that needs to be looked at hard."These businesses, who...
• Derby Telegraph commented Road in Derby closed for up to four weeks for gas mains upgradeNATIONAL grid will be carrying out a vital gas mains upgrade in Risley Lane, Derby. The work, which begins on Monday, August 17, will help secure safe and reliable gas supplies to local residents and businesses, and is expected to take four weeks to complete. Engineers will be renewing the gas mains in Risley Lane between number 10, to the Garden Centre . To ensure work is carried out safely, this section of Risley Lane will be temporarily closed. A signed diversion route will be in place. ...

London Evening Standard

• Giant sinkhole opens up on Manchester roadA giant sinkhole has opened up in a Manchester A road following hours of heavy rain in the city.
• Apple 'secretly developing self-driving car which is almost ready for the road'Apple is secretly developing a self-driving car which is “almost ready for the road”, according to reports.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• The best 4x4s in 2015 for fuel economy These are the best 4x4s you can buy if fuel economy is your top priority.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Traditional Black Country tram makes final trip The famous red T-69 tram has made its final voyage after 16 years serving the Black Country.

Yorkshire Post

• Firms dig in for the long haul as they count cost of migrant crisisIntimidation, threats of violence, spoilt goods and missed deliveries resulting in spiralling costs – all things Yorkshire drivers and haulage firms are having to deal with on an almost daily basis owing to the migrant crisis in Calais.

Blackpool Gazette

• ‘The house on platform one... could be yours’It is a trainspotter’s paradise and now it could be yours after a historic part of the resort’s railway past was put up for sale at auction.

Carlisle News & Star

• Drones could be used in fight against gulls Chemical spraying drones could be used in the fight against gulls terrorising Cumbrian residents and businesses.

Crewe Chronicle

• M6 near Sandbach back to 70mph limit soon The motorway will be closed on two separate nights between Crewe and Middlewich to allow roadworks and signs to be removed

East Anglian Daily Times

• Hole opens up on busy Lowestoft roadPolice have been called to help guide traffic around a 2ft wide and 3ft deep hole which has opened up in London Road South, Lowestoft.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Extra speed checks on Cambridgeshire’s roads next weekExtra speed checks will be undertaken next week by road policing officers as part of a national enforcement campaign.
• Compensation may be available after delays on all trains through PeterboroughThere were delays of up to 50 minutes on trains going through Peterborough this afternoon, Friday August 14, but Network Rail have now resolved the issue.

West Sussex Gazette

• Investigation report: Boeing 757 escape slide falls off during flightA plane’s escape slide fell off at 3,000 ft as it was approaching Gatwick Airport.

Other Regional Press

• danjmartin commented Traffic wardens in Leicester to be given mopeds so they can reach...Traffic wardens in Leicester are to be given mopeds so they can reach problem parking hotspots quicker to issue tickets.Leicester City Council has bought four 50cc petrol vehicles to get civil enforcement officials around the city quicker.The council says it receives weekly calls and e-mails from members of the public reporting illegal or inconsiderate parking in their communities, and the mopeds mean officers can respond faster than before.In the past 12 months the council has issued 43,138...
• £800k for water mains replacement project set to see Hitchin road closureA busy road in Hitchin will be closed for three weeks from tomorrow in order to replace an extensive system of water mains which help supply people in the town.
• Hundreds back protest petition against new plan for Headington road network MORE than 600 people have signed a petition against Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals for a £12.5m overhaul of Headington’s road network.
• Road closures revealed ahead of Northampton Half MarathonSeveral main roads will be closed for a number of hours during the annual Northampton Half Marathon.
• A174 Parkway roadworks 'within days' of completion - ending a year of misery for motoristsHighways England says it aims to remove daytime speed limit in the next few days - and that remaining work will take place at night
• Motorbike safety campaign startsMotorists across the county are being urged to “THINK! Bike” as part of a month-long countywide campaign.
• Week long closure of guided busway angers bus companyLuton Borough Council has announced the closure of the Busway over the weekend to allow repairs following an accident on the route on August 1.
• North Sea helicopter pilots consider strike action over job fearsA union is to hold a ballot asking North Sea helicopter pilots to consider the possibility of strike action over potential job losses.
• 'It's just a matter of time before it falls' - Damaged Weymouth traffic light coned off but left standing A RESIDENT has hit out after she reported this traffic light teetering over a pavement a week ago- but instead of removing the post, workmen placed four cones around it.
• Petrol prices: Supermarkets continue to wage war as fuel costs plummet Morrisons and Asda continue to fight for the cheapest fuel with prices dropping by around 3p since last week
• Classic car show’s convoy is more than a Mini adventure MORE than 200 cars will descend on Marston this weekend as the Cowley Classic Car show returns for another year.
• ‘It’s time to flatten 1970s speed bumps’ FOUR decades after they were installed, speed restrictions in Blackbird Leys are still giving drivers the hump.
• Hundreds back protest petition against new plan for Headington road network MORE than 600 people have signed a petition against Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals for a £12.5m overhaul of Headington’s road network.
• 'It's Mayhem': North Petherton roadworks spark outrage from businesses Somerset County Council have been accused of causing 'mayhem' for businesses as roadworks on the A38 near North Petherton cause huge levels of traffic congestion.
• Maldon Chronicle published Classic motors recreate 1914 car challenge from Southend to Stow...A HISTORIC car challenge which first took place 101 years ago heads to Maldon via Stow Maries Great War Aerodrome this week.The Layer Marney Cup, a fuel efficiency trial, starts in Southend and goes through Shoeburyness, before arriving at Stow Maries and continuing on to Maldon's Promenade Park.On Sunday, lunch will be served in the officers' mess at the famous First World War airfield, and the cars will also be weighed there before continuing their journey.Sheila Charrington, the owner of...
• Police operation cracks down on unsafe caravans in Wiltshire POLICE stopped more than 100 vehicles this week during a four-day operation targeting caravans and trailers. Officers spent three days covering the north of the county along the M4 east and west carriageways as well as the A419, and one day in the south of the county on the A303 and the A36. They were joined by a representative from the Central Registration and Identification Scheme, which holds the national register for caravans and a database for all stolen caravans. During the operation, 13 vehicles were prohibited for offences including being overweight or in a dangerous ...
• Motorbike safety campaign startsMotorists across the county are being urged to “THINK! Bike” as part of a month-long countywide campaign.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Highways England to trial electric roadsHighways England has announced its intention to launch trials for the technology that will be required to power electric and hybrid vehicles on the move later this year. These trials will be the first of their kind and will test how the technology can work safely and effectively on the country's motorways and major A roads.  Drivers of ultra-low emission vehicles will be able to drive long distances without needing to stop and recharge the car's battery, should the tests prove successful.  This comes in the wake of a dynamic wireless power transfer feasibility study, which was commissioned by ...
• TfL publishes latest bus safety statistics Transport for London (TfL) has today published the latest bus safety statistics (for April to June 2015), showing that accident rates on the network remain low with 2.6 injuries per million passenger journeys.  Bus trips account for over a third of all of road journeys in London while buses and coaches are involved in eight per cent of road collisions resulting in an injury.  TfL began publishing bus safety statistics on its website in June last year, as part of a commitment to further improving transparency for customers and stakeholders. Initially, details of incidents resulting ...

Rail Magazine

• NR fails to put passengers at the heart of planning - ORROn top of disruption at London King’s Cross and Paddington in Christmas 2014 (RAIL 765), the Office of Rail and Road describes similar problems at London Bridge

Aviation Industry

• Another airline manages to squeeze more seats into its planesWhen airlines roll out a new cabin design, it's easy to be wowed by color schemes and amenity kits. But of course there's a much more important detail for economy passengers to pay attention to: The number of seats.
• Emirates to launch longest non-stop flightGulf carrier will operate a 17 hour 35 minute service to Panama
• Ryanair to put squeeze on online travel companiesAirline to offer hotel rooms, price comparison and concert tickets on new website

Other News Sources

• Ford debuts innovative new airbag designEngineers at Ford in Cologne have unveiled an innovative injection moulded airbag that it claims will boost passenger comfort and safety 
• Cruise ship brings relief to Kos migrant crisisOne of Mediterranean’s largest cruise ships has arrived at the Greek island of Kos to assist with its overwhelming influx of migrants.
• Future of Newhaven vital on ferry's survival A FERRY service being saved from closure has been hailed as the key to avoiding
• Maersk group profit falls 53pc Danish shipping giant AP Moller Maersk group posted a second quarter 53 per cent profit decline to US$1.08 billion, drawn on revenues $10.52 billion, which fell 12 per cent year on year, according to Shipping Gazette.Maersk Line, the world's biggest container shipping company, reported a 7.3 per cent drop in operating profit after tax to $507 million. Maersk's group net income fell to $1.07 billion in the quarter, beating the median estimate of $729 million in a Bloomberg survey of 10 analysts.Maersk Line, which transports 15 per cent of the world's manufactured goods, said gains from lower f...