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

Monday, 17 August 2015

BBC News

• Light aircraft crashes at airportA light aircraft crashes at Wolverhampton's Halfpenny Green Airport.
• £2.7m port expansion work startsWork starts on a £2.7m project to redevelop part of the Port of Newport to increase the amount of cargo it can hold.
• VIDEO: Migrants 'deterred by new fences'The BBC's Tomos Morgan says heightened security at the Eurotunnel terminal near Calais is deterring some migrants.
• VIDEO: Eurotunnel breaches fall to 150Eurotunnel have said that the number of migrants trying to get into the terminal near Calais has fallen to around 150 per night, down from a high of 2,000.
• A defining disaster for air travelThirty years after a packed passenger jet burst into flames at Manchester Airport, killing 55 people, could such a disaster ever happen again?
• Rail line on track after derailmentEngineers say they are
• Aircraft carrier section puts to seaA massive 11,200-tonne section of an aircraft carrier built on the Clyde begins its journey around the coast of Scotland to Rosyth for final assembly.
• Insurers charge 'eye-watering' feesSome car insurance companies are charging
• Toyota halts plants near TianjinToyota and John Deere say they will halt operations at plants near China's Tianjin port, where explosions last week killed more than 100 people.

Financial Times

• Network Rail eyes £1bn property saleUK group appoints Rothschild to value commercial portfolio

The Guardian

• Calais migrant attempts to enter Channel tunnel fall to 200 a nightEurotunnel says situation remains unacceptable but extra security measures have had a big effectIncreased security has reduced the number of migrant attempts to get into the Channel tunnel terminal near Calais to between 100 and 200 a night, sources say.The figures represent a dramatic fall compared with the height of the crisis when an estimated 2,000 attempts were said to have been made on two successive nights at the end of July. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Syrians begin boarding refugee ship on Greek islandHundreds of Syrian migrants on the Greek island of Kos have begun boarding a passenger ship that is to house and process them, in a bid to ease sometimes chaotic conditions onshore.
• UntitledVOLUNTEERS who led a 17-year campaign for the return of the Borders Railway have accused ministers of
• Airport security undermining race relations, report warnsTHE integration of Muslims in Scottish society is being undermined by disproportionate targeting of Asian and Muslim travellers in airports and other security spaces according to new research.

The Scotsman

• Indonesia plane crash wreckage found, 54 on boardTHE wreckage of an Indonesian plane carrying 54 people has been found in the remote western Papua region.

City AM

• Uber is increasing the size of its security team four-foldTaxi app company Uber hopes to have increased the size of its security team from 25 people to 100 people by the end of the year, according to the FT.
• Government kicks off sale of King's Cross CentralThe government has kicked off the sale of its 67-acre site around London's King's Cross station.  Investment group Lazard and high end estate agent Savills are handling the deal. Interested parties have been urged to contact Lazard by 7 September.  The decision to sell the government’s 36.5 per cent stake in King’s Cross Central (KCCLP) – which is being redeveloped into a mixed-use site stretching across eight million square feet comprising offices, residential and leisure properties - was announced by the chancellor in June.  The governm...
• Bezos praises UK stance on drone deliveryAMAZON founder Jeff Bezos believes Britain’s regulatory agencies are more advanced than America’s when it comes to delivery by drone. Speaking to the Telegraph, Bezos said: “The FAA [the US aviation regulator] is catching up a little here… But the UK has been, I’d say, a very encouraging example of good regulation. We like what we see there.”
• Network Rail is poised for £1bn sale of propertiesNETWORK Rail has taken the first step towards selling off its £1bn commercial property portfolio after hiring bankers to conduct a review of its estate. The government-backed organisation, which runs all of Britain’s rail infrastructure, confirmed that it is working with boutique investment bank Rothschild to explore ways in which it can “make more use” of its land. It is also seeking out specialist property advisers to help with the review and is expected to appoint a firm in the coming weeks. A spokesperson said: “Network Rail's focus is on improving our railway and delivering a huge...

Daily Express

• Train firm 'cashes in' on heroic war veterans by hiking ticket prices for VJ DayA RAIL firm has been accused of cashing in on war veterans – after scrapping a cheap ticket offer on VJ Day.

Daily Record

• Blackout bus driver who fainted at the wheel and killed colleague applies for new licence insisting he's not dangerousDAVID LOGUE's double decker bus crashed and killed workmate Jim Lochrie in March 2012 - it was at least the third time he had blacked out behind the wheel.
• Glasgow subway set to shut down for four weeks next summer for renovation works THE network will be closed at the start of the school summer holidays for safety purposes as work is carried out.
• Rush-hour Cumbernauld to Dalmuir service named as ScotRail's most delayed train with NEWLY revealed rail figures show that the 4.22pm is the least punctual service in the country.

Mail Online

• Kos immigrants queue for cruise ship paid for by Greece after waiting 2 days Rubber dinghies packed full of migrants continue to arrive at the Greek island of Kos as Syrian refugees started boarding a passenger ship last night.
• Le Mans car becomes world's most expensive Jaguar after selling for £8.4M It once raced around Le Mans at an average speed of 103mph and now the same Jaguar car has become the manufacturer's most expensive car after being sold for £8.4million in Monterey, California.
• Plane flips on to its roof as it lands at Halfpenny Green Airport leaving pilot unscathed The Cessna light aircraft was coming into Halfpenny Green Airport in Bobbington, Staffordshire, when the pilot got into difficulties and the plane flipped on its roof as it tried to land.
• HMS Prince of Wales is taken by barge to the yard where it will be assembled Lower Block 04, the largest hull section of HMS Prince of Wales, left the BAE Systems Govan shipyard in Glasgow today by barge on its journey around the north of Scotland to Rosyth.
• South West Trains fares ramped up for VJ day 'to cash in' on old heroes travelling to capital South West Trains withdrew its summer offer of £20 return rail fares to London on Saturday as hundreds of former servicemen flocked to the capital to mark the 70th anniversary of VJ Day.
• Cadbury's owners Kraft refuse to allow confectionery-named roads at Bristol factory The Cadbury factory in Bristol was closed after the takeover by Kraft in 2010. But the new owners told builders hoping to develop the site not to use any confectionery brands for new street names.
• Liquid aluminium set the ROAD on fire when lorry carrying it crashed in Germany  The truck collided with the central reservation before tipping over, spilling three full containers of 800C liquid aluminium across the A1 near Schwerte, south of Dortmund.
• Policy Exchange call for tax break for car sharers to boost employment in smaller towns  A new report is calling on the government to promote car-pooling, for which there are online schemes, by offering those who do it to keep some of their earnings tax free in smaller towns and cities.

The Mirror

• Number of migrants trying to get in Eurotunnel now as little as 100 a day At the end of July, up to 2,000 people a night were hoping to get on lorries in Calais bound for the UK

Birmingham Mail

• Pilot's miracle escape after plane flips upside down at Wolverhampton airport Man managed to get out uninjured after light aircraft crashed at Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Boost for plan to re-open Queensbury Tunnel as engineer declares scheme viable A CAMPAIGN to turn a derelict railway tunnel in Queensbury into a cycleway has been boosted after an engineer said the project was viable.
• Don't be the next to die... grieving dad's hard-hitting message about consequences of bad driving A GRIEVING dad wants to use the wreckage of the car in which his 15-year-old son suffered fatal injuries as a stark warning about the consequences of irresponsible driving.

Bristol Live

• L_Churchill published Bristol still the most congested city in the country as traffic...Despite new bus routes, cycle paths, residents' parking zones - and the controversial 20mph speed limit - Bristol is still the most congested city in the country and is getting slower.Department for Transport figures revealed that Bristol commuters are still stuck in gridlock and moving slower at peak times than in any other city - including London.Bristol came second in the list of most congested A roads in England behind only the town of Reading, with the city travelling at its slowest since...

Manchester Evening News

• The Greater Manchester commute from hell: We reveal the top ten slowest A roads in the region during the rush-hourManchester has the slowest road in England outside of London
• Survivors of the Manchester Air Disaster remember the day that 55 people died in a horrific runway fire thirty years ago The disaster on August 22, 1985, claimed 55 lives and all those who died will be remembered during the private ceremony at the airport

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• IT investment helps transport logistics firm Beamish Transport towards 12% turnover boost Beamish Transport is on target for £7.5m turnover after taking up new software and a smartphone app created by Clive Owen Technology Services
• Police pull over plane only moments from takeoff at Newcastle International AirportThe Sunday afternoon Flybe flight to Stansted was stopped on the tarmac, with passengers then told it was "unsafe" to fly
• North East traffic: Region's slowest roads during the morning rush hour are revealedNewcastle and Gateshead's slowest roads are highlighted in new figures, with cars barely getting above 20mph - but which road is the worst?

Northern Echo

• Tornado returns to North-East to celebrate project's 25th anniversary THE first new steam locomotive to be built in Britain for half a century is returning home to the North-East to celebrate 25 years since the project's launch.

Wales Online

• Drivers' union claims launch of Uber in Cardiff will be 'disastrous' for local cabbies Whether working for Uber or a rival firm, GMB claims drivers face tough times ahead if the web-based firm set up in the capital

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Pilot scrambles free as plane ends up on roof at Halfpenny Green airportA light aircraft ended up on its roof after a bad landing at Halfpenny Green Airport near Wolverhampton today.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds motorists are urged to go electric and save a packet in fuel billsMotorists in Leeds are missing out on savings of almost £273 million every year by not taking advantage of ultra low emission electric motoring, new research has revealed.

Blackpool Gazette

• 999 plans given tepid welcomeA union chief has given a cautious welcome to the announcement that the North West Ambulance Service has been given the go-ahead for more emergency vehicles and staff – although just one is coming to Blackpool.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Gallery: Thousands flock to Waterfront for Ipswich Maritime FestivalIpswich Waterfront took a step back in time this weekend with the arrival of the highly anticipated Maritime Festival.

North Wales Live

• Thornton bypass: 40 years in the planning and the new Switch Island road link open this weekBroom's Cross Road to open on Wednesday, August 19 at a cost of £20.4m

Reading Evening Post

• Reading buses freeze football fares for fans Smartcard to come for unlimited travel
• Revealed - the slowest rush-hour roads in Berkshire Which roads reduce drivers to walking pace on a commute from hell?

Sleaford Standard

• Vintage vehicles shine in the sunIt was a complete reversal with blazing sunshine beating down on this year’s Billinghay Vintage Show after last year’s rain-soaked wash-out.

The Shields Gazette

• ‘Drunk and disorderly’ passengers taken off plane at Newcastle International AirportPolice were called to deal with disruptive passengers on a plane at Newcastle International Airport.

Other Regional Press

• Braintree Chronicle published Rivenhall residents thrilled Highways England pledged to improve...RESIDENTS living near a notoriously dangerous junction off the A12 are "thrilled" Highways England has pledged to improve the layout after more than a decade of campaigning.The sub-standard design of Fox junction at Rivenhall End has caused a number of serious collisions in recent years, which sees vehicles leave the A12 via a sharp, 90 degree left-turn.Engineers will begin a three-week programme of upgrades on Monday, August 24.A mother-of-four, who has lived in Oak Road for eight...
• Crawley News published Emirates introducing more super jumbo flights at Gatwick AirportEMIRATES is going super-sized next year as every one of its eight daily flights into Gatwick will be served by A380 super jumbos.From January 1, 2016 the airline will run 70 flights a week into the UK via Gatwick and Heathrow.A third A380 will be flying in to Gatwick alongside the two currently operating there and will replace Emirates flights EK011 and EK012."The deployment of a third A380 to London Gatwick now means that travellers to and from London can enjoy our world-class A380 on...
• Crawley News published Gatwick Airport's busiest ever July "proves it needs a...GATWICK Airport has seen its busiest ever July, as passenger numbers continue to soar.A total of 4.3 million passengers passed through the airport in the month, up 6.4 per cent up on July 2014.Gatwick's CEO Stewart Wingate believes the figures are further proof that the airport needs a second runway.He said: "These results put us ten years ahead of the forecasts used by the Airports Commission to predict future air traffic movements."Our growth in the last 12 months is actually more...
• Search for missing QM2 crewman called off A crew member on board the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship is feared drowned after falling overboard.
• WBHuw published Cycle route consultation criticised by local cycling groupA CONSULTATION for a new cycle route being proposed through the centre of Falmouth has been criticised by a local cycling group.The Fal Cycling Campaign were unimpressed by the proposed scheme and the way it has been approached by the council.Tim Bunhill, a representative from the Fal Cycling Campaign, said: "It's really difficult for me not to be negative."Anything that gets more people out of cars and doing something more physically active is a good thing."I do question who the...
• Gwent drivers urged to “back off” on Injury Prevention Day NEARLY 100 motorists in Gwent have been handed on-the-spot fines for careless driving after police were awarded new powers two years ago
• Model railway show at Portsmouth MuseumVictory Model Railway Club is hosting a model railway show at Portsmouth Museum.
• Return flights for easyJet’s high milestoneOne lucky couple were awarded free tickets as Luton-based airline easyJet celebrated its 80 millionth passenger.
• The decades-old trains on Lancashire linesThey’re here – and rail passengers can’t believe their eyes!
• Pensioners win battle for supermarket bus servicePensioners who threatened to boycott their favourite supermarket after it cut its free bus service have had their “lifeline” restored.
• US architect wins race to design new-look Preston bus stationA New York architect has won the competition to give Preston’s iconic bus station a £13m facelift.
• South East Coast Ambulance Service criticised for hour delay in attending injured woman on P&O ferry at Dover docksThe ambulance service has defended taking more than an hour to reach an injured woman who cut her head open after falling down steps on a ferry.
• Denis Kilcommons: Obesity a weighty matter for airlines Uzbekistan Airways to to weigh passengers before they fly
• ‘Drunk and disorderly’ passengers taken off plane at Newcastle International AirportPolice were called to deal with disruptive passengers on a plane at Newcastle International Airport.

Aviation Industry

• Indonesia’s Trigana Air Service ATR 42 crashes in Papua[UPDATED] Indonesia’s Transport Minister Ignasius Jonan has confirmed a Jakarta-based Trigana Air Service ATR 42-300, carrying 49 passengers and five crew, has crashed. read more
• Hundreds of US flights affected by FAA ATC system failureFAA is trying to determine what caused a system failure at a major US ATC center over the weekend, causing hundreds of flights to be delayed or cancelled. read more

Other News Sources

• 40 Migrants Suffocate Crossing the MediterraneanAt least forty people suffocated in an overcrowded boat carrying around 400 migrants while crossing the Mediterranean Sea into Europe on Saturday. Many of
• Migrants brawl on Greek island as refugee ship lies emptyMigrants desperate to get off the Greek island of Kos fought each other on Saturday while nearby a passenger ship chartered to house and process refugees lay empty 24 hours after it had arrived.
• Calls for clean-up off Yazor Road CONCERNED Hereford residents are calling for action to be taken on an area they say is plagued by litter, broken glass and even dirty needles.
• Boost for Meon Valley shoppers at launch of extended car park SHOPPERS are set for easier access to a Meon Valley market town after a new car park extension was opened to draw workers away from its central square.
• £100,000 electric-car loans on offer for Scottish businesses A new £2.5 million fund will give Scottish businesses access to an interest-free loan of up to £100,000 for electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles.