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

Tuesday, 08 September 2015

BBC News

• More than 70 prosecuted over rail risksMore than 70 people have been prosecuted over railway safety incidents in Northern Ireland in the past year, figures show.
• Boris report attacks Heathrow planMayor of London Boris Johnson sends a 30-page report attacking the recommendation to expand Heathrow Airport.
• Strike to hit Lufthansa flightsLufthansa has cancelled just under half of its long-haul flights planned for Tuesday, and expects cancellations to short-haul flights on Wednesday after its pilots' union called for an extended strike.

Department for Transport

• Advanced Biofuels Demonstration Competition: grant awardUnwanted waste products to be turned into transport fuel at 3 new plants in England and Scotland.
• Edinburgh firm wins £11 million share of UK government prize to develop greener fuel technologyWhisky by-product to be turned into transport fuel at new plant in Scotland.
• Whisky, forestry and household by-products to be turned into transport fuel at 3 new plants in England and Scotland.Three companies have been awarded a share of a £25 million fund to help develop greener fuel technology and boost local industry, Transport Minister Andrew Jones announced
• Major maritime report launched as London International Shipping Week gets underwayReport champions UK maritime sector to deliver growth and jobs.

Financial Times

• Lufthansa: fighting on all frontsGerman carrier is battling pilots, distributors and low-cost airlines on short-haul and Asian routes

The Herald

• Axing APD in Scotland will drive passengers away from English regional airports, warns reportREGIONAL airports in England will lose more than two million passengers by 2025 if cuts to air passenger duty in Scotland are not offset by measures to support smaller bases south of the Border, according to a new study.
• Fewer than 200 tickets left for Borders Railway steam serviceFEWER than 200 tickets are still available for a series of steam train journeys which will launch later this week to celebrate the reopening of the Borders Railway line.

The Telegraph

• Which London train station toilet made £2.3 million from passengers?Toilets at stations in London, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh are flush with cash from desperate rail users - here are the biggest earners
• Rail rip-off: station staff in London suburbs 'fail to offer cheapest fares'People who travel within the suburbs of London are sold National rail tickets at some stations when Oyster fares should be available at a fraction of the price

Times Online

• Noise from planes stunts reading skills [subscription]Fresh concerns were raised over a third runway at Heathrow last night after a “hidden” report warned that children at schools under airport flight paths are more likely to suffer from poor reading skills and memory problems.

Mail Online

• Architects develop radical solution to replace Circle Line with a travelator The team at City based NBBJ Architects believe that the problems on the often late-running London Underground line could be solved by replacing its trains with high-speed travelators.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Parents face 30% rise in transport costs as subsidised bus fares are set to be scrappedConwy Council says the subsidies for some pupils living within the three-mile limit from Ysgol John Bright and Ysgol Aberconwy are 'an anomaly'

London Evening Standard

• Replace entire Circle Line with a travelator: Architecture firm's vision It is the unloved Underground line more prone to delays than any other. 
• 'I spent my 30th birthday at Gatwick': Passengers slam airline over 25 HOUR delays between London and New YorkPassengers today told of their fury after being caught up in delays of up to 25 hours at Gatwick Airport this weekend. 

The York Press

• Hundreds turn out for Heart of York bike ride HUNDREDS of cyclists from York put their hearts into pedal power on Sunday for the fourth annual Heart of York Bike Ride.

Yorkshire Post

• Humberside Airport reopens after suspicious package foundHumberside Airport has reopened after a suspicious package alert this morning caused its evacuation and the diversion of all flights.

Burnley Express

• Ribble Valley takes centre stage for cycling extravaganzaThousands lined the streets of Clitheroe and surrounding villages today (Monday) to watch Stage two of the Aviva Tour of Britain.

Sleaford Standard

• British workers reveal what they dislike most about their daily commuteThe commute to and from work is a daily requirement nobody can avoid.

The Shields Gazette

• Port of Tyne employs new chief to ‘drive business forward’Marie Glanville has joined the Port of Tyne as chief financial officer.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Winners from £25 million prize to develop greener fuel technology announcedWhisky, forestry and household by-products to be turned into transport fuel at 3 new plants in England and Scotland. Three companies have been awarded a share of a £25 million fund to help develop greener fuel technology and boost local industry, Transport Minister Andrew Jones announced today (7 September 2015). All the successful projects will use waste products which would otherwise be disposed of and turn them into biofuels, fuelling cars and lorries. The funding will help the successful SMEs in Edinburgh, Teesside and Swindon invest in new premises and technology which will help g...
• Port of Tyne appoints new Chief Financial Officer Marie Glanville has joined the Port of Tyne as Chief Financial Officer. Previously Marie was Group Financial Controller of Immunodiagnostic Systems Holdings plc.  She has worked in senior finance roles at other North East-based listed companies, including Grainger plc and the Go-Ahead Group plc, as well as the housing company Gentoo.  Andrew Moffat, Port of Tyne Chief Executive Officer, said: “I am delighted to welcome Marie to the Port of Tyne team.  She brings a variety of experience which will help us to drive our business forward and continue to create value for our ...

Rail Magazine

• Mobile Maintenance Train videoNetwork Rail video shows the interior of new MMT
• London Bridge timelapse videoTimelapse video shows Bank Holiday work at London Bridge as part of the Thameslink programme

Railnews

• Queues form for first trains on reopened Borders line Weekday trains are running on the Borders Railway today for the first time since 1969. The £296 million line, which has been rebuilt from the outskirts of Edinburgh to Galashiels and Tweedbank, saw passenger-carrying services on Saturday, when holders of special 'golden tickets' had been able to try out the line, while public services began early on Sunday, with queues reported at the terminus of Tweedbank. The line now has trains every half hour during weekdays, calling at eight stations, but the 48km line has been the subject of controversy, with campaigners unhappy that parts of the route ...

Railway Gazette

• Tickets with a flick of the wrist PAYMENT: NFC contactless payment devices for public transport applications have been launched by...

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa Pilot Strike Will Hit Profitable Long-Haul RoutesDeutsche Lufthansa AG pilots will resume strike action Tuesday, almost six months after walkouts over cost cuts were halted as management and unions came together in the wake of a deadly crash at the company's Germanwings arm. Pilots flying Airbus Group SE A330s, A340s and A380s and Boeing Co.
• American Airlines Group: Watch For Upward Earnings Revisions AheadAnalysts have been forecasting a quick oil price rebound and have kept 2016 earnings estimates below 2015 levels because of this expectation. Since oil prices collapsed in late 2014, American Airlines Group has seen profits soar on the back of reduced fuel costs.
• Air France-KLM Raised to Buy at Kepler Capital MarketsSeparately, Citigroup Inc. upgraded shares of Air France-KLM from a
• Willie Walsh: Cut APD to boost investmentIAG chief exec makes comments in submission to government's Comprehensive Spending Review
• Stansted plans new flight paths to reduce aircraft noiseProposals could cut noise for 4,000 residents
• Lufthansa hit by pilots strike on long-haul servicesVC union calls strike for Tuesday in dispute over pay and retirement benefits

Other News Sources

• New runway at Heathrow will fail on every level, London Mayor saysLondon: London’s mayor, a potential successor to British Prime Minister David Cameron, said a proposal to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport was doomed to fail, complicating an already fraught issue for the government.
• Public meeting to launch new group to campaign for Watercress Way footpath A PUBLIC meeting will be held to launch a new group to campaign for better public access to former railway lines near Winchester.
• Carillion named Network Rail's top supplierCarillion has emerged as Network Rail’s top supplier after the organisation revealed it had spent more money on the firm than any other in the last year.
• Gatwick invites bids for £750m frameworksGatwick Airport has invited bids for two major frameworks involving up to £750m worth of work.
• Stobart Aviation – which operates London Southend Airport and also Carlisle Lake District Airport – has appointed two aviation industry specialists to spearhead its operationsStobart Aviation ndash; which operates London Southend Airport and also Carlisle Lake District Airport ndash; has appointed two aviation industry specialists to spearhead its operations. Glyn...
• Passenger traffic growth at Non-EU airports bounced back during JulyEuropean airport trade body, ACI EUROPE today released its traffic report for July 2015. The report is the only air transport report which includes all types of civil aviation passenger flights: ...
• Corporate Traveller launches ‘Travel Smart’ programmeSME specialist provides travellers with new benefits when booking flights, car hire and hotels