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

Monday, 19 October 2015

BBC News

• Heathrow Airport expansion: A 'toxic dilemma for ministers"Toxic" is how one minister described the government's dilemma over Heathrow.
• Nine-week A55 tunnel closures beginNightly closures of a tunnel on one of Wales' busiest commuter routes begins as new lighting is installed as part of a £42m upgrade.
• BA chairman opens £3.3m hangar for aerospace degreeThe British Airways chairman is opening a £3.3m extension to a university's aerospace centre later.
• VIDEO: Council car park run without permissionA car park being run by Belfast City Council for staff is running without planning permission.

Department for Transport

• Transport Secretary and East Midlands Trains mark new era for customers as £13 million investment programme gets underwayTransport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin today marked the first day of East Midlands Trains’ extended franchise, joining Neil Micklethwaite, EMT Customer Experience and Commercial Director and the team at Derby station to despatch the 08:01 hours service to London.

The Guardian

• Heathrow third runway: civil service chief 'warned ministers not to comment'Sir Jeremy Heywood’s intervention appears to reflect concerns that ministers’ remarks could make final decision vulnerable to legal challenge

The Herald

• Third runway at Heathrow would stifle competitionA THIRD runway at Heathrow would "stifle competition" and leave Scotland "feeding a steroid-enhanced" hub at the expense of its own growth, ...
• Revealed: 46% of HALF of Scots motorists who lost their driving licence last year because they were at risk of suffering a potentially deadly blackout at the wheel were back on the road within months.

The Independent

• Heathrow? Gatwick? No, we need a new airportStewart Wingate , chief executive of Gatwick Airport, says Gatwick has never breached legal air-quality limits, in contrast to Heathrow, and so should be allowed to expand without “fruitless debate”. And he says “a new runway at Heathrow will only generate millions of additional vehicle journeys”

The Telegraph

• Pensioners' daytrip goes wrong as they end up on train 200 miles from homeMollie Muetzel and friend Kathleen Lowndes, celebrating their 90th birthdays, mistakenly board the wrong rush hour train

Times Online

• Irish Rail holds its track on bike ban [Subscription]IT’S the end of the line for bicycles on trains during rush hour, with Irish Rail promising to enforce a ban that has been widely flouted. From tomorrow, the company says no bikes will be allowed on services into or out of Dublin’s Heuston station during peak times. Enforcement will be extended nationwide.
• Great Western rail fiasco looms over delays to electrified line [Subscription]WHITEHALL could be forced to alter a multibillion-pound order for new electric trains because the tracks between London and South Wales will not be ready to run them.
• Virgin calls for end of rail franchise monopoly [Subscription]Britain’s biggest train operator has called for a radical shake-up of the system of rail franchising to introduce competition on services between London and Edinburgh.

Mail Online

• Monarch Airlines flight to Malaga turns back to Manchester with part of the WING hanging off The pilot reportedly discovered that part of the wing had come loose - as well as a problem with the cabin pressure - somewhere near Gloucester, and ultimately opted to turn back.

Birmingham Post

• Midlands Connect transport group could get new powers and funding to help create 'Engine for Growth'Project to improve links between Birmingham and Nottingham could be given formal powers in Government devolution bill

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• MP petitions for footbridge over Aire Valley Trunk Road A PETITION to connect two communities divided by the Aire Valley Trunk Road has been started by Keighley's MP.

Northern Echo

• Glider in near-miss with 340mph RAF planes over East Coast Main Line RAF student and tutor pilots flew in formation within 100ft of a glider while practising an emergency manoeuvre almost directly above the East Coast Main Line.
• Wensleydale Railway buy bridge to allow Aysgarth link A HERITAGE railway's ambitions plans to extend deep into the Yorkshire Dales have taken another step forward with the purchase of a second-hand bridge.

The York Press

• Conference in York aims to secure future of public transport in the region PUBLIC transport across the north of England will be in the spotlight at a major conference in York this week.

Yorkshire Post

• Virgin and Stagecoach call for rail franchises to be scrapped on inter-city routes to improve competition SIR RICHARD Branson’s Virgin and Stagecoach have called for rail franchises to be scrapped on inter-city routes and replaced by a licensing system. The companies claim that a new system of licensing rail operators and allowing them to compete directly on inter-city routes would boost competition and give a better deal to customers and taxpayers.

Get West London

• Ealing scoop Transport Local Authority of the Year awardAt a Transport Times award ceremony, the authority won the accolade for promoting "safety and sustainable travel"

Other Regional Press

• American investment firm RiverOak could turn to the courts if Manston CPO deal with Thanet council rejectedThe company hoping to force a buyout of Manston airport says it won't give up the fight - even if council rejects CPO deal
• Changes will be made to ‘difficult’ Harbour Crossroads junction FRUSTRATED motorists say they are relieved that long-awaited changes to a controversial junction are being made.

Aviation Industry

• Air France to make some job cuts in 2016, rest negotiable: CEOThe job cuts in 2016 will be voluntary redundancies and job losses in 2017 can be avoided if ongoing talks with unions lead to an agreement on alternative savings measures by the beginning of next year, Alexandre de Juniac said in a broadcast interview.
• BBT London Forum: Anger at speed of Lufthansa fee roll outBuyers discuss controversial GDS fee

Other News Sources

• Tories bid to block Scottish MPs from key vote on third runway at HeathrowTHE Tories’ plans to introduce English votes for English laws (Evel) descended even further in farce yesterday, as Scottish MPs have criticised a senior