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

Tuesday, 27 October 2015

BBC News

• John Fishwick and Sons bus firm ceases trading after 100 yearsA Lancashire bus company has ceased trading after more than a century of service.
• North Wales gritting run to be cutThe length of roads to be gritted in Denbighshire will be reduced by almost 8% this winter, the council says.
• Rail delays after points failureA points failure is causing train delays in and around Cardiff, Network Rail says.
• Troubled bike hire scheme suspendedA troubled bike hire scheme in Dumfries is suspended until next spring, BBC Scotland learns.
• New Oxford to London rail line opensThe new rail line linking Oxford and London opens in a �320m deal between operator Chiltern Railways and Network Rail.
• Airports 'normal' after day of chaosScotland's busiest airports have returned to normal after a day of disruption caused by an air traffic control failure.
• India's biggest airline in share offeringIndian budget airline IndiGo has plans to conduct an initial share offering this week as it seeks to raise as much as 32.68bn rupees ($500m; �325.6m), according to reports.

The Guardian

• Air France executive: shirt-shredding attack was 'price to pay for democracy'Xavier Broseta says he bears no grudges over Paris attack by airline workers but insists redundancy plans must go aheadAn Air France executive who was forced to flee shirtless from a staff meeting after he was attacked by protesting workers has described his ordeal as “the price to pay for democracy”.Xavier Broseta, the airline’s vice president of human resources, was pushed to safety over a fence – minus his shirt and jacket – at the airline’s offices in Paris on 5 October after 100 workers angered by a redundancy programme forced their way into a meeting of the airline’s senior management. ...
• 'Northern powerhouse' minister tells constituents to snub Northern EchoStockton South MP James Wharton accuses one of northern England’s biggest regional newspapers of political bias and waging weekly personal attacksThe Conservative minister in charge of George Osborne’s “northern powerhouse” project has urged his constituents not to read one of the north’s biggest regional newspapers, accusing it of “pro-Labour reporting”.Writing on his Facebook page, James Wharton was responding to an editorial in the Northern Echo by the paper’s editor, Peter Barron, who criticised the minister for refusing to answer his reporters’ calls or respond to any questions. Continue ...

The Herald

• New figures to show whether controversial A9 speed cameras halting road deaths and accidentsNEW figures are to be unveiled detailing the effectiveness of the speed cameras in preventing death and major accidents along one of Scotland's most dangerous roads.
• Railway maintenance worker warning detonators stolen in LanarkshireSix railway detonators used to warn maintenance workers that a train is approaching have been stolen.
• Ryanair in PASSENGERS flying with Ryanair will be able to connect directly onto a long-haul flight without collecting their bags or going back through check in under groundbreaking plans for a tie-up between the budget airline and major global carriers.

The Telegraph

• Mother poses her two children on rail tracks for a selfie as Network Rail warns people not to take selfies in dangerous placesThe network captured eight dangerous incidents in one day on a particular crossing

Daily Record

• Air traffic control glitch causes early morning travel chaos for passengers across Scotland TECHNICAL issues at the Scottish Air Traffic Control centre at Prestwick disrupted flights at airports across the country.
• Average speed cameras cost drivers on M8, M73, and M74 �150k in fines in just three months THE 50mph limit has been imposed on parts of the three motorways during a £500m upgrade which won't be complete until spring 2017.

Mail Online

• Taxpayers' �400k a DAY bill for new London to Swansea trains to stand idle The �3billion fleet is due to run on the London to Swansea line from May 2017 but the track upgrades required for electrification mean it is likely to be delayed - costing millions of pounds.

Network Rail

• New Oxford-to-London train link opens for businessTrain passengers will be able to travel from Oxford to London Marylebone from today (Monday 26 October), thanks to the first new rail connection from a major city to the capital in more than 100 years – a joint £320m scheme between Network Rail and train company Chiltern Railways.

Birmingham Post

• Campaign launched to install road signs for electric vehicle charging points Stakeholders in the electric vehicle industry lobby government for signposts to charging points

Daily Post (North Wales)

• HSS Stena Explorer to set sail from Holyhead after being sold to Turkish firm The fast ferry that first came to the town in 1996 is now heading off the island after carrying thousands of passengers over the Irish Sea

London Evening Standard

• Hundreds protest as roads close for ‘Mini-Holland’ cycle-friendly schemeHundreds of people joined a protest against London’s first cycle-friendly “Mini-Holland” scheme, claiming the road closures it entails are causing gridlock and “suffocating” business.
• Union boss: We need to meet Mayor face-to-face or Night Tube won't happenA union chief today made a personal appeal to Mayor Boris Johnson to meet him face to face to get Night Tube back on track following the collapse of negotiations.
• Third Heathrow runway ‘a costly mistake’The former competition watchdog who ordered the sell-off of Gatwick six years ago has come out strongly in favour of the airport as the best location for a new runway.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Shadow transport secretary backs council controlled buses and renewing Metro fleet during Gateshead visitLilian Greenwood, shadow transport secretary, said Labour would look at the case for a new Metro fleet

Sheffield Star

• Cheaper fares and price freeze on Sheffield buses as part of devolution dealTransport chiefs in Sheffield have launched a new range of tickets which they claim will cut passengers’ fares by nearly a quarter.

Wales Online

• Trains delayed at Cardiff Central after lines were blockedFirst Great Western said signalling problems at Cardiff Central meant all lines were blocked for much of Monday evening

Blackpool Gazette

• New green line will help low sighted in townDisability campaigners have given the thumbs up to a raft of highways improvements across Blackpool.

Bucks Free Press

• Rail link from High Wycombe to Oxford reopened as part of �320 million investment Direct train services from High Wycombe to Oxford have been restored for the first time in more than 50 years as part of a �320million investment.

North Wales Live

• �100m Port of Liverpool biomass handling facility enters service First rail delivery to Drax power station commences ahead of full operations from next July

Sunderland Echo

• Sunderland-based Stagecoach in line for national awardsSunderland bus operator Stagecoach North East has been shortlisted in two categories in the industry’s top national awards.

Other Regional Press

• North Ipswich representatives restore axed number 19 bus serviceCentral Suffolk and North Ipswich MP Dan Poulter along with Ipswich Borough Councillors have secured a replacement bus service for route 19 in the town after the final stages of the route were axed last year.
• TAY RAIL BRIDGE IN LINE FOR PERMANENT WALKWAYPlans have been lodged to build a permanent walkway system at the Tay Rail Bridge.
• Decision on rail scheme to link Slough and Heathrow due next monthThames Valley Berkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (TVB LEP) and its partners, led by Slough Borough Council, are increasing the pressure to deliver a western rail link to the airport, with a major decision on the future of the rail project due next month.
• Heathrow not ready to answer questions put by Colnbrook residentsOne month on from the Q&A session at Colnbrook’s United Reform Church Heathrow is still unable to provide answers to key questions put by residents.
• Bus firm set to support Poppy Appeal A DORSET bus operator is showing its support for the Royal British Legion's Poppy Appeal.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• DPD voted the UK's favourite delivery company by Which? members… again!The UK's fastest growing major parcel delivery company DPD has yet again been voted the best in the business in a customer satisfaction poll. For the third year running, Which? readers have voted DPD the top delivery company in the UK. The poll was based on the experiences of over 10,500 Which? members, over a six month period. Earlier this year, DPD was singled out by Which? for a Special Award, to recognise the fact that the company has offered the best in customer care and driven change in its sector. In addition to topping the Which? tables for delivery companies, DPD also meets all the ...

Rail Magazine

• Wires to Cornwall by 2029?Electrification to Paignton, Plymouth and Penzance in addition to Exeter-Bristol is targeted for Control Period 7 (2024-2029), in a new report issued in October
• Major improvements for South West railway?Major South West rail improvements including increased capacity and an alternative route to the coastal line between Exeter and Newton Abbot are moving closer.
• Overhead wires go live in Manchester city centreOverhead lines that will power Metrolink trams running to the city centre’s new Exchange Square tram stop will go live today (October 26).
• First new service between major British city and London for over 100 years officially openedChiltern Railways officially opens Oxford Parkway.
• Great numbers for Great YarmouthFive per cent increase in passenger numbers to Great Yarmouth reports Abellio Greater Anglia.
• GEML Taskforce promises bidders will GEML Taskforce meets to discuss support for new Anglia franchise
• Hitachi's Doncaster depot takes shapeHitachi Rail Europe's new depot on the site of the former Doncaster Carr facility is being built ahead of the introduction of IEP trains in 2018.
• Inside North Pole as first '800' reaches Hitachi depotThe first Intercity Express Programme Class 800 has reached Hitachi's North Pole.
• Britain's newest locomotives arrive - two more '68s' for DRSDirect Rail Services took delivery of two brand new Class 68s on October 26.
• Halton Curve signalling ready for 2018Merseytravel confirms re-signalling work to make the 1.5 mile (2.5km) Halton Curve bi-directional is now on course for completion in 2018.

Railnews

• Oxford-London service welcomes first commuters Trains are carrying commuters from a new station in suburban Oxford to London today, via a newly-built connection at Bicester. The Chiltern Railways service between Oxford Parkway in Water Eaton and Marylebone started yesterday, and runs along the existing but upgraded line via Islip to Bicester Town, which has now been renamed Bicester Village, and then turns right to run over a new chord to join the London line south of Bicester. The service is a competitor for the Great Western Railway trains to Paddington from the main station in Oxford.

Transport Times

• Why does the bus struggle to get a hearing?Debate about rail is focused on dealing with the pressures of success. The conversation about buses is more often about arresting decline. The bus lobby needs to find a stronger voice.

Aviation Industry

• Scottish airports suffer delays after technical faultDelays this morning at Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Prestwick
• Chambers expands in GermanyTMC sees 72% growth during past financial year
• Business Travel Awards 2016: Shortlist announcedThe shortlist for next year Business Travel Awards has been revealed
• Flybe introduces flight switch offerTravellers with ‘Get More’ tickets can switch to earlier or later flights

Other News Sources

• OmniServ develops new Heathrow inter-terminal bus partnershipOmniServ, a subsidiary of ABM and UK airport service contractor, has developed a new partnership with London Heathrow airport and Wildstone Airports to begin selling media across its inter-terminal bus fleet. The partnership gives brands an untapped opportunity to engage with a captive audience, according to the company.
• Heathrow wins enviro awardHeathrow's vehicle fleet, anergy use and public transport networks have all been singled out as the best in the industry by media awards this month.
• New super speed cameras hit Hampshire roads CRASH blackspots on Hampshire’s roads are being targeted with new technology as police try to reduce deaths and injuries.
• FTA launches App keeping drivers informed and on the moveFTA has today launched Driverfta - a brand new App giving drivers complete visibility of their drivers’ hours data, making sure they have ...