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Thursday, 29 October 2015

BBC News

• ScotRail defends new Borders RailwayTrain operator ScotRail hits back against criticism of the new Borders Railway with claims it has boosted local businesses.
• Pilots union criticises LoganairPilots union Balpa is calling on Scottish airline Loganair to make major improvements to its repairs department.
• Bombardier CSeries 'to get Quebec boost'The provincial government in Quebec is poised to invest in Bombardier's troubled CSeries, according to reports.
• Emissions scandal pushes VW into lossVolkswagen reports its first quarterly loss for at least 15 years after taking a big charge to cover the costs of its emissions scandal.

ITV News

• Campaigners call for investment in ageing rail rolling stockRail campaigners have called for investment in trains that are "fit for this century" after figures highlighted the region's ageing rolling stock.

Financial Times

• GE and Alstom set for India rail contractUS and French engineering groups lead the field for multibillion-dollar locomotive deals
• Heathrow lays groundwork for third runwayAirport hopes to receive go-ahead from the government in December

The Herald

• EU agrees on stricter emissions testing for diesel cars following Volkswagen scandalThe European Union has agreed on tougher emissions tests for diesel cars after the Volkswagen scandal showed previous methods were ineffective.

The Independent

• Anger over 'Northern Powerhouse' commuters having to use 40-year-old 'boneshaker' trainsIn the heady 1980s, when cinemagoers in the North of England flocked to watch the Back to the Future films, they perhaps imagined that in 2015 they would all be commuting to work on hoverboards.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow boss remains coy on restrictions on third runwayJohn Holland-Kaye is optimistic the Government will give its expansion plan the greenlight, but refuses to commit to measures to limit noise and air pollution
• Volkswagen emissions scandal could kill 200 Britons, warns MIT and HarvardThe Volkswagen emissions scandal could lead to the deaths of 200 Britons if cars are not recalled quickly, academics have warned.

Mail Online

• New in-car technology could penalise motorists who regularly drive in bad weather Industry chiefs have suggested they will increasingly use black box recording devices to vary insurance premiums based on whether drivers take to the road in heavy rain, snow and ice.

The Mirror

• The next train arriving ... will be 36.3 years oldRailway rolling stock is at its most outdated since 2001, with the average train 20.2 years old, a study has found

Belfast Telegraph

• Belfast bus lane cameras rake in £1m in three monthsMotorists have been hit with fines totalling at least £1m in just three months after they were caught driving in Belfast's bus lanes, the Belfast Telegraph can reveal.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Teenage Bradford boxer signs knock-out deal with UK transport firm A TEENAGE Bradford boxer has signed a knock-out deal with a UK transport firm.
• New rules to curb cross border minicabs welcomed in Bradford CHANGES that could prevent the influx of cabs licensed in rural Lancashire operating in Bradford have been welcomed by Bradford Council's deputy leader.

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyside trains are the oldest in the country according to new figuresTravellers in Merseyside are using the oldest trains in the country according to new figures showing the state of Britain’s rolling stock.

Wales Online

• Britain's ageing trains are dubbed 'clapped out' by unions amid calls for investmentCarriages on the Welsh network are up to 40 years old, says rail expert Professor Stuart Cole

Yorkshire Post

• North’s ageing trains are a ‘laughing stock’Decades of under-investment in trains have made the north a “laughing stock”, with a transport system not fit for a burgeoning economy, rail campaigners have said.
• North’s ageing trains are a ‘laughing stock’Decades of under-investment in trains have made the north a “laughing stock”, with a transport system not fit for a burgeoning economy, rail campaigners have said.

Burnley Express

• Lancashire looks set to press ahead with local ‘powerhouse’ bidLancashire councils look set to push ahead with a bid to create their own local government ‘powerhouse’.

North Wales Live

• Passengers leave 100 items on Arriva buses every day - including false teeth, handcuffs and live ferrets Arriva are now asking passengers to alert local items by using social media after receiving more than 35,000 customer phone calls about missing possessions
• Uber demand Liverpool council re-think delay on licence Local authority is considering halting approving new liences to all 'App-based' operators while is carries out consultation

Western Daily Press

• Rail operator hits back at claims over old rolling stock Read more: http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/Rail-operator-hits-claims-old-rolling-stock/story-28072293-detail/story.html#ixzz3pwRWneTD Follow us: @WMNNews on Twitter | westernmorningnews on FaThe Westcountry's main rail operator has hit back at figures suggesting it has the second oldest rolling stock in the country.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Shipping firm Maersk slashes profit forecast by $600mThe firm's progress is seen as a good indicator of global trade, as shipping carries about nine tenths of the world's trade, and Maersk Line is the world's biggest container carrier. Maersk will probably book $3.4bn in profit for 2015, it said. The company's shares fell 6.5% in early trading. Shipping companies were charging about $233 to move 20-foot containers from Asia to Northern Europe, a loss-making rate according to analysis by Reuters.    Maersk blamed the drop in earnings on slender container shipping margins. It makes about half its profit from running the Maersk Line...
• New �9m cycle route plan for Edinburgh city centreIf approved by councillors next week, plans for a
• New train punctuality app launchedThe ‘It’s My Journey’ app enables passengers to search for a specific train over a selected period of time to determine how reliable the service is. The results show percentage figures for how often a train is on time, delayed or cancelled over a period of several months. Glow Media has developed the app to help passengers choose the best train services and routes for their journeys. The app will be available from April 2016.   Source: Rail
• TfL unveils new consultation on revised Crossrail 2 plansPrevious consultations have already helped to inform TfL’s work on the project which looks increasingly likely to be given the go-ahead by ministers who have already safeguarded its core route. The scheme, which could open in 2030, has the backing of all four parties currently represented at City Hall and could be worth up to £100bn to London’s economy and help deliver thousands of new homes and jobs. TfL, City Hall and many London businesses see Crossrail 2 as essential if the capital is to continue serving the needs of its growing population and remain an attractive plac...
• Tim Noble joins First Bus to drive procurement strategyNoble was previously head of category and supplier management at IT infrastructure business SCC, and has experience in the transport industry having served as head of procurement for Arriva’s UK bus division for five years. He will be responsible for defining First Bus’ purchasing strategy. Noble has also senior procurement roles at Controls and Data Services, Severn Trent Water and Marley Eternit. He began his purchasing career in the automotive industry, working for General Motors, Land Rover and Peugeot. He took up his new role on 1 October. Noble said in a statement: “I&r...
• All systems go for Swift Pay As You GoCatching the bus is now even easier following the launch of the Swift Pay As You Go card. The Swift smart card now allows passengers to load cash on the card and buy single, return and day tickets. Pay As You Go (PAYG) can now be used on all buses in the region including National Express West Midlands and National Express Coventry services as well as 22 other operators in the region. The Swift smartcard has been identified as a priority by the West Midlands Integrated Transport Authority (WMITA), which sets transport policy and strategy across the region. Centro is its delivery body, overseen...
• London Midland responds to passengers over autumn timetableOn the Cross City line from Monday 2 November, the 0732 and 0812 trains from Selly Oak to Lichfield will call additionally at Longbridge (0722/0802), Northfield (0724/0804), Kings Norton (0727/0807) and Bournville (0729/0809). Autumn leaf fall creates challenging driving conditions for trains. The wheels and rails become coated with a hard residue, making the rail head slippery, so our drivers need to slow down to adapt to the driving conditions. Last year the autumn timetable helped improve punctuality by almost fifty per cent. Reducing the number of station stops helps in two ways. Drivi...
• Paragon launches Route Control to help transport offices plan for the London Lorry Control Scheme and major public events Paragon Route Control will enable planners to build compliant routes, cutting the time spent on manual planning, reducing the need for route deviations, minimising the impact of LLCS and major public events on routing and scheduling, and lowering the risk of incurring penalty fines. LLCS affects millions of trucks each year*. Compliance with the LLCS can add many miles to each journey; the Freight Transport Association has estimated that the cost incurred by the industry is £30 million a year. Since the LLCS was first introduced, transport offices wanting to optimise their fleet operat...

Rail Magazine

• VIDEO: Borders Railway interview with ScotRailInterview with Rob Shorthouse of ScotRail, in regards to the volume of passengers on the Borders Railway and the overcrowding and cancellation issues
• New station planned for WiltshireDesigns have been unveiled for a new Wilton Parkway station, near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

Aviation Industry

• CEO: Finnair must grow to reach a more competitive size Finnair CEO Pekka Vauramo believes the biggest challenge for the oneworld member will be to grow further to reach a more competitive size as soon as possible. read more
• China’s Capital Airlines opens two international routesHainan Airlines’ subsidiary Capital Airlines has opened two international routes—Zhanjiang-Bangkok on Oct. 26 and Beijing-Male on Oct. 27. read more
• ANA half-year net profit up 50% on international growthAll Nippon Airways (ANA) reported a net profit of �53.9 billion ($447.8 million) for the half-year to Sept. 30, a 50% increase from the same period a year earlier. read more
• Aircraft & Engine News-Oct. 28, 2015Aircraft & Engine News-Oct. 28, 2015 read more

Other News Sources

• Heathrow sees growth as third runway campaign continuesHeathrow has continued to experience strong growth as its campaign for expansion continues.
• Heathrow refuses to backtrack on misleading claim that “M4 pollution will be fixed by 2020″New analysis by defra “has confirmed” that the M4 near Heathrow will meet EU air quality standards by 2020, the airport says. But the airport has given a frosty response to Colnbrook Views when challenged that defra’s draft findings actually say the opposite.
• NINE-MONTH REVENUE HITS £2.1BN AT HEATHROWHeathrow Airport has hailed a "robust" set of financial results with revenues rising to almost £2.1bn in its latest nine-month financial period.