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

Wednesday, 11 November 2015

BBC News

• Heathrow expansion: An unusual well-mannered muggingNot many were listening or watching, but in City Hall Transport for London (TfL) officials piled into the Aviation Commission's report on Heathrow on Tuesday.
• Rail line reopens after floodingA rail line running along part of the Conwy Valley reopens to trains after flooding forced its closure on Monday.
• Rail strike on as talks falterAll Arriva Trains Wales services are set to be cancelled in a 48-hour strike starting on Thursday as unions say talks fail to reach an agreement.
• Airport tests emergency responseMembers of the public are warned not to be alarmed, as Edinburgh Airport prepares for an emergency training exercise.
• Leaves on line cause London rail delaysRail companies say their services are seriously disrupted because of
• VW scandal hits Porsche profitsProfits at Porsche, which owns a controlling stake in Volkswagen, have halved in the wake of the diesel emissions scandal.

ITV News

• Plans to ease overcrowding on trains to go on holdPlans to ease overcrowding on the region's trains will be put on hold for up to two years, ITV News can reveal. It's after delays to the electrification of the Great Western line, with the budget tripled to £2.8 billion.

Department for Transport

• Regions to be offered legal powers to transform transportProposals to put bodies like Transport for the North on a statutory footing.

Financial Times

• Easyjet targets business travellersAirline launches frequent flyer card to differentiate from low-cost rivals
• United faces challenge to Newark planTroubles deepen as justice department opposes airline’s purchase of extra Newark slots
• Test flight triumph for Mitsubishi jetJapanese group launches ambitious challenge to Embraer and Bombardier in market for small aircraft
• Uber in South Korea tie-up with HyundaiRide-hailing service in bid to keep alive troubled business in the country

The Guardian

• Mitsubishi flies Japan's first ever passenger jetMitsubishi Regional Jet is country’s first commercial airliner since propeller models of the 1970s and is aimed at growing market for smaller planesJapan’s first ever domestic passenger jet has successfully embarked on its maiden test flight, culminating a decade of development for a programme aimed at competing with Brazilian and Canadian rivals in the global market for smaller aircraft. Related: China arrives in 'big jet club' with homegrown passenger plane Continue reading...

The Herald

• Train services disrupted by fallen tree which burst into flamesRAIL services have been disrupted between Glasgow Central and Neilston after a tree fell onto overhead wires and caught fire.

The Telegraph

• Markets, not politicians, should be left to decide between Heathrow and GatwickThe Davies Commission into airport expansion is deeply flawed, further stacking the odds against the successful expansion of Heathrow
• New Tube map shows how long it will take to walk between stationsTransport for London has released its first official 'walk the Tube' map
• Poor airport security in Egypt is a 'cultural problem', says Philip HammondThe Foreign Secretary says airplanes are vulnerable to terror attacks because a

Mail Online

• TfL unveil first map showing how long it'll take to walk between stations The map, which covers Zones 1 and 2, replicates the standard Tube plan but adding a number between each pair of stations which are next to each other on the same line.

Birmingham Post

• The VW scandal has a long way to go Since the Volkswagen emissions scandal the company has brought in a new CEO, posted its first quarterly loss in 15 years, and has sought pin the blame on a few 'rogue' software engineers.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Half fare public transport extended to 16 to 18-year-olds in West Yorkshire THOUSANDS more young people are now able to pay half-fares on the county's buses and trains.
• Bus route changes in Bradford provoke protest meeting A GROUP of angry bus users have arranged a public meeting to discuss cuts to services.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Electrification of North Wales rail line could cost £800m estimates suggest The cost of improving the whole of the main line would be more than £200m less than Welsh Government's £1bn relief road in Newport
• Rail chaos as Arriva Trains Wales say ALL services will be halted by strike actionThere will also be no replacement buses as drivers are ordered out on 48 hour strike
• Angry motorists blast Transport Minister's 'arrogant' A55 comments Edwina Hart said 'poor driver behaviour' was to blame for queues around roadworks on the dual carriageway

London Evening Standard

• Simon Jenkins: Don’t buy the idea that Heathrow expansion is ‘good for the nation’London is a terrible city for helicopters. International businessmen vital to the economy are dumped in Battersea. How can a global financial centre tolerate it? London must move into the 21st century. It must have a heliport near its centre.

Manchester Evening News

• Sacked: Bullying Jet2 boss who flung teenage apprentice into Manchester canalJet2.com condemn 'unacceptable' behaviour and have offered support for the teenage victim

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Robert Howard: Could we have a twin city Oyster card?Robert Howard, a blogger from Beeston, says a new travel card could work if it includes both Nottm and Derby. I have long been an advocate of Derby and Nottingham working closer together, especially when it comes to public transport. Perhaps this wider view goes back to the days when I chaired East Midlands Airport whilst a Nottinghamshire county councillor. News (once again) that we are about to get a London style 'Oyster' travel card is something I will believe when it actually...

Sheffield Star

• ‘Last chance’ to have say on Smithy Woods service station planCampaigners fighting to stop a motorway service station from being built at ancient Sheffield woodland are urging residents to take their ‘last chance’ to object.

Sheffield Telegraph

• BREAKING: Robin Hood announces new Flybe flights to Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and other destinationsRobin Hood Airport has today revealed new flights to major European destinations including Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam as well a host of other new routes with with airline Flybe.

The York Press

• Report-a-speeder project launches online CONCERNS about road safety can now be reported in a quicker, more customer-focused process.

Wales Online

• 'I don't feel safe driving there' These are the reasons Cardiff taxi drivers refuse to take fares Safety fears, drunken and abusive passengers and taking a break among reasons given by taxi drivers to council officials for refusing to to take passengers
• Arriva Trains Wales services could be cancelled on Thursday and Friday after talks to avert industrial action fail The train operator has released information for customers who have tickets booked for the 48-hour period from midnight on Thursday

Doncaster Free Press

• BREAKING: Robin Hood announces new Flybe flights to Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam and other destinationsRobin Hood Airport has today revealed new flights to major European destinations including Paris, Berlin and Amsterdam as well a host of other new routes with with airline Flybe.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Train repairs cause dozens of rail cancellations across Suffolk and Essex todayRail services between Ipswich and Felixstowe, and Marks Tey and Sudbury are being cancelled this morning, as a result of more trains than usual needing repairs.

Get West London

• Third runway at Heathrow 'could lead to congestion on scale not seen before'Transport for London estimates improvements needed to cope with extra demand would cost up to to £20bn

Londonist

• Which Are The 17 Stations Where You Can't Get Wi-Fi On The Tube?Transport for London (TfL) updated their list of Wi-Fi enabled tube stations yesterday. They say that 250 (out of 270) tube stations now have Wi-Fi — plus Victoria Coach Station too.

North Wales Live

• Train crew praised for handling of Thatto Heath station death But passenger left shaken by incident criticises Northern Rail for lack of support

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Contactless payments and Oyster to make travel to and from Gatwick Airport seamlessGatwick Airport and 5 other stations to accept pay as you go Oyster and contactless payments. Passengers travelling between Gatwick Airport and London will soon be able to use pay as you go, Rail Minister Claire Perry confirmed today (Tuesday 10 November 2015), thanks to an agreement between the government, Transport for London (TfL) and the operator, Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR). Pay as you go using Oyster and Contactless payments will be introduced as new methods of payment from January 2016 for journeys between London and Gatwick Airport on Southern, Gatwick Express and Thameslink servic...
• New Future in Sight for Buses in DoncasterProposals to optimise Doncaster’s bus network will go to public consultation this week, as authorities look to progress the public transport aims proposed in Sheffield City Region’s (SCR) Devolution Deal. The proposed bus network will play a key role in developing local transport to better meet the needs of the growing economy and customers by providing a more coordinated, more efficient and better integrated network.   The utilisation of services also aims to improve access to employment and training sites and trains and other bus routes, whilst ensuring that the bus offer ...
• James Thorley joins the Scania Bus and Coach Fleet Sales teamJames Thorley has been appointed to the position of Fleet Sales Manager – Bus and Coach for Scania (Great Britain) Limited.  James will now work alongside UK Bus and Coach Fleet Sales General Manager, Mark Oliver to strengthen and further develop Scania's position within the UK bus and coach fleet sales market. James has spent the past 13 years working within the bus and coach industry and joins Scania from MAN.  Having worked primarily in a technical support role, he is experienced in all areas of the sector and has a deep understanding of the needs and requirements of the UK...
• New chief executive for British AirwaysInternational Airlines Group has announced that Alex Cruz is to replace Keith Williams as chairman and chief executive of British Airways in April 2016 when Keith retires after 18 years at the airline.  Alex Cruz is chairman and chief executive of Vueling currently. In his new role, he will continue to report to IAG chief executive Willie Walsh. In addition Steve Gunning, the current chief executive of IAG Cargo, will become chief financial officer at British Airways, replacing Nick Swift who is leaving the airline to pursue other opportunities with everyone’s good wishes. Commen...

Rail Magazine

• RFG calls for equal billing with passenger trafficRegionalisation of Network Rail would not be beneficial for freight, according to a survey carried out by the Rail Freight Group.
• HS2 announces Design Panel membersIndependent Design Panel members have been announced, to support HS2 in applying the best design principles to the project.
• HS2 offers opportunities for Scottish supply chainScotland has the ambition and opportunity to benefit from High Speed 2, according to one of the country’s leading politicians.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Indian Railways orders $5.6bn worth of locomotives from GE and Alstom Indian Railways has awarded two contracts worth $5.6bn to US-based General Electric (GE) and French engineering firm Alstom for new diesel and electric locomotives.
• SIP / PAD is Pixy's Complete Solution for Hardware and Software With SIP / PAD, Pixy offers a qualitatively complete package for both hardware and software, and covers all common variants from screen size and interfaces to performance.
• MEN Introduces K1 Board to MTCS Product Family MEN is introducing the first member of a new family of safe I / O boards around the modular train control system (MTCS).
• Furrer+Frey-Overhead Contact Lines Founded in 1923, Furrer+Frey, the electrification company, specialises in railway electrification systems ranging from 600V to 25kV and covering mountain lines, intercity lines, urban traffic, rack r...
• Network Rail approves Ricardo's pantograph monitoring system UK rail infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) has approved Ricardo Rail’s PanMon pantograph monitoring system for use throughout the national rail network.
• Siemens wins order for 34 Charger locomotives from three US states Siemens has received an order for 34 diesel-electric Charger locomotives from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) in the US.

Aviation Industry

• Was Buffett Wrong? Budget Airline IndiGo Surges in DebutAn IndiGo aircraft taxies at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport in Mumbai. The firm that runs IndiGo rose as much as 18 percent in its trading debut.
• Airport security needs to be raised – Easyjet bossCEO says some airports have to enhance security procedures
• Gatwick trains to accept Oyster cards Deal means that travellers from London will not have to buy separate tickets
• Flybe strengthens key business travel routesRegional carrier will add 17 new routes for summer 2016

Other News Sources

• Guildford taxi drivers face �1,000 bill to rebrand cars with new council liveryGuildford Borough Council has set out new policy for taxi drivers, which include removing a requirement for new taxis to be wheelchair accessible
• Guildford railway station revamp plans scaled back following criticismThe proposed £150m redevelopment features new homes, a multi-storey car park, shops and restaurants
• FTA backs Belfast road scheme at Public InquiryThe Freight Transport Association has today made a submission to the Public Inquiry into the planned �180m development of York Street Interchange ...
• New CAA web directory for special assistance informationFinding information about the special assistance services provided by airports has just become a little easier thanks to a new Civil Aviation Authority web directory.
• GBTA 2015: ‘Be more experimental when investing in tech’Airplus boss says travel firms should not be afraid to try out new products