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

Wednesday, 20 January 2016

BBC News

• VIDEO: Drone lands on moving car in GermanyRoboticists in Germany have taught a drone how to land itself on a car travelling at 75 km/h (47mph).
• Forth Road Bridge inquiry to beginMSPs on Holyrood's infrastructure and capital investment committee are to begin an inquiry into the closure of the Forth Road Bridge.
• Standing-only escalators 'speedier'A trial which saw Holborn's escalators become standing-only improved the speed people got through the station, Transport for London finds.
• Car hub Stuttgart asks for auto banResidents of one of Germany's foremost car manufacturing bases are urged to leave their vehicles at home after smog breaches maximum safe levels.
• Eurostar sale more 'evidence of undervaluing assets'The sale of the UK government's stake in the Eurostar train service is "further evidence" of assets being undervalued, according to MPs.

Financial Times

• MPs question valuations of public assetsEurostar sale begs questions over reliance on small group of consultants

The Guardian

• Heathrow ‘hooligans’ are our modern day freedom fighters | George MonbiotThe trial of 13 climate protesters is not really about aviation, it highlights a glaring democratic deficitThey have been reviled as vandals, hooligans and lunatics. But to me, these people are heroes. The 13 women and men on trial this week for cutting through the perimeter fence around Heathrow airport and chaining themselves together on a runway were excoriated by police, passengers and politicians. (One of the defendants in the case is a member of the cooperative society that rents my house.) If convicted, they all face a possible prison sentence. But there are two trials here: the legal p...

The Herald

• Volkswagen 'could be liable to compensate consumers' over diesel emissions scandalVolkswagen could be liable to compensate consumers for losses suffered over the diesel emissions scandal, the Government said today.

The Independent

• Party leaders will stay grounded even as their anti-Heathrow wings take flightConservative MPs are frustrated by another delay over airport expansion. They argue that Government exists to make tough decisions yet, on this issue, continues to abdicate responsibility.

The Telegraph

• Emissions scandal: 95pc of diesel cars break official limits when driven on the roadMajority of diesel engines exceed ?official emissions limits once they are in the hands of motorists, testing reveals

Mail Online

• Which? study reveals how some diesel cars emit up to 15 times the safe amount� Many popular petrol cars on Britain's roads also put out high levels of toxic carbon monoxide, with offending manufacturers including Nissan, BMW and Jeep. Which? said the tests are seriously flawed.

Sky News

• Heathrow Plots To Land Ex-Treasury MinisterThe former Treasury Minister Lord Deighton is being sounded out to take over as Heathrow's chairman

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Campaigners delight as replacement bus service proves hit with passengers CAMPAIGNERS who fought to save their local bus service say a publicly-funded replacement is proving a hit with passengers.

London Evening Standard

• Key rush hour Southern, South Eastern and South West commuter trains 'late more often than they are on time'Commuter trains on key rush-hour services are arriving late into London stations more often than they are on time, figures showed today.
• Anti-suicide phones plan for Ealing Broadway stationPhones with a direct line to the Samaritans could be installed at Ealing Broadway station after a spate of suicides.
• Shut City Airport and build new houses on the land, say GreensCity Airport could be closed and the site redeveloped to create a new housing and business quarter, under plans proposed by the Greens.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: Questions over HS2 rail projectBUSINESS LEADERS have argued high speed rail is vital to the future of the Leeds economy after MPs questioned whether the project represents value for money.

Blackpool Gazette

• Tram pass issue will be debated by MPsThe controversial decision to axe free tram travel for some pensioners on the Fylde coast will be discussed by MPs in Parliament tomorrow.

North Wales Live

• Jaguar Land Rover the best UK company to work for, says Bloomberg survey Luxury car maker leads the way in independent survey by US business services specialist

Other Regional Press

• Bus lanes down the middle of Cambridge’s major roads? 'Bus rapid transit' is backed by campaigners A Cambridge transport system with bus lanes down the middle of the city's major roads has the 'wow factor' to succeed, say campaigners – and has been backed by bosses in charge of the £500 million City Deal.
• High speed rail between Glasgow and Edinburgh Derek Mackay said the aspiration of a link between Scotland’s two largest cities remains but is dependent on the identification of a cross border route from England.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• XPO Logistics secures multi �-million renewal with General MotorsGeneral Motors UK Ltd has extended its long-term relationship with XPO Logistics in a three-year contract renewal for the distribution of its Vauxhall automotive aftermarket parts in the UK. The two companies’ collaboration spans more than 15-years. Due to the continued success of its Night Distribution service – XPO Logistics makes ‘out of hours’ deliveries to a network of 330 Vauxhall retail outlets across the UK on a daily basis – Vauxhall’s parent endorsed the new supply chain agreement. The contract involves the collection and trunking of orders from ...

Rail Magazine

• Photographic exhibition at railway stationsPictures of rock stars on display at King’s Cross and Lime Street
• Walsall bridge work beginsWork has begun on replacing the second half of the railway bridge that connects to Walsall High Street
• Storms cause more misery for the UK rail network Parts of the rail network remain closed as a result of severe weather conditions recorded over the Christmas period and early 2016.

Railnews

• West Coast Main Line to stay blocked until March The West Coast Main Line is to remain closed in southern Scotland until March, Network Rail has warned, as repairs continue at Lamington Viaduct. The structure, which bridges the Clyde, was severely damaged by Storm Frank on New Year's Eve, and Network Rail said it has now become clear that the viaduct almost collapsed after the surging river had scoured out its foundations.

Aviation Industry

• Singapore Airlines yet to decide on boosting Virgin Australia stakeSingapore Airlines is pleased that Virgin Australia is improving its financial performance, but it has yet to decide whether it will boost its stake in the Australian carrier to 25.9 per cent to equal the other major airline shareholders, Air New Zealand and Etihad Airways.
• Vienna Airport to modify terminals to handle Airbus A380s Vienna International Airport is looking for ways to modify its terminal facility to handle Airbus A380s. read more
• Delta profits soar on low fuel costsUS carrier reports a 29% year-on-year increase

Other News Sources

• Heathrow Plane Stupid activists stand trial over third runway protest 13 protesters were arrested and charged after they snuck into a restricted area of the airport in July last year