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Wednesday, 02 March 2016

BBC News

• Loganair unveils first revamped planeThe refurbishment of the first of 13 aircraft operated by the Scottish airline Loganair is completed.
• ScotRail pushes paperless ticket planTrain operator ScotRail announces plans to to expand its smartcard system for all season ticket holders across every route in Scotland.
• Edinburgh Airport celebrates 100 yearsA series of events are to be held as part of celebrations to mark 100 years of air travel from Edinburgh Airport.
• RMT union agrees Night Tube pay offerA pay and conditions deal over the Night Tube service is overwhelmingly accepted by members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union.
• VIDEO: Rolls-Royce paints it blackAt this week's Geneva Motor Show, luxury carmaker Rolls-Royce is adopting the colour black for some of its models, in a bid to attract a different set of customers.

The Guardian

• Night tube moves a step closer after staff agree pay dealRevised pay and conditions offer overwhelming accepted by members of biggest union after months of negotiationsLondon’s promised 24-hour weekend tube service could finally be on track after the biggest union voted to accept the associated pay deal. Related: TfL spends £600,000 advertising night tube – despite it having no launch date Continue reading...

The Herald

• Scots bus lane case couple in landmark legal case to overturn fineA COUPLE has launched a landmark legal case to overturn controversial bus lane fines that could open the floodgates to hundreds of similar challenges

The Mirror

• Pilots call for tests on effect of drone hitting passenger plane after spate of near-misses Military and civilian aircraft had a shocking 23 mid-air near-misses with drones in just six months amid fears a collision could cause ‘serious’ engine failure

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• More than 700 motorists snared and 60 vehicles seized in first month of danger drivers crackdown MORE than 700 motorists were snared and 60 vehicles seized by police in the first month of a Telegraph & Argus-inspired crackdown on dangerous drivers in Bradford.

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail 2 station on King’s Road is ‘vital to cope with rise in passengers’Supporters of a £1 billion rail station on King’s Road in Chelsea have claimed that the two Underground stations that serve the area will be overwhelmed without it.
• Bakerloo line trains to stop serving Paddington for four months from AprilBakerloo line trains are set to stop calling at one of London’s busiest stations for more than four months.
• City Spy: Willie Walsh faces lottery with City Airport's new ownersBA boss Willie Walsh's warnings that the airline could abandon London City Airport if its new owners — a consortium featuring the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan — hike prices struck a chord with one disgruntled Spy reader.
• Night Tube: Union members accept deal to pave way for launch of all-night serviceRMT members have overwhelmingly accepted a deal that may finally pave the way for the launch of the Night Tube.
• 'Little Ben' returned to Victoria station after extensive restoration workA scale model of the Elizabeth Tower has been refitted outside Victoria station after four years away from the busy rail terminal.

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield’s bus services ‘will get better’ after problemsCouncillors and transport bosses have pledged to keep working to improve buses in Sheffield after a public meeting showed a clear lack of confidence in city services.

Wales Online

• Tories pledge to have diggers at work on the M4 relief road within 12 months of electionThe Conservatives claim Labour 'dithering' could put the economy at risk

Get West London

• Heathrow welcome Prince Edward to launch Duke of Edinburgh Diamond ChallengeLaunch gets off to a flying start with Heathrow CEO John Holland-Kaye and around 100 of Heathrow's workforce abseiling down Terminal 5

The Shields Gazette

• Nissan to build Qashqai with 'auto-pilot' in SunderlandThe Nissan Qashqai crossover will be the company’s first vehicle in Europe to feature autonomous ‘Piloted Drive’ technology when it rolls off the line next year, Nissan announced today.

Other Regional Press

• Watch Rolls Royce reveals stealth fighter upgrades to its luxury carsStealth fighter technology is one of the upgrades for the new Rolls Royce Black Badge models.
• Nissan to build Qashqai with 'auto-pilot' in SunderlandThe Nissan Qashqai crossover will be the company’s first vehicle in Europe to feature autonomous ‘Piloted Drive’ technology when it rolls off the line next year, Nissan announced today.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Virgin Trains celebrates its first year on the East Coast Today Virgin Trains celebrates its first anniversary at the reins of the east coast rail franchise. The company has already committed to invest more than £40m on fleet improvements* with almost £18m invested in the first year, equivalent to the amount its predecessor, Directly Operated Railways (trading as East Coast) spent in their last three years (£17m). A total of £140m will be invested over the length of the franchise to help deliver a more customer focused, more Virgin travel experience. Highlights of the year include a stylish makeover of existing train stock ...
• Reading Buses hoping to compete in 50th anniversary driving competitionReading Buses is hoping that one of its driving team has the ability to bring another coveted award to the Great Knollys Street depot. They will be holding their own competition to select a representative to send to the National Bus Driver of the Year Competition in Blackpool – its 50th anniversary. Company heats for their Reading and Newbury drivers will be in May with the winner being put forward to the national event as well as spending the weekend of September 3-4 with their partner at the Hilton Hotel, Blackpool. Said Mick Hughes, Reading Buses Academy Manager:  “After...
• First Bus reports growing sales of flexible multi-journey ticketsFirst Bus has revealed a 28% increase year on year in sales of its ‘carnet’ multi-journey products, which typically enable customers to purchase ten journeys at a discounted rate.    More than 216,000 journeys were made using multi-journey tickets across First Bus in January 2016, rising from 168,000 in January 2015.  The company has linked the increase in demand of the simple and flexible tickets to its increasing availability as an m-Ticket and changing work patterns after the Office of National Statistics in February confirmed 8.43m people in the UK are working i...
• New �1 million competition to boost rail tourismA £1 million competition to encourage more visitors to travel by rail to see hidden gems across the UK has been launched by the Department for Transport. The competition will offer grants to rail operators for innovative ideas and trials and is aimed particularly at heritage railways and community rail partnerships. It hopes to encourage more tourists and make it easier to explore the UK by rail. The competition is expected to generate around 20 winners, who will receive grants ranging from £25,000 to £75,000 to develop their ideas. Projects could include: Improving th...
• Minister visits Wimbledon schools to inspire next generationLord Ahmad met with students at Ursuline High School and his former school, Rutlish School on 26th February to inspire students to consider a career in the transport sectors.  While at the schools, the minister took part in Inspiring the Future speed-networking events, organised by national education charity Education and Employers. This gave students a chance to meet volunteers from across the transport sector, including the minister, and learn about the kind of roles the industry has to offer and the difference good transport makes to people’s lives. Lord Ahmad also visited Hollym...

Rail Technology Magazine

• DC Streetcar in the US begins passenger service Washington DC mayor Muriel Bowser and District Department of Transportation (DDOT) director Leif Dormsjo along with other district officials have officiallly opened the passenger service on the H Street / Benning DC Streetcar line.
• US FRA launches new website to request bridge inspection reports The US Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has launched a new tool on its website that allows states and municipalities to request inspection reports for rail bridges in their communities.
• New Compact Tracking Unit by Lat-Lon Lat-Lon announces a new product, the compact tracking unit (CTU). A new smaller solar-powered tracking device, the CTU product is designed to fit in small spots, even in the grooves of a container or any other non-powered asset. The unit collects dat…
• Network Rail reopens Stratton Green railway bridge in Swindon UK rail infrastructure manager Network Rail (NR) has reopened the bridge over the railway at Stratton Green, following completion of work to prepare it for electrification and for operating a new fleet of electric trains.
• Victoria Government opens expressions of interest for Mernda Rail extension project The government of Victoria in Australia has opened expressions of interest (EOI) to design and build the new rail line to Mernda in Melbourne's northeast.
• 750VDC-Input, Railway-Quality DC/DC Converters Deliver 3kW The HVI 3KR-3U4 series of high-input voltage, railway DC / DC converters employ field proven design topology to deliver 3kW output power. The units accept 750VDC input voltage (525V to 975VDC range), the traction voltage required for mass transit veh…
• The Behaviour of Stray Currents with Track-Side Steel Mesh Geotechnical Solutions Gabions, rockfall netting and other steel mesh systems have long been used adjacent to railways and metro systems. In order to provide greater understanding about the performance of these metallic systems adjacent to railway electrical power delivery…

Railway Gazette

• Second Luxembourg – Bettembourg line approvedLUXEMBOURG: The government approved plans for the construction of a new line between the capital...
• Bangkok monorail lines approvedTHAILAND: The government’s Public-Private Partnership Policy Committee approved in principle the...
• Mobile ticketing launches in HoustonUSA: Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County launched a mobile ticketing app for light rail...
• Ricardo completes Lloyd’s Register Rail acquisitionRICARDO: On March 1 engineering and consulting company Ricardo plc announced that it had completed...
• DB Schenker Rail rebrands as DB Cargo GERMANY: Deutsche Bahn's rail freight business DB Schenker Rail AG was renamed DB Cargo AG with...
• Izy budget Paris – Brussels train service to offer €10 standing ticketsEUROPE: Plans to launch a low-cost train service between Paris Nord and Brussels Midi were revealed...
• Rovos Rail buys Shongololo ExpressSOUTH AFRICA: Luxury cruise train operator Rovos Rail has completed the purchase of the Shongololo...

Aviation Industry

• Bombardier, Air Inuit launch Q300 freighter with large cargo doorBombardier and Canadian carrier Air Inuit have launched a passenger-to-freighter conversion program for the Q300 turboprop featuring a large cargo door. read more
• Icelandair starts flights to AberdeenService from Reykjavik offers onward connections to North America and Canada

Other News Sources

• Clive Efford MP: Southeastern rail services are 'appalling' for passengers Eltham's MP Clive Efford writes on the topic of his Westminster Hall debate today: the reliability of Southeastern train services. There is no avoiding the fact that Southeastern rail services have been appalling. Their performance figures make them one of the worst rail franchises in the country, but since Christmas the service has deteriorated to the point where long-suffering customers are up in arms.
• Council cancels cleaning on high speed roads due to health and safety fears A COMMUTER is waging a one man war on litter after a council suspended roadside verge cleaning due to health and safety fears.
• Calls for council to expand grass verges crackdown which has seen 600 motorists fined COUNCILLORS have called for a scheme cracking down on grass verge parking to be expanded in a bid to restore civic pride.
• Eurostar staff threaten strike actionServices could be disrupted as members are balloted over potential action