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

Thursday, 05 July 2012

BBC News

• Intercity rail journey to be cutPlans are announced to electrify the Glasgow's Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley train route, cutting 10 minutes from journey times.
• VIDEO: HS2 rail 'will end north-south divide'The HS2 rail line will end the 'north-south divide' in Britain, claims rail enthusiast Pete Waterman as he recalls how a previous upgrade made it possible for him to get from the Midlands to London in less than an hour.
• HS2 to change 'lives of millions'Many agree with music man Peter Waterman that the High Speed rail plans will

Financial Times

• Network Rail triggers bonus rowPlans for a management bonus scheme at the taxpayer-funded company could see top executives get payouts totalling more than £14m

The Herald

• Anger over £350m cut to rail investment plansANGER erupted last night as plans to run an extra two trains an hour on Scotland's busiest commuter route were axed after the Scottish Government cut £350 million from its rail investment programme.

The Independent

• Transport: 'Next stop Westminster, eh?!' Boris turns Tube announcer Londoners can be a miserable lot. While the rest of the country flocks to watch the torch relay and gets ready for the Olympics on TV, they're moaning about ZiL lanes, anti-aircraft missiles, packed trains and tourists. And now there's something new to drone on about.

The Telegraph

• Network Rail bosses now seek £12 million in third bonus schemeNetwork Rail executives are seeking long-term bonuses of almost £12 million on top of two other reward schemes for bosses at the taxpayer-funded company.

The Mirror

• Panda-monium on the Tube: 108 pandas go wild in LondonThis panda posse performed a tai-chi inspired dance in the middle of Trafalgar Square and travelled on the London Underground

Network Rail

• VOICE WARNINGS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AT LEVEL CROSSINGS IN SELBY AND YORK

Birmingham Post

• Council officials demand details of HS2 plan for ColeshillNorth Warwickshire Council officials have pressed the Government to clarify plans for the proposed HS2 railway link which is set to pass through an area covered by the authority.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Tram chiefs warned over £500k backlashTRAM chiefs were today warned to brace themselves for a storm of protest over plans to spend £500,000 hiring tram drivers at least 18 months before the line opens.

London Evening Standard

• Northern and Metropolitan Tube lines hit by signal failureTens of thousands of Tube commuters suffered an horrendous start to the day with major disruption on the Northern and Metropolitan lines.

Manchester Evening News

• Johnny Marr backs schools fight for new Baguley railway station Students from around Wythenshawe hope to sign up parents and residents to support a new railway station in Baguley.

East Anglian Daily Times

• East Anglia: Cheaper fares not being advertisedTHOUSANDS of rail passengers are still unnecessarily forking out too much for train travel because of confusing price structures.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Railway cable vandals costs train company £90,000 Passengers had a narrow escape after vandals threw cables onto railway tracks in Peterborough.
• Railway cable vandals costs train company £90,000 Passengers had a narrow escape after vandals threw cables onto railway tracks in Peterborough.

Other Regional Press

• MP challenges train company Ceredigion’s Welsh Liberal Democrat MP, Mark Williams, has questioned managers of Arriva Trains Wales in an evidence session this morning of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee, looking into cross border transport issues.
• Work has started on superport’s rail link at Tilbury LONDON Gateway’s rail link to the future is on track and on time – and the world is starting to notice.
• Wirral MPs welcome hint that electrification of Bidston to Wrexham railway line could happen sooner than previously thought The Secretary of State for Wales, Cheryl Gillan MP, last week hinted the long-awaited improvements to the “Borderlands” – or mid-Wirral – line could be in the pipeline.
• Sutton rail campaigners fight to save a train link Rail campaigners are planning a day of action in a bid to save a train link to The City, St Pancras, North London and stations to Luton.
• High speed railway is villagers' worst fears confirmedA HIGH speed railway which is set to tear through the region WILL have a branch which runs along the M42 – blighting properties in villages including Kingsbury, Polesworth, Warton and Austrey.
• Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller puts case for electriWrexham to Bidston train line THE case for improving a train line passing through Neston was put in Parliament by Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller.

Global Rail News

• New operator appointed to run Telford InternationalTelford and Wrekin Council has appointed a new operator to run the town’s ill-fated international railfreight park. German rail freight company DB Schenker Rail has been chosen to run the Telford site, which opened in June 2009. The company will pay connection charge, rates and operating costs. Last year, logistics company John G Russell Limited [...]
• Lifesavers to receive special recognition at RailStaff AwardsA new honour to recognise lifesavers within Britain’s rail industry has been launched for this year’s RailStaff Awards. The Network Rail/Samaritans Partnership is supporting the Samaritans Lifesaver Award, which aims to highlight the pre-emptive actions of station staff, train crew, track workers and many railway staff who, by timely intervention, have prevented a potential fatality. [...]
• Mission statementThe Finsbury Park to Alexandra Palace (F2A) project, which is being delivered by Network Rail and its principal contractor Balfour Beatty Rail, will create additional capacity for high speed train services on the East Coast Main Line by upgrading the existing route between Finsbury Park and Alexandra Palace while removing the current bottleneck in this [...]
• Rail journey times to be cut between Glasgow and EdinburghA £650 million scheme to electrify a route between Scotland’s two major cities will cut train times and create hundreds of jobs, says Scotland’s Transport Minister. MP Keith Brown has outlined plans to electrify the Glasgow’s Queen Street to Edinburgh Waverley train route, which will cut 10 minutes from journey times. The scheme to upgrade [...]
• Record 125mph reached on Midland Main Line test runAn East Midlands Trains Class 222 Meridian has been run at record speed on the Midland Main Line in preparation of the line speed being raised in time for the December 2013 timetable change. Network Rail and East Midlands Trains operated the diesel train at 125mph on a short stretch between Bedford and Ampthill. Network [...]
• London Underground consider retractable platformsThe installation of retractable platforms, which would allow wheelchair users and those with buggies much easier access to the tube, is being considered by London Underground. As part of the Deep Tube Programme, suppliers have been asked to put forward proposals for movable gap fillers on the Bakerloo, Piccadilly Central and Waterloo and City lines. [...]
• Former Olympian warms up passengers at London train stationsA former Olympian is trying to inspire commuters to swap the Tube for a pair of running shoes this summer. Iwan Thomas, a former Olympic and Commonwealth Games runner, held a session at London Bridge on Monday as part of Transport for London™s (TfL) Get Ahead of the Games campaign. Iwan, who who has appeared [...]