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

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

BBC News

• London mayor's pollution strategy targets black cabs The oldest black cabs are to removed from London's roads under measures to improve air quality.
• Boris bikes: Mega-docking station opens at Waterloo [blog]I've just received this press release below from Transport for London. The mega docking station at Waterloo has been finished rather quickly it has to be said.
• Electric cars still 'more expensive'The UK government wants 2011 to be the year of the electric car - but experts say that these cars are still more expensive than traditional models.
• Bus firm First receives warningAberdeen bus company First receives a warning from the Traffic Commissioner for Scotland over the running of services.
• Forth bridge plan to be approvedConstruction of the new Forth road bridge will get under way next year, under plans to be approved by MSPs.
• £850,000 to fund NI electric carsNorthern Ireland has been awarded more than £850,000 for a pilot project to kickstart the use of electric cars.
• Passengers left in closed stationDuring the Tube strike passengers were let off a train at the closed and unattended Canada Water station for the second time, BBC London learns.
• Missing link to be finished on M8The missing link on Scotland's busiest motorway is to be completed after an upgrade is approved for the M8.
• Electric motoringA quiet revolution is changing the car you drive
• Hapag Lloyd boost to TUI profitsGerman tourism group TUI sees annual profits boosted thanks to a good performance at its Hapag Lloyd shipping container unit.
• Iata ups airline profit forecastThe International Air Transport Association says airlines will make record profits this year, but that margins are
• BA raises fuel surcharge by £10British Airways says it will increase its fuel surcharge on long-haul flights by £10 to between £63 and £108.
• Unite to ballot on new BA strikeThe dates of the next strike ballot by British Airways cabin crew members are announced by the Unite union.

Financial Times

• Airlines face rise in cost of buying jetsConfidential documents indicate a significant increase in the price of passenger jets under new export financing rules to be discussed by government officials in Paris
• Old guard faces battle on jet financeNew system of export financing rules lies at the heart of competition between older US and European flag carriers and newer rivals
• Chinese carriers lift global airline profitsThe aviation industry's leading trade group sharply upgrades forecasts for 2010 global profits to a record $15.1bn, almost double the collective prediction made three months ago

The Guardian

• They're baaack: the live map of London Underground tube trains returns Transport for London has yoked its API to Windows Azure systems that will be able to deal with millions of calls per day as it offers new data services

The Herald

• Plans to complete M8 missing link are given the green lightA Long-delayed upgrade to the last non-motorway section of the M8 was finally given the green light by the Scottish Government yesterday, although ministers admitted it was unclear when work will begin.
• Minister™s action plan to ensure no repeat of gridlockNew Transport Minister Keith Brown has pledged a six-point action plan in the hope of avoiding a repeat of last week™s snow chaos that left motorists stranded on Scotland™s roads.

The Scotsman

• O'Leary blames tax for cuts to German flights Budget airline Ryanair yesterday blamed a new German tourist tax for its decision to axe 34 routes from its schedule next summer.
• Go-Ahead to beat forecasts Transport group Go-Ahead yesterday revealed it would make better-than-expected half-year profits as more passengers use its train services.

The Telegraph

• Rail and air passengers face strike threat Rail and air passengers are facing the threat of a wave of strikes in over Christmas and the New Year, triggering fears that the key unions are gearing up for a renewed campaign of militancy.
• Questor share tip: Go-Ahead in good shape after its roller-coaster ride Yesterday's update from rail and bus operator Go-Ahead was reassuring.
• Rail and air passengers face strike threat Rail and air passengers are facing the threat of a wave of strikes in over Christmas and the New Year, triggering fears that the key unions are gearing up for a renewed campaign of militancy.

Press Association

• Rail demand lifts Go-Ahead profits Transport group Go-Ahead has said it will make better-than-expected half-year profits as more passengers use its train services.

Mail Online

• British Airways adds £80 fuel charge to family holiday to 'combat rising oil prices'The airline is adding £10 to the one-way fee, which is paid by every passenger flying to destinations including New York, the Caribbean and Australia.

The Sun

• Crow sings karaoke as rail unions plot chaos RAIL union boss Bob Crow sings at Xmas bash - as travellers face festive misery

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Bus boss gears up for trek Transport boss Khadim Hussain is stepping up for a trekking challenge in India to help cancer patients.

Edinburgh Evening News

• Tram bosses insist project 'still viable' if it costs £680mTRAM bosses have worked out how much money the line will make when it is finally up and running, on the basis that it goes 25 per cent over budget and ends up costing £680 mil

Liverpool Post

• Bus and train operator Go-Ahead anticipates better first half performance TRANSPORT group Go-Ahead said today it expects first half operating profits to be slightly ahead of previous forecasts.

London Evening Standard

• BA fuel levy up by £20 on long-haulRising oil price has forced BA to increase its fuel surcharge by £20 on all long-haul return flights

Nottingham Evening Post

• First blood in bus wars as Premiere Travel pulls out of contested routeA BUS company has admitted defeat in a battle for customers after announcing it will withdraw from a new service. Premiere Travel launched the Red 4 route between Long Eaton and Nottingham on November 14 to compete with Trent Barton's Rainbow 4. Its £2 single fares were 20p cheaper than its rival. The competition intensified on November 29 when Bargain Bus was launched on the same route by Midland General, a subsidiary of the Wellglade Group, which also owns Trent Barton. Journeys on this service were only 50p. On Thursday, however, a day after Premiere Travel announced it was dropping the rou...
• Nottingham to receive grant for electric vehicle charging pointsNOTTINGHAM is among a host of cities in five regions that will benefit from a share of £20m to install charging points for electric vehicles. The new regions to have successfully bid for a share of the fund are the east of England, the Midlands, Greater Manchester, Northern Ireland and Scotland. The Midlands points include Nottingham, Birmingham, Coventry, and Worcester. Transport Secretary Philip Hammond made the announcement today. He also announced the first nine electric cars for which drivers will be eligible for a 25% Whitehall-paid grant. From January 1, 2011, motorists buying the Mitsu...

Sheffield Star

• See 'flash mob' carols at Sheffield station - VIDEOHUNDREDS of surprised train travellers stopped in their tracks when a choir broke into song for an impromptu Christmas carol concert at Sheffield Station.
• Special bus fares as First compete with StagecoachPROMOTIONAL bus fares are being continued by First on two Sheffield routes as it competes with Stagecoach.

Sheffield Telegraph

• Rail passengers surprised by carols from ˜flash mob™ choirHUNDREDS of surprised train travellers stopped in their tracks when a choir broke into song for an impromptu Christmas carol concert at Sheffield Station.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Appeal for talks on road transport projects to continueThe leader of Highland Council said yesterday that he hoped that meetings between the council and the Scottish Government about transport projects in the region would continue, despite the resignation of Stewart Stevenson at the weekend.
• Transport minister™s resignation gives road campaigners new hopeThe resignation of former transport minister Stewart Stevenson has given fresh hope to campaigners fighting for a flyover at a notorious north-east road junction.

The York Press

• Safety blitz on North Yorkshire railways A NIGHT of action at railway stations in North Yorkshire launched a major clampdown by British Transport Police on antisocial behaviour over the festive season.

Wales Online

• Transport company Go-Ahead cautious despite price rises TRANSPORT group Go-Ahead yesterday said it will make better-than-expected half-year profits as more passengers use its train services.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds MP attack on bus servicesLeeds MP Rachel Reeves has added her voice to mounting criticism of the city's bus system.
• British Airways to increase fuel surcharge on long haul flightsBritish Airways is to increase its fuel surcharge on long-haul flights by £10 from Thursday, it was announced today.

Yorkshire Post

• Go-Ahead sees more on the trains Transport group Go-Ahead yesterday said it will make better-than-expected half-year profits as more passengers use its train services.

Other Regional Press

• Shropshire and Telford transport budgets cut Scores of road repairs and transport schemes across Shropshire are under threat after Government funding cuts of £4.8 million.
• Ministers urged to 'come clean' on railway future A PLAID AM has called on the UK Government's Transport Secretary Phillip Hammond to "come clean" over the future of electrification of the railway line to Swansea.
• Shearings to be taken over?ONE of Wigan’s most successful businesses was facing growing speculation today that it is about to be taken over.
• New bus station is ˜vital part™ of city regenerationPlans to spend millions of pounds of taxpayers’ cash building a new bus station for Preston were today defended by Lancashire’s transport chief.
• Drivers to face delays as work starts on M8 bridgeMotorists may face delays as preparation work starts on vital improvements to one of Scotland™s busiest routes.
• Rail station in city mall link-up planGlasgow™s Queen Street rail station is to have a major revamp.

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair blames tax for route cutsTuesday 14th December 2010, 1:10PM GMT. Ryanair has blamed a new German tourist tax for its decision to axe 34 routes from its schedule next summer Budget airline Ryanair has blamed a new German tourist tax for its decision to axe 34 routes from its schedule next summer.
• Bag fees, change fees generate $1.5 billion for US airlines in third quarter US airlines collected a total of $1.5 billion in baggage fees and reservation cancellation/change fees in the 2010 third quarter, up 10.6% from $1.35 billion in the third quarter of 2009 according to US Dept. of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Baggage fees in the third quarter accounted for $906.4 million, up 22.5% from $739.8 million in the year-ago period. Reservation cancellation/change fees accounted for $590.4 million, down 3.8% from $613.5 million in year-ago quarter.
• Airlines cancel flights ahead of Greece™s general strike set for Wednesday Air traffic to and from Greece will be severely disrupted on Wednesday owing to a general strike called by Greece's two biggest unions—private sector GSEE and public sector ADEDY—in protest of an overhaul of  the country’s labor laws and austerity measures.
• BA to up fuel surchargeBritish Airways has announced that rises in the price of oil mean the airline will increase the additional charge it makes to cover fuel costs
• BAA calls for APD cutAirport operator BAA has called on the UK government to reduce air passenger duty (APD) to aid economic recovery, following the announcement of a 70% cut in the tax for passengers flying from Ireland
• New logo for bmi Uses full name of British Midland International in œheritage� blue
• IATA predicts last-minute boost for airlinesLess than three weeks before the end of 2010, the International Air Transport Association has predicted the air travel industry will make $15.1 billion this year
• Easyjet starts selling flexible faresEasyjet has started selling its new fares targeting the business traveller, designed to offer unlimited flexibility within a four-week period
• Easyjet names new marketing chiefBudget carrier Easyjet has appointed Peter Duffy as its new marketing director

Green Miscellany

• Dutch town bicycles: The next big thing? No one knows what type of bicycle will become the default choice for style conscious urban bikers when the craze for fixed gear bikes has run its course, but a good candidate would be the utilitarian Dutch bikes that have this week gone on sale in London. read more
• British cyclists pay 30 per cent extra for their bikes Punitive import taxes imposed on Chinese bicycle makers is adding 30 per cent to retail prices, according to Zhang Peisheng, senior commissioner from China Chamber of Commerce.read more

Other News Sources

• Tube bosses in union plea as ticket sales plunge 15% London Underground today issued a fresh plea to unions involved in a long-running dispute over jobs to return to talks after new figures showed ticket office sales on the Tube fell by 15% during the last year.
• Glasgow Airport attack heroes honouredDeputy First Minister hails remarkable bravery from all aspects of community.
• Network Rail appoints designers for London Bridge Thameslink worksNetwork Rail has appointed WSP and Jacobs Engineering as designers for the redevelopment of London Bridge as part of the £5.5bn Thameslink project.
• £3bn transport fund announcedTransport minister Norman Baker has announced the money each local authority in England would be getting for transport schemes and for road maintenance.
• EasyJet gives key marketing role to Peter DuffyEasyJet, has recruited Audi UK marketing director Peter Duffy as its first marketing director as the low cost airline prepares to exploit the revenue earning opportunities presented by its recent settlement with founder Stelios Haji-Ioannou.
• Bmi rolls out new visual identityBmi has unveiled its new logo and visual identity, devised to help reinforce the airline™s British heritage and international reach.
• TfL still reviewing whether to charge for FORSTransport for London (TfL) is still deciding whether to start charging operators to join its Freight Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) in order to plug a hole in government funds.
• Mayor's tough new air quality standards to remove dirtiest black cabs from London's roads 14 December 2010 £1 million incentive fund to stimulate market for electric black cabs  Eco-driving mandatory for new black cabbies by 2012   The Mayor of London has today (Tuesday 14 December) announced the oldest, more polluting black cabs in the capital will lose their licence to operate, under tough new standards to improve air quality in the capital.   Air-quality.jpg Yes
• First electric cars to qualify for £5,000 grant revealed The Government hopes 2011 could be the year of the electric car as it today (December 14) announces the first nine electric cars to qualify for its 25% grant.