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

Saturday, 18 December 2010

BBC News

• Tube strike hits Saturday trainsLondon Underground says fewer Bakerloo Line stations will have services on Saturday, owing to a strike.
• Snow disrupts transport in LondonPeople in London face disruption to journeys this weekend, with up to 5cm (2in) of snow forecast.
• Fuel costs hit Highland driversDrivers in northern Scotland have been worst affected by rising petrol and diesel prices, according to the AA.
• National Express 'back on track'Coach and rail operator National Express says it is returning to healthy profit margins sooner than expected.

Financial Times

• China reveals aircraft carrier plansBeijing has confirmed for the first time that it is preparing to build an aircraft carrier, a move set to heighten international concerns over the rapid expansion of its naval power
• National Express drives ahead of forecastsThe bus and rail operator says it expects pre-tax profit 'a little above' current consensus estimates of £154m following good performance in all parts of its business

The Guardian

• Airports on alert after dummy bombSecurity 'periodically being tested' by scouts who have targeted the regions, counter-terrorism officials have saidCounter-terrorism officials have warned that airport security is being tested by terror scouts, amid fears that regional airports have been targeted for dummy bomb runs.The Guardian has seen x-ray scans of two suspect packages at a regional airport, picked up in the last three months, that show items officials fear have a similar profile to improvised explosive devices.One, concealed in a box inside a passenger's carry-on luggage, consisted of a BlackBerry attached to a bottle of ...
• Snow causes more UK travel chaosHeavy snow across UK predicted as severe weather warnings issued and freezing conditions block roads and close airportsBritain faces further travel chaos today as forecasters predict more heavy snow across the country, with the UK's second largest airport, Gatwick, warning that it might be forced to close.Some parts of England are expected to be hit with between 25-30cm of fresh snow, just as many up and down the country begin the big Christmas getaway. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings with

The Herald

• Transport merger is still undecidedEdinburgh could lose up to £2 million a year in revenue from Lothian Buses under plans to merge the council-owned company with the crisis-hit tram operator Transport Initiatives Edinburgh (Tie).
• Former transport quango chief was ˜victim of computer hackers™The controversial former boss of a public transport quango, who quit in the wake of an expenses row, has revealed that he was the victim of computer hackers at the time of his resignation.

The Independent

• Roads, trains and planes all hit as big freeze returns Britain ground to a halt today as the big freeze returned, throwing early getaway plans into jeopardy and threatening to leave homes without heating or presents at Christmas.

The Scotsman

• Transport: Heated 'kilts' will help trains cope with big chill, while road grit is moved to key spots tRail bosses yesterday pledged that a raft of new measures will help to prevent a repeat of the disruption caused by sub-zero temperatures.

The Telegraph

• Big freeze: Britons trapped on planes at Heathrow Thousands of passengers who thought they had beaten the worsening weather when they landed at Heathrow found themselves trapped in their planes on the Tarmac as the airport ran out of parking spaces.

Belfast Telegraph

• Bmi takes over route abandoned by RyanairLow cost airline bmibaby is to fly from George Best Belfast City Airport to London Stansted - the first airline since the departure of Ryanair to take on the route.Related StoriesFewer workers expect pay riseCar production accelerates 11%UK rents hit record high but steep rises set to ease in 2011Net shoppers drive festive retail salesLaura Ashley cuts its cloth to maintain trimmer figure

Derby Telegraph

• Fewer routes to be gritted as supplies of salt run lowFEWER roads will be gritted in Derby from today after the city council said its salt supplies were running low. It has only 300 tonnes left, which it hopes will last until next week – but admits there is a chance it could run out. The news came as forecasters said the county could see ten centimetres of snow tomorrow. Christopher Poulter, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said the authority had to focus on fewer routes, meaning the number of roads gritted had fallen by almost 40 per cent. Highways that will no longer be treated include Victory Road, Broadway and Beaufort Street. A ...

London Evening Standard

• Rail commuters set to miss out on compensation after huge snow delaysTens of thousands of Southeastern rail commuters who suffered the brunt of last weeks snow won't receive any compensation for the disruption

Metro

• Big freeze returns to bring more travel misery to BritainMany rail services have been axed and some roads have been left dangerously treacherous as travellers had to endure more winter misery today.
• Drivers face 'worst road conditions imaginable' as big freeze continuesMotorists are facing 'possibly the worst driving conditions imaginable', warns the AA, as heavy snow and icy conditions spark fears thousands of homes could be without heating and mountains of presents could go undelivered this Christmas.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• City grinds to a halt as icy roads cause gridlock miseryAberdeen ground to a virtual standstill last night as rush-hour blizzards and icy roads caused gridlock in many parts of the city and left frustrated commuters sitting in queues of traffic for hours.

The York Press

• Bus passengers face rise in fares BUS fares are set to rise for Arriva passengers across York and North Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds's trolleybus pain is capital punishmentA single train station development in London is set to cost FOUR TIMES the estimated price of the stalled Leeds trolleybus scheme.
• Leeds City Council's £1m road repairs billCouncil bosses in Leeds fear the city's winter weather woes could leave them saddled with a million pound road repair bill.

Other Regional Press

• Controversial director Lawrence Davie leaving National Express Dundee The embattled head of bus company National Express Dundee is leaving his post and is to be replaced by an acting director.

Railnews

• News: Prime Minister affirms support for HS2 The Prime Minister has confirmed the Government's support for new domestic High Speed lines connecting London with Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester, while the chief executive of the West Midlands Passenger Transport Executive has predicted that the new link will encourage firms in the 'overheated south east' to relocate.