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

Monday, 23 January 2012

BBC News

• VIDEO: Racing round Britain in a microlightAmateur microlighter Richard Meredith-Hardy refuels at several thousand feet during the three-day 'Round Britain Rally'
• Visitor platform for Forth BridgeRails chiefs confirm they are looking at hoisting a viewing platform more than 300ft to the top of the Forth Bridge.
• Tube gates staffing 'inadequate'Transport for London is not keeping its promise of a visible staff presence at barriers in Tube stations after ticket office hours, a watchdog says.
• Rail signal staff suspend strikeThe RMT union suspends a planned walkout by staff at a rail signal centre in Glasgow in a row over career progression.
• VIDEO: 'Insurers undervalue wrecked cars'Complaints to an ombudsman about motor insurance rose by 29 per cent last year - with key gripes including valuations of written-off vehicles.
• Insurers 'undervalue car wrecks'Complaints to an ombudsman about motor insurance rose by 29% last year - with key gripes including valuations of written-off vehicles.

Financial Times

• Network Rail seeks link with train operatorMove is biggest step towards integrated running of track and trains since British Rail was privatised in the mid-1990s

The Guardian

• Costa Concordia captain claims company ordered 'salute' to islandFrancesco Schettino reportedly challenges Costa over cruise collision as 13th body is found by diversFrancesco Schettino, the cruise ship captain accused of steering the Costa Concordia into rocks on the island of Giglio in a reckless bid to

The Herald

• Helensburgh ferry 'unviable'A CLYDE ferry service that has connected Helensburgh to Gourock for more than 30 years will be withdrawn in April after councillors said it was
• Call for more trains refusedMINISTERS have knocked back calls to secure additional trains between Glasgow and London while setting out their requirements for passenger services on the route over the next 15 years.

The Independent

• Clegg hints Huhne may go if he is charged over speeding pointsNick Clegg yesterday hinted that he would force Chris Huhne to resign from the cabinet if he was charged over allegations that he got his former wife to take speeding points for him.Related StoriesMPs to discuss sale of ParliamentAlex Salmond wants 'equal relationship'Ashdown leads Lib Dem revolt on welfare reformHow Osborne's cuts are creating a two-speed BritainSalmond calls for equality

The Scotsman

• Cruise ship sinking: Concordia™s captain ready to accept blameCOSTA Concordia captain Francesco Schettino yesterday said that he was “ready to assume responsibility” if he had made a mistake which led to the liner disaster.

The Telegraph

• Will government cuts grind the country bus to a halt?Cutting bus services threatens local economies and kills off social life, writes Geoffrey Lean.
• Helen Skelton reaches the South PoleBlue Peter presenter Helen Skelton has completed her gruelling 500 mile expedition across Antarctica for Sport Relief.

Daily Record

• Parking scheme will stop kind-hearted drivers passing on tickets for freeBRITAIN’S biggest car parking firm have launched a crackdown on kind-hearted drivers who pass on their unused tickets.
• Network Rail plan 300ft high viewing platform on Forth BridgeRAIL chiefs are looking at the idea of building a viewing platform for visitors to be hoisted more than 300ft to the top of the Forth Rail Bridge.

Mail Online

• Car insurance doubled? Want to know where the money goes? Here's the shocking truthEighteen years ago, the average car insurance premium cost £333 and was spent on fixing cars after a crash. Today, it is £1,510.
• Thames estuary hub: Lord Foster and the £50bn airport that we don't needJANET STREET-PORTER: Tax-exile architect Lord Foster has been bleating that Britain MUST have a new airport built in the Thames, in order to assume our rightful position as a major world player.

The Mirror

• More than 600 convicted killer drivers allowed back on the roadMORE than 600 convicted killer drivers have been allowed back behind the wheel.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Llanfair TH teenager put lives at risk by stealing traffic light batteriesA TEENAGER yesterday admitted stealing batteries from traffic lights – putting the lives of motorists at risk on country roads.

Derby Telegraph

• Derby Telegraph commented Penalty notices for bad airport drivingArticle
• Derby Telegraph commented £5.2m cut to highways budget will be 'leaving our roads...Article

Journal Live

• Decision nears on reopening Belford railway stationA CAMPAIGNER is hoping a regular train service could finally return to a Northumberland town.
• Fury over Northumberland County Council car allowance policy switchHIGH-RANKING staff could be left to use public transport to do their jobs if a council presses ahead with plans to remove essential car users’ allowances to cut costs.

London Evening Standard

• More people may have been on shipUnregistered passengers might have been aboard the stricken cruise liner that capsized off a Tuscan island, a top rescue official has said, raising the possibility that the number of missing might be higher than the 20 previously announced.

Manchester Evening News

• Car thieves led out of jail to show Greater Manchester Police officers how they break into vehiclesProlific car thieves from across Greater Manchester are being taken out of jail and back to the scene of their crimes to instruct police officers about their 'ingenious' techniques for targeting and stealing vehicles.
• Metrolink chiefs review plans to replace 'unreliable' older trams after four break down in a fortnightTransport chiefs are reviewing plans to replace the 32 older blue-and-grey trams still running on the Greater Manchester Metrolink network after they broke down four times in the last fortnight.

Metro

• Blue Peter's Helen Skelton becomes first person to cycle to the South PoleBlue Peter presenter Helen Skelton has become the first person to cycle to the South Pole.
• Driving theory tests to become harderLearner drivers face a tougher task getting on the road as the theory test is made more difficult.

Northern Echo

• Speed campaigner killed in collision near Leyburn A ROAD safety campaigner has been killed on the road on which he fought to have the speed limit lowered.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Commuters challenge rail chiefs over train reliabilityIPSWICH: A four-fold rise in the number of rail fatalities and huge number of metal thefts have contributed to hitting rail reliability over recent months.

Other Regional Press

• Call for action at ˜dangerous™ Aberdeen road junctionCONCERNED residents have stepped up their fight to fix a œdangerous� junction in Aberdeen, the Evening Express can reveal today.