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

Friday, 27 January 2012

BBC News

• VIDEO: Taxing times for air travellersBritain's Air Passenger Duty is set to rise by 8% in April and there are concerns it is discouraging people from visiting the UK.
• Rail fare 'dissatisfaction' growsThere is a growing feeling that train tickets across the UK do not represent value for money, a survey of rail passengers suggests.
• Snow showers hit rush hour travelSnow showers affect rush hour travel in the south Wales valleys, with motorists advised to take care.
• Police combat metal theft threatMetal theft becomes one of the top priorities of British Transport Police, second only to the threat of terrorism.
• Safety queries after canal crashThe safety of a cross-border road is brought into the spotlight after the death of a man whose car plunged into a canal.
• VIDEO: Anger over DLR Olympic bonus dealWorkers on the Docklands Light Railway could pocket an extra £2,500 for working during the Olympics.
• Olympic legacy cycling festivalLondon is to host a two-day cycling festival involving families as well as world-class cyclists as part of the Olympic legacy, Mayor Boris Johnson announces.
• London plans 'classic' road raceLondon plans to host a one-day professional road race to rival classic events such as the Paris-Roubaix.
• Olympic bonus deal for DLR staffDocklands Light Railway staff could earn up to £2,500 for working over nine weeks the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Department for Transport

• New powers for councils to control road worksNew powers to help councils cut the disruption caused by road works were announced today by Transport Minister Norman Baker.

Financial Times

• Rail users suffer as fare rises outstrip salariesPassenger watchdog finds that proportion of people satisfied with their rail expenditure falling with London and south-east especially feeling the pinch
• Scotland calls on Westminster to extend HS2Holyrood offers to pick up half the extra £17bn bill to continue the line north to Glasgow and Edinburgh in plea to include Scotland from the start

The Guardian

• Davos 2012: Cameron scales improbable rhetorical peaks British politicians dominated proceedings on day two of the World Economic Forum

The Scotsman

• Central Belt high-speed link could be acceleratedA HIGH-speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow could be an early part of the Scottish Government’s involvement in building the planned line from London.

The Telegraph

• Utility companies will have to 'rent' roads they want to dig upUtility companies could be charged up to £2,500 a day to dig the roads up in an attempt to cut delays faced by motorists.

Daily Express

• Bacon butties fuelling easyJet revenue boostA COMBINATION of more business passengers, increased baggage charges and higher spending on extras such as bacon sandwiches has sent easyJet revenues climbing.

Daily Record

• Revealed: High speed rail link could be built in Scotland.. BEFORE link north from ManchesterA HIGH-SPEED train line could be built in Scotland before the completion of the English leg of the railway, Infrastructure Secretary Alex Neil has said.

Mail Online

• London 2012 Olympics: Strike-threatening DLR railway union negotiates extra £2,500The 500 Docklands Light Railway workers will also be guaranteed five hours of overtime a week, for which they will be paid 75 per cent above their normal shift rate.
• Rail passenger satisfaction plummets as fares soar sky high and overcrowded trains don't even run on timeLess than half of rail users believe they get value for money - significantly down on a year ago - dropping to nearly a quarter on the worst-performing routes.

The Mirror

• Police cuts will lead to more drunk and dangerous drivers, says charity BrakeFrontline policing cuts will see more drunk and dangerous drivers on Britain’s roads, a leading charity claimed yesterday.

London Evening Standard

• Fare rises make London rail users UK's angriestLondon has more mainline rail commuters who believe they don't get value for money than almost every other city in the UK

Manchester Evening News

• Transport bosses urge MPs to reject bus pass means test for pensioners Transport chiefs in Greater Manchester will write to MPs calling on them to oppose plans to means test pensioners before giving them free bus passes. It comes after deputy prime minister Nick Clegg said better-off elderly people should make a ˜sacrifice™ to help the government balance its books.

Metro

• High fares for poor service, say unsatisfied rail usersThree out of four rail passengers on some routes are unhappy about the cost of their tickets and the standard of service they get.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• West Yorkshire Police denial of major cuts in traffic policingPolice have denied there has been a major cut in road traffic officer numbers on the roads of West Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Post

• Safety charity raises road deaths alarm as traffic officers fall victim to cutbacksPUBLIC spending cuts could lead to a rise in drink drivers because traffic police numbers are being slashed by more than 11 per cent, a road safety charity has claimed.
• Passengers vote Northern Rail among UK™s worst train companiesNORTHERN Rail emerged today as one of passengers’ least favourite rail companies - with rival Grand Central finding itself at the top of a nationwide satisfaction survey.
• Firms face £2,500-a-day fines for digging up roads at peak timesUTILITY companies could be charged £2,500 a day to dig up busy roads if they insist on working at peak times.

Burnley Express

• Rossendale bus drivers vote in favour of strike over payEAST Lancashire bus drivers could be set to go on strike over a new pay deal.

East Anglian Daily Times

• East Anglia: National Express passengers are œleast satisfied� in BritainPassengers using National Express trains in East Anglia are the least satisfied rail travellers in Britain.

Other Regional Press

• Bristol Evening Post published Trains could return to Portishead railway line within five yearsArticle
• Western Gazette - North Dorset published A303 roadworks to cause months of delays for driversArticle
• Western Morning News published Rail satisfaction found to be moveable feastArticle
• Service is just the ticket Busy commuters wanting to get on their bikes have been given a boost with a new service at Oxford train station.
• Elwick villagers handed a bus trial lifeline
• Bus passengers face fare price hikesBUS passengers in Scotland face paying 10% more for journeys this year as firms are squeezed by Government funding cuts and soaring fuel costs, an industry-funded report has warned.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• HS2 line 'will mean improved West Coast Main Line services'The government's decision to support the creation of a high-speed rail network in England has been commended by a major train operator. According to Network Rail, the HS2 project will help to ease the burden on the existing West Coast Main Line and result in fewer services being overcrowded. Paul Plummer, group strategy director at the group, described the West Coast Main Line as the "busiest and most economically vital rail artery" in the UK.However, he said that unless steps are taken to offer alternative ways of travelling between England's major cites, i...

Freight on Rail

• Eddie Stobart Leads Innovation With First Delivery Using Environmental TrailerTransport and distribution specialist Eddie Stobart has made the first-ever UK delivery using its new high-volume Envirotrailer under new regulations introduced to boost the economy, cut congestion and slash carbon emissions from the industry.

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch Board receives customer services update from TfL™s Shashi VermaBoard receives customer services update from TfL™s Shashi Verma

Aviation Industry

• United Continental posts $840 million 2011 profitThe good news continued Thursday for the US airline industry as United Continental Holdings (UCH), parent of merger partners United Airlines (UA) and Continental Airlines (CO), reported 2011 net income of $840 million.
• Business travellers boost easyJet™s strong start to 2012 Revenues rise by 16.7%

Green Miscellany

• Road rage survival guide for cyclists A print-out-and-keep guide for cyclists on how to deal with abuse from motorists suggests forgoing verbal or physical retaliation in favour of psychological warfare. According to the guide:read more

Other News Sources

• Scotland sets the pace on High Speed Rail Scottish Ministers today set out the œutterly convincing� case for High Speed Rail to come to Scotland. They also highlighted advice from the Scottish Partnership Group which recommends that work in Scotland could actually start ahead of planned completion in England.  Addressing the ˜Making HS2 Happen™ conference in London this afternoon, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil also provided more detail on the timetable for bringing forward planning for new high speed lines north of the border. read more
• Using real-time road traffic data to evaluate congestion A new project has shown that by using existing sources of information about traffic flow it is possible to create a minute-by-minute image of congestion in cities. 27/01/12