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

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

BBC News

• M6 Toll prices set to go up againThe owner of the M6 Toll road says the prices are to increase from 1 March.
• Airport and ports boost examinedWays to improve the contribution of Welsh ports and airports to the economy are examined as part of an inquiry by Assembly Members.
• Take the Tube, Johnson tells IOCMayor of London Boris Johnson urges Olympic chiefs to take the Tube during London 2012, as organisers launch a campaign detailing pinchpoints on the underground system.
• Work under way on 'green' ferriesConstruction of two pioneering battery-powered ferries begins, with the cutting of the first steel at Port Glasgow.
• Tube workers reject Olympics dealThe RMT rejects an offer of a £500 bonus for Tube workers on shift during the Olympics.
• Spain airline suddenly collapsesSpain's fourth-largest airline Spanair collapses, leaving more than 20,000 passengers stranded across Europe and Africa.
• Easyjet's 'gravy train' blastedEasyjet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou denounces executives at the airline over their

Department for Transport

• Cutting costs for Councils and BusinessChanges to streamline the process local councils and the Highways Agency must go through when introducing new traffic restrictions were put forward today by Transport Minister Norman Baker.

Financial Times

• Ryanair: cruising altitudeDespite grounding nearly a third of its fleet over the winter, Europe™s largest low-cost airline has performed well
• Ryanair lifts full-year profit forecastEurope™s leading low-cost airline benefited from a capacity cut, raising prices and fewer cancellations due to weather in the third quarter
• Hanjin suffers after container shipping slumpShares rise more than 7% as Korean group™s overall net loss of $730m proves to be not as significant as investors had feared
• Sir Stelios ups ante over EasyJet pay plansFounder steps up his battle with airline™s management by calling on shareholders to reject bonus proposals at an upcoming meeting
• Pressure shows on Europe™s frail airlinesThe Hungarian government is preparing to restructure Malev after the state-controlled flag-carrier declared its finances were ˜unviable™
• Eurotunnel weighs SeaFrance optionsChannel Tunnel operator is considering operators that could work with it on its controversial plan to take over vessels left idle by state-owned ferry operator

The Herald

• July start for £50m A90 workWORK to turn one of the busiest roads in the north-east of Scotland into a dual carriageway is expected to start in summer after the first contract was advertised by Transport Scotland.
• Professor hits out at policy for jump in ferry faresTHE Scottish Government's policy on cheap ferry fares is economically illiterate, according to a leading authority on the industry.
• MPs refer BMI sale to watchdogA COMPETITION watchdog has been asked to examine the take-over of ailing airline BMI amid pricing concerns for Scottish passengers.

The Telegraph

• London 2012 Olympics: transport unions will not hold Games to ransom, say Olympic bossesOlympic bosses have rejected claims that London Underground (LU) drivers may hold the Games to ransom in their bid for an increased bonus, after their trade union today rejected a pay offer of £500.

Daily Express

• Mothballed Ryanair planes help lift profitRYANAIR yesterday warned of more fare rises in the face of a soaring fuel bill even though profits took wing over the past three months.
• Stelios attacks easyJet board over bonusesEASYJET founder and major shareholder Stelios Haji-Ioannou yesterday accused directors of treating the airline as a

The Mirror

• Ryanair's profits soar after baggage fee hikeA hike in Ryanair’s baggage fee helped the budget airline’s profits soar at the end of last year,

Birmingham Mail

• Industrial action looms as Birmingham Airport pay talks break downTHE threat of industrial action at Birmingham Airport looms after staff pay talks collapsed following a three-year salary freeze.

Liverpool Post

• GMB head for courts in Servisair John Lennon Airport baggage handler disputeGMB UNION bosses today said they would be heading for the courts in the bitter Servisair redundancy strike at Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Manchester Evening News

• ‘Sky’s the limit’ as Manchester Airport gets a new boss in management shake-upManaging director Andrew Harrison will become chief operating officer for the airport group, which also includes East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside airports. He takes over from Penny Coates, who is stepping down but will remain as a non-executive director.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Wheels in motion for cycle routes around PeterheadHealth-conscious council bosses are considering a £70,000 cycle route on the edge of a north-east town.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Ryanair lifts half-year profits forecastRYANAIR’S profit hopes continued to climb today A December’s benign weather helped the airline deliver a 13% rise in quarterly revenues.

Other Regional Press

• Council plans to overhaul transportLuring drivers from their cars and on to an improved public transport network in Wokingham is among the priorities in a document rubber-stamped by council bosses.

London TravelWatch

• London TravelWatch welcomes launch of TfL™s Olympic customer information campaign, ˜Get Ahead of the Games™London TravelWatch welcomes launch of TfL™s Olympic customer information campaign, ˜Get Ahead of the Games™

Railnews

• Network Rail 'to plead guilty' over Elsenham deaths Network Rail is set to plead guilty in connection with the deaths of two girls at Elsenham level crossing in December 2005, according to the father of one of the casualties.

Aviation Industry

• 'Rockstar CEO' tipped to quitDYNAMIC: Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe has driven through the initiatives to set the airline up for the future.
• SRQ airport sends call for help in lobbying Southwest AirlinesSRQ President and CEO Rick Piccolo delivered a mass email blast to community leaders Saturday, asking them to join the airport in a letter-writing campaign targeting Southwest Airlines.
• American Airlines mechanics launch websiteAmerican Airlines mechanics on Monday announced the launch of a website that permits Tulsa residents and people throughout the country to pledge support for airline jobs and economic benefits that could be affected by the bankruptcy of American parent AMR Corp.
• Lufthansa Cargo eyes replacing MD-11F fleet, predicts no growth in 2012Lufthansa Cargo (LHC) is considering replacing its fleet of 18 Boeing MD-11Fs and will decide by 2014 which aircraft to go with, LHC chairman and CEO Karl-Ulrich Garnadt told ATW in Seoul, South Korea.
• Ryanair profits as fares rise 17%No frills giant also renews calls for scrapping of APD

Other News Sources

• Time to Jackett Int was a brave experiment by new a brand new operator but today (Tuesday 31st January) is the last day of Jacketts Coaches X5 service. "It is with regret that we forced to announce the withdrawal of the X5 Plymouth – Truro service and that the last day of running will be Tuesday 31st January 2012
• Bus drivers told to cut 'babe' greetingBrighton and Hove bus drivers have been ticked off for calling female passengers ˜babe™
• RYANAIR DELIVERS Q3 PROFIT OF €15M Ryanair today (Jan 30) announced a Q3 profit of €15m compared to a Q3 loss of €10m last year. Revenues increased 13% to €844m as traffic fell 2% and ave. fares rose 17%. Unit costs rose 11% due...
• Lufthansa achieves record punctuality at FrankfurtHighest-ever punctuality rates and significantly reduced CO2 emissions since the opening of the new Northwest Runway Three months after the new runway at Frankfurt Airport became operational, ...
• CWT appoints new UK boss Patrick Andersen takes over from Andrew Waller at TMC