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

Tuesday, 14 February 2012

BBC News

• HS2 protesters warn of legal moveProtest groups against the HS2 rail project have sent the government a formal letter warning they will take legal action unless the £33bn scheme is stopped.
• BAE details 'structural battery'Torches, drones and an electric Le Mans car are being used by BAE as test-beds for structural battery technology.
• London 'wants Kent rail links'A Kent MP is meeting London transport bosses over fears that the city may take over the running of some of the county's train services.
• Largest airports see numbers fallPassenger numbers at Scotland's two biggest airports fell last month, according to figures from operator BAA.
• Boeing eyes Asia-Pacific growthBoeing predicts that Asia-Pacific airlines will lead expansion in the aviation industry as the region's economies continue to grow.
• 'Worthless' car warranty warningA car warranties firm has collapsed leaving some customers with worthless policies, a BBC Wales investigation finds.

Financial Times

• BW Maritime chief warns against big ordersAndreas Sohmen-Pao says his Singapore-based company™s ˜strong preference™ is to buy existing ships when the tanker market is oversupplied

The Herald

• Scotland's top two airports see dip in numbersSCOTLAND'S two main airports reported a drop in passenger numbers last month, new figures show.

The Independent

• HS2 rail link may face legal challengeThe Government may face a legal challenge to its £33 billion HS2 high-speed rail project, it was revealed today. Related StoriesMinisters 'fully behind' Lansley and NHS reforms, says CameronMiliband brother returns with talk on party 'mess'Warsi to make case for faith on Vatican tripBritain warned it may be in line for a credit downgradeOh, brother... Ed may not like it but David Miliband is speaking out (again)

The Telegraph

• Train operators to lose grant for replacement busesRail operators will no longer be allowed to make money from forcing passengers onto replacement buses at the weekend, under new Government plans.
• More than 1 million drivers over 80More than 1 million drivers on Britain's roads are aged over 80 according to the latest official figures.
• Fresh legal challenge to high speed railCampaigners trying to block plans to build a high speed rail line from London to Birmingham have made their first move to challenge the scheme in the courts.

Times Online

• Better driving will make roads safer for cyclists, say motorists Drivers are calling for more help for cyclists as they admit their share of responsibility for dangers on the road in a Populus poll for The Times.
• Minister acts on junction mirrors to help cycle safety Life-saving mirrors can now be fitted at dangerous road junctions without the need for Government approval, cutting bureaucracy and enabling local councils to act on demands in The Times “Cities fit for cycling” campaign.

Reuters News

• BAA says Heathrow airport losing China traffic to rivalsLONDON (Reuters) - London's Heathrow is falling behind rival European airports in the battle for lucrative routes to China because of the constraints on growth at Britain's largest airport, operator BAA said on Monday.

Daily Express

• Heathrow ‘holding us back'AIRPORTS operator BAA yesterday warned a
• BA asks EU for clearance in bid to land BMIBRITISH Airways owner IAG yesterday asked EU competition regulators to clear its takeover of bmi.

Daily Record

• Clyde warship yards would survive even if Scotland becomes independent, says expertTHE two BAE Systems shipyards in Scotland will survive despite fears over independence, a leading expert has claimed.
• Edinburgh and Glasgow airports record fall in January passenger numbersSCOTLAND'S two main airports reported a drop in passenger numbers last month, according to new figures.

Mail Online

• New drivers could 'be supervised by an over-25'The Department for Transport will consider giving drivers who have just passed their tests a probationary period where they must be accompanied by an experienced driver who is over the age of 25.

The Mirror

• Bombardier will shut if it loses Crossrail contract, bosses warnThe shock threat comes just days after the firm seemed to have secured enough orders to stay open for at least three years

Network Rail

• 95% OF SCOTTISH SERVICES TO RUN DESPITE STRIKEMajority of services on routes across Scotland will be unaffected by RMT strike Six local services from Glasgow Central to be reduced / withdrawnNo disruption expected to cross-border operations

Belfast Telegraph

• Etihad ponders purchase of stake in Aer LingusThe chief executive of Abu Dhabi airline Etihad, James Hogan, is

Birmingham Post

• HS2 protest group planning legal action against high speed rail linkThe Government is facing the latest legal challenge to its £32 billion high speed rail link between London and Birmingham.

Journal Live

• A1 Western Bypass upgrade action needed urgentlyMINISTERS are under pressure to provide upgrade cash for the Western Bypass now or consign the road to go 10 years without investment.

Liverpool Echo

• Merseytravel office switch to cost £85mMERSEYSIDE’S transport authority’s move to offices on Liverpool’s waterfront is costing £2.8m-a-year.

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail chaos as work begins at PaddingtonCommuters were thrown into confusion as work on the new Crossrail project got under way at Paddington

Manchester Evening News

• Stobart delivers on warehouseHaulage firm Eddie Stobart has bought a 145,000 sq ft warehouse at Appleton, Warrington, in a deal thought to be worth close to £3m. The property is at the intersection of the M6 and M56.
• Lufthansa passenger numbers flying high out of ManchesterLufthansa carried a record number of people in and out of Manchester last year, the German airline announced. The carrier saw an 8.5 per cent increase in passengers to 697,915, during 2011.

Metro

• Tube chaos for commuters as Metropolitan Line weekend work overrunsA number of commuters had a miserable start to the week after work being carried out on the Metropolitan Tube line overran causing massive delays.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Club gets 100% electric vehicleCOMMUTERS and businesses in Newcastle are being given the chance to join the electric car revolution for less than a fiver.
• Expert helps put wheels in motion to make city better place for bikesTRANSPORT chiefs have been given a two-day masterclass in how to improve the North East for cyclists.
• Car-share successCOMMONWHEELS car club has meant that member Andy Hopkins, 23, has found an opportunity to use a car without having to buy one.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post commented Jeremy Lewis: 20mph limits are a good idea on the right roadsArticle

Sheffield Star

• Bus and railway staff to be axedENQUIRIES staff are being axed at a bus station, and opening hours at a rail station ticket office are being reduced, as part of transport budget cuts.

The York Press

• New £4m bus plans for YorkYORK could get its own version of the London Oyster Card and bus stops could be improved, under £4.2 million transport plans unveiled today.

Wales Online

• Train seats could be halved on peak time rail routes under new franchisesTHE number of seats on one of Wales’ busiest peak-time rail routes could be halved under new rail franchises, a passenger group has warned.

Yorkshire Post

• Sponsored byHigh-speed rail faces court fight from critics A LEGAL challenge is being launched against the Government’s £33bn HS2 high-speed rail project.

Other Regional Press

• Airport plans to hit the heights with growth planA SIX week consultation kicked off on Monday on plans to expand Luton Airport and create up to 6,000 new jobs.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Rail fares at a cross roads13 February: We are waiting with baited breath for the Government review on fares to start. We want this to be an opportunity for passenger views and ideas to get a fair hearing. read more

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Logistics industry 'will need high volumes of apprentices'Apprenticeships should be considered vital for the logistics industry as the sector expects to experience high demand for new workers over the coming years, it has been suggested. The sector is anticipating impressive growth over the next six years, with more than 500,000 new logistics employees expected to become necessary over this period, reports the Scotsman. With 44 per cent of the industry's current employees older than 45, introducing a younger generation to logistics could become crucial. Apprenticeships are especially important in the haulage industry, where high insurance ...

Global Rail News

• New ScotRail trains ˜should be Scottish-owned™Sustainable transport alliance, Transform Scotland, today said that any new trains ‘serving the Scottish network’ should be ‘Scottish-owned’. As part of its response to the ‘Rail 2014′ consultation, Transform Scotland also said there was a need for detailed consultation with passengers, both on new trains and on timetable changes. Transform Scotland rail campaigner Paul Tetlaw [...]
• Industrial action to affect ScotRail servicesIndustrial action scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday 14th February) will affect some ScotRail services, the train operator has warned. The RMT said its rail signalling staff at the West of Scotland Signalling Centre will be striking again for 24 hours. The union said the strike has been called ˜following a total failure by the management to [...]
• CCTV released after men spotted ˜train surfing™ in LancashireBritish Transport Police has released images from CCTV of a young man and his friends ‘train surfing’ in Accrington, Lancashire. Officers have been shown CCTV images which show a young man hanging from the driver™s door of a train leaving the station. It seems the men had no intention of getting on the train, they [...]

Railnews

• Trains for Scotland 'should be Scottish owned' call A transport pressure group says the next generation of new trains for Scottish routes should be owned by the government, rather than be leased. Transform Scotland has made the call as a consultation continues on the shape of the next franchise north of the border, which is to start in 2014.

Aviation Industry

• Brussels conference brings together key players in agreeing a global aviation emissions policyWith the Government’s draft policy on aviation due next month, interest in UK airports policy has remained high during the past fortnight. Tim met with Labour™s Shadow Transport Secretary Maria Eagle, together with WWF, to discuss our joint work on UK airport capacity, and both Tim and Nic presented on the subject of UK aviation [...]
• IATA seeks UN support to end emissions stand-offGlobal system would be 'solution' to stop escalating row over ETS
• Luton Airport begins consulting on expansion planBedfordshire airport to reveal details of scheme to local residents
• EC to decide on Bmi deal by mid-MarchCommission sets provisional deadline for decision on acquisition by IAG
• Etihad adds $3 charge to pay for ETSAbu Dhabi carrier will introduce extra surcharge for travel from March 1

Other News Sources

• Initial cleaners at swanky St Pancras Eurostar terminal strike over poverty payRAIL UNION RMT announced today a series of strike actions by cleaners working for Initial on a Network Rail contract who are paid peanuts to clean the swanky first class facilities at the St Pancras Eurostar terminal.
• RMT reaction to Bombardier statements that they may have close the Derby plant if they don't secure the Crossrail fleet contractReacting to the statement today from Bombardier that they may be forced to close the Derby plant if they don't secure the Crossrail contract, RMT General Secretary Bob Crow said:
• Blackburn with Darwen pilot scheme to save young motorcyclists™ livesA PILOT scheme is about to launch in a bid to save young motorcyclists™ lives.
• Barloworld to offer terminal solutionsBarloworld Handling of the UK has announced that its team of ports and terminals specialists is prepared to offer free advice and site surveys to companies/facilities ...
• UK trade gap narrows as imports declineThe UK's imports declined sharply in December to narrow the nation's trade gap in goods and services to GBP1.1 billion - compared to GBP2.8 billion the ...