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

Tuesday, 24 July 2012

BBC News

• London 2012: Traffic jams and impact of Games Lanes [video]Commuters heading to London during the morning rush-hour were stuck in traffic jams for hours as the capital's roads were prepared for the Olympics.
• London 2012: Transporting Olympic luggage [video]Pole vaults, kayaks and bikes. Just a few of the million pieces of sporting equipment being shipped in to stage the London 2012 Olympic Games.
• Stagecoach completes US bus dealScottish transport group Stagecoach announces it has completed the purchase of parts of US bus firm Coach America.
• Rail project last minute scaresThe biggest improvements in the Midland Mainline's history will go ahead but they were almost scuppered by the costs says MP.
• London mayor pledge for bus dealThe Mayor of London has said he hopes a Ballymena bus company can provide buses for the city over the next four years.
• Tube fault hits service in LondonServices on a section of the Central Line running through central London are suspended for hours due to a faulty track.
• Olympic flame to take London tubeThe Olympic flame will take a ride on the London Underground on Tuesday as it travels from Kingston to Ealing.

Financial Times

• Eurotunnel shrugs off unit™s cost concernJacques Gounon, chairman and chief, dismisses Europorte™s spending, saying he expects the rail freight subsidiary to break even early next year
• ANA grounds five Boeing Dreamliner planesJapanese airline™s move prompted by the discovery of a potential corrosion problem inside gearboxes on Rolls-Royce™s Trent 1000 engines
• Short line and regional railways in $1.4bn dealThe two largest short-line and regional rail operators in North America said they would combine on Monday, with Genesse & Wyoming acquiring RailAmerica for $1.4bn in cash

The Guardian

• Department for Transport awards £1.9m database deal to Capita The Department for Transport (DfT) has awarded Capita Symonds a contract for a rail passenger counts database system, worth £1.9m. The database will allow all train operating companies (TOCs) to upload data about the number of passengers on train services into a single, standardised, database.
• Big energy users get seven times more Treasury meetings than green sector Chancellor George Osborne has not met a single green sector representative since the Coalition came into office

The Herald

• Glasgow-Edinburgh train boostSUNDAY train services between Glasgow and Edinburgh will double in frequency from September as ScotRail extends its half-hourly service on the busy route.

The Independent

• Rehearsal gives glimpse of the Games: chaos on trainsOne of London's main Olympic transport routes failed its first major test ahead of the Games yesterday when tens of thousands faced severe delays as they journeyed to the Olympic Stadium to watch a dress rehearsal for the Opening Ceremony.Related StoriesIOC meets in London to discuss corruptionG4S shambles revealed in internal report

Reuters News

• Transport trouble for London four days from GamesLONDON (Reuters) - Severe disruptions hit three of the main rail links to the Olympic Park in east London early on Monday, four days before the start of the Games, in the latest transport fiasco to raise anxiety levels in the British capital.

Mail Online

• London 2012 Olympics: Work to prepare VIP 'Games Lanes' leaves drivers in 2-hour tail-backsThe London gridlock came to several key routes into the capital while work was carried out on the specially reserved lanes designed to speed up journeys of Olympic VIPs and athletes from Wednesday.
• Ryanair cuts routes to Spain in row over airport tax increase at Madrid and BarcelonaRyanair has cut three routes to Madrid and Barcelona and reduced capacity on 46 other flights after the Spanish government doubled the taxes to land at the two main city airports.

This is Money

• Olympics: NCP hikes tariffs London car park costs by up to 40%Parking juggernaut NCP is increasing the prices in 38 of its 104 London car parks just in time for a rush of visitors to the capital for the Olympic Games.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham city centre bus changes off to a smooth startPASSENGERS have praised transport and council chiefs for “smoothly” handling major changes to bus services in Birmingham city centre.
• New Qatar service at Birmingham AirportBIRMINGHAM Airport is spreading its wings – with a new service to oil-rich Qatar.
• Passengers report mice infestation at Birmingham New Street stationRAIL bosses are investigating reports of a rising mouse problem at Birmingham’s New Street Station.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• 'Lives at risk' plea as trains targeted by vandals Transport police have warned lives are being put at risk by mindless vandals hurling stones and bricks at trains after revealing officers have been called to more than sixty incidents in the past four years.
• Updated: Rail disruption to last 'all day' following landslide Rail passengers using the Wharfedale line face disruption all day after a landslip near the Apperley tunnel early this morning.

Bristol Live

• The Post published Rise in passengers at airportArticle

London Evening Standard

• I’ve changed my mind — we do need a new airport The decision to delay the consultation on London’s airport capacity has provoked outcry and disappointment. As former transport spokesman for the Conservatives and a London MP, I recognise that there are no easy solutions. I think there is a solution — but it will involve compromise and vision.
• Games staff stranded by signal failures on Tube and trainsGames workers were left stranded today after problems on key Tube and rail routes to the Olympic park.
• David Cameron urges London to grin and bear Olympics gridlockDavid Cameron today urged Londoners to put up with transport delays during the Olympics as the first day of traffic management brought rush-hour disruption.

Wales Online

• Congestion charge could cost Cardiff jobs, transport expert warnsA congestion charge in Cardiff may spell the loss of jobs to rival cities along the M4 corridor like Swindon and Bristol, a transport professor has warned.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Jordan’s ideas impress city transport bosses A YOUNGSTER’S big ideas for getting the city of Leeds moving have proved a huge hit with local transport bosses. In fact, Jordan Knight’s plans for the much-anticipated Leeds trolleybus were so impressive that he was invited to meet some of the city’s top transport officials yesterday.

Bucks Free Press

• Changes to road network at Wycombe train station MOTORISTS using the interchange at High Wycombe railway station will be able to drive straight over to Castle Street from tomorrow.

Carlisle News & Star

• CARLISLE TO SETTLE FRIENDS HOLD TALKS WITH TRANSPORT MINISTER Supporters of the Carlisle to Settle railway have taken their campaign for better services to Transport Minister Theresa Villiers.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Road casualties in Peterborough fallThe number of road casualties in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire have fallen, a new report has claimed.

Other Regional Press

• Transport Minister Norman Baker MP officially launched the Liberal Democrat Manchester Central by-election campaign, with newly selected candidate Marc Ramsbottom yesterday. 'Two horse race': Transport Minister launches Lib Dem candidate for Manchester Central by-election
• We need to fight for better transport deal: city MP WORCESTER MP Robin Walker says the city “must go out all guns blazing” in a bid to get a better deal for public transport from the Government.
• Authorities show united front to ease fears over Olympics transport in Weymouth and Portland OLYMPIC bosses are seeking to ease fears about transport problems for the Olympics in Weymouth and Portland . Tim Shoveller, managing director of South West Trains caused a stir last week when he said people should drive to the games – after months of advice from organisers that people should use public transport.
• Arriva transport was a 'shambles'Whoever at the PCT decided to appoint Arriva to fulfil ambulance transport duties has gone a long way to justify the Prime Minister's promise to get rid of these inept offices.
• Alliance praised by rail minister during hub visit RAIL minister Theresa Villiers has visited the Basingstoke hub which controls nearly 600 passenger and freight trains every day.
• Gloucestershire Echo published Airport looks for lift-off with awardArticle
• Gloucestershire Echo published Extended bus service delights shoppersArticle
• Western Morning News commented £110m link road 'is well and truly under way' as designs...Detailed designs for a £110 million new link road which will aim to eliminate traffic problems around a Westcountry resort...
• Seaton rail posters snapped upVINTAGE railway posters by a Seaton Carew-born artist have sold for more than £3,000 at auction.

Global Rail News

• Mechan announces new system for InnoTransMechan will be showcasing its new Microlink jack control system at this year’s InnoTrans exhibition in September. The Sheffield-based rail depot equipment specialist will be exhibiting in the British Pavilion at InnoTrans 2012, as part of a delegation led by the Rail Industry Association and UK Trade and Investment. The firm will be showcasing the [...]
• First Great Western add new trains to the north CotswoldsFirst Great Western (FGW) has launched new trains to operate throughout the north Cotswolds as part of a drive to upgrade the service. In November, FGW signed a £29 million deal with the Department for Transport to introduce an additional 48 vehicles into its fleet. Now, five new trains – 25 carriages – that create [...]
• Vital to showcase 200 new jobs after securing new contractsInternational recruitment specialist Vital has secured contracts up to 2014 which will create more than 200 new rail jobs. Vital Solutions, along with sister company Vital Rail, will be holding open days in London and Manchester next month, showcasing technical positions in signalling, overhead line and permanent way disciplines. Held at its northern and southern [...]
• Japanese bullet train order set for UK networkJapan’s bullet train technology is coming to the UK, with the Department for Transport expected to announce a £1 billion order with Hitachi before the Olympics. The carriage shells will be built in Japan and then assembled in the UK, creating around 500 new jobs. Five-hundred new carriages, which will use the same technology as [...]
• South West and TfL confirm industrial actionSouth West Trains and Transport for London (TfL) have confirmed that they will take industrial action following a long-running dispute over Olympic pay. TfL staff will take strike action between July 27 -28 after failing to come to an agreement over Olympic reward payments. Last week, union members at South West Trains voted in favour [...]
• UK engineers wanted for Hong Kong rail projectsThe MTR Corporation are looking for UK engineers to complete a number of major infrastructure projects in Hong Kong. Rail Personnel, in partnership with Resourcing Solutions, is looking for rail engineers to work on projects including the West Island Line, South Island Line (East), Express Rail Link (Hong Kong section), Shatin to Central Link and [...]
• South West will run ˜full™ Olympic service despite industrial actionSouth West Trains has confirmed that it will run a full service during the London 2012 Games despite an overtime ban announced today by RMT. The rail union announced an overtime and rest day ban, effective between 00.01 hours on Friday, July 27, and 23.59 hours on Sunday, August 28, after union representatives failed to [...]
• Balfour Beatty handed £23m contractsBalfour Beatty has been awarded contracts with Network Rail and BAE Systems in Scotland which together could potentially be worth more than £23 million. Working for BAE Systems, Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering (BBRCE) will carry out the £7.2 million construction of a new access road in its Bishopton development, including a bridge over the [...]
• Delivering collaborationThe National Railway Museum in York was the venue for the second annual railway conference organised by Westermo Data Communications. This year™s theme was very topical – œDelivering Projects Through Partnerships�. Opening the day, Westermo™s Phil Mounter outlined how both the McNulty report on Delivering a Better Value Railway, and the creation of a British [...]
• East Midlands Trains™ services halved by strikesEast Midlands Trains’ (EMT) services to and from London will run at just 50 per cent capacity for three days during the Olympics as train drivers go ahead with strike action. EMT has condemned rail union ASLEF as being “hell-bent” on trying to disrupt the Olympics. The operator held emergency talks on Saturday (July 21) [...]

Aviation Industry

• Easyjet chairman will not take top role at BarclaysAirline continues to back Sir Michael Rake despite Stelios' calls for him to be removed from board
• Qatar Airways planning to start Birmingham flightsFeasibility studies also being carried out on two further UK routes
• British Airways abandons £250 million fundraising planAirline blames œlack of demand� from investors for decision to cancel bond issue
• UK airfares set to continue rising in 2013 - CWTBut buyers should benefit from lower hotel prices due to a post-Olympics dip in demand
• Ryanair blames Spain cuts on tax riseNo-frills airline follows rival Easyjet in cutting Spanish routes

Other News Sources

• Transport helps drive IT consultancy fees higherPublishing Trends in UK Consulting Times, a sector body showed that IT consultancies’ fee income from the Construction and Transport sectors is up by nearly 80 per cent, when compared to 2011.
• RMT demands renationalisation of Great Western franchise as it slides into tax-payer sponsored chaosTRANSPORT UNION RMT today demanded the renationalisation of the Great Western franchise as it emerged that the government will handing an extension to FirstGroup, underwritten by a multimillion-pound taxpayer subsidy, on the bogus grounds of 'delays with issuing tender documents.'
• RMT confirms Olympics payments action on SW Trains,TRANSPORT UNION RMT today confirmed industrial action on South West Trains, Serco