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

Friday, 13 November 2015

BBC News

• The towns transformed by budget airlinesIt's 20 years since Easyjet's first flight. In that time the aviation industry has changed almost beyond recognition, taking tourists to towns previously untouched by holidaymakers.
• Bus company switching to solar powerA Perth bus company is hoping to cut three million kg of carbon emissions by installing solar panels at its depots.
• Under-11s to travel free on London railChildren under 11 will enjoy free travel on all National Rail services in London from 2 January, the Mayor of London announces.
• VW sets whistleblower deadlineGerman carmaker VW sets a 30 November deadline for staff whistleblowers to come forward about its diesel emissions test cheating.

Financial Times

• Network Rail sell-off to be consideredShaw Report on structure and financing of infrastructure operator to look at full or partial sale
• FirstGroup hit by losing rail franchisesTransport group’s US bus business suffers as low oil prices make driving more affordable
• London commuters face 1% fare riseTransit authority expects to raise �43m from changes but Labour pledges four-year freeze
• Maersk Line chief talks up $2bn NOL moveConsolidation in container shipping would be good for carriers and their customers, says Soren Skou

The Guardian

• Halfords signs up Sir Bradley WigginsTour de France and Olympic gold winner to launch new range of children’s bikes to refire cycling group’s profitsHalfords has enlisted Sir Bradley Wiggins to to aid its turnaround efforts, after reporting a fall in profits and bicycle sales.The cycle and car-repair chain is teaming up with the British Olympian and Tour de France winner to launch a new range of affordable, lightweight bikes for under-16s next July to get more children and teens into cycling. Continue reading...
• Ford looks to geckos to boost the recyclability of its carsA new partnership between the car maker and the Biomimicry Institute is a significant step forward in propelling the philosophy of nature-inspired sustainable design In recent years, the Ford Motor Company has aggressively sought to solve environmental problems related to its products while reducing production costs. Wasted wheat straw often burned by Canadian farmers has been blended into a plastic feature of the Ford Flex to reduce petroleum use. Plastic bottles have been converted into fibers to cover the seats of a recent hybrid research vehicle.Now, Ford is exploring biomimicry, the pract...
• Man arrested 30 times for bus and train thefts just wants to work on the subwayDarius McCollum has become an unlikely folk hero for illegally commandeering New York City’s trains and buses, in an attempt to fulfill his childhood dreamDarius McCollum has a peculiar hobby: impersonating New York transit staff, stealing buses and trains, and then driving them away.As one police spokesman said of him in 2010, he has “a thing for mass transit”. Continue reading...
• First Dog on the Moon's handy guide to the difference between Uber and taxisOne hands out mints, but also knows your name, address and mobile number. The other allows you to run away without paying. Which do you choose?Christmas is coming, and brand new First Dog toys for kiddies (and for adults who like toys) are on sale now. What a coincidence!Sign up here to get an email whenever First Dog cartoons are published Continue reading...

The Scotsman

• Heathrow in Scots export push amid runway battle Research commissioned by Heathrow has highlighted its contribution to Scottish exports as the battle for a new runway between London’s largest airport and rival Gatwick ­continues.
• Safer cycle lanes design contest launchedDESIGNS for new segregated cycle lanes to encourage timid cyclists to take to the roads are being sought in a competition launched by transport minister Derek Mackay today.

The Telegraph

• Boris Johnson unveils London's new transport fares for 2016Free travel for under 11s will be extended to national rail services in the capital, but overall fares will increase by 1 per cent
• Motorway speeding fines will lead to 'complete breakdown in police relations with public'Head of College of Policing launches blistering attack on plans floated by crime commissioner to switch on all speed traps on stretch of M1
• Learner drivers who pass driving test will be given 'cashback'Patrick McLoughlin, the Transport Secretary, announces plans to 'incentivise' young drivers to ensure they are ready for their tests

Times Online

• Network Rail sale possible to cut its debt [Subscription]Network Rail could be privatised as part of sweeping government reforms designed to reduce train delays and cut its £38 billion debt.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• North Wales rail summit demands Boxing Day trains Calls for Boxing Day rail service follows Liverpool's move to run trains on December 26th

London Evening Standard

• London politicians attack Heathrow expansion plans in favour of new runway at GatwickCouncil leaders in Wandsworth, Kingston, Southwark and Croydon issued a joint call for David Cameron to 'get behind Gatwick'
• Hundreds of thousands of children under eleven to get free travel on ALL London trainsHundreds of thousands of children under eleven are to get free travel on all train services in the capital, it was announced today.
• Eurostar takes ELEVEN HOURS to get to Paris after hitting boarTrainee opera singer and entire Discovery Channel team entertain irate passengers with music and virtual reality headsets
• London bus fares and Tube prices 'to be frozen' in 2016, Mayor of London announcesCommuters will benefit from a “real term freeze” on transport fares across London in the New Year, the Mayor of London announced today.
• Number of trains that failed to stop at red signals at 10-year highPotentially dangerous incidents of trains driving passing stop signals on Britain's railways have reached their highest level since 2004, official figures show.
• The Tube network had its busiest day ever... as TfL warns of worse to comeLondon’s Tube network has had its busiest day in history when almost five million people clambered onboard.

Sheffield Star

• South Yorkshire transport staff travel passes worth �212,000 a year - and chief earns �115,000Free travel passes with a retail value of £212,000 are provided to staff working at South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive annually, The Star has learned.

Daventry Express

• More ‘local input’ to go into road repair decisions in Northamptonshire as part of £10 million investmentCouncillors in Northamptonshire will be able to select roads in their area to be given pothole repairs as part of a two-year investment of £10 million.

Doncaster Free Press

• South Yorkshire transport staff travel passes worth �212,000 a year - and chief earns �115,000Free travel passes with a retail value of £212,000 are provided to staff working at South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive annually, The Star has learned.

Other Regional Press

• Anger mounts over rail breakdowns caused by “leaves on the line”Rail passengers on two Suffolk branch lines are facing another day of bus rides after it emerged that nearly half the diesel railcars in East Anglia had been sidelined at one point this week because of problems caused by falling leads.
• Six coach bays to be built at former Greyfriars bus station site in NorthamptonBays for six coaches will be included in plans for any new shops built on the former Greyfriars bus station site.
• Luton station revamp hinges on bid for �2.5m bountyThe long-awaited redevelopment of Luton railway station may finally go ahead – should the government give a bid for £2.5 million the green light.
• Jobs hope as Blackpool Airport’s unused site granted enterprise zone statusThis is how the former international terminal at Blackpool Airport could look when the proposed enterprise zone at the site gets under way.
• Medway Arriva drivers are being balloted for industrial action over controversial and unsafe timetable changesArriva drivers are being balloted for industrial action over controversial timetable changes which are ‘unsafe’ and ‘unreliable’.
• 20mph speed limits on the way to many roads in Rastrick, Elland and BrighouseCalderdale Council plan to lead the way in slashing speed limits

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• North Wales rail summit to drive forward rail modernisation to the regionUK Government Ministers attend rail summit to ensure North Wales benefits from the Northern Powerhouse. Wales Office Minister Alun Cairns and Rail Minister Claire Perry are in North Wales today (Thursday 12 November) hoping to agree the creation of a major new body to drive forward rail modernisation in the region. Both ministers are attending a rail summit in Llandudno, where a new task force, which includes local authorities, the Welsh Government and business, is expected to be announced. Its role will be to make a detailed case to the UK Government for rail modernisation in North Wales. ...
• PD Ports appoints new general managerOn 1st September, PD Ports welcomed on board a new general manager business development, Roy Merryweather, as part of its growth plans to generate further new business in the Company’s bulk handling operations at its North-east based port, Teesport. Roy joins PD Ports from Peel Ports where he was employed for over four years as group business development manager. In his new role at Teesport, Roy is responsible for developing supply chain solutions for customers importing and exporting dry bulk cargo; bringing with him over 15 years’ experience specialising in steel and forest pro...
• Corethree wins tender for delivery of transport for Greater Manchester mobile ticket solution Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), another of the UK’s major public transport operators, has chosen Corethree to build its first ever mobile application for ticketing. The first new app to roll out will be for the Manchester Metrolink tram system, which has 92 stops in the Greater Manchester region. It is the first UK entry to the travel sector for Apple Pay. Corethree has delivered the app in record time, from tender win to completed build in just 4 weeks. This is made possible due to the company’s highly robust back end system and meta-platform, Core Engine. This enables ...
• Porterbrook orders Bombardier EMUs to meet future demandPorterbrook Leasing announced an order for a further 80 Bombardier Transportation Class 387 Electrostar electric multiple-unit cars on November 2. They are to be built at Bombardier’s Derby plant for delivery between October 2016 and June 2017. The leasing company said the order would ‘help satisfy the future demand for mid-distance electric trains’ which will be required for the lines to be electrified ‘in the near future’ and ‘to alleviate higher than forecast passenger growth and overcrowding’. Porterbrook said ‘a number of parties’ ha...

Rail Magazine

• Shaw Report: “Genuine consensus” on industry concernsNicola Shaw releases scoping report for review into Network Rail’s structure and finance
• Same-day ticket app on Abellio Greater AngliaPassengers on Abellio Greater Anglia services can now purchase same-day travel tickets on their phone
• ScotRail fits power sockets to more trainsScotRail has fitted power sockets to the first of 40 Class 334s, as part of a �36 million upgrade.

Railway Gazette

• Railway supply industry news in briefHSH Nordbank, ING DiBa, BAML, DVB, Deutsche Bank, Barclays and ABN AMRO are participating in a...

Aviation Industry

• Lufthansa's Growing Strike Bill Shows CEO Is Ready for FightLufthansa's losses from a series of crippling strikes over the past 10 months are set to surpass 230 million euros , eclipsing expenses from a spate of walkouts last year. While the bill is eating into profit, it's also testimony to Spohr's determination to deliver the radical restructuring he says is needed to take on leaner carriers such as EasyJet Plc and British Airways.
• UK airports see passenger numbers riseRecord growth at Heathrow, Manchester and Stansted
• Lufthansa signs Singapore Airlines deal to target Asia marketCodeshare deals on routes between Singapore and Frankfurt, Munich and Zurich
• Iran president moots Airbus orderPresident Hassan Rouhani says deal will ‘probably’ be signed during French state visit

Other News Sources

• North Wales devolved rail body to tackle electrificationWelsh leaders attending a rail summit in Llandudno are set to refine and agree to details of a major new body designed to drive forward rail modernisation in North Wales.
• Glass ‘shell’ starts to grow around Blackburn's £4.7m bus station WORK has begun to install the remaining 102 glass panels surrounding Blackburn’s new £4.7million bus station.
• 'Hideous, horrible, overpriced!' - YOUR views on rail travel in Surrey revealedThe majority of people who responded to the Get Surrey rail travel survey felt they weren't getting value for money
• Privatisation talks ‘nonsense’, says Highways England chiefHighways England’s chief has rubbished claims that the management of the UK’s highways is set to be handed over to private firms, calling the idea “nonsense”.
• Preston-Blackpool electrification put back a yearNetwork Rail has set a new completion date for a crucial part of the �75m north-western electrification programme that is almost two years later than originally scheduled.