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

Wednesday, 10 March 2010

BBC News

• Mayor threatens Tube legal action over £4.4bn ruling Mayor of London Boris Johnson is considering legal action after it was ruled Underground maintenance firm Tube Lines' costs should be £4.46bn.
• Fleetwood's tram festival cancelled A Lancashire tram festival has been cancelled due to a lack of funds.
• Crisis talks over trams projectTalks are to be held over Edinburgh's tram project in a bid to end a stalemate which has halted work on the route.
• Avalanche railway line reopenedAvalanche debris that shut the West Highland Line has been cleared and the track reopened for services, Network Rail says.
• Eurotunnel makes profit in 2009Eurotunnel, which manages the Channel Tunnel, makes an annual profit of 1.4m euros despite a

Financial Times

• Blow for TFL over bid to reduce tube finance The London mayor’s transport organisation on Wednesday failed in its efforts to reduce the costs of the London Underground public-private partnership after the contract’s arbiter increased the amount the contractor involved can spend.
• Eurotunnel eyes high-speed operationThe company that operates the Channel Tunnel is working on plans to introduce high-speed freight trains through the sub-sea tunnel, as it pursues a series of initiatives to boost railfreight and passenger traffic

The Guardian

• Combined threat of British Airways and Network Rail strikes could disrupt travel plans for millions British Airways cabin crew warn walkout is looming, with Easter weekend the likely target for rail workers

The Independent

• Biggest railway strike since 1990s loomsThe threat of a national rail strike at Easter came closer yesterday as Network Rail revealed it had drawn up contingency plans to deal with a walk-out by thousands of workers.

Times Online

• Eurotunnel profits wiped out by tunnel fireEurotunnel profits over the last 12 months were almost wiped out by the impact of the fire that occurred in September 2008 according to new figures released today.
• Deutsche Bahn may run London to Frankfurt serviceDeutsche Bahn could start high-speed train services from London to Frankfurt by December 2012, Eurotunnel has announced.

Reuters News

• Regulator rules Tube Lines can charge more Rail contractor Tube Lines can charge 4.46 billion pounds for its services over the next 7-1/2 years, the statutory Arbiter for the London Underground Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Agreements ruled.
• Govt to set out high-speed rail network plan The government will this week set out proposals to develop a high-speed rail network to bring the country into line with other European nations including France and Spain.

Daily Express

• Eurotunnel sees lightPROFITS at Eurotunnel slumped after chaos caused by a fire, the recession and the cold snap but the Channel Tunnel operator said it was on track to benefit from an economic upturn.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Plans to close station footbridge RAIL passengers are set to be stopped from using a footbridge over the tracks as part of preparations for a £67m revamp of Nottingham station.
• High speed rail link for East Midlands THE Transport Secretary will tomorrow approve a new high-speed rail network running through the East Midlands.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: '40 years' before city gets high speed railLeeds will be included in plans for a high speed rail network “ but it could be decades before the 200mph trains arrive.

Other News Sources

• High speed trains row THE LOSS of fast-train services at Nuneaton station is being blamed on the government’s Department for Transport. Conservative candidate Marcus Jones, who hopes to win the Nuneaton seat in the forthcoming General Election, says the department forced Virgin Trains to stop making calls to the local station.
• Local Government lobbies government on high speed rail Local Authority Leaders in Yorkshire and Humber have set out the case for high speed rail to serve Yorkshire and Humber in a letter to the Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Adonis.
• LM: London Midland and the illegal Penalty Fares. The DfT responds.We recently reported that London Midland was issuing Penalty Fares against the Penalty Fare rules, thus making them illegal.
• Plans for two new stations in Coventry prepared A business case aimed at improving rail services between Nuneaton and Coventry is being prepared for the Department for Transport (DfT).
• MARSH SPECIES TO BENEFIT FROM RAIL CONSERVATION SCHEME
• Manchester tram cash gives Liverpool's Merseytram boost A HUGE cash injection for Manchester’s tram network should be seized upon to lever funding for the Liverpool region's own light rail ambitions, Mersey politicians said last night.
• Extra train carriages for East Lancashire EXTRA carriages are to be added to trains between East Lancashire and Manchester in a major boost for rail commuters.
• Say no to ticket office cuts9 March: South West Trains is planning to cut ticket office opening hours at 24 stations across London and the South East. Help us stop them. read more