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

Saturday, 22 August 2009

BBC News

• Riding the GreyhoundGreyhound buses will hit UK motorways next month - starting with a two-hour service from London to Portsmouth and Southampton. But can an American transport icon find success across the Atlantic?
• Decline in UK car output slowingThe number of new cars made in the UK in July fell 17.9% year-on-year, but the drop was this year's smallest so far.
• Airport staff in strike warningBaggage handlers and other workers at Gatwick and Stansted airports vote to go on strike in a row over pay.

Financial Times

• JAL and NYK in air cargo merger talksJapan Airlines and Nippon Yusen Kaisha are in talks to merge their air cargo subsidiaries in an effort to counter a drop in demand during the global economic downturn
• Stobart upbeat on back of Valencia serviceA new rail transport system between the UK and the Spanish city is one of the business ventures that enabled the logistics group to issue a bullish forecast for trading over the coming six months

Times Online

• Toyota Prius may be Hollywood’s favourite but it lacks pulling power It has been the chief mode of transport in Hollywood and the vehicle of choice for anyone driving to a meeting to save the planet.
• Toyota Prius faces tough challenge in emerging hybrid car market You could be forgiven for thinking that the Toyota Prius was the only hybrid car on the market, given its following among Hollywood stars, eager to prove their “green” credentials.
• Local bus operators face full competition inquiryThe Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has called for a widespread investigation into concerns that the dominance of four companies in local bus services outside London has led to higher prices.

Reuters News

• AA calls for ban on clampingLONDON (Reuters) -The AA called on Friday for ministers to follow Scotland's lead and outlaw the clamping of cars on private land in England and Wales, after finding the practice of slapping huge fines on drivers has reached

Daily Express

• Stobart on route for significant profits haulLOGISTICS firm Stobart Group is on course to ride out the recession as contract wins with the likes of Tesco and cost-cutting look set to drive profits over the next few months.

Journal Live

• Did cash buy East Coast mainline franchise?Ministers handed the East Coast rail franchise to National Express despite another company being assessed as having a better chance of delivering services.

London Evening Standard

• Brazil sends back toxic waste ship to BritainMore than 1,000 tonnes of toxic waste alleged to have been illegally exported from Britain to Brazil was delivered back to Suffolk

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Train operator and cycle firm team up for station deliveriesA TRAIN operator and an Inverness cycle hire firm have linked to help visitors get out and about in the area.

The York Press

• Rail firm made losses of £9m A YORK rail firm has vowed its expansion plans will not be derailed “ despite losing almost £9 million last year.

Peterborough Telegraph

• More airport workers vote to strikeBaggage handlers and other workers at Stansted and Gatwick airports have voted to go on strike in a row over pay.

Reading Evening Post

• Bus staff to vote on striking Bus services could face disruption after workers at Reading Buses agreed to hold a vote on possible strike action.

C.N.N.

• Feds: Regional carrier, not crew, at fault in plane's tarmac strandingA poor decision by a regional airline was being blamed Friday for Continental Airlines passengers getting stranded overnight as their plane sat on a tarmac in Minnesota, federal transportation officials said Friday.

Railnews

• News: MD quits open access train company after six years at helm First Hull trains managing director Mark Leving, who has been with the open access operator for six years, has left the company.

Aviation Industry

• Manchester Airport Strike for Bank Holiday: Airport NewsAn airport strike is set to take place at a UK airport over the Bank Holiday weekend of August 29th and 30th, it has emerged. The strike will affect Manchester Airport in the North of England, although according to an airport spokesperson, its impact will be minimal.In all, 300 cleaners, baggage workers and ground-staff will take part - workers employed by Rentokil/Initial, ASIG and Swissport who are discontented over proposals for their pay to be kept static. The action follows a ballot initiated by trade union organisation Unite, which represents the interests of two million people in the UK...
• Southwest to provide onboard Wi-FiSouthwest Airlines is on its way to providing in-flight Wi-Fi access on all of its aircraft.

Other News Sources

• Maersk looks to rates and costsDENMARK™S AP Møller-Maersk told Fairplay today it expects its recent freight rates rises to hold fast and it will keep slashing costs in the face of today™s heavy losses.
• Car jobs boost as Darling visits ManchesterAround 170 jobs are to be created in Manchester and Warrington by Scottish-based car retailer Arnold Clark. Across the country the firm is creating 500 new sales jobs, 120 apprentice positions and 80 supporting roles.
• Scrappage scheme eases declineCar production in July recorded the smallest monthly decline of the year so far following positive affects of the government™s scrappage scheme.
• Was there a secret cargo on the Arctic Sea?Allegations that cruise missiles destined for Iran were hidden beneath the Arctic Sea's cargo are dismissed as 'ridiculous' by Russian authorities. Sue Turton reports
• Competition suspicion for bus servicesBus users could be paying too much because of a lack of competition, a watchdog has said.
• London Heathrow has busy monthLondon Heathrow had their third busiest month in July, according to BAA. The number of passengers that flew into and out of Heathrow rose to 6.48 million which is a 0.9% increase on July 2008. Long-haul flight passenger numbers were down by 2.4% but even this was good news compared with June when numbers were down 5.9% [...]

Other Subscription Services

• Berlin sets timing for Hapag-Lloyd state aidBERLIN government will decide on Hapag-Lloyd's application for state guarantees by mid-September.