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

Saturday, 28 November 2009

BBC News

• Carbon offsetting 'not working'The first travel firm to offer consumer carbon offset schemes says they are a
• Putin announces Lada rescue dealFrench carmaker Renault signs a deal to rescue its struggling Russian partner Avtovaz, the maker of Lada cars.
• Euro train booking system shelvedPlans for a system that would have made it simpler to book tickets for rail travel across Europe are shelved.
• New Airbus A400M test flight dateAirbus says its long-delayed A400M military transport aircraft should make its first test flight in early December.

Financial Times

• National Express £360m rights issue approvedTransport group easily overcomes opposition from Jorge Cosmen, its largest shareholder and deputy chairman, who was backed by only 1% of investors

The Guardian

• Woods rescued by wife - with golf clubTiger Woods, the world's most famous golfer, was rescued from his car after a crash outside his home by his wife who smashed the vehicle's back window with a golf club.Woods was injured after crashing his Cadillac SUV when he drove away from his home at 2.25am on Friday. He suffered facial lacerations when the 4x4 hit a fire hydrant in his garden then careered into a tree.Police said the incident was not alcohol related but in what is a standard procedure added that
• Bomb suspected in Russia train crash¢ 22 dead, more than 50 injured according to reports¢ Terrorism fears after 'small crater' found under railsAt least 22 people were feared dead and many more injured last night after an express train carrying hundreds of passengers from Moscow to St Petersburg derailed.Early indications from government officials suggest a bomb may have been the cause, after investigators found a three-foot crater beneath the rails.Russian Railways, the state-owned train operator, said four carriages of the luxury Nevsky Express came off the tracks near the town of Bologoye, 200 miles from Moscow, just after 9....

The Scotsman

• Biker dies in ambulance car crashAn investigation has been launched after the death of a motorcyclist following a crash with an ambulance car, police said.

The Telegraph

• BMW executive escapes jail after mother dies in car crash BMW executive Anthony Norton who caused a horrific crash that killed a female public school teacher and paralysed a 13 year old girl for life has walked free from court.

Times Online

• Oasis of the Seas: the Times reviewIt™s always sunny in Florida unless there™s a hurricane or the world™s largest cruise ship is blocking out the light. Sixteen decks loom above me as I beetle up the gangway and through the passenger entrance to be swallowed into the belly of the beast. Oasis of the Seas dominates the skyline like a giant municipal building with funnels, visible from miles away as you drive towards its home port of Fort Lauderdale.
• Russian drivers launch fight to improve roads and halt corruption They endure awful roads and corrupt police, and their cars are the butt of jokes the world over. Now Russia’s drivers are gearing up to fight for their rights.
• Dark roads will lead to brighter future says pollution commission Street and motorway lights should be dimmed or switched off to save energy and let people see the stars, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution says.
• National Express thwarts rebels in funding voteNational Express, the debt-laden bus and train operator, today won backing for a £360 million rights issue despite the objection of its largest investor, Spain's Cosmen family.
• Rail offers London to Madrid in eight hoursBritons who fancy taking in the Continent will be able to travel from London to Madrid by high-speed train in a journey that could take little more than eight hours.
• National Express beats investor revolt to secure cash callNational Express, the debt-laden bus and train operator, saw off a revolt from its largest shareholder yesterday as it won backing for a £360 million rescue rights issue.
• Paris and Madrid sign joint-venture deal to create high-speed rail linkSpain and France have agreed to form a company to build a high-speed train line linking Madrid and Paris.

Daily Express

• National Express to get £360m cash call despite oppositionINVESTORS yesterday gave the go-ahead to struggling train and bus company National Express for a £360million cash call, despite stiff opposition.
• National Express shareholder rebellion overTHE great National Express shareholder rebellion, inspired by the bus and train group's largest shareholder, the Cosmen family, puttered out like an elderly Routemaster heading back to the garage for the last time.

Mail Online

• Pull plug on motorway lights to save the environment, say experts

The Mirror

• Russian train crash: Terror probe launched after 39 dieRussian authorities launched a probe into a possible terror attack today after an express train carrying hundreds of passengers from Moscow to St Petersburg derailed, killing at least 39 people and injuring scores of others.
• Probe after golfer Woods' crashInvestigators were trying to establish what caused world number one golfer Tiger Woods to crash his car into a fire hydrant and a tree outside his exclusive Florida home.

Network Rail

• NEW ERA OF OPENNESS AS FIRST STAGE OF WAVERLEY WORKS COMPLETED
• CONWY VALLEY RAIL LINE TO REOPEN ON MONDAYThe Conwy Valley railway line, closed owing to flooding, is scheduled to reopen to passengers on Monday, 30 November.

Birmingham Post

• Longbridge park and ride scheme put on holdPlans for a £100,000 parking scheme in the heart of Birmingham’s newest development have been put on ice due to a wrangle over land.
• New Street Station won't be demolished in redevelopmentNetwork Rail has revealed it won’t be knocking down Birmignham's New Street station as part of redevelopment plans.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• £1m to be spent on Conwy Valley rail lineNEARLY £1 million is to be spent on strengthening flood defences on the Conwy Valley rail line.

Journal Live

• Axing Heathrow runway will threaten North’s air travel futureAIRLINE bosses have warned Newcastle it will lose links to the capital if the Tories carry out a threat to scrap plans for a third Heathrow runway.

Liverpool Echo

• JLR car plants celebrate profits and sales improvements as Halewood gears up for new modelCAR giant Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is showing signs of recovery, its Indian owner has revealed.
• Gun attack on car at M62 Rocket junctionPOLICE are investigating a shoot-out at one of Liverpool’s busiest junctions.

London Evening Standard

• Talented fashion student is 12th London cyclist killed this yearFamily and friends have paid tribute to a promising fashion student who died after her bicycle was hit by a bus in central London
• Passengers left stranded by bus strike
• 'Dump second vehicle and join a car club'

Metro

• Clarkson breathalysed after crashJeremy Clarkson has described how he was recently breathalysed by police after a

The York Press

• York-based rail maintenance and freight group Jarvis announces £3.6m losses, but insists its not all doom and gloom Better times are ahead for Jarvis despite it announcing a £3.6 million loss and a drop in turnover by nearly 50 per cent.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds: Out-of-town bus commuters won't be hit in strikeLeeds bus bosses today told passengers who commute from outside the city that their journeys will not be affected by a three-day strike.

Blackpool Gazette

• Accident causes rush hour traffic chaosA MAJOR Lancashire road ground to a halt after a tractor overturned.

Doncaster Free Press

• Vandals cause massive delays on East Coast Main LineBritish Transport Police is appealing for information after railway signaling cable was cut on the East Coast mainline in the Doncaster area resulting in severe delays to rail

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Cars crash after lorry breaks downTraffic was delayed after two cars crashed into each other after a lorry broke down near Thrapston.
• Bus driver denies causing death A bus driver has denied causing the death of a pensioner following a collision outside a bus station in an area where pedestrians are not allowed.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Police slam paint attacks on carsSuffolk police have condemned as "extremely irresponsible" those responsible for targeting cars with paint - thought to be pellets fired from a paintball gun.

Reading Evening Post

• Witnesses needed after brick thrown at bus Bus users travelling through Tilehurst around 10pm last Friday are urged to come forward after a brick was thrown at the vehicle.
• Reading Buses on route to recovery Reading Buses appears to have turned a corner after announcing a £50,000 profit for October.

Sunderland Echo

• All Metro fares frozen for 2010Transport chiefs have frozen all Metro fares for 2010 to help passengers through the recession.

The Shields Gazette

• Parking fines bring in £300kCARELESS car parkers have contributed almost £300,000 to South Tyneside Council's budget over the last year.

C.N.N.

• FAA releases recordings of wayward jetOne of the two Northwest Airlines pilots who overshot the Minneapolis, Minnesota, airport last month told air traffic control that they had dropped from radio contact because of
• 25 reported dead in Russia train crashA passenger train running from Moscow to St. Petersburg derailed Friday, causing 25 deaths and 87 injuries, state-run Russian television reported.
• Report: Three dead in cargo plane crash in ShanghaiThree of seven crew members died when a Zimbabwean-registered cargo plane crashed early Saturday at Shanghai's Pudong International Airport, China's official news agency reported.
• Tiger Woods injured in minor car accidentFlorida highway patrol troopers plan to talk to pro golfer Tiger Woods on Saturday to get more information about his car crash near his home, a spokeswoman said.

International Herald Tribune

• At Least 39 Dead in Russian Train DerailmentThe railway company said the derailment late Friday could have been the result of sabotage, raising fears that the luxury train was the target of a terrorist attack.
• Business Briefing | Companies: Potential Buyers Have Expressed Interest in SaabA spokeswoman for the Saab unit of General Motors said several potential buyers had expressed interest in the company after a specialty carmaker pulled out of a deal to acquire it.

Washington Post

• Volkswagen to invest $3.5 billion in Brazil FRANKFURT -- Germany's Volkswagen AG on Friday announced plans to invest euro2.3 billion ($3.5 billion) in Brazil and said it hopes to be building a million vehicles a year in the country by 2014.
• GM: Opel to launch new models in break-even plan FRANKFURT -- General Motors Co.'s top European official said Friday that a plan for Opel to be unveiled next month will include a schedule to lauch new models and a financial break-even target.

Railnews

• News: Emergency station for flood-hit Cumbria should open on Monday Network Rail is planning to open its new temporary station at Workington North on Monday, as the flooded town remains divided by the destruction of road bridges across the River Derwent. Northern is boosting its service on the route to provide an additional link between Maryport and Workington.

Transport for London

• King's Cross St. Pancras Tube station doubles in size as state-of-the-art ticket hall opensNew Northern ticket hall cuts congestion and improves accessibility.

Aviation Industry

• FAA transcripts show controllers trying to reach Northwest flight that overflew MinneapolisAfter a Northwest Airlines plane flew past Minneapolis last month, air traffic controllers asked the pilots repeatedly for explanations about why they didn't heed radio calls, according to transcripts released on Friday.

Other News Sources

• Union Balks At State Rail EffortTALLAHASSEE | A bill that would help create a commuter rail system for parts of Florida is being challenged by union leaders who call the proposal an attack on organized labor.
• DfT promises higher lorry park standardsThe Department for Transport (DfT) has unveiled plans that it claims will improve lorry parking provision in the UK and raise standards at existing sites - but has not committed to a timetable for doing so.
• Ellesmere Vauxhall jobs safe - for nowJobs at Vauxhall's Ellesmere Port factory look safe for the time being after Opel/Vauxhall CEO Nick Reilly confirmed plans for all its European plants for 2010/11.
• Northern Ireland clarifies reasons for longer-semi trialThe Northern Ireland Department of Environment (DOE) has clarified its reasons for allowing a longer semi-trailer trial, which is being run in conjunction with NI trailer-builder Muldoon Transport.
• Dublin HGV ban proves too expensiveThe ban on big trucks on the streets of Dublin is proving too expensive for the Irish capital to sustain.
• Haulage to Europe continues to fallFigures from the Department for Transport show the number of goods vehicles travelling from the UK to mainland Europe continue to fall, down 13% in the third quarter of 2009 compared with the same period last year.
• Spaghetti Junction rated 'scariest'Spaghetti Junction in Birmingham is Britain's most intimidating road system, a survey has revealed.
• Biker dies in ambulance car crashAn investigation has been launched after the death of a motorcyclist following a crash with an ambulance car, police said.
• Zimbabwean plane crashes in Shanghai A Zimbabwean-registered cargo plane on its way to Kyrgyzstan has crashed on take-off in Shanghai on Saturday.Related StoriesNuclear reactor fire probedWinds whip up a wildfire in CaliforniaScores evacuated near building site blazeChina announces carbon target for Copenhagen
• Investigation begins into Tiger Woods crash Investigators are trying to establish what caused world number one golfer Tiger Woods to crash his car in the early hours of Saturday.Related StoriesYoung drive on cocktail of drink and drugsNuclear reactor fire probedBeefeaters dismissed in harassment caseSpace shuttle Atlantis touches downTiger Woods out of hospital after crash
• Russia opens terrorism case after train crash Russia has opened a criminal case on terrorism charges after an express train derailed, killing dozens of people.Related StoriesUS 'won't sign' nuclear treaty by deadlineMany feared dead in Russia train derailment
• Lorry parkingRoad lobbyists have welcomed the government's new report on lorry parking in the UK, which outlines a national strategy to create a network of secure parking locations.
• Euro Cargo RailDB Schenker's Euro Cargo Rail has filed a complaint against SNCF with France's competition authority over open access to the network. In a statement, it said:
• DP World stays in the clearDP World has claimed it will not be involved in the restructuring of its parent company, Dubai World.
• Asian air cargo log jam spreadsThe air cargo backlog in China and Hong Kong has spread to other Asian airports, leaving forwarders fighting for space on flights to Europe.
• Six arrested in connection with truck theftsAn intelligence-led operation has led to six men being arrested in connection with lorry thefts in the West Midlands.
• ˜Peak oil' but wider suppliesBACKERS of the ˜peak oil™ theory can take heart, David Fyfe of the International Energy Agency told delegates at a London conference on oil supply and energy security.
• More ship price drops seenTANKERS and box ships are most overvalued on shipping markets today, with prices continuing to drop for another year, according to Michael Drayton, former Baltic Exchange chief.
• Norway imposes tax on biofuelsNORWAY has controversially approved a tax on biofuel, IHS Global Insight reported today.
• Comoros crash carrier escapes EU blacklistEU says Yemenia Airways has responded adequately to safety recommendations since fatal crash.
• Barroso unveils new EU Commission line-upEuropean Commission President José Manuel Barroso unveiled the EU executive's new line-up on Friday (27 November), handing Finn Olli Rehn the key economic policy portfolio and giving Frenchman Michel Barnier a controversial role in overseeing regulation of the financial sector.
• China Sets Ambitous Targets of 40-45% Carbon Emission Cuts By 2020The State Council announced Thursday that China is going to reduce the intensity of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP in 2020 by 40 to 45 percent compared with the level of 2005.
• Three dead in cargo plane crashThree dead in cargo plane crash
• Tiger Woods released from hospitalThe world's top golfer Tiger Woods has left hospital with facial lacerations, despite reports suggesting he had been "seriously injured" in a Florida car crash.

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• Barroso strips transport ministry of state aid powersSurprise move sees shift to directorate-general for competition.