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

Saturday, 28 August 2010

BBC News

• Rail repairs hit train servicesRail services across the Midlands will be affected by engineering works over the Bank Holiday weekend.
• Motorist's sledge death offencesA family from Newport is angry that the motorist who killed their teenage relative in a sledging accident still has not been sentenced for any offence.
• Amlwch Port celebrates a faceliftImprovements to Amlwch Port's harbour and square are unveiled, with the aim of making more of the area's leisure opportunities and rich industrial heritage.
• Driver jailed over death of womanA man is jailed for two years for causing the death by dangerous driving of a woman as she rode her motorcycle to work.
• Cycle helmets - a hard case to crackMany cyclists wouldn't leave home without a helmet - but it's a piece of kit that doesn't offer as much protection as some cyclists might think.
• Driver on speed drug killed womanA drug-fuelled driver who killed a woman in a crash after speeding along a road faces a
• Six hurt as bus brakes suddenlySix people are taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after a bus had to brake sharply in the city.
• Ash cloud boosted Irish FerriesFerry operator Irish Continental Group (ICG) reports pre-tax profits of 8.2m euros for the first half of 2010, up from 5.8m euros last year.
• Airline in bankruptcy protectionThe Irish regional airline, Aer Arran, enters a bankruptcy protection process after suffering 18m euro losses since 2008.
• Tunnel revamp 'to finish early'A facelift for a major Thames crossing is expected to be completed six months early, Transport for London says.
• Spain's Iberia returns to profitSpain's Iberia, which is merging with British Airways, returned to profit in the second quarter of 2010 with gains of 31m euros.
• Boeing delays Dreamliner deliveryBoeing is delaying delivery of its first new-generation 787 Dreamliner aircraft until early 2011 after hitting more problems.
• Electric cars 'can be costlier'Motorists considering buying an electric car are warned they can be more expensive to run than conventional petrol cars.

Financial Times

• Frontline warns on oversupply of oil tankersMajor ship deliveries over the next two years could threaten the balance of the market for crude oil tankers, the sector's biggest operator warns, as it delivers third quarter earnings
• Iberia's first-half losses narrowImproving business travel and air cargo demand countered the negative impact on the Spanish carrier of the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud in April
• Boeing delays Dreamliner delivery dateUS aircraft manufacturer is working with Rolls-Royce to speed up engine availability for its long-delayed jetliner
• DoJ approves United-Continental mergerAntitrust regulators give the green light to the proposed tie-up after the two airlines agreed to dispose of certain take-off and landing rights at Newark airport in New Jersey

The Herald

• On track: £300 million ˜missing link™ moves nearer completionThe final section of a £300 million railway line that will open up Glasgow and Edinburgh to thousands more central belt commuters has been put in place.
• Budget cuts threatening road safety targets, charity warnsScotland™s road safety strategy is under threat from council and police budget cuts, making targets on reducing the number of deaths harder to achieve, a leading safety charity has warned.

The Independent

• Holiday congestion set to peak tomorrow Millions of people hoping to beat the bank-holiday hordes by setting off at the crack of dawn should perhaps think again - experts predict the roads to be at their worst tomorrow morning.
• Cole escapes driving ban “ because his wife is too famous Mr Loophole strikes again. The Liverpool footballer Joe Cole has escaped an immediate driving ban for speeding at 105mph after his solicitor told the court that the midfielder needed his licence to drive his wife, who is too scared to get behind the wheel following a carjacking “ and too famous to catch public transport.

Reuters News

• "We're about to crash," BA passengers told in error LONDON (Reuters) - British Airways apologised to passengers after an emergency message warning they were about to crash into the sea was played by mistake.

Daily Express

• Boeing blames Rolls for Dreamliner delayUS AIRCRAFT giant Boeing yesterday blamed jet engine maker Rolls-Royce for the latest delay in delivering its flagship 787 Dreamliner jet, sparking falls in shares of aerospace companies.

The Sun

• Cole in house as thugs grabbed Carly outside SHAKEN Carly Cole was carjacked outside her home as soccer hubby Joe was inside

Network Rail

• BANK HOLIDAY CRACKDOWN AT WORCESTER™S RAIL CRIME HOTSPOT
• FINAL TRACKS LAID ON BRITAIN™S LONGEST PASSENGER LINE FOR 100 YEARS

Birmingham Mail

• City centre tunnel closed for two hours after crash A CITY centre tunnel was closed for more than an hour after a two-car collision.
• Harborne street to lose car park to make way for houses CONTROVERSIAL plans which would see a bustling Birmingham shopping street losing 66 car parking spaces look set to get the go ahead today.
• Bank Holiday travel news: What to expect on the roads, trains and at the airport THOUSANDS of sun-starved Brummies are jetting off in search of warmer weather for the last Summer Bank Holiday break of 2010.

Bolton News

• Icy road was a ˜death trap™ ” inquest A ROAD was branded a œdeath trap just hours before a driver was killed on it.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• 'Iconic' bridge plan submitted Bradford Council has submitted plans for a new £3m footbridge, which will form part of a network of pedestrian and cycle routes in Bradford.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Cruise ships head for Anglesey TOURISTS from across the world will visit North Wales next week when four cruise ships dock in Anglesey over four consecutive days – including one of the world’s most prestigious liners.
• Rabbit survives 35-mile trip from Betws y Coed in car engine A WILD rabbit survived a 35-mile road trip stuck in a car engine.
• Welsh civil servants cost us £23k by failing to refuel hire cars CIVIL servants working for the Welsh Assembly Government ran up a £23,000 bill in service charges last year for neglecting to refill hire cars with fuel.

Journal Live

• Schools and hospitals to be given priority in winter A CALL has been made for schools, hospitals and emergency services in Northumberland to be given a higher priority when snow-blocked roads are cleared during severe winter weather.

Liverpool Post

• Road crash victims remembered at Liverpool service VICTIMS of road crashes will be remembered in Liverpool next week.
• Carjacking terror for Carly Zucker, wife of Liverpool FC star Joe Cole THE wife of Liverpool FC’s star summer signing Joe Cole was the victim of a violent carjacking by eight thugs on motorbikes.

London Evening Standard

• Thug who broke bus driver's arm is jailedWoman who broke a female bus driver's arm has been jailed for nine months
• Anger over Tube chief's 'unhelpful' booze attitude on Notting Hill Carnival weekendTube boss appears to relax Boris Johnson’s zero tolerance ban on drinking alcohol on the Tube for the Notting Hill Carnival
• Bank Holiday warning for motoristsMillions of people were taking to the roads early this morning to beat the hordes - only to find themselves facing the worst of the bank-holiday traffic.
• Joe Cole escapes driving ban after wife's motorbike gang attackEngland footballer Joe Cole avoided an immediate ban for speeding at 105mph after his wife was 'severely traumatised' after being dragged from her car by 'eight thugs on motorbikes'

Manchester Evening News

• Rush-hour travel problems after tram breaks down A broken down tram brought rush hour chaos to commuters in the city centre.The service failed in St Peter's Square at 4.15pm, blocking routes.

Metro

• Joe Cole's driving ban postponed after Carly's carjackingJoe Cole has had a driving ban postponed after a court heard that his wife, Carly, is terrified of getting behind the wheel in the wake of a carjacking attack.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Fines could cost driver her carAn Aberdeen woman has become the first person in Scotland facing the forced sale of her car at auction to pay outstanding court fines.
• Plans to link Montrose to north-east revealedPlans for a new footpath and cycle way connecting north Angus to Aberdeenshire have been revealed.

The York Press

• Family on holiday in York have four bikes stolen in five days AN annual family trip to York turned into a holiday from hell when they became victims of theft four times during their stay.
• Rail firm Grand Central confident of making profit within year A YORK-BASED rail operator which lost almost £8.5 million for each of the last two years, is confident conditions will improve in the next 12 months.

Wales Online

• Airline’s flights to Ireland will continue in spite of cash crisis AN AIRLINE which carries thousands of people from Wales to Ireland and on to the US each month has said passengers will not be affected by a financial crisis at the company.
• New space-age Newport rail station for the Ryder Cup THIS is the space age vision of Wales that will greet visitors to the Ryder Cup.

Blackpool Gazette

• Putting port back on mapBOSSES behind Wyre's £1.6m Sea Change project are confident it will put Fleetwood "back on the map".

Bucks Free Press

• Police run speed and vehicle checksSOUTH Bucks police were out in force today to carry out speed and vehicle checks.

Northants Evening Telegraph

• Sniffer dog Mitzy rumbles immigrants on way to CorbyA sniffer dog called Mitzy has helped immigration officers rumble attempts to smuggle three illegal immigrants hidden inside a lorry carrying cigarette papers into Northampton

Sunderland Echo

• Thieves steal car keys through letterboxes with fishing rodsSneaky car thieves are using fishing rods to net sets of keys through Wearsiders' letterboxes.
• Landmark day for NissanNissan announced 75 new apprenticeships as its latest model, the Juke, rolled off the production line at its Sunderland plant.

The Shields Gazette

• Tunnel shuttle ready for busy bank holidayA NEW Tyne shuttle service is getting into gear for a busy bank holiday weekend.

Other Regional Press

• Blackdown Hills cycle routes launch A SERIES of cycling routes in the Blackdown Hills will be launched in Wellington on Sunday, September 5.
• Speed camera turn-off 'puts bikers at risk' ROAD safety experts have criticised Oxfordshire County Council for failing to take account of traffic accident figures before switching off Oxfordshire™s 72 Speed cameras.
• Speed camera turn-off 'puts bikers at risk' ROAD safety experts have criticised Oxfordshire County Council for failing to take account of traffic accident figures before switching off Oxfordshire™s 72 Speed cameras.
• Danger drivers warned over roadworks dodgeRogue drivers are using social networking sites to out-manoeuvre workmen at a major roadworks site in Ayrshire.
• City to miss out on London rail linkRail passengers in the west of Scotland are to lose out on promised cross- border train services, the UK Transport Secretary has admitted.
• Car park plan to cover city bus station is axedControversial plans to build a multi-storey car park above Glasgow™s busiest bus station have been scrapped, the Evening Times can reveal.
• Parking tax 'not ruled out' in Dorset A TAX on motorists parking at work in Dorset™s busy town centres ˜cannot be ruled out™ in light of a government spending review.

C.N.N.

• Somali man pleads guilty in Virginia to attack on U.S. vesselA Somali man Friday became the second person convicted in the United States of acts related to high-seas piracy in more than a century, although he wasn't convicted of piracy itself.
• 'Ghost train' hunter killed by train in North CarolinaThe facts: On August 27, 1891, a passenger train jumped the tracks on a tall bridge near Statesville, North Carolina, sending seven rail cars below and about 30 people to their deaths.
• 6 missing after Russian tugboat sinksThe search resumed Saturday for six sailors missing after their tugboat sank in the Laptev Sea off Siberia's northern coast, Russian news agencies reported.

International Herald Tribune

• London Journal: Super Cars Inspire Mixed Feelings in LondonFor the most part, Londoners have welcomed the exotic vehicles and their wealthy Persian Gulf oil state owners, except for the occasional late-night races.
• Engine Problem Delays Delivery of Boeing’s DreamlinerBoeing now expects delivery of the first 787 Dreamliner in the middle of the first quarter 2011, owing to a delay in engine availability.

New Scientist

• Innovation: Sunrise boulevards could bring clean powerCould roads surfaced with solar panels bring renewable energy to our doors?

Washington Post

• Boeing again delays first delivery of 787 NEW YORK -- Boeing Co. postponed the delivery of its first 787 airliner to the middle of the first quarter of 2011, adding to a string of delays that has put it more than two years past its originally scheduled debut.
• Truckers to appeal ruling for LA anti-smog program LOS ANGELES -- Environmentalists on Friday hailed a federal judge's ruling that allows the nation's largest port to enforce anti-smog rules on big rigs that haul goods in and out.
• Struggling Mexicana airline halting all operations MEXICO CITY -- Debt-ridden carrier Mexicana and its domestic subsidiaries will begin suspending flights midnight Friday and halt all operations by the next day as it seeks to restructure costs, Mexico's transportation secretary said.
• Justice Dept signs off on United-Continental deal MINNEAPOLIS -- The Justice Department said Friday that it has no more antitrust concerns about the deal that would combine United and Continental into the world's largest airline.

Railway Gazette

• Deutsche Bahn completes Arriva takeover EUROPE: Deutsche Bahn announced the completion of its acquisition of Arriva on August 27, following the registration of necessary court orders. DB UK Holding Ltd has acquired all the shares of Arriva plc, which is now its wholly-owned subsidiary. The German national railway company said it will conduct its regional passenger transport activities outside Germany under the Arriva brand. DB said the acquisition moves its passenger transport turnover outside Germany from 'marginal' to 'a top position'; Arriva has bus and rail operations in 12 countries, with 42 000 employees and turnover of €3·...

Aviation Industry

• Victory against all the oddsA booklet has been published which describes the remarkable victory won by campaigners who opposed a third runway at Heathrow. The booklet is published as a PDF file on the HACAN web site.
• Spain's Iberia swings to second-quarter profitIberia Lineas Aereas de Espana said Friday it swung to a higher-than-expected profit in the second quarter, but it warned that the key risk it faces is the pace of the global economic rebound.

Other News Sources

• Train firms' peak rates 'confuse passengers'Some train companies, including one which runs services in Yorkshire, are charging peak rates well outside busy travel times, according to Which? magazine.
• Project to raise awareness of goods transportation costsPart funded by the Technology Strategy Board, the Efficient and Reliable Transportation of Consignment project has been launched by GS1 UK, Ricardo, Unipart Logistics, IRIS Technology and Coventry University.
• Investment to support production of pick-up trucksMazda and Ford™s joint venture is to invest $350m in its Thailand plant to support the production of Mazda and Ford™s next generation of pick-up trucks.
• Engine problem prompts US Toyota Corolla recallTroubled Japanese car maker Toyota is to conduct a voluntary safety recall of approximately 1.13 million 2005-2008 Model Year Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles sold in the US.
• Boeing delays predicted 787 delivery dateBoeing has said that it now expects delivery of the first 787 in the middle of first-quarter 2011.
• Rolls-Royce files patent infringement complaintRolls-Royce has filed an amended complaint against United Technologies Corporation alleging an infringement of its swept fan blade patent.
• Parking ticket slapped on Sussex Police car Residents have expressed shock at spotting a parking ticket on a police car.
• Section of the A27 closed for falling "below standards" Motorists face commuter misery after a section of road was closed for being too dangerous.
• 'Many drivers avoid motorways'Motorways are used less than twice a year by nearly a quarter of drivers, a Government survey has revealed. Updated on 27/08/2010 11:25:05. © RAC breakdown cover and car insurance.
• Councils must remove street clutter, say ministersThe government has called on councils to stop 'cluttering' streets with road signs and bollards in an attempt to save money and boost community action
• Civic group presses for rail route reviewPlans for a high-speed rail network could go ahead without understanding the impact on local townscapes, heritage and open spaces, according to civic activists.
• Sustrans submits Wye Valley applicationSustainable transport charity Sustrans has submitted a planning application for an off-road walking and cycling route between Chepstow and Tintern.
• Council funds station studyThe Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has approved funding to assess the impact of a Crossrail station at Kensal on rail services in the area.
• Horseriders seriously injured following horrific car crash are namedA witness to a collision between a car and two horse riders has described how one of the animals died after taking the full impact.
• Fresh delay for Dreamliner aircraftBoeing now expects to deliver its first new 787 jet in the middle of the first quarter 2011, the second such delay in the past two months, due partly to engine delivery problems, it has said.
• Joe Cole given delayed driving banEngland footballer Joe Cole has avoided an immediate ban for speeding at 105mph after a court heard that his wife was
• Arriva launches novel talent search Under 16s asked to come up with a bus-themed short story
• Train CompanyHires 400 Temporary WorkersDerby-based train maker Bombardier is hiring up to 400 temporary staff on one-year contracts.
• Cole dodges ban after court hears of Carly carjack England footballer Joe Cole has dodged an immediate driving ban for speeding after a court heard how his wife was attacked by carjackers.Related StoriesBritish clubs learn Champions League fateFootballer wins continuation of gagging orderRamires: 'I'm ready for the Premier League'
• Coach firm to expand routesBOSSES of a large independent bus company who have moved their main depot to Hartlepool have revealed plans for new jobs and a better service for passengers.
• Tall ships could be here every yearMAJESTIC tall ships could be coming to Hartlepool every year if an ambitious plan pays off.
• New cafe set for train station A new café is set to open in the former travel centre at Winchester railway station.
• Lufthansa eyes in-flight Internet for short-haul fleetLufthansa is looking closely at bringing in-flight communications to its short-haul fleet to address what it believes is a growing need for passengers to...
• Russian researchers study elliptical-fuselage 'EkoJet' concept Russian researchers have released details of a proposed medium-haul widebody aircraft design which has been undergoing structural studies at the Central...
• Lack of production engine for Airplane Nine drives 787 delayThe lack of availability of Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines for Airplane Nine in the 787 programme, Boeing's third production aircraft and the first of the...
• Southampton Airport nominated for travel awardSouthampton Airport is calling on passengers to vote for it in the annual British Travel Awards.The airport is up for the accolade of the best UK regional travel hub at the awards, which are designed to recognise the top travel companies as chosen by consumers.Passengers can vote by visiting the British Travel Awards website before September 30th and all those that register will be entered into a free prize draw.Jan Halliday, director of marketing and communications for Southampton Airport, said that as this year marks the regional travel hub's 100th birthday it would be a great year to wi...
• New Manchester Airport flights for 2011 announcedJet2 has announced the creation of three new routes from Manchester Airport for next summer.The low-cost airline will begin its first service to Brive, in the Dordogne, from the regional travel hub in May. Twice weekly services will run to the French city throughout the summer until September.New services will also be on offer to Larnaca and Paphos in Cyprus, starting on May 14th and April 6th respectively.Jet2 is also due to increase the number of flights it runs on routes to Venice and Nice to six per week and will be creating additional flights to Murcia and Majorca during the weekend. The ...
• Positive outlook for Irish shippingIRELAND™S shipping industry is showing positive movements on its key container, ro-ro, lo-lo and dry bulk trades for 2010™s first half.
• Year's delay likely for Cambridgeshire's troubled buswayA pioneering council transport system is set to open more than a year late amid furious disputes over uncorrected effects
• Join in the thrill of premier cycle raceThe National Trust is opening its car parks to spectators who turn out to see cyclists fly past when the Tour of Britain comes to Norfolk.
• Bank holiday clampdownPOLICE patrols will increase at car parks in the Peak District this weekend to clamp down on vehicle crime.