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

Tuesday, 21 June 2011

BBC News

• Review ordered on £32bn rail planAn independent review of the £32bn HS2 London to Birmingham high-speed rail project is to published on Tuesday.
• Mystery airline order for BelfastA mystery customer orders ten new aircraft from Bombardier Aerospace with the wings for the planes to be made in Belfast.
• VIDEO: North-south divide over fast railA provocative ad campaign supporting high speed rail has depicted southerners as
• London's black cabs go greenTom Edwards looks at the new hydrogen-fuelled black cabs that are hitting the streets of London
• Rail firms to stop taking chequesRail companies running services across the south of England will stop accepting payment by cheque this month.
• No disruption after Tube strikeServices on the London Underground (LU) are not affected by a six-hour strike on the network overnight.
• Bus depot fire 'was deliberate'A fire which destroyed buses at a depot in Greenock at the weekend was started deliberately, police say.
• Japan car firms hire to up outputJapanese car firms will boost production by hiring thousands of contract workers in the aftermath of the March earthquake and tsunami.
• New motor insurance rules beginMore restrictive car insurance rules come into effect on Monday as the government seeks to clamp down on uninsured drivers.
• Accidents blight Airbus in ParisAirbus' appearance at the Paris Air Show is blighted by a runway incident and a gearbox failure, grounding two key planes.

Financial Times

• Regulator warns rail industry to reduce costsThe Office of Rail Regulation says the sector is 'on notice' to show that it deserves the level of pubic investment that it is getting
• Avolon aims to profit from airlines' downturnThe company is aggressively positioning itself, acquiring a portfolio of aircraft to lease to carriers in the fast-growing Asia-Pacific region
• Manufacturers set to land big ordersGECAS starts ball rolling, ordering more than 75 aircraft from Airbus and ATR, a joint venture between a unit of Finmeccanica and EADS
• Aerospace: hardly plane sailingDespite solid passenger growth, the International Air Transport Association has lowered its net profit forecast for the airline industry

The Herald

• Fuel prices force drivers to leave their cars at homeMORE than three in four motorists are cutting back on spending or driving due to rising fuel prices, a survey by the Automobile Association has found.

The Independent

• MPs order review of £32bn rail plan A Commons Select Committee inquiring into the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project has commissioned an independent review into the £32 billion scheme rather than just rely on written and verbal evidence, it was announced tonight.

The Telegraph

• 'Hypersonic' jet to travel from Paris to Tokyo in two-and-a-half hours Plans are to be unveiled on Monday for a "hypersonic" jet that flies twice the speed of Concorde on biofuel made from seaweed, taking less than two and a half hours to travel from Paris to Tokyo.
• High speed rail campaign mocks rich opponents of scheme Tipping his bowler hat and leering with barely concealed contempt, the toff is out of central casting.

Daily Express

• New Boeing 737 sparks dogfightBOEING is planning a new version of the 737, the best-selling passenger jet favoured by low-cost carriers, as it battles to retain control of the market for single-aisle aircraft.

Mail Online

• Bob Crow: Proof he's a railway sleeperFor some time I have suspected that Bob Crow is an MI5 agent. There can be no other explanation. If you tried to invent a man to destroy the union movement from within, there could be no finer candidate.
• Not again! World's biggest airliner damaged after striking building with wing-tip while taxiing at Paris Air ShowThe A380 superjumbo was grounded after the smash at slow-speed at the Le Bourget airport, where the Paris Air Show is taking place.

The Mirror

• Fuel prices lead 76% to cut back on driving or spending MORE than three quarters of motorists are driving less or cutting back on spending because of fuel prices.

Network Rail

• NETWORK RAIL TRIPLE TRIUMPH OVER ARMED FORCES
• Network Rail Names New Route DirectorNetwork Rail has named Jo Kaye as its new route managing director, with responsibility for the day to day operation of over 2,000 miles of railway on the London North Western route.
• MAJOR REVAMP EARLSFIELD STATION REVEALED
• LET THERE BE LIGHT

Belfast Telegraph

• Ulster firms on the wing of £70m jet bonanzaNorthern Ireland’s aerospace industry has landed a £70m windfall. Canadian-owned Bombardier has awarded three local firms contracts, and two US companies are setting up facilities in Belfast to accommodate the multi-million pound order.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham International railway station evacuated Birmingham International railway station was evacuated on Monday after a train triggered a fire alarm.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Celebration of cycling starts in Bradford to mark National Bike Week A celebration of cycling will be taking place in Bradford until the end of July.

Derby Telegraph

• Series of Government blows for East Midlands [letter]CONTRARY to popular belief, the East Midlands has a far stronger industrial presence in the transport sector than the West Midlands – we may not have big car factories but we have a huge components sector feeding those factories.
• Spare us Punch and Judy politics LET'S make a plea to our MPs which will probably fall on deaf ears.
• Minister to be quizzed over loss of rail contract CITY and county MPs will ratchet up the pressure on Transport Secretary Philip Hammond in Parliament on Thursday over the Government's decision to deny Bombardier a major train-building contract.
• Huge R-R aero engine order `just the tonic our city needs' HOPES have been raised that hundreds of cutting-edge aircraft engines could be built in Derby after Rolls-Royce announced it had landed a major new contract.
• Ministers admit: we didn't consider impact of rail decision on economy MINISTERS have admitted they did not assess the value of Derby's rail industry to the country's economy before awarding a £1.4 billion train building contract to a German firm.

Liverpool Post

• Trailer investment by Widnes transport group Suttons WIDNES transport group Suttons is investing almost £1m on improving its UK trailer fleet.

London Evening Standard

• Rail firms cancel cheque payments seven years earlyCheque payments are being scrapped by London's biggest rail companies seven years before the banks planned to end them
• MPs order review of £32bn rail planA Commons Select Committee looking at the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project has commissioned an independent review into the £32 billion scheme rather than just relying on written and verbal evidence, it has been announced.

Metro

• Tube strike passes without a hitch to Monday rush hour servicesLondon Underground (LU) chiefs say that last night's six-hour strike on the Tube network 'has not achieved anything'.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Further misery as thieves target Metro again CRIMINALS caused delays for rail commuters. Cable thieves targeted the Metro system for the third day in a row today, leading to disruption for thousands of passengers.

The York Press

• Rail information displays refused RAIL bosses in York have been forced to go back to the drawing board as they try to keep commuters in the picture.

Yorkshire Post

• Transport expert backs £32bn high-speed rail scheme THE Government’s planned £32 billion high-speed rail network has a “strong case” for going ahead, according to a rail expert who will appear before MPs at the start of an inquiry into the project today.

Crewe Chronicle

• MP blames Labour for exporting massive railway contract overseas THE decision to award a vital train contract to a firm overseas - placing British jobs at Bombardier in Crewe and Derby at risk - has infuriated local MP Edward Timpson.
• UK & World News: MPs order review of £32bn rail plan A Commons Select Committee looking at the Government's HS2 high-speed rail project has commissioned an independent review into the £32 billion scheme rather than just relying on written and verbal evidence, it has been announced.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Proposed road link up for discussionRESIDENTS are being urged to have their say on proposed changes to roads in Spalding.

Other Regional Press

• Norfolk and Norwich Festival will not be derailed by loss of rail sponsor Since 2004 the festival has received continued support from train operator National Express East Anglia (NXEA).
• Go-ahead for next step to Quality Bus Contract schemeContinued work towards London-style franchised bus services for West Yorkshire approved .
• Free cycle tour in Bridport for Bike Week A FREE guided cycle tour of the Bride Valley is on offer as Bridport™s contribution to Team Green Britain Bike Week.
• Campaign means ˜Number™s Up™ for car criminalsThieves who steal registration plates and valuables from vehicles are being given stark warning as Bedfordshire Police launch a crackdown.

Campaign for Better Transport

• Government accused of misleading public on road safety threat of longer lorries Campaign groups are warning that Government plans to allow longer lorries on UK roads could lead to more road deaths and put small hauliers out of business.

Global Rail News

• Railway Delivers Value for MoneyDespite one of the worst winters on record and the effects of the global recession, revenues at Network Rail powered up last year and profits have ...
• Crossrail and TfL launch tender process for one of UK™s biggest station escalator ordersCrossrail and Transport for London has launched its first joint procurement process – covering the provision of escalators for the Tube network and the new Crossrail ...
• Olympics will offer Britain ˜transportation legacy™Improved transport links are one of the top three most important long-term benefits of the London 2012 Olympics, a new survey from the ‘People 1st Training Company’ ...
• No delays on Tube after ˜pointless™ strike says London UndergroundA good service is operating on all 11 London Underground (LU) lines this morning, with LU’s full fleet expected in service for the morning peak despite ...
• Progress towards insurance settlement for EurotunnelEurostar and SNCF, its majority shareholder, have withdrawn the claim they have been pursuing against Eurotunnel™s insurers for the past two years. In May 2009, Eurostar ...
• Invensys Rail wins Bucharest Metro signalling contract in RomaniaMetrorex, the operator of Bucharest Metro, has chosen Invensys Rail technology for the signalling of its Line 4 extension. Invensys Rail will provide its signalling technology ...
• NXEA names new Class 379 ˜Go Discover™ at Stansted AirportNational Express East Anglia is continuing to make good progress with the introduction of new trains on its key Stansted Express route as part of the ...
• Transmashholding & Tognum set up JV to develop diesel enginesGerman engineering group Tognum and Russia™s leading rolling stock producer Transmashholding have signed an agreement to set up a joint venture in Russia for the development ...
• Russian Railways to invest in rail for 2018 World CupRussian Railways held a meeting at the Company™s head office on 15 June 2011 to discuss a ‘Concept for Modernising Existing Rail Infrastructure’. The Concept aims ...
• Major revamp at Earlsfield station unveiledNew images have been unveiled showing how Earlsfield station will look following a major revamp which will bring long-lasting improvements to access and facilities for the ...
• Network Rail names new route managing directorNetwork Rail has named Jo Kaye as its new route managing director, with responsibility for the day to day operation of over 2,000 miles of railway ...
• Changes to travel around Liverpool Street and MoorgateFrom Saturday 18 June Londoners using the Liverpool Street and Moorgate areas are being advised that some long term but temporary changes will be made to ...
• The Rail Safety SummitGood ideas, now to make them reality Loughborough University was the venue for the Rail Safety Summit I chaired on May 18th. It was attended by ...
• Olympic timetable under starters ordersThe rail industry will be running more trains, more frequently and later into the night during the London Olympics. Working with the Olympic Delivery Authority, Network ...
• May the force be with youImprovements at Elstree & Borehamwood Station were celebrated by actress Barbara Windsor ably escorted by a phalanx of Star Wars characters including Darth Vader. The old ...
• Work begins on Birmingham New Street™s atriumEngineers rebuilding Birmingham New Street station started work this week to deliver something that the station has not enjoyed for over 40 years: natural daylight. As ...
• James Bond book launches at St Pancras InternationalJames Bond returned to the railways using St Pancras International for the launch of a new novel by Jeffrey Deaver. A team of Royal Marine commandos ...
• McNulty backs rail ingenuityAndy Milne considers the thinking behind the McNulty report. When the River Derwent flooded back in 2009 cutting off Workington in Cumbria, the railway bridge was ...
• Reading renewals teams praisedRailway staff on the Reading renewals project have come in for high praise from Passenger Focus. In a report PF singles out the engineering works in ...

Railnews

• Derby job losses were ignored in Thameslink decision THE GOVERNMENT has admitted that the effects on Derby of awarding the Thameslink contract to Siemens had not been taken into account when the calculations of 'value for money' had been made.

Aviation Industry

• Scottish Airports Support Scottish Government's Call for Aviation Tax DevolutionScotland's largest airports have joined together to demand that the UK Government devolves its Air Passenger Duty (APD) to the Scottish Government as part of the Scotland Bill.
• Confident Boeing off to strong start in ParisBoeing opened the Paris Air Show with some bold statements, such as a claim that its 747-8 Intercontinental had superior trip and seat-mile economics to the Airbus A380, and backed up its declarations by announcing a slew of new orders.
• Virgin Atlantic Branson™s œbabyRichard Branson has said he will never sell all his shares in Virgin Atlantic

Green Miscellany

• Parliamentary Meeting Last week I met Norman Baker, minister for transport, in parliament. The part of his brief that interested me most was sustainable transport. Norman has been campaigning on these issues for many years so he is fully aware of what needs to be done – now he is in government he has a chance to do it.read more

Other News Sources

• Talking Point: Off the rails John Forkin, managing director at Marketing Derby, defends Bombardier and takes issue with the government’s pledge to rebalance the economy. It’s economics as authored by the Mad Hatter.
• London tunnel illuminated with eco lights New eco lighting has been fitted for the first time in a UK tunnel. According to Transport for London (TfL), Upper Thames Street westbound tunnel in the centre of the capital has had long-life linear Light Emitting Diode (LED) illumination installed.
• Paris-Charles de Gaulle is granted a European label for Airport-Collaborative Decision Making Monday 20 June 2011, Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport is to be awarded the European label for Airport-Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM), during a ceremony bringing together Pierre Graff,...