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

Thursday, 25 August 2011

BBC News

• Knighton celebrates railway's arrival 150 years ago A plaque has been unveiled to mark the 150th anniversary of the arrival of the railway in the Powys town of Knighton.
• No upgrade for Derry to Coleraine rail link: Kennedy The transport minister has again expressed his commitment to the Londonderry to Coleraine rail link, but said he does not have the funding to upgrade the line.
• ASLEF 'sympathises with passengers' over TransPennine strike [Video Clip]The first of two 24-hour strikes on First TransPennine Express trains has started after pay talks between unions and bosses broke down.
• Train wagons 'jumped' at level crossing in Sutherland Network Rail were alerted to the derailment of a freight train after a member of the public saw some of its 27 empty wagons "jump".
• Speed cameras across England show mixed results Casualty rates have worsened at some speed camera sites since they were installed, new figures have shown.
• Glasgow first for Eastern AirwaysRegional airline Eastern Airways is to launch its first international service from Glasgow Airport next month.
• ScotRail to refurbish train fleetScotRail announces a £4m fleet refurbishment contract that will bring up to 20 jobs to Kilmarnock in Ayrshire.

Department for Transport

• Speed camera information now availableDetailed information on specific speed camera sites has been published as part of the Government™s drive to increase transparency.

Financial Times

• Qantas quashes talk of A$3.5bn buy-out bidAustralian carrier dismisses speculation that it has been approached, as it unveils full-year net profits doubled A$249m
• Data show mixed picture on speed camerasCasualties and speeds at most fixed camera sites have dropped, but campaigners say analysis is needed before drawing conclusions

The Guardian

• Bank holiday boom: 16m vehicles expected on roads despite doom and gloom Rail and air flights also expect boost despite economic uncertainty, high fuel prices and wet weather

The Herald

• Tram project chaos as £100m error revealed EDINBURGH™S controversial trams project is in disarray on the day of a crucial council meeting to decide its fate after officials overstated the cost of cancelling it by almost £100 million.
• Festivals hailed but rail links ˜could be better™FIONA HYSLOP praised the unified working of the festivals in Edinburgh as she enjoyed the best of the season in her first year as a Cabinet Secretary for Culture.

The Independent

• French strike threat to Eurotunnel Channel Tunnel shuttle train services run by Eurotunnel are facing the threat of strike action by French unions over the bank holiday weekend.

The Scotsman

• 'Alarming disparities' in MoT testsVisits to MoT testing centres have revealed "alarming disparities", according to What Car? magazine.

ATOC

• Over 5.5 million rail passengers expected over the Bank Holiday weekendOVER 5.5 MILLION RAIL PASSENGERS EXPECTED OVER THE BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND Over 5.5 million passengers are expected to travel by rail over the bank holiday weekend,...

Belfast Telegraph

• Rail campaign moves up gear The Transport Minister has been warned that if major upgrading work to the rail line between Londonderry and Coleraine is not carried out before the City of Culture celebrations in 2013 there will be mass protests at Stormont.

Derby Telegraph

• MPs and union leaders line up to speak at campaign meeting BOMBARDIER supporters will be able to get updates on the progress of the campaign to save rail jobs at a public meeting next week. The event, which has been organised by the Derby Climate Coalition and Together for Transport, is at Landau Forte College, Fox Street, Derby, on Thursday, September 1, from 7.30pm to 9pm.
• Soapbox Des McKenna: Bombardier's bleak future stands as testimony to our useless politiciansONCE again our politicians have let down the ordinary working people of this country. The future for the Bombardier Litchurch Lane site will stand as a testimony to our useless political class of all parties.
• Pathetic! Leader's blast as Cable rules out rail U-turn BUSINESS Secretary Vince Cable has been accused of putting the Government's reputation before thousands of workers who are facing redundancy as a result of its decision not to award the £1.4 billion Thameslink contract to Bombardier.
• Steve's protest song turns up volume for rail campaign A DERBY-BORN songwriter has penned a tune in support of the city's fight to save rail jobs.

Liverpool Post

• Taxpayers help to pay for Merseytravel chairman Mark Dowd’s legal action against fellow councillor MERSEYTRAVEL chairman Mark Dowd is suing a fellow member of the transport authority for defamation – and the taxpayer is helping to pay his legal bill.
• Merseyrail operator Serco makes progress despite economic ’headwinds’ MERSEYRAIL operator Serco today posted better turnover and pre-tax profit levels for the six months to June 30.

London Evening Standard

• Passengers leapt from moving Tube trainTwo terrified passengers were forced to leap to safety when a Tube train left a station with its doors open
• New weekend closures mean more Jubilee line miseryMayor Boris Johnson is accused of breaking a series of promises over the Jubilee line as Tube bosses announced more weekend closures

Manchester Evening News

• Inquest: Salford security boss Vinnie Pollard died in stairs-fall tragedy Vinnie Pollard, who founded the company Marpol, was found with a serious head injury at the Brentwood flats in Seedley, Salford. An inquest heard that he had been out drinking with his friend after the break-up of an ˜on-off™ relationship before returning to the property in a taxi.
• Commuters face rail disruption as First TransPennine Express workers stage 24-hour strikeStaff at the firm were due to stage the walkout in a row over pay, with a further strike planned for Friday. Bosses said it meant they would have to operate reduced services, with fewer trains serving the region.

Northern Echo

• Disabled to sue bus company A GROUP of disabled people is taking a North-East bus company to court over allegations of discrimination. Darlington Association on Disability (Dad) has hired lawyers after three of its members complained of several incidents of discrimination by Arriva North- East.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Fresh calls to improve safety at A90 accident blackspot Roads agency Transport Scotland is facing fresh pressure to upgrade a north-east accident blackspot.

The York Press

• Second rail strike looms in YorkHUNDREDS of commuters have faced disruption today, after First TransPennine Express train drivers went on strike.

Yorkshire Post

• Garages accused of dangerous car MoT faultsVisits to MoT testing centres have revealed “alarming disparities”, according to What Car? magazine.
• Casualties rise at some speed camera sitesCasualty rates at some speed camera sites have worsened since their installation, according to figures released by the Department for Transport.

Other Regional Press

• Guided buses prove so popular that Stagecoach may buy more vehicles GUIDED bus services are proving so popular that after just two weeks of operation one of the bus companies is thinking of ordering more new vehicles.
• Airport lands new link to the fjords of NorwayGlasgow Airport is to offer flights to Stavanger in Norway from next month.

Global Rail News

• Brits put off going on short breaks in the UK ˜due to cost of rail travel™Tourism in Britain ‘could be at risk from escalating rail fares’, as research reveals that 78% of people think that UK rail fares for journeys of ...
• Improved cycle facilities at 29 East Midlands Trains stationsLocal cyclists are now benefitting from new Streetpods and Cyclepods, creating over 200 extra secure cycle spaces at stations throughout the East Midlands Trains network, as ...
• Circle and District line works completed on timeNormal services are operating across the District and Circle lines this morning following the successful completion of four weeks of upgrade works between High Street Kensington ...
• NXEA train driver gets on his bike for ˜Help for Heroes™National Express East Anglia train driver Brian Skeet is undertaking a mammoth 92 mile charity bike ride in aid of ˜Help for Heroes™ this Sunday 28 ...
• c2c takes Dagenham to Southend-on-Sea for a day outNational Express train operator c2c is continuing an East End tradition in organising the annual summer excursion to Southend-on-Sea for Dagenham™s Reede Road Tenants and Residents ...
• DB Schenker Logistics offers tracking for Android devicesDB Schenker’s Tracking App is now available for Android mobile devices. Customers can use their specific search criteria to track shipments, including all references entered at ...
• ScotRail to refurbish Class 334 fleet for £4 millionScotRail has announced a four million pound refurbishment of its Class 334 fleet. Agreement has been reached with Railway Projects Limited in Derby for a major ...
• SNCF buys stake in new Austrian rail operatorSNCF, France’s national rail operator, has bought a 26% stake in Rail Holding which owns Westbahn. Westbahn is Austria’s first private open-access passenger rail operator. The ...

Aviation Industry

• Family friendly bank holiday getaway at HeathrowHeathrow is preparing for the August bank holiday getaway with family-friendly initiatives to including dedicated family lanes at security, pre-flight children™s play areas and ˜kids eat free™ offers.
• Airline News Aer Lingus launched a new app and mobile website on which customers can plan and review flight details, check in, receive travel alerts, check real-time flight information and make a booking. The app is available for iPhone or Android as well as for Blackberry and Nokia phone users. Mobile and app check-in is available on routes between Dublin and London Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham, and scheduled to be fully rolled out network-wide over the next couple of months.

Other News Sources

• RMT demands end to 'reckless' override of Tube door safety systemVictoria line incident could have been fatal, says union