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

Saturday, 05 November 2011

BBC News

• Scots concern over Heathrow linksBusiness leaders express concern over Scotland's air links to Heathrow after news BMI is being sold to rivals British Airways.
• Cut transport cost say 'teen MPs'Members of the UK Youth Parliament urge ministers to cut the cost of public transport for young people after staging their third Commons debate.
• Anger over weekend Tube closuresLondon's mayor is told to
• London mayor drives Ballymena busThe Mayor of London unveils the prototype bus that will replace the traditional London Routemaster.
• Lufthansa selling BMI to BA ownerLufthansa announces that it is selling British Midland (BMI) to the owner of British Airways and Iberia, but Virgin insists the deal is not done.

Financial Times

• IAG reaches deal to buy BMI from LufthansaInternational Airlines Group beats Virgin Atlantic to secure the lossmaking carrier's valuable take-off and landing slots at Heathrow
• Qantas union standoff signals stormy futureChief's decision to ground entire fleet over rolling strikes reveals pressure to bring down costs amid rising oil prices and competition

The Independent

• Network Rail accused over death Pressure was mounting for a public inquiry into the safety of Britain™s railways last night after an inquest jury ruled that poorly maintained points were to blame for a fatal train crash on the West Coast Main Line.

The Telegraph

• Head of UK Border Force suspended after passport vetting procedures 'relaxed'The head of the UK Border Force has been suspended amid claims that crucial vetting procedures to stop terrorists and foreign criminals entering Britain were secretly abandoned this summer.

ATOC

• Train companies show commitment to improving cycle-rail travelThe country’s first dedicated cycle hub, a pioneering school cycle scheme enabling pupils to take bikes on trains, and 1,...

Network Rail

• NEW RAIL OPERATIONS AND TRAINING CENTRE TO KEEP JOBS IN YORK
• NETWORK RAIL READY TO BEAT NEXT BIG FREEZENetwork Rail launching a range of new technologies and initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of extreme weather on railwaysTransport Minister visiting Network Rail and ScotRail joint control room to see how industry is planning for challenges of another severe winter
• STATEMENT FOLLOWING THE CONCLUSION OF THE GRAYRIGG INQUEST

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Ryanair boss backs Leeds-Bradford Airport for growth The boss of one of Europe™s biggest airlines said he picked Leeds-Bradford International Airport for a £45 million investment because of its power for growth.

Journal Live

• New Metro ticket machines can take notes and card paymentsNEW ticket machines will be introduced on the Tyne and Wear Metro today allowing customers to pay for travel using notes and bank cards for the first time.

Liverpool Echo

• 92-year-old woman seriously injured in Southport car accidentA 92-year-old woman was seriously injured after she was hit by a car in Southport.
• Plans to limit more than 70% of Liverpool's roads to 20mph approvedPLANS to slash the speed limit of more than 70% of Liverpool’s roads to 20mph have been approved by councillors.

London Evening Standard

• Routemaster bus could star in Bond film for the second timeThe Mayor's new
• Commuters risk death on track as train is stuck for four hoursCommuters were labelled 'extremely foolish' for risking death by jumping onto the tracks at one of London's busiest interchanges

Manchester Evening News

• Ryanair to double Manchester passengers and create hundreds of jobsRyanair chief Michael O'Leary said he wants to create hundreds of extra jobs by doubling the number of passengers the airline carries from Manchester in the coming years.
• Manchester named UK airport of the year at travel industry 'oscars' Manchester has been named airport of the year at a national awards ceremony “ dubbed the Oscars of the travel industry. Bosses took home the Best Major UK Airport gong for the fourth year running at the British Travel Awards in London.

Metro

• Boris Johnson launches new Routemaster-style London busesMayor of London Boris Johnson has driven the first of the new Routemaster London buses off the production line.
• Boris Johnson launches new Routemaster-style London busesMayor of London Boris Johnson has driven the first of the new Routemaster London buses off the production line.
• Boris Johnson launches new Routemaster-style London busesMayor of London Boris Johnson has driven the first of the new Routemaster London buses off the production line.
• Boris Johnson launches new Routemaster-style London busesMayor of London Boris Johnson has driven the first of the new Routemaster London buses off the production line.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Highland boss says bus service complaints ˜unsubstantiated™ THE head of Stagecoach in the Highlands yesterday told an inquiry that public complaints about his company™s bus services at Ullapool were unsubstantiated.

Yorkshire Post

• Airline to expand Leeds Bradford scheduleBUDGET airline Ryanair is to expand its schedule at Leeds Bradford Airport, travelling to six new destinations and bringing in extra passengers to the region.

Other Regional Press

• Northern Hub exhibition underlines need for Minister™s supportNetwork Rail scheme must be implemented in its entirety, says Metro Chairman.

Global Rail News

• Southeastern announces December timetable changesSoutheastern has announced minor changes to its timetable, which will come into effect on Sunday 11 December 2010. The minor changes are primarily to help ‘improve ...
• Network Rail board director to step down after 10 yearsPeter Henderson, group asset management director, has signalled his intention to leave Network Rail during 2012 after 10 years with the company. Mr Henderson is one ...
• Rail passengers to benefit from improved winter contingency plansSouth West Trains and Network Rail announced today, Friday 4th November, a package of winter preparation measures to ensure passengers get the best service possible in ...
• Arriva acquires Grand Central RailwayArriva plc has confirmed it has acquired UK open access operator Grand Central Railway which runs passenger train services between Sunderland and London, and between Bradford/Halifax and London. ...
• Network Rail announces plans for York Rail Operating CentrePlans for a flagship rail operating and training facility in York have been announced by Network Rail. The Rail Operating Centre (ROC), which would be one ...
• South West Trains wins National Cycling AwardsSouth West Trains has picked up three awards at this year™s National Cycle Rail Awards for the steps it has taken to encourage cyclists onto the ...
• Penistone line passengers ˜set for a smoother ride™Rail passengers on the Penistone line will have a smoother ride and a more reliable railway after Network Rail completes substantial track renewals on the route. ...
• CrossCountry to install Wi-Fi on its trainsCrossCountry announced yesterday it has signed a contract to install Wi-Fi on its long distance high-speed trains. After an extensive search for the best and most ...
• Maryland orders 54 Bombardier MultiLevel commuter rail vehiclesBombardier Transportation announced today that it has received an order for 54 MultiLevel commuter rail vehicles from the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA). The order is valued ...
• ˜Faulty points™ to blame for Grayrigg train derailment‘Faulty points’ were to blame for the train derailment near Grayrigg, Cumbria which caused the death of 84 year old Margaret Masson, an inquest jury has found. ...
• Train companies show commitment to improving cycle-rail travelThe country™s first dedicated cycle hub, a pioneering school cycle scheme enabling pupils to take bikes on trains, and 1,500 additional cycle spaces across one operator™s ...
• Freightliner signs rail freight contract with CMA CGM & ASDAFreightliner Limited, the UK™s leading intermodal rail freight provider, has signed a new contract with CMA CGM to transport containers for ASDA, to serve the North ...
• Network Rail ˜ready to beat next big freeze™Network Rail has today revealed a range of new measures it is introducing this winter to help Scotland™s railway beat the worst of the weather. The ...

Railnews

• Germans buy open-access operator Grand Central Weeks of speculation about the future ownership of open-access operator Grand Central have ended with confirmation that Deutsche Bahn has bought the company, via its British subsidiary Arriva UK Trains. The price of the buyout has not been revealed.
• Inquest jury confirms faulty points caused derailment The jury at the inquest into the 2007 derailment of a Virgin Pendolino in Cumbria has decided that it was faulty points which caused the crash, in which an 84-year old woman was killed.

Aviation Industry

• Uttlesford gives airport˜s noise unit a clean bill of healthStansted Airport's noise unit has been recognised for its customer service and levels of expertise following a recent audit by Uttlesford District Council.
• Superjumbo touches down on UK soil for the first timeBoeing™s new superjumbo, the 747-8 Freighter, touched down on UK soil for the very first time at London Stansted today.
• United and Continental Airlines to get in-flight WiFi starting mid-2012If you do much traveling, you'll be glad to know that there will soon be more airlines offering in-flight WiFi, allowing you to enjoy your wireless gadgets in the skies.
• BA parent to buy BmiLufthansa Group has reached œan agreement in principle with IAG

Other News Sources

• News from John Biggs: Biggs Meets TfL about Bow 4 November, 2011 On 2nd November 2011, Local London Assembly member, John Biggs, met with TfL officials to discuss last weeks incident at the Bow Roundabout and following up on the questions he has been asking for two years about safety at the junction. At the meeting John put forward his case for urgent action to be taken to make the roundabout safer. It will become even more of an issue during the Olympics given the even higher traffic demands on the surrounding roads. 360-house-thumb.jpg ...
• Mayor drives first New Bus for London off production line 4 November, 2011 - 10:00 The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, will drive the first new bus for London off the production line today (4 November) in a major step towards the commitment made in his last election manifesto. The New Bus for London is the first bus designed specifically for the streets of London in more than 50 years and has been built by specialist engineers at the Wrightbus factory in Ballymena, Northern Ireland. In just under two years the bus has gone from the drawing board to a fully functioning prototype. ...