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

Saturday, 17 December 2011

BBC News

• Credit rating 'settled rail deal'Siemens' superior credit rating helped it beat Derby trainmaker Bombardier to the £1.4bn Thameslink contract, a Transport Select Committee report says.
• New Routemaster bus is unveiledThe new Routemaster bus, with an open hop-on hop-off platform at the rear, is unveiled in Trafalgar Square.

Financial Times

• Mayor defends London bus replacementThe bus will take to London™s streets early next year as part of a trial that is expected to see up to 500 of the new design entering service
• Delta gains slots at NY™s La Guardia airportGroup now pips United as city™s biggest flight operator after gaining 142 take-off and landing slots in a swap with US Airways for Washington rights

The Telegraph

• Dual carriageway speed limit could be raised to 80mphMinisters are considering extending the proposed higher limit to a far wider range or roads than had previously been thought.
• Network of electric car charging points will link major citiesA network of charging points will make it possible to drive between major cities without running out of power.
• The London bus storyHop on board for an illustrated history of the iconic London bus.
• Boris Johnson: 'My Routemaster bus is a British style icon'Mayor of London Boris Johnson test drives the new Routemaster bus, the

Mail Online

• Return of the Routemaster! Twenty-first century version of famous hop-on, hop-off bus unveiled by London Mayor Boris JohnsonThey took the capital through the swinging Sixties and lasted until their abrupt end six years ago. But now, to the joy of most Londoners, the Routemaster is set for a comeback.

Belfast Telegraph

• London's Routemaster buses from Ballymena are just the ticket They are being hailed as a breakthrough for public transport in London. Related StoriesTwo EU leaders reject tax changeLough Erne golf resort to be sold next yearIn Pictures: Women is business networking event at Queen'sIn Pictures: Women in business networking event at Queen's UniversityBelfast stores say it’s their busiest ever Christmas on record

Journal Live

• Siemens rail deal to bring jobs to South TynesideGERMAN firm Siemens has confirmed it will switch some train component production from its home country to the North East.

London Evening Standard

• Be big enough to kill charges, says PortasRetail guru Mary Portas urged Westminster council chiefs to be

Manchester Evening News

• Live - Manchester Airport flights delayed after 3mm of snow falls on runwaysPassengers were delayed flying out of Manchester Airport - after 3mm of snow fell on the runways. Travellers were stuck on the runway for up to three hours as they waited for their planes to be given clearance.
• Christmas getaway begins with 18 million cars expected on the roads over festive periodThe great Christmas getaway began today with schools breaking up for the festive period. The AA said it expected up to 18 million cars will take to the roads over the holiday period, with Thursday December 22 and Friday December 23 likely to be the busiest days.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 campaigners petitioning MP this afternoonCAMPAIGNERS fighting High Speed 2 are today presenting a petition to MP Cheryl Gillan, as they step up the pressure on the Welsh Secretary.

Other Regional Press

• Business fears as council hikes car parking chargesParking charges in the city centre will rise in the new year despite a last ditch attempt to freeze fees.

Global Rail News

• Network Rail to remove rail bridge at Sandhills stationNetwork Rail will be using the Christmas holiday break to remove the rail bridge over Sandhills Lane and slide two new U-type structures into place, at Sandhills ...
• Network Rail to remove rail bridge at Sandhills stationNetwork Rail will be using the Christmas holiday break to remove the rail bridge over Sandhills Lane and slide two new U-type structures into place, at Sandhills ...
• Network Rail™s new national centre ˜saves 100,000km of lorry journeys™Network Rail has joined forces with DB Schenker Rail to transport furniture destined for Network Rail™s new national centre in Milton Keynes from the continent by ...
• Freight trains diverted to keep Christmas lights burningFreight trains from the Buxton area that supply material to power stations to keep them on line as part of the national grid, are being diverted ...
• Taylor Woodrow to undertake upgrade of District Line DepotsTaylor Woodrow has been awarded a contract by LUL Nominee SSL Ltd to carry out the design and construction of upgrade works to London Underground™s Depots ...
• Aslef ˜urged to abandon strike action™ by London UndergroundLondon Underground (LU) has called on Aslef’s leadership to abandon its threat of strike action over an ‘outrageous pay claim which goes against the working arrangements ...
• The Institution of Railway Operators SE chairman changeOn 14th November, the IRO South East Area presented Tim Shoveller with a nameplate to thank him for his 6 years as area chairman before he ...
• Salmon river spawns new rail bridgeNetwork Rail is using the Christmas holiday break to renew a bridge over a salmon spawning river in Cumbria. The deck of Cummersdale Viaduct, which carries ...
• Wabtec Rail raises over £1,500 for ˜Movember™During November (renamed ‘Movember‘) several members of the Wabtec Rail team in Doncaster grew moustaches for the month in an attempt to raise money for charity. ...
• Green light for NUCKLE rail linkThe Government has given the go ahead for a multi-million pound upgraded rail link between Nuneaton and Coventry. Transport Secretary Justine Greening today rubber-stamped a £9.8 million funding ...
• Bombardier wins LRV order from FrankfurtBombardier Transportation has won an order to supply an additional 78 BOMBARDIER FLEXITYSwift high-floor light rail vehicles (LRVs) and 10 FLEXITY Classic trams to the Frankfurt Transport Authority, VGF in ...
• TfL prepares to ˜keep London moving™ in the coldThe Mayor, Transport for London (TfL), and the boroughs are working together to ensure London keeps moving. More than 100,000 tonnes of salt, including a 27,000 ...
• Work begins to upgrade Bromley South stationWork has started to upgrade Bromley South station to improve journeys for thousands of passengers. The multi-million-pound investment will provide step-free access from the station entrance ...
• BTP takes action at Wirral level crossingsWirral™s level crossings were the focus of British Transport Police™s activity earlier this week. BTP joined with Network Rail, the Office of Rail Regulation, and Merseyside ...
• Balfour Beatty awarded Green Hero Award for Blackfriars station & bridge redevelopmentBalfour Beatty Major Civil Engineering has been presented with a Green Hero Award in recognition of their sustainability initiatives on the Blackfriars Station and Bridge Redevelopment ...
• Euroduplex inaugurates Rhine-Rhône LGV high speed rail lineEuroduplex “ the third generation of TGV Duplex “ went into service on 11 December 2011 when the SNCF inaugurated the Rhine-Rhone LGV high speed rail ...

Aviation Industry

• Virgin accuses government of œignoring APD consultationJulie Southern has slammed the government for disregarding the œvast majority of responses

Green Miscellany

• The cycling shoes with a built-in fridge If you buy a pair of cycling shoes that costs the same as an entry-level mountain bike you are entitled to expect something out of the ordinary; a new design by sports brand Louis Garneau promises to refrigerate sweaty feet.read more
• Electric Ford Focus on sale now An all-electric version of the Ford Focus, a vehicle that was Britain™s best-selling new car for 10 years in succession, has gone on sale in America. read more
• Car-shaped bicycle racks parked in London Bicycle parking need not be a drab affair; a car-shaped rack with space for ten bikes, currently being trialled in East London, is a design that is practical, elegant and broadcasts a powerful message about the efficiency of cycling in the urban environment.read more

Other News Sources

• Bombardier president Pierre Beaudoin confident about CSeries’ futureMONTREAL - A tolerable three- to six-month delay he mentioned recently concerned not just the CSeries, but aircraft programs in general, Bombardier Inc. president Pierre Beaudoin said during a wide-ranging interview this week