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

Sunday, 01 April 2012

BBC News

• Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy to bring in £2m less Nottingham's Workplace Parking Levy will not raise as much money as expected in its first year, officials have admitted.
• Forth Road Bridge works end earlyWork to remove an access cradle on the Forth Road Bridge is completed ahead of schedule.
• Thames cable car cabling put upThe cabling for a new Thames cable car river crossing is being put in place this weekend.
• UK air passenger duty rises by 8%Air passenger duty rises by 8%, as announced by the government in the Autumn Statement last year, but airlines call for the tax to be reviewed.

The Guardian

• Don't build a third runway. In fact, slap a tax on aviation fuel David Cameron once said that he wanted the coalition to be the "greenest government ever" ("Government to rethink over Heathrow third runway after warning from business leaders"). That is not going to happen by allowing an expansion of the most damaging form of transport of all.
• Petrol crisis 'is our Thatcher moment', Tory MPs reportedly tell party membersUnite accuses ministers of 'spoiling for a fight' after memo from MPs emerges comparing situation with 1980s miners' strikeTory MPs have compared the panic over fuel supplies to the 1980s miners' strike and urged party members to

The Herald

• Union slams Cameron's petrol panicTHE union representing tanker drivers has warned that Government efforts to

The Independent

• IoS letters, emails & online postings (1 April 2012) In reporting possible plans for south-east airport expansion, you did not question whether south-east airport expansion is even necessary ("Heathrow: Tories' secret plot to build third runway", 25 March). Research by WWF and the Aviation Environment Federation (AEF) shows that it is not.
• Willie Walsh: End this unfair tax on family holidays Air Passenger Duty was already the highest aviation tax anywhere in the world. And today, it's just got even higher. The Government is increasing APD by more than twice the level of inflation. This means that if you are a family of four travelling to Spain this summer, you will pay a total of £52 in tax. This rises to £260 to fly to Florida. For Australia, you can make that £368. And if you're considering upgrading to business class, well then double all of those figures. You could certainly be forgiven for thinking that this Government wants to make flying the preserve of the well-off once again.

The Observer

• Virgin Atlantic persists with the flying-equals-glamour myth The airline wants us to think of its cabin crew as glamorous movie stars, but the reality of flying remains unchanged: the hell of strangers, the sick bag, and sex in the loos

The Scotsman

• Call for end to Heathrow monopoly A CITY MSP has called for British Airways to allow a new competitor to fly between Edinburgh and Heathrow to avoid a monopoly on the route following European Commission approval for its takeover of BMI.
• Total gas leak: Company confirms flare has ˜extinguished itself™THE operators of the Elgin oil platform in the North Sea have reported that a burning flare close to a gas leak has been extinguished.

The Telegraph

• Fuel strike in pictures: queues at petrol stations around the countryIn pictures: queues form at petrol stations around the country.

Daily Express

• MOTORISTS TO SEE RED FOR LONGER DRIVERS could find themselves stuck at pedestrian crossings for longer thanks to new traffic light technology being introduced across Britain.
• MASSIVE RISE IN AIR TAX HITS EASTER GETAWAY FAMILIES flying off for their Easter break will have to pay more for their holidays as an eight per cent tax rise takes effect from today.
• BA ready to consult on bmi job losses regBRITISH Airways owner IAG will start consulting soon with bmi unions on the level of potential job losses at the airline it acquired on Friday.

Daily Record

• Fears over thugs using laser pens at airports across ScotlandGLASGOW Airport is one of the worst for laser pen attacks.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Evening Post commented First Bus announces changes to Bristol timetableFIRST Bus has announced its latest raft of timetable changes, due to come into effect tomorrow.

Derby Telegraph

• HS2 'has potential for development and jobs' in the cityTHE organisation developing and promoting the idea of a high speed rail line for the East Midlands has said it will bring new jobs and development for Derby.
• Derby Telegraph commented Panic buying forces petrol station owner to put up fuel pricesA PETROL station owner has blamed panic buying for his decision to put up prices at his pumps.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Levy may see us move on after 27 years, claims depot managerA COMPANY which has been in the city for 27 years has said it is seriously considering moving because of the workplace parking levy.

Sheffield Star

• Fuel pumps empty after panic buyingPETROL pumps ran dry in Sheffield and filling stations closed early as motorists across the city continued to panic-buy fuel.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Now we start to panic and run out of fuelFIREFIGHTERS, police and politicians in the north-east joined forces last night and appealed to the public not to panic buy and stockpile fuel.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• New Metro route as part of £289m town revampA new Midland Metro route will form part of the multi-million-pound revamp of a Black Country town to link passengers between new supermarkets and tourist attractions, a transport boss vowed today.

Other Regional Press

• Camira Fabrics and Holmfirth Dyers open £2m dyehouse in Lockwood Now it is set to help award-winning Camira Fabric to supply high quality fabric to cover seats on buses and trains for customers including First Group, Transport for London, the Paris Metro and London Underground.
• Town to get new solar bus sheltersWIGAN Council is to receive more than £250,000 in Department of Transport cash for state-of-the-art “super” bus shelters with information displays and solar panels in and around the town centre.
• Bus route nears its completionTHE final touches are being put to construction work on a controversial £25m dedicated bus route.
• Safety warning as panic-buying of fuel continuesFIRE officials have issued a safety warning after a panic-buying motorist tried to fill a milk bottle with petrol.
• How do you improve the bus service in West Yorkshire? Bus operators come up with their own ideasPROPOSALS to provide a better quality and value bus service will be considered by transport authority Metro.

Aviation Industry

• Divided loyalties: frequent flier programmesTraditionally loyalty programmes have been a concern for buyers but the landscape is changing

Other News Sources

• British departure tax hike kicks in Higher rates of the airport departure tax take effect in Britain this weekend, hitting passengers with a ticket increase of about eight per cent.
• British departure tax hike kicks in Higher rates of the airport departure tax take effect in Britain this weekend, hitting passengers with a ticket increase of about eight per cent.