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

Wednesday, 05 September 2012

BBC News

• Boris Johnson's Heathrow warning after Justine Greening's move The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, says the reshuffle shows the government wants to "ditch its promises and send yet more planes over central London".
• Vauxhall to shut plants for weekVauxhall is to stop production for one week at its Ellesmere Port and Luton plants because of falling car sales across Europe.
• Reshuffle sparks Heathrow fearsLondon Mayor Boris Johnson attacks David Cameron's decision to move Justine Greening from transport - pledging to fight a third runway at Heathrow.
• Lufthansa crew in second walk-outLufthansa cancels at least 300 flights as cabin staff staged another industrial action at German's three busiest airports.

Financial Times

• Reshuffle seen to pave way for Heathrow U-turnAviation industry insiders say removal of Justine Greening and appointment of Patrick McLoughlin raises expectations of third runway being built
• Lufthansa crews strike in GermanyA second round of strikes by the cabin crew union UFO hit passengers travelling on the German airline through the three main hubs “ Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich
• Ryanair eyes Stansted stakeBudget carrier in talks with a number of groups about joining a bid for the facility, which UK competition authorities have forced BAA to sell
• FedEx earnings outlook cut sharplyThe express parcel service sharply cuts its guidance on earnings for first quarter, citing global economic weakness

The Guardian

• Cabinet reshuffle: key tasks in the in-trays of new ministers The possible third runway at Heathrow, Lord Leveson's conclusions and the fate of the British badger are all issues
• Patrick McLoughlin brings fear of flying to transport brief Airport expansion – especially Heathrow's third runway – will be biggest issue for flight-phobic new transport secretary
• Stansted will get next runway in south-east, says Ryanair bossMichael O'Leary believes next new runway in region will be at Essex airport, but Heathrow third is 'inevitable'Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has said he believes the next runway built in the south-east would be a second at Stansted, as he outlined his interest in bidding to run the Essex airport. But he added a third runway at Heathrow was

The Herald

• £350m of rail cuts based on draft reportMINISTERS have been accused of "beermat" policy making after cutting £350 million from a rail investment programme on the back of a review that had not been completed.

The Independent

• Greening's departure leaves Tories at war over Heathrow The expansion of Heathrow was firmly back on the Conservative agenda last night after Justine Greening “ a fierce opponent of building a third runway at Britain's busiest airport “ was demoted in the Cabinet reshuffle.Related StoriesThe Cabinet: The best Twitter gags about David Cameron's reshuffleRuthless Cameron shuffles to the rightThe Lib Dems: Clegg position strengthened with appointment of alliesThe Tories: Grassroots will be a lot happier with ShappsHow you can bring our ailing democracy back to life

The Telegraph

• Cabinet reshuffle: here comes yet another Transport Secretary Welcome Patrick McLoughlin, who becomes the eighth Transport Secretary I have had to deal with since taking over the brief eight years ago.
• Airlines hope new Transport Minister will clear way for Heathrow expansion Airline bosses have welcomed the arrival of Patrick McLoughlin as Transport Secretary as a signal that plans for Heathrow expansion could finally be cleared for take-off.
• Boris turns guns on Cameron over Heathrow expansion plansBoris Johnson demands that David Cameron comes clean about his plans for a third runway at Heathrow after the Prime Minister's first reshuffle cleared the way for an about-turn on airport expansion.

Mail Online

• 'Mad' plan for a third Heathrow runway is back on, warns BorisIn an angry statement, London Mayor Mr Johnson said David Cameron appeared to be on the brink of breaking his election pledge to block a third runway at Heathrow.
• Focus is the number one car: Ford model notches up half a million sales in first half of the yearAccording to industry analysts IHS Automotive, in the first six months of this year Ford sold 489,616 Focus models of one kind or another.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham Airport set to launch new flights to ChicagoDIRECT flights between Birmingham and Chicago could be reinstated – more than 11 years after they were withdrawn following the Twin Towers attack.

Birmingham Post

• HS2 hot potato passes from Justine Greening to Patrick McLoughlinNew Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin will be handling political hot potatoes in his new brief.

Derby Telegraph

• UPDATED: Derbyshire Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin made Transport SecretaryDerbyshire Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin has been made Transport Secretary in the coalition’s first major reshuffle.

London Evening Standard

• Boris vows to fight Heathrow growthLondon mayor Boris Johnson has attacked the demotion of Justine Greening in the Cabinet reshuffle - claiming it shows the Government is intent on the "simply mad" expansion of Heathrow Airport.

Manchester Evening News

• Delay in handing control of West Coast Mainline to FirstGroup after Virgin launch legal challengeLegal action by Virgin Rail has prevented the Government signing a contract awarding the West Coast Mainline franchise, which runs through the North West, to a rival bidder, MPs were told.

Metro

• Boris Johnson condemns Justine Greening 'demotion over Heathrow'Boris Johnson has branded the decision to move Justine Greening from transport secretary as 'simply mad' and pledged to fight the construction of a new runway at Heathrow airport 'all the way'. A British Airways jet arrives at Heathrow airport over a row of houses in west London (Picture: Reuters) Ms Greening, who was moved to the Department for International Development in David Cameron's first major cabinet reshuffle today, is a staunch opponent of expansion at the airport and revealed last week she would be forced to resign if the government pressed ahead with plans for a third runway.Her c...

Sheffield Telegraph

• Proposal to cap rail fares hikePOLITICIANS from across South Yorkshire are joining party colleagues to call for a cap in planned train fare rises.

Carlisle News & Star

• Legal action delays signing of Cumbrian railway deal Legal action by Virgin Rail has prevented the Government signing a contract awarding the West Coast Mainline franchise, which runs through Cumbria, to a rival bidder.

Daventry Express

• HS2 campaigners welcome government changeCAMPAIGNERS against the HS2 rail scheme have welcomed the news of a change of Transport Secretary.

Other Regional Press

• Dales MP is the new Transport Secretary DERBYSHIRE Dales MP Patrick McLoughlin is speeding his way into a new government position following the announcement that he is replacing Justine Greening as the Transport Secretary.
• UK & World News: Boris vows to fight Heathrow growthLondon mayor Boris Johnson has attacked the demotion of Justine Greening in the Cabinet reshuffle - claiming it shows the Government is intent on the

Campaign for Better Transport

• What the Cabinet reshuffle means for sustainable transport4 September: Greening is out and McLoughlin is in - are we set for more runways and roads? read more

Global Rail News

• Will rail miss Greening?David Cameron™s reshuffle has removed the two senior ministers at the Department for Transport. Theresa Villiers goes off to Northern Ireland – a completely new portfolio for her. Everyone should wish her well. Writes industry commentator Meanwhile Justine Greening gives up the Secretary of State for Transport job to be International Development Secretary. Much is [...]
• McLoughlin replaces GreeningJustine Greening has lost out to Patrick McLoughlin, with the former Chief Whip clinching the Transport Secretary job ahead of the Putney MP. Greening has been appointed as the new International Development Secretary, while Theresa Villiers has moved up as the new Northern Ireland Secretary. Involved in Tory politics from the 1970s, McLoughlin was vice-chairman [...]
• Delhi-Jaipur double-decker train flagged offThe first AC double-decker train services between New Delhi and Jaipur in Rajasthan was flagged off on August 24, from Delhi Sarai Rohilla station by the Indian Railways Minister, Mukul Roy and Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit. The train, which has a daily service, will depart from Delhi Sarai Rohilla at 5.35pm and will [...]
• What to expect at InnoTrans 2012Every two years, the world™s railway industry gathers on the outskirts of Berlin for InnoTrans. Billed as the œworld™s leading trade fair for rail transport technology, it attracts exhibitors and visitors from all over the world. The exhibition is vast, and the numbers are impressive. Last held in September 2010, a total of 2,243 exhibitors [...]
• Virgin challenge stalls West Coast handoverTransport ministers have confirmed that a legal challenge by Virgin has forced them to delay a new deal with First Group for the West Coast franchise. Contracts were due to be signed last Tuesday (August 28), but late calls by Virgin, who have operated the route since 1997, for a judicial review has meant the [...]
• Cartoon campaign launched to make rail stations saferA collection of new cartoon characters are aiming to keep children safe at rail stations across Scotland. ‘Scratch and the Train Gang’ are appearing in a series of new YouTube animations produced by ScotRail to help reduce accidents around the network. The cartoon is part of the SafeStations campaign. There have been more than 650 [...]
• Atkins supports education for disadvantaged youthEngineering consultancy Atkins is working with a Hammersmith education centre this week to improve facilities for young people in the area. Around 40 senior managers from Atkins will spend two days at a Resurgo and TLG: The Education Charity-run school. The firm plans to give St Paul’s school a mini makeover, including a new private [...]
• Labour proposes cap on above inflation fare riseLabour MPs are hoping to use an Opposition Day debate tomorrow to impose a one per cent above inflation cap on future rail fare increases. Last month, the Government announced that most rail fares were to increase by 6.2 per cent, with some tickets rising by as much as 11 per cent. Maria Eagle MP, [...]

Railnews

• Greening leaves Transport at critical time Transport secretary Justine Greening is to be replaced by former Chief Whip Patrick McLoughlin, while rail minister Theresa Villiers is moving to become Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. The changes, part of the Prime Minister's cabinet reshuffle, come during a critical time at the Department for Transport. The long-running saga of the Thameslink rolling stock order, for which Siemens has been preferred bidder for almost 15 months, is still unfinished, but the incoming transport secretary will face a much higher hurdle if Virgin wins legal approval for a full judicial review of the Wes...
• Emergency West Coast debate refused A call for an emergency Commons debate on the growing West Coast crisis has been refused, although Liberal Democrat president Tim Farron said the announcement of the award of the franchise to FirstGroup while MPs were on their summer recess was 'unfair and unacceptable'.

Aviation Industry

• Greening loses transport role in cabinet reshuffleAppointment of McLouglin as new transport secretary fuels speculation on Heathrow expansion

Other News Sources

• Cheaper transport system opens for Norfolk youthEngland's first county-wide cut price bus travel scheme for youngsters started this week in Norfolk.
• Tory MP threatens by-election over Heathrow runway A Tory MP has threatened to trigger another by-election in a marginal seat if the government reneges on its promise to oppose a third runway at Heathrow.