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

Sunday, 23 December 2012

Cogitamus

• The TransportInfo team would like to wish all of you the very best for the season!We will be taking a little break over the holidays.TransportInfo will not be updated on 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and also on 1 January 2013. Well, that's unless something epoch making happens and we can't stop ourselves... Thank you for your continued interest and support.

BBC News

• Rail services halted by floodingSome rail services in Staffordshire are cancelled because of flooding in the Uttoxeter area.
• Man critical after M4 lorry crashTwo men are taken to hospital, one with critical injuries, after an accident involving a lorry and several cars on the M4 near Cardiff early on Saturday.
• Firm's rail services hit againMore than 20 London Midland rail services are affected by staff shortages and signalling problems.
• Rail fire halts London servicesRail services between London and Brighton are suspended while engineers carry out repairs following an electrical fire.
• Woman dies as car hits bus stopA woman at a bus stop was killed when she was hit by a car which minutes earlier had collided with another vehicle in south London.

Financial Times

• Trustees settle over MF Global assetsSignificant step in resolving the ownership of assets of futures broker that became one of the largest bankruptcies in history when a bet on European sovereign debt soured

The Herald

• World's longest rail line to openChina will open the world's longest high-speed rail line this week, between Beijing and the southern city of Guangzhou, officials said, underscoring government commitment to a trouble-plagued transport scheme.

The Observer

• Heavy rain and floods hit roads and rail to spoil Christmas getaway for millionsHomes evacuated and trains disrupted as forecasters warn of fresh downpours bringing more miseryThe Christmas getaway was severely hampered for millions of people on Saturday when torrential rain caused widespread flooding, leading to the closure of many roads and railway lines.Hundreds of homes and shops had to be evacuated as flood waters rose after severe weather warnings were issued for parts of the West Country and North Yorkshire. The Environment Agency (EA) warned of further disruption as more heavy rain was forecast for Sunday.Rail passengers heading to Devon, Cornwall and parts of Wal...
• BP settlement over Deepwater Horizon oil spill approved by federal judgeCompany estimates it will pay $7.8bn to 100,000 people and business who lost money because of April 2010 well blowoutA federal judge gave final approval to BP's settlement with businesses and individuals who lost money because of the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.BP PLC has estimated it will pay $7.8bn to resolve economic and medical claims from more than 100,000 businesses and individuals hurt by the nation's worst offshore oil spill. The settlement has no cap; the company could end up paying more or less.US district judge Carl Barbier, who gave his preliminary approval in May, made it...

The Scotsman

• Food flown in as Scots islanders cut off by weatherA HERCULES freight plane was brought in yesterday by a supermarket giant to airlift food supplies to islanders cut off by bad weather.

The Telegraph

• Juliana Buhring becomes first woman to cycle round the world as she pedals into Naples after 152 days on the roadAfter 152 days Juliana Buhring has become the first woman to cycle round the world. She reveals the highs and lows of her 18,000 mile solo trip.
• Homes evacuated and journeys disrupted by floodingHundreds of people told to evacuate homes and millions of motorists and rail passengers have Christmas getaway ruined.

This is Money

• Cut the cost of car rescue: Avoid a £250 tow charge with cover for breakdownsBreakdown cover might seem an expensive luxury, but if you are stranded on a freezing roadside on Christmas Day you will be more than thankful to have it.

London Evening Standard

• Rain and floods cause travel miseryHundreds of thousands of Christmas travellers are facing further misery as their chances of getting home for the festive holiday are hampered by the effects of flooding.
• Woman killed by car at bus stop in StreathamA woman was killed at a bus stop after being hit by a car which 10 minutes earlier had driven off following a crash with another vehicle, police said today. The victim, believed to be in her 30s, was pronounced dead at the scene on Streatham High Road, south London, at 5.30am today.
• Road tolls 'electoral suicide'Pressing ahead with an expansion of road tolls would be "electoral suicide" for the Government, a motoring campaigner said.

Sheffield Telegraph

• New ticket machines for stationSHEFFIELD railway station is gearing up for improvements next year.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Crofter calls for action over ˜notoriously dangerous™ roadA Lochaber crofter is calling for Transport Scotland to take action over a stretch of trunk road he claims is so dangerous it is costing lives.

The York Press

• ˜Financial implications™ for Tour de France route in North Yorkshire PLANNED repairs to roads in North Yorkshire could be delayed because of the arrival of the Tour de France in the region.
• UPDATED 8.50pm: Flood warnings issued as downpours close North Yorkshire roads HEAVY rain which has swept across North Yorkshire led to roads throughout the region being closed today - with residents being warned more flooding is likely.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Rail journey times to double in disruptionRail journey times on the busiest line in the country will be more than doubled on Sunday as major engineering work causes severe disruption just before Christmas.

Peterborough Telegraph

• Two cars involved in serious accidentA car and a taxi were involved in a crash on Fulbridge Road near the junction with the A47 Soke Parkway this evening (Saturday, December 22).

Other Regional Press

• 28 train stations to be made step-free by 2016/17 Transport for London has announced that 28 train stations - including two in the Croxley Rail Link - will be made step-free.
• East Grinstead Courier and Observer commented New state-of-the-art East Grinstead railway building open at lastCOMMUTERS at East Grinstead rail station have been making the most of its sparkling new building, which opened on Monday.
• Canal extension on track after Melksham meeting Proposals to extend the Wilts & Berks canal through Melksham have moved one step closer, following a public meeting in the town.
• £150m roads contract A MULTI-MILLION pound contract to maintain Wiltshire highways and street scene has been awarded at the same time as an additional £3.6m of government funding for road maintenance in the county has been announced.
• Train lines reopen after flooding causes travel chaos in Newport ALL lines have now reopened after flooding between Newport and Swansea blocked train lines this morning, causing cancellations and delays.
• Rail bosses halt plan to close station gate RAIL bosses have reversed their decision to shut the back gate at Oxford Station after an outcry from passengers.
• Rider™s rally challengeAn engineer is gearing up for toughest challenge of his life as he prepares to take on one of the world’s hardest motorbike races.
• Adult and child rescued from car on West Stafford bypass AN adult and child were rescued from a car which became stuck in flood water on the West Stafford bypass.

Other News Sources

• The first vessel calls at London GatewayEarly Christmas present for the DPWorld team at London Gateway Port, as the 170-metre general cargo vessel, Wieniawski, docked today (Friday, 21 December)
• ShipbreakingIndustry May Keep Tryst with Doomsday The new IMO convention on Ship Recycling and the EU Proposal for Regulation of Ship Recycling are being viewed with concern by ship recyclers in Alang, India.
• Space Launch System core completes preliminary design review The core of the Space Launch System (SLS), NASA's large new rocket, has officially passed its preliminary design review (PDR). The core stage, containing...
• Balfour Beatty wins £13m upgrade to 30-year-old Kessock BridgeBalfour Beatty has won a £13.2 million Transport Scotland contract to carry out resurfacing and upgrading works on the 30-year-old Kessock Bridge.