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

Thursday, 05 December 2013

BBC News

• Eurotunnel victory over ferry routeEurotunnel can continue to offer ferry services from Dover after a ban by the UK Competition Commission is overturned.
• VIDEO: UK cycling 'can learn from New York'Former Olympian Chris Boardman and New York City transport policy director Jon Orcott explain how making space for bikes appears to has helped improve safety for everyone in the city.
• What is 'highway hypnosis'?A train driver says he was experiencing
• Launch of world's biggest 'ship'The world's biggest vessel takes to the water for the first time in South Korea.
• VIDEO: Clegg: I'm a staunch supporter of HS2The HS2 plan was a
• TfL budget plans are revealedLondon's transport budget revealed
• London cycle hire journeys fallThe number of journeys on London's cycle-hire scheme has fallen by more than 200,000 compared to a year ago.

Financial Times

• Gatwick rail link funding approvedGovernment commits £50m towards improving Gatwick rail links and accepts need for better transport to all three main airports in southeast England
• Eurotunnel ‘part-victory’ in ferry disputeAppeals tribunal says question of whether Eurotunnel’s ferry acquisition was a merger is “an open one” and asks UK watchdog to reconsider
• Qantas targets A$2bn package of cutsAustralian flagcarrier outlines three-year programme of cuts as it battles what it claims is unfair competition in its domestic market
• Container lines in merger talksHapag-Lloyd operates world’s sixth-largest container ship fleet, according to Alphaliner, an information service, while CSAV’s fleet ranks number 20
• Design space: Air France recycles cutleryThe airline reuses plastic forks, knives and spoons from flights to help produce ecologically friendly tableware for its passengers

The Herald

• Flybe axes routes from ScotlandLOW-COST airline Flybe is axing four of its Scottish routes in the latest shake-up to its service.
• Travel chaos on rail, roads as 90mph winds batter ScotlandScotland is enduring serious travel disruption as blizzards and winds of up to 90mph strike.

The Independent

• New breed of cycle warriors go digital by strapping on helmet-mounted cameras to take on dangerous drivers Ask any cyclist and they’ll be able tell you the story of a lorry-driving madman that nearly crushed them to death as it turned left across them.    

The Scotsman

• Edinburgh tram back on Princes St after 57 yearsA TRAM ran along Edinburgh’s famous Princes Street for the first time in more than half a century last night.

The Telegraph

• Road toll plans dropped by GovernmentDanny Alexander signals an end to road toll plans after opposition to A14 proposal    
• Road accidents down by a thirdRoad accidents down by a third in eleven years as new technology improves car safety    

The Mirror

• Watch launch of 'the world's biggest ship': Monstrous vessel is longer than the Empire State Building At 488metres long, the Prelude will be the largest ever structure to float on the sea
• Car tax discs face end of the road as George Osborne introduces new payment system Checks to see if drivers have paid their road tax will be done electronically using databases, as most are at the moment

Network Rail

• First step in the rebuild of the railway at Britain's busiest stationThe start of a major improvement programme to renew the infrastructure at London Waterloo station is planned to take place during the Christmas period.
• Reduced service on Thursday as rail network on east coast prepares for severe stormDue to severe weather conditions forecast for the east coast tomorrow (Thursday, December 8), rail passengers in Yorkshire and the north east are being warned that their journey time is likely to be extended and that some services will be cancelled.

Birmingham Mail

• M6 Toll road branded a failure for drivers and environmentTenth anniversary report claims there has been no benefit for motorists and has caused irreversible damage to nature

London Evening Standard

• Chinese owners of black cab brand plan to make London taxis electricThey will still be black — but in future they should also be green and silent.
• Chris Boardman: 'MPs should be embarrassed after hearing on London cycle safety'Former Olympic cycling champion Chris Boardman has told MPs they should be "embarrassed" after a hearing on London cyclists' safety.
• ‘Dismal’ month for Boris Bikes as hire figures fall 30% in a yearUsage of the Boris Bikes rental scheme has plummeted for the fourth consecutive month, new figures reveal.
• Transport Minister: putting lorry drivers on bikes to give them cyclist's point of view 'isn't bad idea'It would "not be a bad idea" to get truck drivers on bikes to show them how vulnerable cyclists can be on the road, Transport Minister Robert Goodwill has told MPs.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Jet2.com launches new flights from Newcastle International AirportJet2.com launches two new summer flights to Fuerteventura and Madeira from Newcastle International Airport

Sheffield Star

• It’s all change on Doncaster busesBus bosses in Doncaster are putting together proposals for a new partnership to tackle a slump in passenger numbers.
• Rail factory is on track for opening in DoncasterA new factory which will help keep the nation on track for years to come is to open in Doncaster next week.

This Is Local London Network

• 'Stop our road being used as a free car park' Residents have started a petition saying cars parked outside their gated homes are safety hazards.

Wales Online

• George Osborne heralds the end of the tax disc in autumn statementThe chancellor's autumn statement will see an end to paper car tax discs,  the axing of which should save £7m in administration costs. There will also be a further squeeze on Whitehall departments in a bid to save £3bn over the next three years

Yorkshire Post

• Treasury warned of ports’ declinePRESSURE is mounting on the Government to improve access to UK ports after the Treasury admitted their performance has declined since the last election.

Other Regional Press

• Medical transport service ups and downsA BUS company has defended its controversial takeover of non-emergency medical transport in Wigan after councillors remained sceptical.
• First Christmas Day bus service to serve airport OXFORD Bus Company will run its Airline service between Oxford and Heathrow Airport on Christmas Day for the first time.
• Northampton station footbridge to be lifted into place on Christmas EveA new footbridge will be lifted into place on Christmas Eve at Northampton’s new £20 million railway station.
• Dover to Calais ferry operator My Ferry Link claims victory for consumers in quashing Competition Commission ruling at tribunalEurotunnel-backed My Ferry Link has today claimed victory after a tribunal quashed a ruling that it would have to stop its cross-Channel ferries.
• Call to Kirklees Council to support new train station for Milnsbridge Neil Bentley, a Northern Rail driver, urged Kirklees councillors to support the GLAM -  Golcar Longwood and Milnsbridge  Transport Campaign – cause to get a station that serves the Golcar ward
• First announce Christmas bus timetables First Dorset has announced its timetables for the Weymouth and Yeovil areas over the Christmas and the New Year period.
• Councillors vote through cuts to Dorset bus services DORSET County Council’s cabinet has approved a raft of cuts to bus services.

Global Rail News

• Network Rail starts work on New Street’s east entranceA project to redevelop Birmingham New Street station has moved its focus to renovating the hub’s east side and old entrance following the opening of the new concourse earlier this[...]
• Hitachi awards IT contract for UK sitesCapgemini UK has been awarded a ’multi-million’ pound contract to supply its SAP-based IT software across Hitachi Rail Europe’s UK facilities. The new system will be used at sites across[...]
• UK government points to possible sale of Eurostar stakeThe UK government has said it may sell its stake in cross-channel rail operator Eurostar in a bid to double the amount raised from marketing corporate and financial assets. Chief[...]
• Approval given to freight operator mergerFreight operators VTG Aktiengesellschaft and Kuehne + Nagel have been given the green light by antitrust authorities to complete a merger of their rail transport operations. The joint venture, which[...]
• Siemens to complete major South African signalling programmeSiemens has been awarded a €180 million contract to supply signalling and train protection systems to South Africa’s densely-populated Gauteng province. The contract, which was awarded by the Passenger Rail Agency[...]
• Fisher Street shaft completedCrossrail has completed work on the Fisher Street shaft in Holborn. Crossrail’s western tunnels contractor BAM, Ferrovial, Kier (BFK) and their subcontractor Barhale,  has been excavating and lining a 15-metre[...]

Railnews

• Government confirms Eurostar privatisation The Government has confirmed that it intends to sell its 40 per cent stake in Eurostar to the private sector. The announcement forms part of its updated National Infrastructure Plan, which includes more than 600 projects and a total budget of £375 billion.
• Midland Main Line gets ready for 125mph The first in a series of new 125 mph speed signs on the Midland Main Line route to London has been unveiled by East Midlands Trains and Network Rail, as the operator gears up to launch its new timetable with faster journeys to London in five days from now. The signs are part of a £70 million line improvement scheme from Network Rail in partnership with East Midlands Trains, which will allow trains to London to operate at speeds of up to 125 mph on certain parts of the route for the first time ever, apart from special test runs.

The Business Desk

• Government invests in future of Sheffield SupertramTHE Government is ploughing £5m of funding into the Sheffield Supertram to improve its tracks.

Aviation Industry

• Government commits to improving airports’ ground transportHeathrow and Gatwick to benefit from inclusion in infrastructure plan
• Qatar Airways to begin route to Dallas/Fort WorthNew service will be airline’s seventh US destination

Other News Sources

• British government eyes Eurostar saleShareholding in train operator set to be sold to fund transport projects