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

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

BBC News

• Weymouth ferry port funding plea to government failsA delegation from Weymouth has failed to secure government funding to upgrade the town's ferry port.
• £20m to be spent on Belfast busesTransport Minister Danny Kennedy confirms £20m will be spent on new buses for the Belfast Rapid Transit system.

Financial Times

• Malaysia Airlines shares plunge 18%Carrier’s woes deepen amid fears the government may not bail out the state-owned business and may prefer a painful restructuring instead
• Ryanair suffers first profits fall in 5 yearsLow-cost carrier issues cautious guidance for this financial year after its results for 2013-14 disappoint due to cheaper fares and higher fuel costs
• Ryanair hopes new image will take offEurope’s second-largest carrier has been trying harder to revamp its image after two successive profits warning spurred a rethink

The Independent

• Tube strike: London Underground could be 'shut down' over bank holiday in new strike A union is claiming that the London Underground could be

The Telegraph

• Tube driver suspended after row over Queen posterLondon Underground driver is suspended after furious row with colleague over poster of the Queen

Mail Online

• Tube driver suspended putting up picture of the QUEEN in office London Underground has removed the framed A4 image and another picture on a desk from an Essex depot while they investigate the complaint.

The Mirror

• Tube driver suspended after sparking row with colleague over poster of the QUEENLondon Underground bosses suspended the royalist driver and removed his poster as well as a photo of the monarch he had on his desk

Network Rail

• Network Rail recognised as IT ambassador with award winA competition which aims to dispel myths around jobs in IT and encourage girls to consider a career in the sector has landed Network Rail the IT Ambassador Award at the Real IT Awards, held by The Corporate IT Forum.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• First in call for 'Routemasters'Transport company First has revealed plans to introduce London-style buses in Bradford and the whole of West Yorkshire.

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottingham Post published Bag stolen from train luggage rackPOLICE have released this CCTV image of a man they wish to speak to about a stolen bag containing valuables worth nearly £900.The black holdall was snatched on Friday April 25 at around noon on a train as it travelled through Newark.The 22-year-old owner of the Radley bag had placed it in the luggage rack between coaches B and C on the East Coast service between York and Peterborough.PC Wendy Freeman said: "After reviewing CCTV on board the train a man was seen...

Sheffield Star

• Transport bosses approve changes to concessionary travel across South YorkshireImproved concessionary travel schemes for disabled and elderly people in South Yorkshire have been approved by transport chiefs.

Yorkshire Post

• Railways to prove a ‘lifeline’ to fans as Tour plans are set to be revealedTransport chiefs will unveil Yorkshire’s rail industry plans for the Tour de France Grand Depart today, which will aim to keep the county moving when an expected 3m people visit for the July race.

Other Regional Press

• County hall leaders blast M6 link road ‘sabotage’County Hall bosses have slammed vandalism at building sites for a new link road, claiming lives are being put in danger.

Global Rail News

• Grand Central and St Pancras in station twinningSt Pancras and Grand Central Terminal, two of the world’s most iconic railway stations, have signed a formal partnership designed to help share best practice. On May 14, the two[...]
• Rail Safety SummitWalking into Regent’s Park in the morning sunshine on April 28th I was pleased that the fifth national Rail Safety Summit was in London for the first time. It is high time the industry achieved that elusive zero in both fatal and serious injury accidents. Writes Colin Wheeler 2014 has not started well as I […]
• Netherlands rail network turns to wind powerHolland’s electrified rail network will be completely powered by wind energy from 2018, the Dutch government has announced. Traction power will be fully provided by the green energy source under[...]
• De Lijn coastal tram fleet set for heavy overhaulBombardier has been chosen to complete €6 million heavy overhaul of a fleet of trams operated by Flemish Transport operator De Lijn. The 20 trams, which operate services on the coastal[...]
• T68 to make final tripManchester’s now-defunct T68 tram will return to the city’s streets later this month to honour the fleets’ retirement. A final farewell trip is to take place on May 26 in[...]
• CAF wins Boston Green Line orderThe Massachusetts Department of Transportation Board of Directors has awarded CAF a $118 million contract to build Boston’s next generation Green Line light rail vehicles. The Spanish manufacturer will supply 24[...]
• Illuminating the routeVariable Message Signs (VMSL) has installed the first in its latest generation of route indicators and on Wednesday, May 21, technical sales director Mark Johnson will outline the company’s approach to[...]
• Funding in place for Waterloo light rail projectFinancial close has been reached on the first stage of a new light rail line linking the Canadian cities of Waterloo and Kitchener. The Region of Waterloo has confirmed that the GrandLinq[...]

Aviation Industry

• Ryanair posts ‘disappointing’ results as profits drop 8%Decline in profits blamed on higher fuel costs and a weaker sterling
• European airports should open 24hrs a day, says Qatar Airways chiefAkbar Al Baker says UK making 'excessive' fuss over aircraft noise
• Sri Lankan Airlines and Finnair start codeshare agreementSri Lankan Airlines is set to begin offering new codeshares with fellow Oneworld member Finnair.From June 2 Finnair’s AY code will be added to select Sri Lankan Airlines services between the Sri Lankan capital Colombo and Frankfurt, Paris, London, Rome, Bangkok and Hong Kong.

Other News Sources

• Extreme future transport: Flying bikes, handheld jet engines, 85mph bicycles are already hereGetting around on anything less than a hoverboard will always be a let down. But with self-driving cars around the corner the future of travel is nearly upon us, at last.
• Council and MP oppose airport's plans to redirect flightsMP for South West Surrey Jeremy Hunt has raised concerns over the noise and impact on residents in his area if the proposed changes are approved
• Airline associations call for improvements in the area of airport chargesToday, the European Commission published its report on the implementation of the Airport Charges Directive. The Commission rightly acknowledges some of the weaknesses in the current Directive,...
• Lord Adonis: 'new sense of optimism for Britain'Labour peer says coalition wasted its first two years of parliament