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

Friday, 20 June 2014

BBC News

• Wrexham to Chester £44m rail line upgrade startsWork is starting on a £44m upgrade of the train line between Wrexham and Chester.
• Oxford's bike hire scheme back six months after it foldedA bike hire scheme has been relaunched in Oxford six months after it folded.
• Traffic-free Dorchester to Portland cycle route opensThe final part of a traffic-free cycle route from the Dorset coast has opened.
• Harley-Davidson tests electric bikeHarley-Davidson has revealed a quiet electric version of its iconic motorbike.
• Train derailment causes delaysA derailed freight train at Crewe causes overhead wire problems and delays to trains.
• How bridges transformed LondonA new exhibition in London shows how bridges did more than transport people from north to south.
• Airline loses flight delays appealAn airline passenger has won a court battle for compensation for flight delays at the Court of Appeal despite waiting six years to bring a case against the airline.
• West Coast line: Branson to bid againThe boss of Virgin Group, Sir Richard Branson, has told the BBC he will bid for the West Coast Main Line contract again in two years time.

Financial Times

• Virgin victor in rail franchise shake-upAfter Sir Richard Branson’s West Coast victory, all eyes have switched to the eastern main line amid unease over the terms of contract extensions

The Guardian

• MH370: plane search to move south, Australia announcesLast satellite signals from plane analysed further to come up with new target area for deep-scanning sonar equipmentThe next phase of the underwater search for the missing Malaysian passenger jet will focus on an area of the Indian Ocean hundreds of miles south of the first suspected crash site, the Australian Transportation Safety Bureau has announced.Martin Dolan, chief commissioner of the ATSB, said an announcement would be made next week on the focus of a 23,000 square mile (60,000 sq km) search of the ocean floor for wreckage using powerful sonar equipment. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Site lands BA maintenance jobBRITISH Airways is bringing two of its most exclusive aircraft to Prestwick as part of a new servicing contract.
• Show is criticised for 'avoid trams' advice the organisers of the Royal Highland Show have been criticised after they advised people not to use Edinburgh's new trams network to get to the event.
• Fast wi-fi for West Coast Main LinePASSENGERS using the West Coast Main Line linking Scotland to London have been promised free superfast wi-fi and more seats after Virgin secured the franchise for another three years.

The Independent

• Remains of Britain's abandoned villages could be lost during construction of HS2 railway line Five hundred years ago, the English village of Doddershall was destroyed when Thomas Pigott, the rags to riches Lord of the Manor, evicted the tenants, pulled down their houses and turned the land over to sheep farming. The locals

Birmingham Mail

• 20mph speed limit not enough, claim road safety campaignersActivists in Moseley, Acocks Green, Selly Oak and Sparkbrook call for bollards and extra traffic calming measures to be introduced

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Airport artwork shows off the best of Bradford NEW artwork at Leeds Bradford Airport is showcasing the best of the region ahead of the world’s greatest cycle race.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Work begins on £44m Wrexham to Chester railway upgradeThe project will cut journey times between Holyhead and Cardiff and allowing an extra train to run every two hours

London Evening Standard

• Taxi engulfed by flames brings traffic to a standstill on the M25 A hackney cab caught alight while travelling along the M25 during rush hour this morning.
• Crossrail station at Canary Wharf nearly complete as striking lattice roof is finished The new Crossrail station at Canary Wharf has moved a step closer to completion after the final piece of a timber lattice roof was lowered into place.
• Lib-Dems ready to drop Gatwick runway ban from election plans The Liberal Democrats are set to use their election manifesto to open the door to a second runway at Gatwick while still opposing a bigger Heathrow.

Northern Echo

• Pothole patch-up funding of £10m announced for region ABOUT £10m is to be spent on patching up potholes in the region, after the government announced £168m would be made available for repairs across the country.

Sheffield Star

• Ticket inspectors patrol Sheffield Station footbridge againTicket inspectors sparked fresh controversy today when people crossing Sheffield Railway Station’s passenger footbridge were asked to produce valid train tickets.

Blackpool Gazette

• Direct Blackpool to London rail link dealVirgin Rail has secured a new £430m deal to run the West Coast Main Line – and in doing so bring direct rail links from Blackpool to London.

Carlisle News & Star

• £250,000 won’t make Stobart's Carlisle Airport plan viable - claim A farmer who fought against redevelopment plans for Carlisle Airport in the High Court believes that the project is still not commercially viable, despite fresh funding pledged by the Stobart Group for the flight provider.

Crewe Chronicle

• Virgin secures new West Coast Mainline deal The new contract will provide more seats, better wi-fi and new services
• Delays after train derailment at Crewe A freight train derailed at Crewe earlier today

Doncaster Free Press

• M1 speed cameras in South Yorkshire and North Derbyshire catch 8,000 driversAbout 35 people per day have been snared by speed cameras on a stretch of the M1 during seven months of roadworks.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Ipswich: Rail problems ease after hard week on tracksRail travellers faced yet more problems yesterday after a lorry hit a low bridge near Ipswich station at the height of the rush hour.

North Wales Live

• Land Rover Discovery Sport production at Halewood is good news for growth of British manufacturing, says Nick CleggMr Clegg was speaking at the Manufacturing Summit at the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton

Other Regional Press

• Hugh Grant helps pick film he hopes will scupper third runway plansThe film star joined TV presenter Holly Willoughby and columnist Rachel Johnson last night to judge an anti-Heathrow expansion short film contest
• 'Pointless' road sign crops up on A354 A PRANKSTER has made their feelings about road signs clear by creating one of their own.
• Jaguar Land Rover unveils plans for new Discovery Sport production Coventry car giant to create 250 new jobs at the company’s Halewood plant

Bus and Coach.com

• Top operator awards for National ExpressFour companies have received Best Operator awards from National Express in recognition of the service they provide.
• Increased ridership reported for BristolFirst West of England is reporting 15 per cent year-on-year passenger growth in Bristol in April and May following recent service improvements.
• London prepares for cash-free busesAhead of the withdrawal of cash fares on London’s buses next month, Transport for London has introduced Oyster ‘One More Journey’, which allows passengers to make one bus trip even if they have insufficient pay-as-you-go credit on their Oyster card.
• More bus trips in Brighton & HoveThe number of journeys made by bus in Brighton & Hove rose by 3.
• £5million clean vehicle fund announcedTowns and cities across England can bid for funding to make improvements to local buses and other vehicles, using the £5million Clean Vehicle Technology Fund announced last week by the Department for Transport.
• Freeman for FirstJAMES FREEMAN, chief executive officer at Reading Transport, is to join First UK Bus as managing director for Bristol and the West of England.
• More Padarn fraud arrestsThe fraud investigation into Padarn Bus by North Wales Police has led to the arrest of two more people, a 62-year-old man and a 53-year-old woman.
• Ups and downs for Ireland busesIn the last year there has been a drop in the number of people travelling with Dublin Bus, but an increase in passengers on services operated by Bus Eireann.
• Carmel Coaches O licence revokedThe O licence of Carmel Coaches of Exeter has been revoked by West of England traffic commissioner Sarah Bell.
• Chinese-built Scania coach heads for UKThe Chinese-built Scania Touring, which was launched in a number of European markets in 2009, is coming to the UK later this year.

Railnews

• Virgin wins direct award deal on West Coast Virgin has secured a new contract to operate intercity services on the West Coast Main Line. The company said there had been 'tough negotations' before a deal was struck covering two years and nine months, which also commits the company to investing £35 million. Some of the improvements agreed by Virgin Trains include the conversion of 21 first class vehicles to standard class, free wifi at stations, £20 million for station upgrades, £2.5 million to improve the interiors of Pendolinos and £2.75 million on catering facilities.

Aviation Industry

• Prestwick airport gets £10m boostMinister warns airport will run at a loss for 'several years'
• Thomson ruling could lead to 'higher airfares'Travellers can now claim compensation from delays up to six years ago