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

Thursday, 26 June 2014

BBC News

• Bus demand lifts Stagecoach profits and revenueTransport giant Stagecoach has reported increased revenues and profits, helped by a strong performance from its UK regional bus division.
• East Coast train fire alert suspect arrestedA teenager has been arrested at a Nottinghamshire station on suspicion of trying to set fire to an East Coast train.
• Road casualties in Scotland down 10%The number of people killed and injured on Scotland's roads fell by 10% last year thanks to a reduction in pedestrian fatalities.
• Stagecoach warns of indy 'risks'SNP donor Sir Brian Souter's Stagecoach Group warns investors about the potential
• Bobby Charlton opens Busby Babe roadSir Bobby Charlton opens Scanlon Lane, a Salford road named in honour of fellow
• Defibrillators sited at bus stopsDefibrillators are installed at 16 bus stations and travel centres across Greater Manchester.
• Tube gets Amazon collection lockersLondon Underground passengers can now pick up items ordered on Amazon at two station car parks.
• GM halts sales of Cruze over airbagsGeneral Motors tells dealers in the US and Canada to halt sales of some Chevrolet Cruze cars due to a potential problem with the airbag.

Financial Times

• Etihad set to take 49% stake in AlitaliaDeal would give Italian carrier a financial boost and broaden Gulf airline’s ambitious plans, but it is likely to face scrutiny due to EU ownership rules
• Stagecoach and Wales reach bus pass dealTransport operator says it has dropped its case over free travel payments as it reports results in line with expectations
• Rakuten and AirAsia plan low-cost carrierShares of Japanese online retailer and Malaysian budget carrier buoyed by reports the two have agreed a joint venture to run a low-cost airline in Japan

The Guardian

• Edinburgh's tram fiasco has lessons for other UK transport projectsThe city has a new tram line, but it's arrived £375m over budget and probably won't help ease transport problems
• Stagecoach warns Scottish independence could hurt businessTransport firm led by major SNP donor tells shareholders public funding could dry up if Scots vote to leave the UK
• Northern Rail apologises to Sheffield reporter over ’incorrect’ arrest threatFirm says officer should not have deleted Alex Evans’ phone footage of pensioners’ Freedom Ride protest at city station
• UK infrastructure neglected and at risk from climate change, engineers warnMinisters urged to consider hundreds of billions of pounds of investment needed to protect UK economic competitiveness

The Herald

• £600,000 city cycle hire scheme is now up and pedallingTHE first people to take part in a £600,000 cycle hire scheme have got on their bikes to try out the initiative in Glasgow.
• Scottish holiday travellers stranded by strikesAIR traffic control strikes have brought misery to hundreds of Scots travellers amid flight delays and cancellations, with some holidaymakers stranded abroad.
• Fears raised about station redevelopmentTHE £100 million redevelopment of Glasgow Queen Street Station will be a
• 200 fined for not showing tram ticketsMORE than 200 tram riders have been fined for failing to show a ticket in the month since the controversial ­Edinburgh network opened to passengers.

The Telegraph

• New hover car trial planned for Tel AvivCould this elevated hover car, currently being trialled in Tel Aviv, change the way we get around?
• Stagecoach gives Scottish referendum warningThe transport group warns the outcome of the referendum could damage its business despite its co-founder, Brian Souter, being one of the SNP's largest donors.

Mail Online

• Rail firm that makes 66% of travellers miserable: Commuters on busiest routes deliver damning verdict on late, overcrowded and expensive services Passenger's on Southeastern's Kent to London services rate their tickets the worst value in Passenger Focus survey. Provider also slammed for overcrowding.

The Mirror

• French air strike leaves thousands stranded and sends airports into meltdown Air traffic controllers have now called off the action which had been due to last until the weekend but the back­­log is expected to cause more delays

Birmingham Post

• £36 million HS2 compensation payouts for Midlands homesProperty expert says payouts are just 'tip of the iceberg' with more homeowners likely to be offered cash
• Jaguar Land Rover buying more parts within UK than ever before Gaydon firm sourcing 50 per cent of its car components from UK and half of those from West Midlands

Liverpool Echo

• Holidaymakers faced cancellations and delays at Liverpool airport because of air traffic strikes in France Four flights were cancelled from Liverpool John Lennon airport today, with other passengers forced to wait hours before they could board

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Remember When: Trains in the North East from across the decadesThe North East played a pivotal role in the development of the railway. Enjoy our gallery of pictures showing trains and rail in our region

Sheffield Star

• Sheffield Supertram loses 1.8 million passengers through rail replacement workSheffield’s Supertram has lost almost two million passengers in the last year as a result of major engineering works, new figures have revealed.

The York Press

• Council to discuss bus stop plans A MAKEOVER for the Theatre Royal bus interchange in the next stage of the Reinvigorate York project will be considered by City of York Council’s Cabinet next week.

Yorkshire Post

• Video: The Leeds bus lane camera that’s trapped 6,000 driversA Yorkshire council has been heavily criticised over its appeals process in relation to a bus lane camera that cost motorists more than £250,000 in fines in its first 10 months in operation.

Carlisle News & Star

• Cumbria anti-parking charge campaigners drawing up action plan A fightback against parking charges is planned as a business federation leader warned that opponents are not merely a “vocal minority”.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster’s rail passengers give service thumbs upMore than 90 per cent of passengers who travel on Grand Central trains through Doncaster are satisfied with their service.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Update: More rail trouble as engineers have to inspect track between Diss and NorwichGreater Anglia are cancelling or altering some services between Norwich and London because of a safety inspection being carried out on the track.
• East Anglia: Rail passengers still don’t feel they get value for money on region’s trainsPassengers in East Anglia still don’t feel they get value for money from the region’s main rail operator.

Peterborough Telegraph

• East Coast gets high satisfaction rating from rail commutersRail passengers have voted East Coast as the county’s number one long-distance franchised train operator.
• Cost of filling Peterborough’s 7,000 potholes estimated at £52 eachThousands of potholes across Peterborough’s network of roads are to be repaired at a cost of £52 each.

Other Regional Press

• Trains cancelled on Marston Vale lineTwo services have been cancelled on the Marston Vale railway line between Bedford and Bletchley.

Airportwatch

• East Sussex bus cuts 'would leave people stranded'Proposed cuts to bus services by East Sussex County Council are "deeply regressive" and would leave people stranded, campaigners have warned.

Global Rail News

• Virgin extends Super Voyager maintenance contract with BombardierBombardier will continue to maintain Virgin Trains’ fleet of 20 Super Voyager trains until 2019 after agreeing to extend the current agreement. The £103 million deal, which follows the announcement[...]
• Consortium picked to design, build and operate North West Rail LinkThe Northwest Rapid Transit consortium has won a competition to deliver the infrastructure, rolling stock and signalling system for the $8.3 billion North West Rail Link in Sydney. Naming the the[...]
• Amtrak and California drop joint high-speed train tenderAmtrak and the Californian High Speed Rail Authority have decided not to pursue a joint procurement programme for high-speed trainsets. In a statement, Amtrak said that after meeting with rolling[...]
• French consortium lands Qatar light rail contractAlstom and VINCI Construction Grands Projets have been awarded the contract for the final package of works for a four-line light rail system in Lusail, Qatar. Alstom’s €750 million share of the[...]
• Testing milestone for Class 700One of Thameslink’s new Class 700 units has reached 100 mph during testing on at Wegberg-Wildenrath, Germany. Smashing through the 100 mph barrier marks another milestone in the production of[...]
• Asfordby Tunnel – Slab track trialsThe Asfordby (or Melton) test track has had an interesting history. It originally formed a part of an important rail route between the East Midlands and London. Writes Chris Parker For a time in the 1970s, it was the route that the Nottingham Pullman services used to get to the capital after the closure of the […]
• Dellner wins Pendolino coupler overhaul contractDellner has been awarded a £1.4 million contract by Alstom to overhaul 109 automatic couplers for the manufacturer’s UK Pendolino fleet. The contract, which will run for 12 months from[...]
• La Poste outlines future rail freight strategyFrench postal carrier La Poste has said it plans to increase the volume of goods it transports by rail by 30 per cent over the next three years. La Poste,[...]

Aviation Industry

• Exclusive: Virgin America flight attendants to hold union voteFlight attendants at Virgin America are due to begin voting next month on whether to join a union, which would be the first at the California-based airline.
• Saudia launches free wifi in first and business classWifi available on routes including London, Paris and Dubai
• ACTE signs deal with Russian Association of Business TravelTwo organisations to hold more than 20 joint event in 2014

Other News Sources

• Ford ranked top global green brand for 2014 as carmakers race ahead Ford has taken the top spot from Toyota as the number one global green brand this year - with car makers claiming all top four positions - according to Interbrand's latest annual ranking table.