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First stage of extensive UK walking and cycling routes to open

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 00:01:00 GMT

The first stage of an extensive network of walking and cycling routes has been opened in Dumfries.

The multi-million pound system will establish more convenient routes into towns or cities nationwide and aims to reduce car travel in favour of walking and cycling.

The launch platform, the Queen of the South Viaduct pedestrian and cycle bridge, stretches across the River Nith in Dumfries. Construction work has transformed the disused railway viaduct into a crossing that links the east and west sides of the town.

Financed by the Big Lottery Fund and the South West of Scotland Transport Partnership, the scheme cost £480, 000.

Transport charity, Sustrans, said that the link would benefit the 25,000 people living within a mile of the route. The BBC reports that Sustrans' director, John Lauder, said: "Our ambition is that when you wake up in the morning, walking and cycling will be the obvious way to get around.

"Nearly half of all car journeys are under three miles, well within cycling distance, and with the Queen of the South Viaduct opening today, walking and cycling will be a natural choice for local travel in Dumfries."

Plans for the next five years involve nearly £30 million a year being invested into walking and cycling routes in areas ranging from Devon to Perthshire.

Other areas that will come receive new routes include Lanarkshire, Northumberland, Cardiff and Bristol.

Exeter International Airport unveils expansion plans

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 08:25:00 GMT

A draft master plan has been released by Exeter International Airport that reveals its intention to expand over the coming decade.

The government-ordered move allows the plan to be available for public consultation for three months. More than 2,000 new jobs could be created at the Devon airport, which intends to undergo changes allowing it to reach more destinations as well as build a new runway and taxiways.

The changes could inject another £160 million into the South West economy, as annual passenger numbers are expected to rise from one million to three million by 2030.

However, environmental campaigners have spoken out against the move. According to the BBC, Friends of the Earth has claimed that the growth in passenger numbers would be environmentally hazardous and the effects on climate change would overshadow economic benefits.

A campaign called SEEA - Stop Expansion of Exeter Airport - has stated that in order to halt climate change, the UK must cut CO2 emissions by 90% by 2030 and suggests that Exeter International Airport reduces passengers from its current one million to 250,000.

Outlined in the draft master plan, however, are targets regarding the airport's environmental management, carbon management and control over noise and air quality resulting from the airport's use.

The release of the plan follows the recent protest against the number of domestic flights departing from Heathrow Airport.

Protestors are backing high speed rail links that would connect London to other major British cities as a replacement for domestic flights, deeming the proposed construction of a third runway unnecessary and "absurd".

Pro-rail campaigners urge reduction in Heathrow domestic flights

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:13:00 GMT

Plans to build a third runway at London's Heathrow airport have come under further criticism as it surfaced that 2.5 million passengers a year visit the airport through transfer flights from other British airports.

Challengers to the plans claim that many of the slots at Heathrow are being used for unnecessary domestic flights, the necessity for which could be eliminated if the high speed rail links proposed by Network Rail come to fruition.

The Guardian reports that Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrats' transport spokesman, said: "If the case for domestic flights diminishes then the case for a third runway is also weakened.

"It's absurd to have large numbers of people taking short-haul flights in this country when there is much more extensive use of high-speed rail in other European countries."

The five potential high-speed rail links would connect London to major cities in Britain, such as Edinburgh along the East Coast mainline and Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow along the West Coast mainline.

It is estimated that the 180mph trains would halve journey times, allowing for much quicker access to major cities than is possible at current rail speeds.

Arguments for Heathrow's third runway include lessening the pressure on runway capacity at the airport and the bolstering the importance of Heathrow's status as a hub airport, which is claimed to be vital for the country's economy.

Campaigners for rail travel have hit back that those problems could be solved by the new network as the reduction in transfer passengers would negate the necessity of a third runway.

Five new high-speed rail links considered

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:24:00 GMT

Five new high-speed rail lines may be built on chief railway routes linking London to major cities in Britain.

According to the BBC, Network Rail is expected to announce today that it will launch a commission to investigate what might be the most extensive railway track construction project since the 1800s.

The study is expected to consider laying down new lines for high-speed trains, similar to French TVG trains, on some of the UK's busiest passenger routes.

The routes in question include: the East Coast mainline to Edinburgh, the West Coast mainline to Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow and the Chiltern route to Birmingham.

Other busy routes under consideration are the Great Western mainline to Cardiff and Penzance, and the Midland mainline to Sheffield.

Over the last decade, railway passenger numbers have increased by around 40%, with numbers expected to rise by another 30% in the next ten years.

The impending study has been widely praised. The BBC quotes Richard Dyer, transport campaigner for Friends of the Earth, who said: "Expanding Britain's railways by building new high speed lines is potentially very exciting - and could play an important role in weaning Britain off fossil fuels and developing a new carbon economy."

In addition, Ashwin Kumar, the passenger director for independent watchdog Passenger Focus, said: "We welcome the study. It is extremely important the rail industry anticipates future growth."

Network Rail's plans come just a few weeks after the UK's Rail Minister, Tom Harris, questioned the environmentally-friendly aspect of high-speed rail travel, much to the consternation of several green advocates in parliament.

Bristol: the UK's new 'cycling city'

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 04:36:00 GMT

Bristol has been named as the first city in the UK to partake in a £100 million government plan to encourage cycling across the country.

According to the BBC, the south west city aims to double the number of cyclists on its streets within the next three years.

Bristol will be awarded £11.4 million from the government's funds in order to design a bicycle rental network based on a Parisian model, as well creating dedicated cycling paths and providing more training for children.

The funding will be matched by Bristol authorities, bringing the total investment to £23 million.

Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, stated: "I am delighted to appoint Bristol as the UK's first ever cycling city. I am sure Bristol's bold and ambitious plans will support cyclists and encourage more people to get on their bikes, get fit and beat the traffic...

"Bristol is leading the way. I hope that many more will follow its excellent example."

Other cities that will be involved in the nationwide cycling effort include: York, Blackpool, Chester, Leighton, Southport, Shrewsbury, Cambridge, Colchester, Southend and Woking.

These will join the six existing Cycling Demonstration Towns: Aylesbury, Brighton, Exeter, Lancaster, Darlington and Derby.

According to the Daily Mail, Phillip Darnton - the Chairman of Cycling England - said: "We have learnt from our European neighbours, such as the Netherlands, that increased and sustained investment is the key to getting more people enjoying the benefits of cycling.

"The funding that Bristol and the other 11 towns have been awarded is designed to create a real step change in levels of cycling, starting in 2008 and for years to come."

Train services between London and Norwich see disruption

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 01:01:00 GMT

Train services between London and Norwich are being cancelled or delayed after cables fell on the rail tracks near Chelmsford.

Travellers in Norfolk and Suffolk have been advised by National Express East Anglia to use services from Cambridge, due to the disruption the incident has caused.

While Network Rail engineers have been working to move the cables, officials say that have no idea when the rail services on these lines will return to full capacity.

According to the BBC, Jonathan Denby from National Express stated: "We still have one line blocked just south of Chelmsford as a result of the major damage to overhead lines at teatime on Monday.

"That means only one track is open, so for travellers from Norwich we can only operate at a reduced level.

"This is a half hour train shuttle service during the peak to Ipswich to connect with other forward services to London."

The rail disruptions are likely to affect thousands of commuters travelling to London, as well as travellers hoping to access East Anglia's finest attractions, like the Broads.

While many trains in Essex are affected, shuttle services will function between Harwich and Colchester, as well as Braintree and Witham.

In addition, services to Lowestoft and Peterborough will begin and cease at Ipswich.

It is, however, hoped that repairs will be completed in order to resume normal services from Wednesday 11 June.

Weekend temperatures in Britain 'hotter than the Cote D'Azur'

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 00:49:00 GMT

The weather in Britain was hotter than the Cote D'Azur this weekend, as temperatures rose above 26C in many locations in the south of England.

According to the Telegraph, temperatures in central London equalled those in Palermo in Sicily and far exceeded those in the South of France.

The south certainly saw the most of the heat, with the Isle of Wight hitting 26.3C yesterday afternoon.

Popular beaches, like Bournemouth, were lined with crowds intent on making the most of the weather, while further north, Blackpool saw its Golden Mile packed with beachgoers.

Scotland, renowned for its unpredictable weather, also saw its temperatures rise over the weekend.

On Sunday, Aboyne in Aberdeenshire was the hottest place in Scotland, reaching 23C, while Edinburgh and Glasgow both enjoyed temperatures of 21C.

Temperatures are set to continue the upward trend throughout the week, though BBC Weather has forecast a substantial cooling-down. A spokesman for the Met Office also said:

"For much of England and Wales, Monday will be just as warm, if not a degree or two warmer, before cool air from the North West cools things down as the week goes on."

Manchester and Newcastle could see temperatures drop to 13C over the next few days, although the heat is expected to build up once more following the lull.

May 11 has been the hottest day of the year so far, when Great Malvern in Worcestershire recorded a temperature of 27.5C.

Green element of high speed rail travel is questioned by government

Fri, 06 Jun 2008 00:13:00 GMT

A new government decision means that high speed trains are unlikely to make an appearance on British railways in the future, due to concerns that they are not energy efficient.

Tom Harris, the UK's Rail Minister, has put the green credentials of a high speed railway line linking London to Scotland in less than three hours in doubt. In a letter to The Times, Mr. Harris stated: "The argument that high-speed rail travel is a 'green option' does not necessarily stand up to close inspection.

"Increasing the maximum speed of a train from 200kph [125mph - the current maximum speed of trains] to 350kph leads to a 90 per cent increase in energy consumption."

According to The Times, Atkins, an engineering consultancy, published a study of the feasibility and costs of constructing two high speed lines between London and Scotland, one along the east coast and one on the west, in March this year.

Its findings were that the lines would cost £31 billion to build, but provide around £63 billion in economic benefits.

Currently, the west coast line between London and Glasgow takes a journey time of around 4.5 hours. The east coast line, on the other hand, takes travellers from London to Edinburgh in up to 5 hours, while it takes over 7 hours to travel from the capital to Aberdeen in the north of Scotland.

Chris Davies, a Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West of England and fervent supporter of high speed rail links, said the government's conclusions were "disappointing".

Other high speed rail network advocates have highlighted that, while high speed rail might lead to an increase in energy consumption, producing 90g of carbon per passenger-kilometre, they are still a more energy efficient alternative to domestic flights, which creates 225g/km.

Wales could benefit from new tourist Ferry from Anglesey to Caernarfon

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 23:24:00 GMT

A new tourist ferry service across the Menai Strait, separating Caernarfon and Anglesey, has been proposed.

According to the Welsh Daily Post, Gwynedd's High Sheriff, former North Wales AM Peter Rogers, suggested that a ferry service could improve the local economy and provide a boon to tourists and locals alike.

He added that a passenger ferry between the island and Caernarfon, eight miles from Snowdonia, operated in the past but the service ceased around 40 years ago.
"There was a time when people who lived at Brynsiencyn (on Anglesey) all shopped and banked in Caernarfon, and many still do... There's plenty to do each side."

Anglesey Sea Zoo, a popular Welsh tourist attraction, is planning to investigate the viability of such a crossing. The owner, Dylan Evans, told the BBC that it could be a real community project resulting in mutual benefits for the people involved.

The proposal has been met by enthusiasm from some local business people. According to the BBC, Amy Robison, who runs the Draig Goch café bar in Caernarfon said:

"It sounds a fantastic idea, even if it's just for a day trip. When tourists come to the town on holiday they could walk to the ferry and wouldn't have to use their cars."

Plans to restore the link in previous years have failed to come to fruition, but Mr Roger believes that despite obstacles like logistical difficulties, the idea is worth considering - and that it might be a service that existing operators would be interested in introducing.

Last month saw the beginnings of a Network Rail project to improve rail services south and north Wales, while a recent review of the country's heritage tourism recommended that Wales should maximise its cultural icons to tempt tourists.

New South London railway station begins services

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:48:00 GMT

South London saw the inaugural trains arrive at the new Mitcham Eastfields station yesterday - the first suburban railway station to open in the area since World War Two.

According to the BBC, the first Southern Train from Mitcham Eastfields in Mitcham was bound for Epsom in Surrey, and arrived at the station at 1609 on Monday to be greeted by local councillors with a welcome placard.

It is estimated that Network Rail invested £6 million in Mitcham Eastfields and the station is located considerably closer to Mitcham town centre than its predecessor, Mitcham Junction, which is more than a mile away.

Andrew Judge, a local councillor, said: "This is a great event for Mitcham.

"The train was on time, after 70 years of waiting. We're all trainspotters today. Big thanks go to Network Rail and Southern Railway and the wonderful crew, who built the station."

Furthermore, the Epsom Guardian quotes Mitcham and Morden MP, Siobhain McDonagh, saying: "The campaign to get a station here began in the 1930s and I've been part of it for a quarter of a century.

"The community in Mitcham has done a great job and getting this station has been one of our greatest achievements since I became an MP."

The ticket office and waiting area at Mitcham Eastfields' station is made out of recycled materials and were specifically created to minimise electricity usage.

Transportbriefing.com reports that a similar building also exists at Greenhithe station, close to the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent.

Wales to expand its rail travel services

Fri, 30 May 2008 07:49:00 GMT

The railway links between north and south Wales will be improved over the next ten years, in what has been described as a 'far reaching' proposal from Network Rail.

The rail track owner is preparing a consultation document in conjunction with local authorities and user groups in order to ensure that travellers will find it easier and quicker to travel between the south and north Wales in the future.

It said the expansion was needed to accommodate an expected 25% rise in passengers using Welsh railway lines by 2018. According to the BBC, around 31 million people currently use railways in Wales annually, but this is predicted to be closer to 40 million in ten years time.

Among the suggested expansions to existing lines are adding more track between Wrexham and Chester, and Llanelli and Carmarthen, as well as improving signalling at Abergavenny in Monmouthshire.

What's more, in order to aid the long-term goal of operating 16 trains per hour on the South Wales Valley network, it is suggested that new platforms are added at Cardiff Central, Pontypridd and Caerphilly. New stations could also be built at Llanwern in Newport and Energlyn, near Caerphilly.

Passenger Focus, the rail consumer watchdog, welcomed Network Rail's consultation plans. Simon Pickering, its manager for Wales said: "This is a very important stage in the development of Wales' rail services and it's an opportunity for the whole community to have a say in how the railway is run over the next 10 years.

"The number of people using the Welsh railway has grown steadily over recent times and the success of new lines in Ebbw Vale and the Vale of Glamorgan demonstrate the need for continued investment."

The consultation will close on August 22 2008, and Network Rail is expected to release the consultation document by the end of the year.

London commuters delayed as station shuts down

Thu, 29 May 2008 07:13:00 GMT

Commuters travelling to and from London Liverpool Street station have been hit by delays, as the station was forced to halt its services after concrete debris fell onto its tracks late on Wednesday night.

According to the BBC, the falling debris had been caused by engineering works that were inching a 1,300 tonne bridge across existing railway tracks. These works are part of the process of extending the East London line into Shoreditch. No one was hurt in the incident.

The station has been closed since 7.15pm last night. Affected services include trains from Liverpool Street to Stansted Airport, Essex, Cambridge, Southend, Ipswich and Norwich.

Services on route to the station are now terminating at Tottenham Hale, Stratford, Hackney Downs or Seven Sisters. Tube services from London Liverpool Street have not been affected, however.

Network Rail have warned people travelling to London to expect "highly congested" rail services during peak hours, stating that the journey into the city could take an additional 60 minutes as a result of the closure.

A spokesman for Transport for London said: "Due to this incident national rail services into and from Liverpool Street Station remain suspended.

"Engineers are on site and have been working through the night. We continue to work to restore services soon as possible."

London Liverpool Street station typically sees over 300, 000 travellers pass through its gates every day. It is expected that services will be resumed as normal from 2pm this afternoon.

North enjoys best Bank Holiday weather, as south is plagued by gales

Tue, 27 May 2008 06:00:00 GMT

Many areas in the south of England suffered heavy rainfall and flooding over the Bank Holiday weekend, while the north of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland enjoyed temperatures of up to 20 C.

According to the Guardian, the worst of the storms occurred in Hampshire. The village of Otterbourne saw 57mm of rainfall, while Southampton Central railway station had to close temporarily due to flooding.

Phil Dominey from South West Trains told the newspaper: "Of course, water and electricity do not mix so we have had to close the station for safety reasons.

"I have worked here for more than 20 years and it is the first time we have had to close Southampton Central because of flooding."

In other areas, Bournemouth saw 33mm, half its average rainfall for the month, fall in just a few hours. And participants at Gloucestershire's annual cheese rolling competition emerged from the event covered in mud and slime.

Further north, much of Yorkshire was battered by winds of up to 40mph and 60 fire-fighters were called upon to extinguish a moorland blaze that stretched for two miles along the A58 road between Lancashire and Yorkshire.

South Wales appeared to experience the strongest gusts, however, with winds of up to 60mph ravaging its shores.

In Scotland, the picture was very different. The Herald reports that temperatures across the north-west highlands and Glasgow were higher than those experienced in Barcelona and Madrid. As a result of the warm, clear weather, visitors flocked to Scotland's attractions.

A spokesperson for Edinburgh Zoo told the paper: "This weekend we have had almost 13, 000 visitors. The numbers are up 45% on last year.

"There is no doubt the good weather, combined with some new attractions at the zoo... have helped to boost visitor numbers."

Bank Holiday weekend will see less roadworks but more rain

Fri, 23 May 2008 05:36:00 GMT

In a move that will ease the worries of many Bank Holiday travellers, major roadworks on A roads across the country will be completed or suspended over the coming long weekend.

The Highways Agency announced that 18 sets of roadworks in Britain would be suspended from Friday 23 May to midnight on Monday 26 May - though 44 would remain in place.

The Guardian states that roads minister, Tom Harris, said: "As well as removing as many roadworks as possible, the agency also provides... information services that will help drivers heading for an extended break or day out.

"I urge drivers to plan their journeys using travel information available on websites and radio bulletins, and allow extra time for their journey."

Figures released by the AA reveal 18 million vehicles are expected to take to the road over the weekend, despite the gloomy weather forecast.

The most popular destinations include London, Edinburgh and Bristol, while Blackpool, Brighton and Newquay are tipped to have the most crowded beaches.

However, the Met Office's prediction that the UK will be engulfed by rain this weekend may dampen the plans of some budding holidaymakers. The Times reports that England and Wales are likely to see a thick band of rain until Monday, though skies in Scotland and North West England will be clearer.

Perhaps as a result of the poor weather forecast, many people in the south of England are expected to leave the country over the Bank Holiday weekend, with travellers utilising the benefits of faster train routes to Europe and cheaper air travel.

According to the Guardian, Eurostar expects to serve 155, 000 passengers between today and Monday, while Heathrow is likely to see 772, 000 people pass through its gates.

Good Beach Guide says south west's beaches are best

Fri, 23 May 2008 05:24:00 GMT

This year's Good Beach Guide has offered its highest accolades to the south west of England, giving the region the most recommended beaches in the country.

The guide, compiled by the Marine Conservation Society, revealed that the south west remained top in the UK for the third year running. But the opening of a new sewage treatment plant in Kent, said to be beneficial to beaches from Margate to Broadstairs, might result in a better score for the south east next year.

The tests, which were conducted between May and September, revealed a bad year for the Channel Islands, while in the east, Suffolk's coastline was seen to boast some of the UK's cleanest water.

According to the BBC, the Marine Conservation Society has warned that the water quality of Britain's beaches is suffering overall. To determine the results of the organisation's annual beach award, they tested a total of 779 beaches - with 443 receiving a top rating in 2008. This represents a drop of 10% from last year, when 495 beaches fell into the excellent water category.

The society suggested that the heavy rain of last summer swept raw sewage and animal waste into rivers and the sea and that this had an impact on the ratings.

Coastal pollution officer, Thomas Bell, said this year's results bucked a long-term trend of cleaner bathing water. Speaking to the BBC, he added:

"But we are pinning the blame squarely on last's summer's exceptionally bad weather."

The Society stressed that, although the number of excellent quality beaches in the UK was down on last year, they were still up from the year 2000. They also said that a continued investment in the water industry is necessary to maintain the water quality of British beaches.

Government urged to delay Heathrow expansion

Wed, 21 May 2008 04:48:00 GMT

Plans for a third runway and a sixth terminal at Heathrow Airport have been put on hold by the government's sustainability watchdog, according to the Telegraph.

Under the scheme, which has met with considerable consternation from environmental bodies and local groups, London's busiest airport would have played host to another 600 flights a day.

However, due to the controversy generated by the project, the Sustainable Development Commission suggested that an independent commission should be set up in order to independently weigh the benefits and drawbacks to expanding Heathrow.

Hugh Raven, SDC commissioner, said: "The Government thinks its evidence base is adequate. We don't think it is.

"This data is heavily contested. Until some basic questions are answered, the UK cannot be in a position to make major decisions about the future of air travel."

The Telegraph states that it could be as late as 2011 until a decision is made over the expansion plans.

BAA, Heathrow's operators, have come under a lot of criticism since the disastrous opening of Terminal 5 in March this year.

What's more, a recent survey undertaken by the Civil Aviation Authority revealed that passengers at Heathrow suffered the longest delays of any airport in Britain, with flights departing 21 minutes late on average.

The average delay across the country was only 17 minutes. Airports in Manchester, Newcastle, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Glasgow were also surveyed.

Wales wants "action plan" to boost tourism

Wed, 21 May 2008 04:25:00 GMT

Experts are planning to develop an action plan to address disappointing tourism figures for Wales in 2007.

According to the BBC, Wales received three-quarters of a million fewer visitors last year, dropping from 9.61m in 2006 to 8.85m in 2007. The unseasonable weather of last summer is being held responsible for the drop, along with the strength of the pound and the success of the previous two years.

Tourism Minister Rhodri Glyn Thomas indicated that anecdotal feedback from the industry supports the initial explanation of the figures. Operators have said that while the year had a strong start, they began to struggle as summer sunshine failed to appear.

Rachel Hicks, chief executive of Pembrokeshire Tourism, told the BBC:

"Booking patterns changed in 2007. According to our survey businesses in Pembrokeshire found that visitors were booking for three days and not a full week. Overall the north of Pembrokeshire, especially St Davids and Newport, were less affected. However, many businesses reported brisk business in September."

The director of Tourism Partnership North Wales told the BBC that funding for marketing campaigns was an important factor in attracting UK visitors to Wales, especially for people who live relatively nearby cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool. He added that continuing to focus on family and short breaks would be the best strategy for Wales.

Additionally, Mr Thomas suggested that, although the recent credit crunch was a concern, it may not have an adverse affect on Welsh tourism as people could choose to holiday in the UK rather than going further afield.

He plans to commission an analysis of the tourist industry and has asked for help from the Wales Tourism alliance in an effort to boost tourism figures.

Scottish train line reopens after a 40 year hiatus

Thu, 15 May 2008 02:25:00 GMT

After a break of 40 years, direct rail services between Stirling , Alloa and Kincardine are back on track.

Passenger services will be available from Monday 19 May.

According to the BBC, around 300 invited guests are anticipated to witness Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson officially open the track at Alloa's new station today.

The Alloa to Stirling maiden trip is expected to be made by a steam train hauled by the Great Marquess. It cost more than £85 million to upgrade the 13-mile stretch of track, which has lain idle since 1968, despite an original budget of £37 million.

A direct service between Alloa, Stirling and Glasgow will be provided by the new, line while commuters travelling to Edinburgh will be able to do so via connecting services at Stirling station. The track will end at Longannet power station, near Kincardine in Fife.

The track will also support freight services and a spokesman for Transport Scotland told the BBC that the new freight service would provide an alternative route for coal from the west of Scotland to Longannet Power Station and thereby reduce rail congestion on the Forth Bridge. As a result, services from Edinburgh to both Aberdeen and Perth (which cross the Forth Bridge) are expected to double in frequency from December.

The Scotsman reported that, Scott Prentice, the senior project manager for Transport Scotland, said:

"The business case for the line was a more efficient route for coal trains, but the absolute beauty of the project is that it provides passenger trains to Alloa at marginal extra cost."

Bristol Airport walkway plan suffers a setback

Thu, 15 May 2008 02:12:00 GMT

Plans for a new passenger walkway at Bristol International Airport suffered a setback this week.

North Somerset councillors have agreed that the structure should be treated as an extension to the building and therefore subject to a full planning application.

The two-storey walkway, costing around £7 million, would transfer passengers from the terminal building to waiting aircraft and provide eight waiting areas.

Local campaigners welcome the ruling, which could mean that certain conditions would be imposed on the structure. Opposition to the walkway includes concerns about the size of the structure and the environmental impact. According to the BBC, the Stop Bristol Airport Expansion Group claimed that the proposed walkway is part of a plan by the airport to expand by stealth.

However, a spokesman for Bristol International Airport, South West England, claimed that ferrying passengers from terminals to planes with the help of the walkway would be more environmentally friendly than other transport options.

Speaking to the BBC, Chief Executive Paul Kehoe said: "This is a case of the wishes of a few outweighing the needs of the many; that's democracy working back to front.

"The walkway will not increase capacity, it will convey people from one place to another. If I line buses up, it will have the same impact, which is not an environmentally sound situation.

"[However], this process does not replace the application for proper expansion of the airport. This was an operational building; the planning application for growth comes this autumn."

Wales extends its free OAP rail travel scheme

Tue, 13 May 2008 01:12:00 GMT

Pensioners in Wales will now get to enjoy free travel on local trains for another year, as the Welsh Assembly Government announces an extension to their pilot scheme.

Over the past year, OAPs in certain areas of Wales have been able to enjoy free rail travel as the Welsh Assembly tests how capable its railways system is of handling the increased number of passengers.

Under the pioneering scheme, pensioners in Wales will enjoy free travel all year on the Cambrian Coast line between Machynlleth and Pwllheli, as well as the Welsh section of the Borderlands line, from Hawarden Bridge to Wrexham.

In addition, free rail travel has also been extended on the Conwy Valley line in North Wales, from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Llandudno. However, free travel on the Heart of Wales line will only be available from October to April, as a result of overcrowding on this line when the scheme was first introduced last year.

According to Ieuan Wyn Jones, Welsh transport minister, the popularity of the Heart of Wales line was caused by a trend towards free long-distance travel, in particular to Shrewsbury in Shropshire - contrary to the original intention of the scheme, which was to facilitate local journeys.

Mr Jones stated: "I have concluded that there have been a wide range of benefits from the pilot scheme, which has extended the availability of free travel on trains to bus pass holders.

"In addition there have been benefits to the local economy and social accessibility, and it has encouraged a reduction in the use of private cars."

Last month, Wales saw its transport links to London increase considerably as a direct train service from Wrexham to London was re-established for the first time since 1967.

Restored Fife railway could cost £20 million

Mon, 12 May 2008 00:49:00 GMT

An MSP for Fife in Scotland has claimed that putting trains back on a railway line between Leven and Thornton would cost only £20 million.

According to the BBC, Tricia Marwick stated that tracks and signals along the line are still in place, but have not been sufficiently maintained. Re-opening the Levenmouth line would provide valuable public transport options to residents in south Fife, including a new rail service to Edinburgh.

The claims have further highlighted the efforts of campaigners to restore the branch line to St Andrews, which has been closed since the 1960s.

Currently, passengers travelling to St Andrews by rail must take the east coast line to Leuchars, before completing their journey to the seaside town by bus.

Campaigners have complained that the lack of a direct rail link to St Andrews causes traffic and congestion on roads in and around the city.

The BBC states that Sir Menzies Campbell, former Liberal Democrat leader and MP for North-East Fife, said: "The case for Levenmouth is extremely strong and adds weight to the restoration of the St Andrews link.

"If Levenmouth is being viewed as a serious option then St Andrews should be treated as a similar priority."

At £20 million, the cost of restoring the Levenmouth line is miniscule in comparison to that of the Glasgow Crossrail project, which aims to connect Glasgow's Central and Queen Street Stations.

Sandra White, a Scottish National Party list MSP for Glasgow, said last month that she expected the cost of the Crossrail plan to be close to £200 million.

Bank holiday revellers blessed with sunny weather

Mon, 05 May 2008 23:24:00 GMT

People around the UK enjoyed warm and sunny weather over the May Day Bank Holiday this weekend.

Last week, the AA predicted that about 18 million vehicles would cause gridlock on roads across Britain if the expected sunny weather emerged. Yet a spokesman for the RAC told the Telegraph: "It is more likely to be an Ikea weekend than a bucket and spade weekend."

This proved not to be the case for many bank holiday revellers. The hottest weather on Monday May 5 was seen in South East England. Yorkshire and North West England also enjoyed the hottest days of the year so far for their respective regions, according to the Guardian.

Other regions were not so lucky, however, with thunderstorms striking along the Welsh border.

John Hutchison from MeteoGroup UK said: "It's been a bit of a mixed bag. The best Bank Holiday weather has been in the South-East of England and East Anglia.

"We've had a band of cloud and patchy rain in Central England drifting westwards, moving into South-West England and Wales.

"It looks like there will be quite a lot of dry and fine weather around [this week], with temperatures reaching 21C-24C even in parts of the highlands, although there will be a south-easterly breeze."

In an added boon, rail engineering works that were expected to cause chaos for people up and down the country seemed to run according to plan this weekend, while Heathrow's Terminal 5 has seen no repeat of the chaos that plagued its opening days during the Bank Holiday travel season.

Sunny spell could result in May bank holiday gridlock

Fri, 02 May 2008 08:49:00 GMT

Millions of Britons could be affected by gridlocks and disrupted train travel over the May bank holiday weekend due to warm weather.

The AA advises that about 18 million vehicles will take to the road over the bank holiday weekend following weather forecasts of temperatures reaching up to 23C, the Independent reports.

Jams are expected on routes to the west of England, from north England to North Wales, in the Lake District, Blackpool, Brighton and Bournemouth as well as in the Midlands and Norfolk. The AA said to expect significantly busier roads beginning tonight as commuters prepare for the holiday.

Those planning to travel by rail could also be facing disruptions. Rail chaos has been predicted for travellers on the West Coast Main Line in the Midlands and those heading for the London Liverpool Street Station - which will be closed for major bridge work on Sunday and Monday.

Engineering work on the West Cost Main Line means that there will be no Virgin Trains service to or from London's Euston Station over the weekend - although trains will still run south as far as Coventry and Birmingham.

Speaking to the Independent, Network Rail Chief executive Iain Coucher said:

"The work over the May bank holiday is all about improving the railway for passengers and freight users. Over the long weekend, we'll be investing millions of pounds to make services more reliable, more punctual and, in some cases, faster and more frequent.

"While the overwhelming majority of services remain unaffected, our message to passengers is to check before you travel."

The holiday will also result in busy airports this weekend, with up to 1.3 million passengers expected to pass though Gatwick, Stanstead and Heathrow - whose terminal 5 is reportedly operating well despite initial problems.

Fife to Edinburgh bus route goes carbon neutral

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 07:36:00 GMT

Stagecoach had launched Scotland's first carbon neutral bus route, with plans to plant 140, 000 trees to offset emissions on journeys between Fife and Edinburgh.

According to the BBC, Stagecoach claims that all of its buses travelling between Fife and Edinburgh will remain carbon neutral for the next five years.

Under the scheme, services running from St Andrews, Leven, Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Dunfermline - Fife's major towns - will be included.

Stagecoach, working in partnership with Scottish charity Global Trees, says the initiative may save up to 21, 500 tonnes in CO2 emissions, while the new trees will absorb 4, 300 tonnes in annual CO2 emissions.

The Perth-based group already has procedures in place to reduce emissions from its 7, 000-vehicle bus fleet: it currently uses fuel with five per cent biodiesel and a hi-tech fuel additive manufactured using nanotechnology.

Speaking to the BBC, Stagecoach chief executive, Brian Souter, said:

"This is an extremely exciting initiative, which is setting the standard for greener, smarter bus travel and helping our customers reduce their own carbon footprint."

The project will see a mix of conifer, broadleaf and native woodlands planted on the Buccleuch Woodlands estates in the south of Scotland.

Additionally, Stagecoach is said to be investing more than £30 million in a fleet of buses that will meet the new "Euro 5" emission standards, due to come into force in September 2009. Falkirk-based bus manufacturing firm, Alexander Dennis, will provide all of the new Euro 5 buses.

A spokesman for Stagecoach told the Scotsman that current economic conditions and an increasing awareness of environmental issues has resulted in more people switching from cars to public transport.

Weekend rail travel disruptions expected

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:00:00 GMT

Travellers across the UK are expected to face travel disruptions over the upcoming May Bank Holiday weekend.

According to the Telegraph, hundreds of thousands of travellers' plans will be thrown into disarray by engineering works on railways all over the country.

The biggest problems will be experienced on the West Coast Main Line: no trains will run between London Euston and Birmingham from Saturday May 3 to early morning on Tuesday May 6. This closure is the result of engineering works at Nuneaton, Milton Keynes, Rugby and Trent Valley.

Instead, passengers have been advised by rail companies to travel to the Midlands on the Chiltern Line, while people going to London from North West England have been instructed to travel on the East Midlands Trains from Manchester, via Sheffield.

Alternative routes to London include the National Express East Coast service from Glasgow or Edinburgh.

Engineering works will also cause major delays and interruptions to travellers in South West England and Hampshire, as well as across the capital.

Additionally, UK airports will find themselves facing one of their busiest weekends of the year. As a result, this Bank Holiday period could be a crucial test of the capabilities of Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5, following its chaotic opening weeks.

The Telegraph states that, in total, Heathrow expects to see 684, 000 passengers travel from its terminals over the weekend, with New York being the most popular destination amongst British travellers.

Wrexham to London train runs after 41 years

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 06:25:00 GMT

A direct train service running between Wrexham and London has started up for the first time since 1967.

The new rail service will be operated by a new open access operator, Wrexham, Shropshire and Marylebone Railway, and will run between the Welsh city and London Marylebone station five times a day.

The train will stop at ten stations en route to the capital, including Shrewsbury, Wolverhampton and Banbury.

According to the BBC, the service will also re-establish a direct link to London from Shropshire, which lost its service in the 1990s, and Walsall in the West Midlands, which last saw a rail route straight to London 30 years ago.

Ieuan Wyn Jones, Deputy First Minister of the Welsh Assembly, said: "This expansion of services will play a key role in building a more effective rail network for Wales - one of the ambitions set out in our 'One Wales' programme for government...

"For the first time in 41 years, there will now be a regular rail service between Wrexham and London, and I congratulate all involved for completing this significant project."

Currently, the route's operator is using hired carriages; however, the BBC states that the company's own carriages will be used from this summer. Features of these new trains will include free wireless internet access and charging points for mobile phones and laptops.

According to transportbriefing.co.uk, Virgin Trains has extended its daily service between Chester and London to Wrexham, in order to provide travellers in North Wales with a further direct route to the capital.

BAA break-up could benefit UK travellers

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 05:00:00 GMT

UK airport congestion may be alleviated if BAA is forced to sell three airports by the Competition Commission.

According to the Times, the Commission indicted that poor passenger service from the Spanish-owned company is behind the decision to break-up BAA's airport and monopolies in London and Scotland.

By diversifying ownership of the three main London airports, the Commission hopes that a greater effort will be made by owners to implement measures to relieve overcrowding. A spokesman stated:

"Separate ownership would itself create a greater incentive to expand capacity."

In August they will publish recommendations to sell either Gatwick or Stansted (or even both) as well as either Edinburgh or Glasgow and possibly Southampton. BAA is expected to act before the Commission's recommendations are published and may even sell Gatwick within months.

It is widely anticipated that a new owner would revive plans for a second Gatwick runway. Possible locations for an additional runway, south of the existing one, were published by the Department of Transport in 2003 and could potentially double the number of flights to 486,000 a year. While an agreement to hold off on a new runway until 2019 was signed between BAA and West Sussex County Council in 1979, Parliament has the power to overturn it.

The Government is keen to avoid disruptions to plans for a sixth terminal and third runway at Heathrow and an expansion at Stansted. A review of the countries airport regulations was announced by Ruth Kelly, the Transport Secretary, yesterday.

Speaking to The Times, Theresa Villiers, Shadow Transport Secretary, said:

"BAA's monopolistic grip on so many of the UK's major airports has not been serving passengers or airlines well. The case for breaking up BAA gets stronger by the day."

London to Lincoln train service could start early

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 04:01:00 GMT

A direct rail service running between London and Lincoln could be set in place a year earlier than expected.

The BBC reports that National Express East Coast, which bought over GNER last year, had previously planned to have a direct train route running between the capital and the Lincolnshire town in 2010.

However, since the infrastructure is already in place, the plans could be brought forward to December 2009.

Currently, passengers travelling by rail between Lincoln and London need to change at Newark in Nottinghamshire. However, the new train service will start at Cleethorpes and run through Grimsby and Market Rasen as well.

According to the BBC, John Gelson from National Express East Coast said: "There was a very strong case made around the time we won the franchise for this link.

"The economic benefits for Lincoln are a given. We know people want them [the trains] and we want to get on and deliver them."

In addition, the Market Rasen Mail quotes Mr Gelson as saying: "There has been a 10 to 15% increase in passenger numbers on the East Coast main line and the forecast is that, with more people switching from road to rail for environmental and fuel cost reasons, this increase will continue."

The proposed train service between London and Lincoln will be the first to run between the two cities for over twenty years and the journey will take approximately two hours.

New Forth road bridge could be a double-decker

Mon, 21 Apr 2008 03:49:00 GMT

The new road bridge planned for the Forth crossing could be a double-decker, The Scotsman reports.

A number of crossing designs have been released for the central Scotland crossing. The three options include the two-tiered approach, which would feature a separate deck for buses or trams, as well two designs featuring a single deck with dual carriageways.

The engineering consultants carrying out the preparation work for the scheme, Arup-Jacob, have begun conducting land surveys. The work is expected to begin in 2011 and the new bridge will not be completed for and estimated eight years. Ministers have not yet announced how the project will be funded and approved.

The new bridge connecting Edinburgh to Fife will join its iconic predecessors and its creators aim to create a world-renowned structure without over-shadowing the previous bridges.

Leading Edinburgh Architects Bill Black and Malcolm Fraser commented positively on the proposed designs, although Fraser stated that he was opposed to a new bridge as he believed it would increase road use.

South Queensferry residents, whose lives are likely to be most disrupted by the new construction, have already launched a protest group against the proposed bridge, although its precise positioning has not yet been determined.

A spokesman for the Transport Scotland agency, which is in overall charge of the project, said told The Scotsman it aimed to "minimise any disruption to communities associated with the new bridge".

The Scotsman also recently reported that The Forth Bridges Visitor Centre Trust may be considering converting disused buildings near the FETA headquarters in South Queensferry into a tourist attraction.

New seaplane service slashes time between Hebrides and Glasgow

Fri, 18 Apr 2008 03:12:00 GMT

A new air service provided by Loch Lomond Seaplanes will connect Glasgow and Tobermory on the Island of Mull, the Guardian reports.

Even though Mull does not have an airport, the nine-seat Cessna 208 will provide a direct airlink to the island and a return ticket will cost £179, or £99 one way. The new service cuts a five-hour journey to a 35 minute breeze.

Loch Lomond Seaplanes, Europe's only aquatic airline, already run a twice-daily service between Glasgow and Oban - pioneered last summer.

In a statement to the Glasgow Evening Times, Susie West, one of the two directors of the company, said: "We had a lot of people asking, When are you going to go to Mull? So it really has been customer-driven."

She also suggests that with a quick trip from the Clyde to Glasgow Airport and a connecting flight to London, commuters could make it into the capital a mere three hours after leaving the Hebridean idyll

A representative of the Tobermory Harbour Association, Brain Swinbanks, welcomed the launch, stating:

"It is a tremendous service and it allows the people of Mull to leave and go down and, say, watch football matches and visit trade shows, and within two to three hours they can be on flights going to the continent. There are lots of other ways to get to the mainland but this is fast, modern access for the people of Mull."

The company plans to expand to provide seaplane operations to destinations such as the Isle of Skye, Bute and Arran later this year.

Heathrow passengers experience the longest delays in Britain.

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 02:36:00 GMT

Recent figures showed that passengers travelling with Heathrow suffered longer delays than at any other major British airport, according to the Telegraph.

The Civil Aviation Authority monitored 10 airports - Heathrow, Gatwick, Birmingham, Luton, Stansted, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and London City - and found the average delay to be 17 minutes.

With scheduled flights departing 21 minutes late on average, Heathrow passengers endured the longest delays while London City passengers were also faced with punctuality issues - 42 per cent of services were found to be arriving or departing at least 15 minutes late. The findings cover the last quarter of 2007 and reveal that while 61 per cent of flights left Heathrow on time in 2006, this dropped to 60 per cent at the end of last year.

London City and Heathrow were the only two airports of the ten that failed to improve their on-time performance.

The news follows the difficult opening of Terminal 5 last month. The Telegraph reports that it was hoped the new Heathrow terminal would to ease delays but the problems T5 experienced are likely to impact punctuality over the next two quarters.

Former Labour MP Lord Soley, the campaign director of Future Heathrow, used the figures to highlight his belief that Heathrow was in need of a third runway. Speaking to the Telegraph he said:

"Heathrow's two runways are currently operating at 99 per cent of their permitted capacity and this is leading to unnecessary delays for passengers."

Lord Soley compared the conditions at Heathrow to those in Paris and Frankfurt, adding:

"These figures show that additional capacity at Heathrow is needed now if the UK is to maintain its competitive edge."

Cross-Glasgow link could connect Edinburgh to West Coast

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:25:00 GMT

The Scottish Government is putting pressure on its transport minister to approve the construction of a cross-Glasgow rail link, which would connect passengers on Scotland's West Coast to Edinburgh and beyond.

The approval of the Crossrail project would mean that Glasgow's Central and Queen Street stations would be connected. This would mean that commuters coming from Ayrshire and the south of Scotland could travel through the city and on to Edinburgh without changing trains.

Conversely, the cross link would mean that tourists travelling by rail from Edinburgh to Scotland's West Coast - which is well-known for its scenic beauty - would also be able to avoid changing trains at Glasgow.

Behind the motion is Bill Butler, a Labour MSP for Anniesland, who stated: "It is not simply a Glasgow project but will have national benefits and we believe it is time for the Government to support this project."

According to the Glasgow Evening Times, the cost of the Crossrail project was estimated at £115 million to £187 million in 2005. However, more recent estimates - including one by Glasgow SNP list MSP Sandra White - place the cost at nearer £200 million.

Speaking on the project, Ms White commented: "This is not a parochial line for Glasgow but a Scottish line which links Ayrshire to Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen.

"I don't think that's a lot of money to get a transport system working the way people want it to work in the 21st century."

St Pancras attracts two million more to Eurostar

Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:12:00 GMT

Rail operator Eurostar has reported a 21 per cent increase in passenger numbers in the first three months of 2008.

The high-speed Channel Tunnel operator said that its sales rose to £178.4 million between January and March this year, a rise of 25.2 per cent, with 2.17 million customers travelling between London, Paris and Brussels.

According to the Guardian, Eurostar's commercial director Nick Mercer claimed that the £5.8 billion high-speed link and the central location of the new St Pancras International station have been instrumental in boosting Eurostar's passenger numbers.

He stated: "The passenger increase is coming from shorter journey times, better punctuality and improved connectivity, particularly from the UK regions. We have seen a near doubling of passengers from places such as York and the East Midlands."

In addition, Mercer told the newspaper that half the growth in passengers had come from customers north of London. What's more, the shifting of the main Eurostar terminal from Waterloo to St Pancras had meant that a small number of customers from south west England had been lost, but not as many as Eurostar predicted.

The newspaper states that the rail operator is currently working on a new marketing strategy with domestic rail firms Virgin Trains, East Midlands Trains and National Express East Coast.

The result of this campaign, due to launch this summer, will see residents in some northern cities - including Leeds, Sheffield and Birmingham - being offered special, cheaper deals to Paris.

UK heritage could be under threat from sat nav

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 00:12:00 GMT

According to the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, drivers following satellite navigation directions could be putting historic British buildings, bridges and roads at risk.

The Telegraph reports that a number of sites have already suffered damage due to reliance on the device, including a 200-year-old-bridge in Oxfordshire, a 300-year-old cottage in Greater
Manchester and Pevensey Castle, near Eastborne, in East Sussex.

Sat nav uses the Global Positioning System to pinpoint the location of a driver and provide them with directions to their destination. There have been numerous reports of large vehicles becoming stuck in narrow country lanes and under bridges following the surge in the device's popularity with motorists.

The conservation society highlighted problems resulting from misdirection in various areas of England and society secretary, Philip Venning, said that thousands of pounds worth of damage to buildings and historic sites had already occurred.

"Blind reliance on satellite navigation is fast becoming a serious issue for old buildings as motorists are directed to use ancient lanes and narrow country roads that might have posed a problem for horse-drawn carriages,".

Network Rail also told the Telegraph that sat nav errors cause £10 million of damage to railway bridges and 5,000 hours of delay every year.

The route map provider Ordnance Survey has begun working with local authorities to help satellite navigation firms guide their users away from country roads and villages. The Government also released plans last month to force firms to provide different routes for various types of vehicle.

Travellers flock to ferries in wake of airport delays

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 08:49:00 GMT

Higher airport taxes and more frequent delays have meant that thousands of people a year are turning to ferries over airline travel in the UK.

Dover harbour, the UK's second busiest cruise port after Southampton, has reported a 1.7 per cent rise in ferry activity in 2007, with a 7.2 per cent increase in tourist car journeys to 2.8 million - the highest figure since 1999.

In addition, the port saw four million coach passengers pass through on 105, 000 coaches, and 132 cruise ships carrying 211, 778 passengers over the course of the year.

In an official statement, Dover Harbour Board said: "Motoring tourists returned in their thousands to ferries, as continued consolidation of the low-cost airlines and increasing airport taxes and delays reduced the appeal of short-haul flights in favour of drive-and-sail holidays."

The findings seem even more pertinent in the wake of the delays, cancellations and baggage losses at Heathrow's new Terminal 5 building.

What's more, it shows how Kent is fast establishing itself as a convenient point from which UK holidaymakers can travel, with both ferries from Dover and the Eurostar from Ashford offering excellent transport links to Europe.

Anticipating yet more growth in port activity, officials at Dover port are planning a £400 million expansion that will see a second ferry terminal built within the harbour. Construction is due to start in April 2008 and is expected to be completed in March 2009.

Bob Goldfield, Chief Executive of Dover Harbour Board, stated: "We finished 2007 in a strong financial position, and are poised to realise our longer term investment aspirations to develop the Port to capitalise on this growth."

UK travellers disrupted by weekend snow

Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:25:00 GMT

Unseasonal snowfall over the weekend has resulted in disruption and delays for a number of UK travellers.

According to the Guardian, heavy snow began falling in central London early yesterday morning, after travelling southwards from Scotland during the night. Midday temperatures across southern England hovered around the freezing mark and some parts of Berkshire and Surrey saw three inches of snow.

Terminal 5, the new building at Heathrow airport, had to cancel a further 62 flights due to the weather. Flights were also cancelled at Gatwick and passengers at Bristol airport were faced with delays.

In addition, the adverse weather conditions affected those travelling by road, with accidents on the M40 in Oxfordshire, the M25 near St Albans and several collisions on the M56 near Warrington in Cheshire - which remained closed for five hours on Sunday. North Wales experienced cold winds that led to heavy seas and Old Colwyns' promenade was closed to vehicles as a result.

According to forecasters, up to three inches of snow is likely to fall in southern England and the Met Office said there was an 80 per cent chance of heavy snow and icy roads in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland over the next week.

After warmer weather at the end of last week, snow may have come as a surprise to some travellers, but the Met Office says that snow in April is not uncommon - although heavy falls are unusual. A spokesman told the Guardian:

"Over the weekend, a northerly wind developed and strengthened, introducing increasingly cold air direct from the Arctic. The rest of the week will remain on the cold side, with further snow showers, but temperatures will return to normal levels of around 12 degrees Celsius (54 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the week."

High speed trains will run to Newquay this summer

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:24:00 GMT

CrossCountry Trains announce new rail services that will see high speed trains run to the Cornish resort of Newquay this summer.

According to the BBC, new Saturday services will run directly to Newquay, one of south west England's most popular holiday destinations, from May to September in an attempt to bring more holidaymakers and tourists to the county.

CrossCountry Trains will run two nine-coach trains between Manchester and Newquay and two seven-coach trains between Newquay and Newcastle. The high speed trains will have large luggage carriers able to accommodate surfboards at the front of each train and all of the new services will offer travellers buffet car catering or in-seat catering.

The announcement was welcomed by Surfers Against Sewage who highlighted the environmental benefits. The group's campaign officer, Andy Cummings, told the BBC:

"From a purely selfish point of view, if water users want to come to Newquay and they can fly or take the train, the train is by far the better option."

It will be the first train service to run between Manchester and Newquay, stopping at Crewe, since 1986. According to the BBC, VisitCornwall spokeswoman Julia Cox said:

"These new cross-country train routes are fantastic news for Cornwall. Not only will they facilitate the use of sustainable travel but they will also put the UK's surfing hotspot in easy reach and, thanks to the large luggage compartments, enable visitors to ride Newquay's waves using their own boards.

"This is sure to appeal to the hundreds of surfers that head to Cornwall each year."

T5 chaos continues over weekend

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:48:00 GMT

The inaugural week of the new Terminal 5 building at Heathrow Airport continues to be marred by cancellations and baggage delays by flagship flight operator British Airways.

Since T5 opened on Thursday March 27, just four days ago, a total of 353 flights have been cancelled by BA. In addition, 15, 000 bags have been separated from their owners and around 20, 000 passengers affected by the confusion.

The Guardian states that, in order to combat the mounds of luggage that have mounted up at T5, BA has enlisted 400 volunteers from its staff to sift through the backlog.

An official comment from BA stated: "A backlog of undelivered bags has built up. This backlog is not affecting the day-to-day operation of the baggage system, and we are making every effort to reunite delayed bags with their owners...

"We are sorry for the disruption and inconvenience caused to customers whose flights have been cancelled or whose bags have been delayed."

Furthermore, business leaders in Scotland have claimed that BA flights to the country have been disproportionately affected by the problems at T5, according to the BBC.

Flights to Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh have all seen cancellations over the past four days, much to the consternation of Scottish businessmen and the Scottish government.

Andy Wilcox, a member of the Federation of Small Business Scotland, told the BBC: "It is an open secret that flights to and from Scotland are the first to be scrapped in order to clear the backlog and handle more lucrative international flights." BA, however, have refuted claims that flights to Scotland have been unfairly disadvantaged.

The airline operator hopes to reduce the number of cancelled flights from T5 gradually throughout the coming week.

Heathrow Terminal 5 opens to passengers

Thu, 27 Mar 2008 04:13:00 GMT

Two weeks after it was officially launched by the Queen, Heathrow's long-awaited Terminal 5 building has opened its doors to passengers today (March 27).

The new Heathrow terminal, which cost an estimated £4.3 billion to build, saw its first flight touch down this morning - a British Airways flight from Hong Kong.

The Guardian reports that most passengers at T5 this morning had a hitch-free experience. However, some passengers have complained of having to queue for longer than expected.

BAA, Heathrow's owner, hopes that T5 will reduce passenger waiting times, with 20 fully manned security checkpoints and a target of 95% of fliers queuing for no longer than five minutes.

Logistics director at Heathrow, Shaun Cowlam, told the Guardian: "On the whole it has gone extremely well, quite clearly there are a few snags but an operation this big is like buying a house. There are always niggles."

However, the fanfare surrounding the new terminal building could be overshadowed by a planned "flash mob" protest scheduling to take place at T5 this morning.

According to the BBC, protestors - which include local London residents and environmentalists from across the country - are concerned that the increased terminal capacity will mean an increased number of flights, which could have a harmful impact on the environment.

Over the course of the following year, British Airways will move most of its flights to T5. This will include all long haul flights from Terminals 1 and 4 (except Singapore, Bangkok and Sydney) and domestic flights from Terminal 1, including flights to Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle upon Tyne.

Derailment affects Birmingham train services

Wed, 26 Mar 2008 03:49:00 GMT

Birmingham train services remain disrupted after a freight train hit a wall and derailed four wagons on the approach to Moor Street station yesterday.

According to the BBC, Chiltern services are starting and terminating at Dorridge or Solihull and replacement buses are running between Dorridge/Solihull and Birmingham Snow Hill.

No London Midland trains are currently running between Stourbridge and Dorridge and Stourbridge and Stratford. The incident has caused disruption along a route which includes Banbury, Leamington Spa, Kidderminster and Tyseley and its services are terminating at Spring Road/Acocks Green and Birmingham Snow Hill.

Chiltern Railways passengers are being accepted on Virgin Trains services between London Euston and Birmingham New Street. In addition, Travel West Midlands is accepting London Midlands passengers between Spring Road /Acocks Green and at Birmingham Snow Hill.

Local and national rail services to Birmingham New Street have not been affected by the incident.

Speaking to the BBC, Keith Lumley from Network Rail, said:

"The work that we've got to do is to continue to recover the actual wagons that were derailed.

"That itself is a particularly difficult job. Then there's the ongoing track and viaduct wall repairs that need to be carried out.

"Plus of course there's the investigation into what actually caused the derailment."

Birmingham Mail reported that engineers carried out repairs to the track and bridge throughout the night and that rail operators hope that normal rail services will be resumed on Thursday.

The UK's first white Easter in 10 years doesn't deter travellers

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 03:48:00 GMT

Severe weather warnings were issued by the Met Office on Sunday as biting winds and snow showers hit Scotland before continuing through England as far as South East Anglia.

Many Britons were greeted to the first white Easter the UK has seen in ten years The Independent reported. Parts of
North East England, Yorkshire and Staffordshire were among the worst affected with almost four inches of snow in some places.

The weather caused wide spread disruption to travel and motorists were warned not to drive their cars unless absolutely necessary - but millions are still expected to return from their Easter weekend breaks.

A spokesman for the RAC told The Independent:

"Around 16 million people will have set off from Maundy Thursday through to Easter Sunday. Now there's a deadline to be met, so many of these millions will be heading home."

Treacherous conditions in Cumbria caused the police to close the A66 and call in snowploughs while the ambulance service in North West England appealed for members of the public to only dial 999 in an emergency after two of its vehicles had to be rescued from the roads.

The Leeds Bradford airport in Yorkshire also experienced weather related difficulties, with no planes able to take off or land on Easter Sunday.

Meanwhile, three men on an excursion up the 978-metre Scafell Pike in the Lake District had to be rescued after running into problems.

The early Easter holiday means that many travelers may be hurrying back from their breaks this year as families rush to get their children back in time for school - whatever the weather.

Early Easter holidays affecting UK travel plans

Thu, 20 Mar 2008 03:01:00 GMT

Millions of people planning a get-away will be faced with rail closures and wet road conditions as the early Easter holidays result in bad weather conditions for the long weekend, according to the Guardian.

The AA stated that the roads could be quieter than expected this Easter as many school holidays fall in early April. But heavy traffic is expected nonetheless, with up to 10% more vehicles on the road than usual. Motorways will be the most heavily hit and the M225 near Heathrow Airport, the M6 in the West Midlands and the M5 north of Bristol are some of the major roads most likely to suffer heavy traffic.

While the AA predicted that wet weather will make driving more hazardous, they also suggested that this means that the roads will be quieter as fewer families are likely to brave the weather.

The UK's first motorway car-share lane, between the M606 near Bradford and the M62 towards Leeds, opens today: providing an option for drivers in Yorkshire hoping to avoid traffic queues.

Train travel is also set to face disturbances with a number of rail networks closed as Network Rail tackles 35 engineering projects: areas affected include Rugby, Swindon and Reading on the Great Western Line. Virgin Trains also warned of long trips for travellers using the London and Glasgow line.

Speaking to the Guardian Tom Wright, chief executive of VisitBritain, said crowded airports and delayed long-distance train journeys should boost local tourism. "There's a real opportunity this year for Brits to rediscover what's on their own doorstep."

North of England to trial UK's first tram-trains

Wed, 19 Mar 2008 02:36:00 GMT

The first UK trial of vehicles capable of travelling on tram or train lines has been announced, according to the BBC.

The two-year trial will commence in 2010 and tram-trains will replace standard trains on the Penistone Line between Huddersfield, Barnsley and Sheffield. The 37- mile Penistone Line has 17 stations and is currently used by 1.2m passengers a year

The project is a partnership between the Department for transport, Network Rail and Northern Rail. Network Rail will contribute £15m to track improvements and alterations to stations, while Northern Rail will launch a competition for manufacturers to build the tram-trains to test the new form of public transport.

The managing director of Northern Rail, Heidi Mottram, stated:

"This is a great opportunity for us to develop our network and attract more people to use public transport in this part of Yorkshire."

The goal of the trial is to establish whether transport models currently running across Europe are a viable option for rail networks in the UK. Talking to the BBC, the Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly said:

"Passenger feedback is a vital ingredient in determining the success of the trial and I look forward to hearing what the people of Yorkshire think about the comfort and reliability of tram-trains."

She also suggested that the proposed tram-trains promised a "new era" in public transport, adding, "Tram-trains will bring quicker journeys and offer a greener travel option for passengers in Yorkshire."

Queen to open Heathrow Terminal 5 today

Fri, 14 Mar 2008 00:25:00 GMT

The Queen is set to launch Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5 today (March 14) in an opening ceremony that will feature hundreds of airport employees and construction workers involved in its creation.

The Duke of Edinburgh will accompany the Queen, who also opened Heathrow's first terminal building (now Terminal 2) in 1955. Other guests at the event will include Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly, BAA's chairman Sir Nigel Rudd and the chairman of British Airways, Martin Broughton.

Terminal 5, which cost an estimated £4.3 billion to build, aims to increase passenger capacity at Heathrow, which sees around 67.3 million pass through its gates each year.

However, according to the BBC, the number of flights will remain the same when the terminal opens to passengers on March 27.

The new Heathrow appendage offers an array of gourmet restaurants, luxury shops, faster check-in services and advanced baggage systems which are designed to reduce the amount of lost luggage experienced by the airport each year. Speaking to BBC Television today, Sir Rudd said:

"London deserves a first-class airport. We are starting today. This is a new beginning."

He added,

"From every perspective, this is a landmark project and I am proud to think that Terminal 5 has become a model construction project, setting new, higher standards for an industry around the world."

Despite the excitement, the building of Terminal 5 has been littered with protests. Green campaigners claim the added space and planned third runway will result in an increased number of flights, which could have devastating effects on the environment.

The BBC states that Terminal 5 will be used solely by British Airways, for international flights to and from Newcastle, Manchester, Belfast and Scottish airports. The first flight to land at the terminal will be a BA flight from Hong Kong, arriving in two weeks time.

Severe weather spells chaos for travellers

Wed, 12 Mar 2008 23:00:00 GMT

High winds have thrown travel plans into chaos across England. Flights have been experiencing difficulties in the north west of England as BBC News reports severe gales blowing at up to 80mph.

Several planes have been obliged to circle around Manchester Airport due to the gusts and flights at the Liverpool John Lennon Airport have experienced delays of up to an hour.

England's high winds have been causing chaos on the ground too with a number of train services affected. Many services from London Euston to Manchester have been cancelled or delayed and travellers can expect delays of up to an hour on all Virgin Trains' services due to a blanket 50mph speed restriction north of Rugby.

The London to Glasgow rail services will be running with heavy delays.

Travellers should also be aware of road closures across England. The M6 Thelwell Viaduct near Warrington, for instance, saw three lorries overturned by the strong winds and was subsequently partially closed for several hours.

Cheshire and Merseyside have also suffered the uprooting of numerous trees, but police said that advance warning allowed them and the council to ensure teams were in place to deal with them immediately.

Hampshire police warned of the possibility of flooding on the A3 and Inspector Mike Kynaston of Dorset told the BBC that potential travellers in the area should only attempt essential journeys. "Unless your journey is absolutely essential I would not travel, and if you are travelling do so with extreme caution," he said.

Easter travellers face railway disruptions

Mon, 10 Mar 2008 07:24:00 GMT

It is expected that over seven million people in the UK will travel by train between Good Friday and Easter Monday this year. However, these travellers are likely to face severe disruptions, as Network Rail announces the closure of major railway lines across the country over Easter weekend.

A report in the Guardian newspaper claims that engineering works will see 35 of Britain's busiest railway locations close, including the main west coast line between London and Glasgow.

Other routes that will be closed over Easter are the east coast line between York and Doncaster, the transpennine line between Huddersfield and Leeds and the great western route operating between Gloucester and Newport.

The impending railway disruptions are an eerie reminder of the travel chaos that followed after Network Rail engineering works overran in the New Year, for which the company was fined a record £14 million by the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) in February 2008.

According to the Guardian, a spokesman for the ORR commented, "What happened at New Year was unacceptable and Network Rail acknowledges that. Everyone has agreed there can be no repeat."

In response to the Easter railway closures, a Network Rail spokesman said that the operator could not guarantee that the work would be completed on time, but stated, "We can guarantee that we will be doing everything we can to ensure minimal disruption to passengers over Easter."

The rail closures will begin on Good Friday (March 21) and continue into the first working day after Easter. This includes work that will take place outside London Liverpool Street station - one of the hardest hit by the New Year delays - and could affect millions of commuters returning to work in the capital on Tuesday March 25.

Seven Mersey stations to get accessibility makeover

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:50:12 GMT

Seven railway stations in Merseyside are to benefit from a £1.77-million investment to improve accessibility.

Works covered by the scheme will include the installation of a fully-accessible toilet at Bidston, a height-adjustable ticket counter in New Brighton, and automatic entrance doors at Newton le Willows.

Upgraded customer information systems will be fitted at all seven stations, which also include St Helens Junction, Southport, Wallasey Grove Road and Wallasey Village.

Regional transport body Merseytravel has provided nearly £935,000 of funding for the works, with the remainder coming from Department of Transport Access for All funds.

Merseytravel chief executive Neil Scales said: "Our aim is to create a single integrated public transport network that is accessible to everyone."

"This is key funding for us," added Councillor Bob Roberts, chair of Merseytravel's Transport Access Panel. "Small schemes such as this can make a big difference to people's lives."

UK hit by wild weather

Thu, 31 Jan 2008 03:44:17 GMT

Severe gales have hit the UK, with blizzards set to follow in some areas over the next two days.

The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings across all regions for Friday and Saturday.

"Gusts of wind of up to 70 mph could lead to local travel disruption before colder conditions arrive," said the Met Office's chief forecaster, Bob Wilderspin.

The Highways Agency has advised road users to take extra care during the difficult conditions. By Thursday lunchtime, the storms had already claimed one life – a lorry driver in Cumbria died when his vehicle overturned on the M6.

Several bridges have been closed to high-sided vehicles, and ferry services at Dover have been suspended.

"Cattle prod" for First Great Western

Tue, 29 Jan 2008 05:28:12 GMT

Campaigners dressed in cattle masks undertook a ticket boycott on First Great Western train services yesterday, to protest about passenger conditions.

The 'fare strike' was organised by campaign group More Train Less Strain (MTLS), which says it gave away 10,000 fake tickets to commuters and encouraged travellers to refuse to pay for their morning's journey.

"Judging from the support we have had from the public, the government would be well advised to listen to the West Country and remove the franchise from First Great Western," said a spokesperson for MTLS.

The Press Association reports that protests took place at 20 stations.

However, First Great Western claims that just 100 passengers refused to pay their fares, out of a daily total of 100,000.

"First Great Western accepts that it has failed to deliver an appropriate level of service and is taking steps to improve its service," a statement said.

Last week, the train company announced that it would double the level of compensation it offered to season ticket holders affected by "poor performance".