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

Wednesday, 14 October 2026

BBC News

• Campaigners call on PM to scrap floating bus stopsDisability campaigners and organisations have called on the prime minister to ban and remove England's floating bus stops due to concerns the infrastructure poses a major safety hazard for blind, deaf and disabled commuters.
• Contractors remove island that blocked bus routeWork has started to remove a newly installed traffic island after it left a road in a village in Leicestershire too narrow for buses to access.
• Bus changes 'inexcusable' as children left behindParents and teachers have said it is "inexcusable" that children are being left on the side of a busy road because their bus to and from school is not big enough.
• Bids sought to fill community transport gapsMore than £100,000 has been made available by a council to improve community transport after a rural bus service stopped running in April due to financial pressures.
• Audio bus displays a 'game changer' says blind manNew displays for electric buses have been a "game changer" for visually impaired people, a blind man has said.
• Strong interest in airport purchase - councilsThere has been "strong level" of interest in buying an airport, including from a leading business entrepreneur, council leaders say.
• Not building third runway would be 'huge missed opportunity', warns Heathrow bossNot building a third runway at Heathrow Airport would be a "huge missed opportunity" for the UK, the boss of the country's busiest airport has warned. Thomas Woldbye told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it would be "good to know" the government's position on the project, after Prime Minister Andy Burnham refused to say whether he backed expansion.
• More fines issued to curb badly parked e-bikesWestminster Council says it has escalated its enforcement against issues like pavement blocking.
• Campaigners call on PM to scrap floating bus stopsAbout 300 disability groups have called for the bus stop design to be scrapped over safety concerns.
• Level crossing closed after children play chickenThe crossing will stay shut until pupils at local schools have been given a rail safety talk.

Department for Transport

• Transfer of Chiltern Railways' services into public ownership - Written statement to ParliamentTen of the 14 English train operators that provide passenger services under contract with the Department for Transport are now in public ownership.

STV

• Glasgow Airport opens solar farm set to supply 25% of its electricityGlasgow Airport has opened a new solar farm which is expected to meet around a quarter of its on-site electricity demand.

The Guardian

• Yes, Britain’s railways are a mess. But is anyone sober enough to care? | Zoe WilliamsProsecco for the birthday party, Pimm’s for the horsey bunch, some cheeky Stellas for the short-haul crowd: it was all going down on my train the other morningOn Saturday I went to Liverpool with my youngest, and the overhead lines went down at Crewe, but also there were crew shortages across the land, so between the homophones and my lifelong inability to start listening to a train announcement until halfway through, I cannot tell you at what point this journey became a five-train, four-hour odyssey. All I know is what’s happening on every train, in every part of the country.
• UK will not put tariffs on Chinese vehicles, says Jonathan ReynoldsExclusive: Business secretary says he will not change trade rules due to EU pressure and denies UK will become a ‘back door’ for cheap importsThe business secretary has hit back at European demands for British tariffs on Chinese imports, saying the government will not change its trade rules because of pressure from Brussels.Jonathan Reynolds warned that the government would not bow to calls from other countries for the UK to hit Chinese vehicles with import taxes, despite political pressure to align with the EU in exchange for deeper future economic ties. Continue reading...

Times Online

• Holidays back to pre-pandemic levels as Britons embrace city breaks [subscription]In a year dominated by cost of living concerns, disruption in the Middle East and a botched introduction of the new European border system, there had been fears that some Britons would forgo their annual holiday.
• Fines alone may not be enough to thwart reckless cycling [subscription]Over the past year police in the Square Mile have issued 1,315 fixed penalty notices to cyclists, many of whom seem oblivious to the purpose of red traffic lights, riding straight through them. The fact that this total has more than doubled from the previous year is a sign of the disregard for the rules of the road displayed by too many of those who travel on two wheels. The arrogant rogue cyclist is now an all too common feature of the urban landscape.
• Cyclists who run red lights face 'sin bin' instead of fines [subscription]City of London police are trying a new tactic of making offenders watch safety films at the roadside to crack down on dangerous cycling
• Would you ride a 70mph electric tricycle? [subscription]A French company is pioneering a three-wheeled, two-door electric vehicle with no steering wheel to challenge cyclists and drivers to become 'healthier'
• London drivers face £1,100 parking fees under green emissions rules [subscription]Charges for residents' permits vary hugely across the capital where you live matters, new analysis finds

Welsh Government

• Welsh Government takes action to climate-proof Wales's transport networkThe Welsh Government is working with partners to build a transport network that can withstand future climate pressures and best serve the people of Wales, it was announced today.

City AM

• Abandoning third runway would be bad for UK, Istanbul airport boss warnsThe UK risks missing out on a “positive cycle in the economy” if it fails to approve Heathrow’s third runway, the boss of Istanbul airport has said, adding that a phased approach to development could help keep a lid on the mega-project’s eye-watering costs.

Mail Online

• 'Indifferent' London Tube staff and lack of action on crime blamed for victims not coming forwardVictims of crime on London's public transport network are staying silent due to 'indifferent staff' and a 'fragmented' and 'confusing' reporting system, the city's travel watchdog has found.

The Mirror

• Ryanair to cut 500,000 seats as route to European airport axed early next yearRyanair services daily direct flights on the route for just £15 but from April next year, layovers will now be required for those wanting to fly to fly from the UK to this city

Network Rail

• Christmas rail investment at Doncaster to deliver more reliable journeys on East Coast Main LinePassengers are advised to plan ahead while a major programme of railway upgrades is carried out over the festive period, with no services able to call at or pass through Doncaster station on Christmas Eve.

Birmingham Mail

• Department for Transport confirms change to train station ticket barriers under Andy BurnhamNow that Andy Burnham is Prime Minister, the change has started this week. The DfT has confirmed taller barriers are being rolled out across the country - with the first unveiled this week.
• Questions over Reform’s ‘broken promise’ to offer free parking across SandwellTwo hours free parking has been offered at three council car parks in Great Bridge and Wednesbury as part of a year-long pilot
• Birmingham Airport chief reveals all on second runway and £2 billion masterplan Special Report: More flights, more passengers, more traffic, bigger terminal, better experience all touted in Birmingham Airport Masterplan

Birmingham Post

• Travel industry sees bounce back to nearly pre-Covid pandemic levels says ABTAABTA has shared its annual Holiday Habits report as firms have started to see a bounce back since pre-Covid levels - and a turn to travel professionals for advice

Bolton News

• Only 20 per cent used public transport at Manchester AirportFour out of five passengers travelling through Manchester Airport are still choosing cars, taxis or other private transport over trains, trams and buses, according to new figures.

London Evening Standard

• Revealed: How the M25 would be moved under Heathrow Airport's plans for a third runwayHeathrow chiefs have laid out how they believe the M25 can be moved without creating traffic chaos under plans for a third runway.

Manchester Evening News

• Hope for Metrolink commuters as bosses reveal 2027 tram closure plansThe comments come as passengers brace for two more weeks of travel chaos from Monday

Nation. Cymru

• Transport plans target disruption from heatwaves, floods and stormsDeputy Minister for Transport Mark Hooper told the Senedd on Tuesday that measures included improved train maintenance, preparations for winter road conditions and an exercise to test the response to a port closure.

Cambridge News

• New guided busway approved despite fears current busways are 'damaging public trust'Cambridgeshire County Council has approved a scheme to link Cambridge with Waterbeach New Town where thousands of homes are planned
• Villagers 'overjoyed' as rail depot they feared would 'destroy' area is scrappedFulbourn residents said they are 'overjoyed' after East West Rail said plans for a 'train care centre' have been scrapped

Oxford Mail

• Next phase of Oxford station redevelopment 'to be revealed'The next phase of work for the redevelopment of Oxford rail station could be revealed soon by Network Rail bosses.

Other Regional Press

• Welsh Government pledges third Menai Strait bridgeA Welsh Government minister has insisted a third bridge over the Menai will be built, although he may not be the 'one cutting the ribbon' in 10 years time.
• MP calls for better Sunday rail services through MarpleLisa Smart, MP for Hazel Grove, has said the current provision is 'not good enough' and that a resolution is needed soon.
• Shropshire leaders calling for London rail servicesShropshire Council's leader and cabinet member for transport and regeneration, Councillors Heather Kidd and Rob Wilson, have written to the Minister of State for Rail following the Office of Road and Rail's (ORR) latest rejection of proposals for a direct Wrexham to London service.
• East West Rail agrees new solution for Cambridge Eastern Train Care CentreEast West Railway Company (EWR Co) has found an alternative to building a train care centre (TCC) in Fulbourn, South Cambridgeshire following extensive work with the rail industry to develop a different solution.
• Passenger trains to run on £7bn East West Rail line for one weekendThe first passengers to travel on the new East West Rail line will not be able to get off at its freshly built station.
• More uniformed officers on Rotherham's transport from next September, as launch of bus scheme approachesSYMCA said it is developing a new 'travel safe' programme, focussed on improving safety across the whole transport network
• New bus review framework to protect community services and ensure best value for moneyA new framework designed to ensure public funding for supported bus services brings the greatest benefit for Staffordshire residents is set to be approved.
• Transporter Bridge latest as mayors have say and council 'engage with contractors'Geoff Field, Middlesbrough Council ’s corporate director of environment, says: 'We’ve got the design, what we are doing now is we’re engaged with contractors who might actually do the work'
• Rail service disruption as train derails at Kent depotSoutheastern rail services in Kent have been disrupted after a Javelin train derailed at a depot.
• ‘Best timetable in 30 years’: Rail services between two Kent towns to doubleWaiting times for thousands of rail passengers will be cut thanks to the introduction of new services between two towns.
• West Midlands bus overhaul 'to prompt thousands of complaints daily', councillors warnedCouncillors across the West Midlands have been told to brace themselves for an influx of complaints from disgruntled bus passengers when 'massive' changes to the network come into effect.

Centre for Cities

• Why Leeds needs a tramThe Government has reiterated its commitment to support the delivery of mass transit in West Yorkshire but following extensive preparatory work by West Yorkshire Combined Authority, progress is slow. In the next iteration of the business case, the authority must make the case for a tram over buses before any planning work can continue, pushing back service commencement to the late 2030s.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Mayor to face public questioning on busesWest Yorkshire residents are to get the opportunity to ask Mayor, Tracy Brabin, about the region's buses directly later this month.

Coach and Bus Week

• Scottish Government to blame for furlough scheme failure, says ADLAlexander Dennis has issued a statement following an update provided by Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport Stephen Flynn to the Scottish Parliament regarding the status of the previously-agreed furlough scheme for its Scottish facilities.

Highways News

• 'Trial after trial tells the same story': Collins urges action after West Midlands AI camera findingsThe UK General Manager of road safety technology company Acusensus is warning that an AI camera trial which flagged nearly 19,000 potential mobile phone and seatbelt offences in just two weeks provides further evidence that dangerous behaviour on Britain's roads must be taken seriously.
• Bus passengers save 1.5% in journey time on London routes optimised by CitySwift's AICitySwift, the data operating layer for major global transport networks, has announced results from its network-wide performance partnership with Transport for London (TfL) and London's bus operators.

New Civil Engineer

• Amey appointed as system integrator for Northern Powerhouse Rail Phase OneAmey has been named by Network Rail as the system integrator for six projects that together make up Phase One of the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) programme.

Rail Advent

• Transport for London clamping down on hate crimeIn an effort to clamp down on hate crime on London's transport network, Transport for London (TfL) is running interactive awareness events at stations and online.

Rail Magazine

• DfT gives more detail on criteria for GBR owning trains as former MDs outline pros and consWhole-life and whole-system costs will help Great British Railways (GBR) decide if any future train fleets should be publicly owned.

Railnews

• CrossCountry Voyager fleet to be strengthened CrossCountry will lease eight more Class 221 Voyagers from early next year. Six of the units have been cascaded from Avanti West Coast, and two have been released by Grand Central.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• MPs press for coach fuel relief as school contracts face cutsMembers of Parliament (MPs) have urged ministers to provide emergency fuel relief for coach operators, as well as for dedicated attention to the industry within the Department for Transport (DfT), as rising diesel costs threaten school transport contracts.

The Business Desk

• One million journeys on publicly-controlled St Helens bus network, with Wirral next upThe Liverpool City Region's bus revolution has clocked up its first million journeys, and now Wirral is gearing up to be next area to bring services back under public control.

Other News Sources

• Private motorways and tolls without barriers: England opens its roads to investorsPrivate companies could soon build, run and charge tolls on major roads in England. The government's Highways (Financing) Bill would also allow toll collection without barriers, for example on the M6 Toll. For hauliers, it means a new type of road operator, new charging systems and new penalty rules.
• Electric truck planning tool is helping to decarbonise road freight in ScotlandTruck operators in Scotland are being invited to test an innovative new planning tool designed to help rapidly accelerate the decarbonisation of road freight in Scotland.
• Mayor Pushes For Coordinated British Bus BuyingAction is being taken to ensure major bus orders by larger regions do not push the Yorkshire Coast down the waiting list for new British-built vehicles.
• How AI is saving London bus passengers journey timeResults from CitySwift's collaboration with TfL and bus operators reveal that over three years, passengers are expected to save more than 25 million hours.
• Heathrow's head of data and analytics gives an expert view on how AI is changing analyticsAlan Petrie Head of Corporate Data and Analytics at Heathrow gives his thoughts on the role of AI in analytics and Oracle's new AI Data Platform