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

Thursday, 05 November 2026

Government

• Charity regulator appoints interim managers to Wirral community transport charity amidst ongoing investigationThe Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, has appointed interim managers to Merseycare Transport Services Ltd (charity number 1133408).

BBC News

• Multiple flights in Europe hit by 'malicious hoax threats', UK transport secretary saysSeveral flights across Europe have been targeted by bomb threats for the second time this week.
• Welsh aviation firm AerFin bought in £475m dealThe company, which was majority owned by a private equity firm, said it was beginning a "new chapter".
• Drunk and dangerous e-bike riders face on-the-spot fines under crackdownA consultation will consider fines and other ways to clamp down on dangerous e-bike riders.
• 'Slippery leaves' to blame for train cancellationsRail services in East Yorkshire affected by falling leaves will revert to normal "as soon as it is safe", says a train operator.
• No plans for Manchester congestion chargeTransport bosses in Greater Manchester have confirmed there are no plans for a congestion charge in the city centre.
• Independent SEND transport review on holdCalls for an independent review into failings around the provision of home to school transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) have been turned down.
• East West Rail reveals design for train depotEast West Rail (EWR) has chosen its preferred layout for a maintenance depot it wants to build as part of the multi-billion pound scheme linking Oxford and Cambridge via Milton Keynes.
• £200m taxpayer-funded trains sit barely used for three yearsThe final piece in a £2bn rail project is late, with less than half of the trains tested.
• Fatal train crash could have been avoided if drain was built correctly - sheriffThree men died when a train derailed near Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire following heavy rain in 2020.
• 'Floating tractors' clean up weed-choked waterways Canal & River Trust is spending more than £150,000 on a weed removal programme.

STV

• Bus fare cap in greater Glasgow could cost ScotRail £20m, MSPs toldThe £2 bus fare cap was extended to include a vast area of west central Scotland in September, including Glasgow, Lanarkshire and Ayrshire

The Independent

• The three-acre meadow seized for HS2 that cost UK taxpayers £10m'Eye-watering' compensation for strip of land in Buckinghamshire reflects the HS2-related project impact on plans for retirement village at the site

The Scotsman

• Risk of another 'devastating' crash unless Network Rail brings all infrastructure work in-house - RMTThe 'devastating' fatal train crash in Aberdeenshire could be repeated unless Network Rail takes over all of its construction work rather than outsourcing it to contractors, a union leader has warned.

The Telegraph

• Rail minister: Trains in the North are all clapped out and need replacing [subscription]Lord Hendy says 'stupid' situation where carriages are left in fields will end with launch of GBR
• Veterans forced to take 5am rail replacement bus to Remembrance Sunday [subscription]Veterans have been offered a rail replacement bus at nearly 5am to reach Remembrance Sunday events in London. Major Christopher McLean, 67, from Wiltshire, said the arrangements were 'not good enough' and would prevent fellow veterans attending memorials.
• The extraordinary transport network London chose to destroyOnce the backbone of the capital's transport network, London's tramcars vanished in 1952. Was getting rid of them a terrible mistake?

Times Online

• Uber to double robotaxis next year amid driver shortage [subscription]The world's largest ride-hailing platform said high petrol prices were putting drivers off while it revealed growth slowed last quarter

Local Government

• High reliability and positive passenger feedback mark strong start for Wirral's new publicly-controlled bus servicesIt has been an encouraging first two weeks as bus services in Wirral returned to public control for the first time in four decades.

Birmingham Mail

• No trains at Birmingham New Street on Christmas Eve - hundreds will be better off for going anyway'No effort will be spared' at New Street, even when there's no rail transport to or from the station.

Birmingham Post

• Welsh aviation firm AerFin acquired by Japanese firm in £475m dealUnder the new ownership of Orix Aviation the Newport headquartered firm is looking to expand further
• Trainline shares fall on CMA booking fees probe and UK rail fare reformsTrainline's first-half profit fell to £55.2m from £66.2m a year earlier, after the company set aside a £4m charge linked to a Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) investigation into its booking fee transparency

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Council bosses to push for through line station in BradfordCouncil bosses are '1,000 per cent' pushing for the new rail station planned for Bradford to be a through line, with the leader saying he 'doesn't see much point' in it just being a re-build.

LBC

• All trains in northern England 'clapped out' and need replacing, rail minister warnsLord Hendy said the country's railways were operating in 'silos' for years and there was a 'culture of blame' within the industry.

London Evening Standard

• Oxford Street pedestrianisation adds up to 11 minutes to bus journeys, residents claimResidents say the 6pm eastbound Route 98 bus used to last 17 minutes and now takes up to 28

Manchester Evening News

• Trains in the north are all Lord Hendy said replacing such trains would be one of the benefits passengers would see as a result of the Government's rail reforms

The York Press

• York Station Gateway costs double residents demand answersThe York Station Gateway project had an approved budget of £26.49 million in 2021. By July 2026, its projected cost had risen to £60.104 million an increase of over £33 million.

Other Regional Press

• TfW unveils plans for new stations and train servicesTransport for Wales (TfW) has unveiled early proposals for the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro, which aim to improve rail links between Swansea, Pembrey and Burry Port, and Ammanford.
• MP asks why Scottish bad weather leaves Cumbrian rail users strandedA Cumbrian MP has questioned why bad weather in Scotland can result in West Coast Main Line trains terminating at Preston rather than continuing to Penrith and Carlisle.
• Oxfordshire County Council backs calls for tougher police action against illegal e-bikes and e-scootersThe motion, which was brought by Labour and Co-operative Group councillors also supprted calls for tougher restrictions on the manufacture, import, sale and advertising of kits used to illegally modify e-bikes.
• Ancient trees at danger in airport expansionWHILE the fight to save Felton Common is ongoing, Bristol Tree Forum is having a battle of its own to save ancient trees at Cook's Farm. The expansion plans at Bristol Airport do not only encroach on the common but on 24 hectares of long-established agricultural countryside.
• Bosses reveal roadmap for Carlisle Lake District Airport as councillors push for development Business CrackPrivate charter flights could return to Carlisle Lake District Airport next spring as bosses reveal new investment and a timeline for the site's future.
• Teignmouth cliff rail protection work remains unfundedA vital railway link remains vulnerable to cliff falls after ministers confirmed that the final stage of a long-running scheme to protect it has not been funded.
• Somerset rail service branded 'a disgrace' by transport campaignerOne of Somerset's main rail services has been branded "a disgrace" by a senior transport campaigner, citing long journey times between Somerset and the capital.
• Scotland to unveil national plan to transform bus servicesStephen Flynn, Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport, is to outline plans to improve the availability, affordability and accessibility of bus travel, aiming to build a stronger national network and increase local influence over services.
• Dorchester rail station lift plan said to be back on trackTOWN councillors in Dorchester have welcomed news of progress on a lift for Dorchester South Station.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Spanish train tragedy, UK Budget and new Heathrow railwayIn the wake of Spain's tragic high speed train collision, Christian explains to co-presenter Mark Walker what evidence is emerging on its causes [01:27]. Mark delves into the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement seeking transport policy and financing initiatives [12:52]. Steve Costello from Heathrow Southern Railway Limited is Christian's interview guest describing his company's plans for a new passenger line into the UK's hub airport [28:11]. In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian celebrates the reduction in road accidents in Wales resulting from the wider deployment of 20mph speed limits [44:33].

New Civil Engineer

• Rail boss outlines network's winter resilience plans after extreme temperatures and high-profile derailmentsNetwork Rail chief executive Jeremy Westlake has set out what his organisation is doing to ensure the resilience of the rail network this winter, following the summer heatwaves.

Rail Advent

• Network Rail appoints Oxford station masterplannerThe team will be led by HawkinsBrown, who will be working in collaboration with 5th Studio. It will consider enhancements to the station, including new entrances and better onward travel connections.

Rail Business Daily

• Department for Transport publishes Everitt Review terms of referenceThe Department for Transport has set out the terms of reference for the Everitt Review, which will look at how Government and strategic authorities can work together to strengthen the capacity and capability needed to deliver local transport ambitions.

Rail Magazine

• Four operators reduce headcount as union raises jobs concernStaff headcounts at four train operators are decreasing in a combination of redundancy and voluntary severance schemes (VSS).

Rail Technology Magazine

• Transport for Wales Unveils Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro Plans with New Stations and More Frequent Train ServicesTransport for Wales (TfW) has unveiled ambitious proposals for the future of rail travel across Swansea Bay and West Wales, with plans for more frequent train services, potential new stations and improved connectivity across the region.

TaxiPoint

• Heathrow and London City airport drop-off fees passed onto taxi and PHV passengers put under scrutiny by MPThe Department for Transport's review of airport drop-off charges will examine their effect on passengers, but the Government has not confirmed whether it will include additional fees passed on by taxi and private hire operators. The issue was raised by Alison Griffiths, Opposition Assistant Whip and shadow transport minister, in a written question answered on 3 November.

Aviation Industry

• Delta vows to fight Heathrow terminal move that would separate it from Virgin AtlanticThe proposed relocation has sparked opposition from Delta and Virgin Atlantic with concerns that the decision could weaken transatlantic competition.

Other News Sources

• Roads Minister visits £31.9m A350 Chippenham bypass scheme as work nears completionThe Roads Minister has visited Chippenham to see progress on a £31.9m improvement scheme that will complete the dualling of the A350 Chippenham Bypass.
• UK Transport Minister shows faith in rail freight private sectorI was told in parliament the other day that the rail freight companies are, quote, 'not in the most organised shape to drive growth' and I disagree, the UK Minister of Transport Peter Hendy said. At the unveiling of Freightliner's new logo and loco, Hendy underlined the importance of private players and the need for more partnerships with the public sector.
• Trainline profits up but GBR threat loomsThe government-backed Great British Railways service is coming down the track In September, Christopher Akers outlined in these pages some of the challenges facing Trainline's (TRN) new chief executive, Ian Brown, many of which might be laid at the door of externalities. The company's latest interim report detailed that cash profits were ahead of forecasts and that the international consumer business had turned profitable for the first time, but the market reaction reflected, at best, ambivalence towards the stock.
• Derby set to be HQ of new UK rail body as new apprenticeships announcedGreat British Railways (GBR) has taken a major step towards becoming the new public body responsible for Britain's rail network after the Government confirmed Derby as the location of its future headquarters and unveiled plans for up to 600 rail apprenticeships.
• Every train in northern England is 'clapped out' and needs replacing, rail minister saysRail minister Lord Peter Hendy says every train in northern England is 'clapped out' and needs replacing as the Government prepares major reforms of Britain's railways.
• The Next 25 Years of Airport SecurityOver the past quarter century, aviation security has progressed from a largely hardware-focused approach built around X-ray systems and metal detection to an increasingly connected environment incorporating computed tomography, biometrics, identity authentication and risk-based screening.
• Southampton Airport to expand passenger terminalSouthampton Airport has announced plans to expand its passenger terminal. The regional airport plans to add an 800 sq m extension to its terminal in Eastleigh. It currently serves 800,000 to 900,000 passengers per year and runs flights to 15 destinations, including Paris, Mallorca and Barcelona with airlines such as Aer Lingus, Easyjet, KLM and Loganair operating journeys.
• Heathrow and Gatwick in-flight entertainment engineers gain Unite recognitionUnite, the UK's leading union, has negotiated a recognition agreement for its members employed by Panasonic Avionics Corporation at Heathrow and Gatwick airports.
• RMT urges LNER not to ignore 'systemic racism' on rail servicesThe union has sent LNER its new report exposing how LNER's outsourcing contracts create occupational segregation for ethnic minority workers.
• Surrey rail line faces urgent weekend closure after inspectors discovered ground movement beneath tracksRail operators have apologised for the disruption this will cause, but described the work as urgent