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

Wednesday, 08 July 2026

BBC News

• Bus company boss hits back at MP over criticismAn MP has become embroiled in a war of words with a local bus provider over provision of services in his constituency. North Norfolk Liberal Democrat MP Steffan Aquarone said he had spent the past two years fighting "tirelessly" for more frequent buses, and earlier and later services.
• Rail operator suspends services amid heat warningEast Midlands Railway has announced plans to suspend numerous services this week as temperatures are expected to soar.
• West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin on water, buses and transport'Public transport pledge' The mayor spoke in more detail about the Weaver Network that will be rolled out across the region from next year. But she conceded that the tram would not be ready until the late 2030s.
• Scheme to speed up public transport to be trialledA trial scheme designed to speed up public transport in York city centre by cutting congestion will begin in January. City of York Council voted unanimously to restrict parts of Rougier Street, George Hudson Street and Micklegate to buses, emergency vehicles and taxis between 07:00 and 23:00.
• Rail worker strike to cause disruption to servicesIndustrial action is set for Friday and Saturday, with multiple services affected.
• Rocket test flight could be attempted from Shetland in AugustSaxaVord Spaceport has announced a five-week "window" for possible attempts.
• E-bike injury payouts top £110m and push up insurance premiumsIt is only seven years since the first claim over an injury from a micromobility vehicle was made.
• Australia dock workers call for 28-hour week in AI talksA union says workers are "in the crosshairs" of automation as AI is being tested across ports.

The Guardian

• ‘More public control’: what will Burnham do about water and energy?In the fifth of a series on nationalisation, we look at utilities – including the cost of ending private ownership. Will Burnham ‘go big’ in expanding the role of the state?
• EasyJet’s board has surrendered too easily to US bidder | Nils PratleyThe company’s target to hit £1bn profitability is intact. Why isn’t the board putting up a proper fight? Some foreign takeover swoops on UK listed companies are easier to swallow than others. Sometimes it is hard to mount an argument that shareholders should stick to the virtuous path of independence and say no to an offer of hard cash at a fat premium.

Times Online

• Jet-Fuel Prices Have Plunged but Aren't Resulting in Much Lower Fares [subscription]Carriers see travelers continuing to pay up and aren't rushing to bring back flights and routes trimmed during oil's surge
• Train too costly? Try a commuter coach from Cotswolds to London [subscription]GoStroud, created by a couple who were fed up with 'crazy expensive' trains, will run three days a week saving passengers as much as £100
• Heatwave has London commuters ditching Tube for a Thames cruise [subscription]Uber Boat is gaining in popularity as the capital swelters in summer. Passenger numbers increased by 83 per cent during the hottest week of last month
• EasyJet grounded by lack of ambition [subscription]While the sale to Castlelake isn't yet a done deal, the board is hardly reaching for the skies

Welsh Government

• "We want a rail network that is designed in Wales, delivered in Wales, and accountable to the people of Wales" says Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper.A clear pathway to devolve rail services and infrastructure that benefits Welsh passengers has been set out by Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper.

City AM

• Brits wary of EU summer hols as officials refuse to ease new border checks The European Union has refused to suspend its divisive new border checks despite admitting that it has found 20 “difficult spots” causing queuing chaos. The EU has said it will stand by its new Entry/Exit System (EES), a biometric border regime whose botched rollout has threatened to ruin thousands of summer holidays.
• Lufthansa and aviation rivals clash in London court over power outlet profits German airline Lufthansa is back in the London courts this week over its long-running patent infringement dispute with a US, a Japanese, and a French aircraft manufacturer. The legal battle stems back to 2017, when aircraft maintenance group Lufthansa Technik alleged that Astronics Advanced Electronic Systems, Panasonic, and Safran infringed its patent for high-voltage aircraft

Daily Record

• Stephen Flynn blasts HS2 costs and says £100bn project is 'symbolic of Westminster dysfunction'The Scottish Government's new Transport Secretary described HS2 as 'one of the most over-budget and delayed projects ever'

National Highways

• Progress for Lower Thames Crossing as first Kent nature area completedThe site acts as a gateway to the rolling countryside of the Kent Downs with a public footpath providing a link from the village of Thong

Birmingham Mail

• Midlands heatwave travel warning as major train changes announced during extreme temperaturesEast Midlands Railway (EMR) said customers should try to travel before 12pm this week to avoid the highest temperatures

Bolton News

• Bolton meeting hears free bus passes for all children 'fully costed'Free bus passes for youngsters will be fully costed and will save families around £500, a mayoral hopeful has said.

Bristol Live

• Parking fee could hit businesses as locals say 'improve public transport first!'The proposed levy could raise millions for better buses and discourage people from driving to work

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Driver clocked at 89mph on North Wales 20mph roadRAC said 'chilling speeds' some people drive at shows they 'remain oblivious to the incredibly severe risk'

Wales Online

• Police aeroplane used to target e-bikers in CardiffAn update has been given after a police aeroplane circled several areas of Cardiff for more than five hours on Friday

Yorkshire Post

• West Yorkshire could have trams running within five years, if we were willing to learn from those who have already built them - Lord KirkhopeLast summer the Chancellor confirmed billions of pounds for West Yorkshire's mass transit scheme. By the winter the timetable had quietly slipped once again, and we were told that the first trams would not carry a single passenger until the late 2030s.

Cambridge News

• Free bus pass delayed for thousands in England due to state pension age riseA new regulation means those born between July 6 and August 5, 1960, face a four-month wait for both their State Pension and free bus pass in England, as the pension age gradually rises from 66 to 67.

Other Regional Press

• Richmond Council launches community conversation for Heathrow expansion plansResidents are urged to share their views on the government's plans to expand Heathrow at a Community Conversation event, as Richmond Council says it "continues to make clear its firm opposition to a third runway and any proposals that would increase noise and pollution or impact the quality of life in the borough".
• New summer bus service connects The Wrekin, Wellington and Ironbridge GorgeA new summer bus service is set to make it easier for residents and visitors to explore some of Telford and Wrekin's most popular destinations, with the launch of Wrekin Connect alongside the return of the Ironbridge Gorge Park and Ride service this summer.
• Wales unveils plan to take control of rail network and investmentA clear pathway to devolve rail services and infrastructure that benefits Welsh passengers has been set out by Deputy Minister for Transport, Mark Hooper.

Highways News

• IMechE report says making public transport fully accessible 'could boost UK economy by £176 billion'Investing in the UK transport network to make it fully accessible to disabled passengers could boost the economy by £176 billion by helping millions more people into work, according to a newly published report.

New Civil Engineer

• Revised NPS for ports includes stronger presumption in favour of port DCO approvalsThe government has published plans that support a stronger presumption in favour of approving development consent orders (DCOs) for ports, as part of the revised national policy statement (NPS) for ports, which it published on 6 July.
• HS2 reveals first completed cut and cover 'green' tunnel in West RuislipHS2 has revealed its first completed cut and cover tunnel, the 880m Copthall 'green' tunnel near West Ruislip.

Rail Advent

• Greater Anglia funds information screens at four Norfolk stationsGreater Anglia's Customer and Community Improvement Fund has provided a £47,778 grant to provide new digital information screens at four railway stations in North Norfolk.

Rail Magazine

• Avanti West Coast summer service cut 'only what any clever business would do'Rail Minister Lord Hendy has said the government 'has no intention of reducing train services in general', before defending the recent cuts announced by Avanti West Coast and GTR.
• Rolling stock strategy: frustration with number of off-lease sets amid accountability callGreat British Railways can help to improve a relationship of 'mistrust' between the rolling stock supply chain, train operators and government, a leading industry figure has claimed.

Rail Technology Magazine

• HS2 completes first 'green tunnel' as Copthall milestone signals construction momentumHS2 has reached a significant milestone with the completion of its first cut-and-cover 'green' tunnel, marking visible progress on Britain's new high-speed railway. The 880-metre Copthall tunnel, located near West Ruislip on London's western edge, is the first of five such structures along the route between the capital and the West Midlands to be fully completed, including its earth covering.

Other News Sources

• Sustainability upgrade for Heathrow Animal Reception CentreThe UK's only facility licensed to handle all species of animals at Heathrow Airport has received a clean energy upgrade following the installation of solar panels and heat pumps to reduce its impact on the environment.
• Joint letter sent calling for Railways Bill amendmentsSeveral industry leading bodies have sent a joint letter to the Treasury urging the reconsideration of several aspects of the Bill
• Scarborough And Whitby MP Criticises Council's School Transport PolicyScarborough and Whitby MP Alison Hume says North Yorkshire Council's revised home-to-school transport policy is breaking down communities and splitting up siblings.
• Swindon MP flies the flag for British transport innovationA trip abroad to Japan highlighted the international impact of UK transport innovation.
• CY Shipping and BigLift Shipping Christen First BC-Class Heavy Transport VesselCY Shipping and BigLift Shipping have officially christened CY Frontier, the first of four new BC-Class Heavy Transport Vessels (HTVs). The ceremony marks an important milestone in the expansion of the companies joint Heavy Transport fleet and reflects their continued investment in meeting the growing global demand for increasingly large offshore, energy and industrial transport projects.
• New data from FirstGroup shows investment in cleaner and greener transport is reducing emissions and boosting access to environmentally friendly transportNew data released from FirstGroup shows the Group has reduced emissions by 30% since 2020 as it works towards a fully zero-emission commercial bus fleet by 2035.
• More than £1m promised to improve 'high-risk' Surrey A-roadsThe roads have been described as some of the most 'high-risk' A-roads