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

Friday, 24 July 2026

BBC News

• Train station 'significantly damaged' after fireA railway station could remain closed for some time after a major fire caused severe damage to the historic building, train bosses say.
• Silvertown Tunnel cuts delays in first year, says TfLThe £2.2bn tunnel, which links Silvertown and the Greenwich Peninsula in east London, was designed to ease congestion.
• E-bike operators could face £10k fines in the CityUnder a new agreement, operators must tackle antisocial parking and poor rider behaviour.
• Airport drop-off fees up by a third - here are the priciestThe cost of parking closest to the terminal has hit £10 at two of the UK's airports.

Department for Transport

• New stations, faster journeys and better connections as works begin to restore Portishead line for the first time in 60 yearsWith services due to begin in 2028, passengers will be able to travel directly between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads in around 25 minutes.
• All aboard for summerAlongside government's Great British Summer Savings campaign, more people can travel for less this summer with discounts available across all publicly owned railway services.
• Over £7 million to fuel zero-emission flight across the UKAnnounces £7.3 million in funding for 8 projects aiming to fuel the UK's transition to zero-emission flights.

The Guardian

• Tesla stock suffers double-digit drop on carmaker’s worst day in yearsElon Musk’s EV company lost a quarter of its value after revealing weak profits and high spending on AI and robotics Tesla’s stock fell about 13.5% on Thursday in one of the biggest single-day market losses in the company’s history.Elon Musk’s automaker has struggled throughout the year, losing about 27% of its market value as huge capital expenditures and weaker-than-expected profits worry investors.
• Qantas tests new ultra long-range Airbus in 17,000km direct flight from France to MelbourneAirbus A350–1000ULR becomes most watched plane on flight tracking websites as Qantas tests new aircraft for its Project Sunrise. Qantas’s new ultra long-distance aircraft has landed on Australian soil for the first time on Friday after a 19-hour test flight from France.

The Independent

• MPs and green groups dismayed as Burnham funds £2 bus fare cap with climate aidBalancing the books on the backs of the world's poorest is the wrong choice

The Telegraph

• Children's train tickets cut to £1 over summer [subscription]Ministers insist stunt will pay for itself by encouraging more family rail travel

City AM

• Heathrow boss warns Burnham against Budget raid after hub's tax bill doublesThe boss of Heathrow has warned Andy Burnham against using business as a cash cow at his maiden Budget this autumn, after the airport's tax bill more than doubled in the space of a year. Thomas Woldbye said the aviation sector is one of the most heavily taxed industries in Britain

Local Government

• Council urges Prime Minister to back Birmingham to Manchester rail link through CreweCheshire East Council has called on the new Prime Minister to re-commit to a Birmingham to Manchester rail link with Crewe at its heart.
• Train of Values arrives at Flimby railway station!A unique new installation celebrating the values of Flimby Primary School has officially arrived at Flimby railway station, thanks to a partnership between Community Rail Cumbria, part of Cumberland Council, Flimby Primary School, Northern Trains and Gen2.

Birmingham Mail

• Boost for Merry Hill shoppers as three new Black Country bus routes launchStarting on Sunday, three new services will be running across the Black Country

Birmingham Post

• Babcock signs deal with Plymouth firm to arm drone boats to 'protect UK ports'The partnership is amining to develop a low-cost way to protect British ships, ports and critical maritime infrastructure against mass drone attacks

Bristol Live

• Prime Minister Andy Burnham WILL fund Bristol and Bath mass transit systemThe Prime Minister has told Bristol Live he will fund the billions needed for a mass transit system for Bristol, Bath and the West of England, saying he wanted to create 'integrated, functioning public transport' which will help grow the economy in the region.

London Evening Standard

• Summer holidays chaos: Heathrow boss tells EU chiefs to end border checks misery for UK holidaymakersExclusive: The system is not working as fluently as it should be doing, and the EU needs to take responsibility for that, Heathrow chief executive Thomas Woldbye tells the London Standard

Wales Online

• Cardiff railway station to close for three daysA number of train services travelling through Cardiff will be cancelled or diverted over the weekend

Leeds Live

• West Yorkshire bus network overhaul set for greenlight amid £90m investmentThe West Yorkshire Combined Authority is set to vote on plans to invest £90 million in a new fleet of Weaver Network buses for the county.

Oxford Mail

• Rail minister 'should resign after Botley Road delay'A community campaigner has called for the resignation of rail minister Lord Hendy following the latest delay to the reopening of the Botley Road in Oxford.

Other Regional Press

• CrossCountry launches industry-first digital Priority Seating Card to support accessible travelLong-distance train operator CrossCountry has launched an industry-first digital Priority Seating Card, making it easier for customers who need additional support to discreetly communicate that they require a priority seat onboard.
• New technology for Glasgow to Inverclyde rail passengersINVERCLYDE rail passengers are set to benefit from new onboard technology.
• Paignton station deemed 'unsafe' as disruption continuesPaignton train stations remains "unsafe" to passengers despite the signal box being operational once again after a large fire broke out earlier this week. The fire broke out at around 5.45am on Tuesday, July 21.
• Council urges Prime Minister to back new rail link through CreweCheshire East Council has called on the new Prime Minister to re-commit to a Birmingham to Manchester rail link, with Crewe at its heart.
• West Yorkshire bus network overhaul set for greenlight amid £90m investmentThe West Yorkshire Combined Authority says bus franchising is set to go ahead next year

Train Operators

• New stations, faster journeys and better connections as work begins to restore Portishead line for the first time in 60 yearsWork has started to restore passenger rail services between Portishead and Bristol for the first time in 60 years by reinstating the Portishead line and building two brand-new stations

Bus and Coach.com

• Fare cap welcomed, but infrastructure spend urgedIndustry organisations have welcomed the news that a new £2 fare cap will be introduced on service buses from January 2027. Trade bodies, operators and Bus Users UK were pleased about new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham's, announcement, including the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), which stressed a need for infrastructure investment for buses too.

Modern Railways

• A quite uncommonly useful stationBuilt for a comprehensive high-speed network, Old Oak Common station is revealing its true character. ANDY BOWES-RODEN visits the site to see the latest progress ? above and below ground
• Work begins on restoring Portishead line for passenger trainsWork has begun on restoring passenger services between Portishead and Bristol Temple Meads for the first time since 1967.

New Civil Engineer

• Silvertown Tunnel one year on: peak journey times reduced by up to 58 per cent, TfL reportsTransport for London (TfL) has published findings from the Silvertown & Blackwall Tunnels Monitoring Report, outlining the benefits of the crossing which opened in April 2025.

Rail Advent

• Work begins to restore Somerset railway line after 60-year closureWork has begun on restoring the Portishead line in Somerset, which will bring the railway to more than 50,000 people in North Somerset.

Rail Business Daily

• HS2 prepares for major motorway bridging worksEngineers are preparing to deliver two huge construction programmes in tandem, as work progresses to extend the high-speed railway over the Midlands motorway network.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• First's Hengrove depot now fully electric after last diesel bus donatedFirst Bus's Hengrove depot in Bristol has gone all-electric following the departure of its last diesel bus as a donation.
• Somerset Council secures funding to assess bus franchising optionsSomerset Council is to examine whether bus franchising could improve the county's bus network after securing funding from the Department for Transport for a pre-feasibility assessment.
• West Yorkshire bus franchising fleet purchase plans are laid outRelease of funding for a further 63 new vehicles as part of the rollout of bus franchising in West Yorkshire will go for approval by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) board on 30 July.

Safer Highways

• Great British Railways Could Redraw the West Coast Main Line as Timetable Review LoomsRail Minister suggests Britain's busiest intercity railway could be among the first routes to undergo a comprehensive review of services, capacity and fares under the new national rail body.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow reiterates third runway case as half year passengers hit record levelHeathrow will reiterate its case to Andy Burnham's new government for building a third runway as it reported a record of 40 million passengers in the first half of the year.
• Heathrow Handles Record 40 Million Passengers as First-Half Profit More Than DoublesLondon Heathrow Airport welcomed a record 40 million passengers during the first six months of 2026, maintaining strong traffic levels despite geopolitical uncertainty and weaker demand on routes to the Middle East.
• EasyJet chief welcomes retention of transport secretary and aviation ministerEasyJet chief executive Kenton Jarvis has welcomed Prime Minister Andy Burnham's retention of Heidi Alexander as secretary of state for transport and Keir Mather as aviation minister amid a raft of changes in government since Burnham took over on Monday.

Other News Sources

• Publicly owned train operators roll out savings to help families enjoy more for lessPublicly owned train operators across Britain are offering discounts this summer, helping families to create memories together. The offers come alongside the Government's Great British Summer Savings campaign.
• 'Make sure it's dealt with' - Government minister throws weight behind South Shields road fixGovernment minister throws weight behind calls for Heugh Street Bridge fix plan after MP highlights issue.
• Balfour Beatty lands £120m Leeds Inner Ring Road programmeAppointed by Leeds City Council as the sole contractor for the strategy, the firm will carry out planned maintenance, asset renewal and major structural works on the 2.5-mile route through to 2032.
• Doncaster Chamber CEO calls on new PM to back airport reopening - 'the economic prize is significant and becoming clearer every day'The chief executive of Doncaster Chamber has called on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to back the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.