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

Thursday, 12 March 2026

BBC News

• Five new railway stations to open over next monthOpening dates have been announced for five new railway stations in the West Midlands following a £185m project to reinstate links not used in decades.
• 'Step forward' as new electric buses enter serviceThe first buses as part of an all-electric fleet have entered service in Torbay, bosses have said.
• Gatwick Airport has reported a fall in profits for last year after a drop in the number of short-haul passengers.The West Sussex airport reported pre-tax profits of £422.9 million in 2025, down 7.3% from £456.4 million in the previous year.
• Five new railway stations to open over next monthWillenhall and Darlaston stations are due to open on 19 March, and three others on 7 April.
• Oil price jumps despite deal to release record amount of reservesIt comes as Iranian attacks on ships intensify in the crucial Strait of Hormuz waterway.

The Guardian

• European drivers face €220 a year jump in fuel costs due to Iran conflict, say expertsExclusive: Oil at $100 a barrel means higher prices in the EU and UK, making savings for those with electric vehicles even greater, analysts sayEuropean drivers face paying an extra €220 (£190) a year at the pumps because of the surge in oil prices caused by the war in Iran, analysts have warned. In the UK, a separate estimate puts the cost at an extra £140.A sustained oil price of $100 a barrel, the level seen on Monday, would mean motorists in the EU paying €55bn more over a year, researchers at the Transport & Environment thinktank
• Oil price tops $100 again as Iran strikes economic targets across Middle EastVast release of emergency crude reserves fails to quell mounting fears around energy supply crunch, rattling global marketsOil prices again topped $100 per barrel on Thursday as widespread Iranian attacks on Middle Eastern energy facilities overshadowed a vast release of government reserves.As Donald Trump vowed to “finish the job” and press ahead with the US-Israel war on Iran, the country’s regime stepped up retaliatory strikes on economic targets across the region.

Times Online

• Driving reforms don't address complexity of modern roads [subscription]E-bikes, e-scooters, bicycles and HGVs are all vying for space with regular motorists but not all are regulated equally

The National

• ScotRail's 6-digit crackdown on fare dodgers revealedSCOTRAIL has issued thousands of notices to fare dodgers caught travelling without a valid ticket.

Local Government

• More people taking the bus since Oxford temporary congestion chargeData from bus companies shows more people are using local bus services since Oxfordshire County Council introduced a temporary congestion charge in Oxford.
• West Midlands rail revolution continues as Mayor announces opening dates for five new stationsFive new railway stations are due to open to passengers shortly, completing a £185m project, supported by significant Government investment, to reconnect communities to the rail network for the first time in generations.

Birmingham Mail

• Iran war could be double whammy for Midlands bus firms amid falling passenger numbersAn increase in the cost of the single national bus fare cap is attributed to the drop in usage

Birmingham Post

• 'Can't keep throwing money into a leaky bucket': Calls for fix to Gloucester Docks’ major navigation disruptionCalls follow major silt issues last year

London Evening Standard

• Hundreds arrested in police blitz on robbers terrorising London Tube and train passengersSuperintendent John Loveless said public will continue to see highly visible patrols at stations

Nation. Cymru

• Transport for Wales Revenue Protection Inspectors face redundancyTransport for Wales has confirmed plans not to renew its contract with a company that employs its revenue protection inspectors.
• Unpicking the UK Government's announcement of new Welsh rail stationsOn February 17th, the UK Government announced seven new Welsh rail stations and claimed to be making a major rail funding commitment. In reality, there was little truly new in this announcement.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• More than £50m in funding to be approved for transport including major Metro station upgradeNorth East Mayor Kim McGuinness is set to approve £53.6m in new transport funding

Yorkshire Post

• Free bus travel planned for disabled people in West YorkshireThe West Yorkshire Combined Authority recently revealed the plans which would allow those with disabled bus passes to travel on buses for free at any time of day, once the region's buses are brought back under public control as part of the Weaver Network.

Blackpool Gazette

• Lumo introduces new Lancashire to London rail serviceA new rail service is being introduced this spring, offering an extra link between Lancashire, London and Scotland.

Cambridge News

• Multi-storey car park with more than 600 spaces planned next to Cambridge rail stationThe developers hope the car park will be 'cost effective' and 'sustainable'
• People say trams in Cambridge would cause 'chaos' but could improve waiting timesA study has been launched to examine potential mass rapid transit options

Other Regional Press

• Devon and Cornwall MPs push for long-term rail strategy for South WestLabour MPs from Devon and Cornwall have met with Heidi Alexander MP, the Secretary of State for Transport, to address the need for a Long Term Rail Plan for the far South West following disruptions caused by Storms Goretti and Ingrid.
• Lumo introduces new Lancashire to London rail serviceA new rail service is being introduced this spring, offering an extra link between Lancashire, London and Scotland.
• First look at new Paisley walking route built on former railway lineA new walking and cycling route to cross under Renfrew Road in Paisley is now open to the public.
• Rail boss Glasgow Central update low level reopens Union Street fireA rail chief has said that 'further work' will be required before the high-level platforms at Glasgow Central Station can reopen, as commuters gradually return to the station this week.
• Rail project will be almost £5-million more than originally estimatedThe lift bridge at Par railway station will only go ahead if the rail industry helps plug a £2.2-m funding hole.
• Shadow Transport Minister visits Cumbria to discuss Lune Valley M6 plansThe Conservative Party's Shadow Transport Minister visited Cumbria to discuss National Highways' plans to replace bridges on the M6.
• Aberystwyth to Carmarthen rail link backed as report calls for major transport investmentA fresh report has backed plans to reinstate the Aberystwyth to Carmarthen railway as part of calls to invest major funds in transport in Wales. Chris Betteley reports.
• Bus stops in one Kent area set to get major £770k upgrade with real-time information screensNew screens will provide up to date information of buses, including arrival time and stops on the route, using 4G
• Transformative year coming at Gatwick Airport in 2026Gatwick has reported a drop in profits and passenger numbers but says that a "transformative year" is coming in 2026.
• Sheffield's £33m transport funding boost as major plans unveiledIt is part of a huge scheme for Sheffield
• Free bus travel planned for disabled people in West YorkshireA decision is expected from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority this week

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Cardiff Bus achieves Platinum maintenance standardCardiff Bus is now accredited by the Institute of Road Transport Engineers (IRTE) and has achieved Platinum standard under the Maintenance Provision Rating Scheme (MPRS).

Highways Magazine

• Transport Scotland to use AI cameras to detect distracted driversNew camera technology to monitor the number of drivers not wearing seatbelts and using mobile phones whilst driving is being deployed in Scotland for the first time as part of a six-month survey.

New Civil Engineer

• 5 new stations including Camp Hill line set to open in West Midlands over next monthFive new railway stations in the West Midlands including the three long-delayed Camp Hill line stations are set to open to passengers over the coming month, marking the completion of a major regional rail project intended to reconnect communities cut off from services for decades.

Rail Magazine

• Transport for London sets its sights on great leaps forwardExpansion looms large in Transport for London's business plan covering the remaining years of this decade, as it looks north, west and east.

Aviation Industry

• Mixed Bag: Heathrow's Record February Vs Gatwick's Short-Haul Traffic DeclineLondon has one of the most complex airport ecosystems in the entire world, with no fewer than six hubs offering scheduled commercial flights to and from the capital of the United Kingdom. Among these, two facilities stand out as the main gateways: London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to the west and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) to the south. Earlier today, both airports released their financial results, offering an interesting comparison.

Other News Sources

• Astra Group completes seven-figure Manchester Airport contractAstra Group has completed wayfinding signage installation for a £1.2bn transformation of Manchester Airport

News from Europe

• 51% of people didn't use public transport in 2024In 2024, 10.7% of people (16 years or over) in the EU used some sort of public transport every day, 11.6% used it every week, 10.0% used it every month, and 17.1% used it less than once a month. On the other hand, 50.6% did not use public transport.