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

Wednesday, 21 October 2026

BBC News

• Lib Dems call on regional mayor to franchise busesLiberal Democrat council leaders are calling on the West of England mayor to set out a timetable for bringing buses back under public control.
• NHS and school staff to get discounted bus travelPeople working at schools or NHS sites in Oxford will get discounted travel from the city's park and rides in a bid to reduce congestion.
• Train firms urged by city's MPs to go all-electricTwo Hull MPs have written to train companies operating in the area urging them to buy battery-powered trains the next time they invest in new rolling stock.
• Scrap first class on trains, say councillorsOpposition politicians are urging rail bosses to scrap first-class rail tickets on rush-hour services. Liberal Democrats on Stevenage Borough Council say the move would reduce overcrowding on Thameslink and Great Northern trains.
• Bid to reduce council's £45m school transport billPlans are under way to reduce a county council's £45m annual school transport bill in the face of growing demand.

Department for Transport

• Publication of the DVLA business plan 2026 to 2027 - Written statement to ParliamentThe business plan sets out the key business priorities that the DVLA will deliver and any significant changes it plans to make to its services as well as the key performance indicators by which the DVLA's performance will be assessed.

The Guardian

• European air fares could rise by as much as 20% in 2027, Ryanair boss predictsConflict in Middle East is pushing jet fuel costs higher and many carriers are not hedged against such increases, Michael O’Leary saysRyanair’s chief executive has predicted a record increase in European air fares next year, as airlines grapple with fuel bills pushed higher by the Middle East conflict.Many carriers are not hedged against rising jet fuel costs, Michael O’Leary said, which he predicted would lead to airline bankruptcies and takeovers. He forecast these pressures would result in the price of plane tickets rising by as much as 20%.

The Telegraph

• The sad story of London's great lost railway station [subscription]There are few worse railway stations than Euston, but this unlovely terminus was once a rival to New York's Grand Central

Times Online

• New ferry link proposed between Aberdeen and Iceland [subscription]Talks are under way for a ferry from Aberdeen to Seydisfjordur in eastern Iceland, reviving a North Atlantic connection that endured for 150 years

i News

• The new station that tram passengers might not use for a decadeA new report has warned how delays to projects such as a Metrolink tram extension to Stockport Interchange is holding back towns and cities

The National

• What does 'public control' of buses mean and can Scotland do it?MANY Scots don't need to travel far to see the benefits of public control over bus services.

Conservative Home

• Nick Biskinis: Cleverly must back Heathrow's third runwayFlying into London Heathrow Airport is, depending on the direction and runway used, one of the great sightseeing treats in the world. As the plane stacks and circles over the metropolis, you can marvel both at the dramatic urban splurge of London with its tapestry of buildings, railways and parks with the classic horizon of Central London once your aircraft is cleared for its final approach. It is not uncommon to hear the silent awe in the cabin as passengers on the right side of the plane gaze unflinchingly at the window kaleidoscope.

Local Government

• Plan to improve sustainable transport in west Oxfordshire is approvedA plan to create a healthier, better connected and more sustainable future for Witney, Carterton and the surrounding area over the next 25 years has been approved.
• £19bn lost from England's economic growth, as poorer transport, jobs and infrastructure holds back counties and rural areasShire counties and rural areas' economies could have been £19bn bigger if they had matched national growth with poorer public transport and a lack of infrastructure and high-paid jobs holding back their potential, a new report finds.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Viaducts could be needed to make Interchange through stationNEW viaducts may need to be built in Bradford if the planned new rail station at Bradford Interchange is to be a through station, according to the Secretary of State for Transport.

Bristol Live

• Bristol's expansion beyond the M4 takes first formal step forwardThe 'Ecotech Village' would extend the city's urban limit over the motorway for the first time
• Electric 'flying taxi' edges closer to reality as Bristol aircraft maker strikes major dealsVertical Aerospace could soon move from design and testing to commercial production

Edinburgh Evening News

• Restrictions during Edinburgh's 7-7-7 bus lane trial 'not as draconian as people make out' says transport convenerRestrictions under Edinburgh's 7-7-7 bus lane trial are "not as draconian as people make out", transport convener Stephen Jenkinson has claimed.

London Evening Standard

• London rail revolution set to see international trains run from second station within four yearsLord Sadiq Khan is forging ahead with plans which could see international trains stopping at Stratford International Station within four years, The Standard can reveal.
• London transport users face £100 fines for blasting out music - but minister admits no 'bus police' to enforcePeople who play music out loud on buses could face £100 fines in a crackdown on antisocial behaviour

Manchester Evening News

• The wasteland around Rochdale train station is finally being put to useThe regeneration around the railway station is part of a wider vision to improve the flow of the down and drive investment

The York Press

• York student invents device to stop rats damaging railwaysA student's engineering solution is saving Network Rail more than £1 million in rail delay costs.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Leeds mass transit delays blamed on red tape as France races ahead with trams, report findsBritish cities are lagging way behind their European counterparts when it comes to delivering mass transit projects due to red tape and planning bottlenecks, a new report has found.

Yorkshire Post

• Hull MPs urge rail companies to 'ditch the diesel' in trains to cityDame Diana Johnson and Emma Hardy called on Hull Trains and Northern to follow TransPennine Express, which recently announced a £1bn in bi-mode trains to serve Hull.

Oxford Mail

• New £1 bus tickets and free parking approved - check locationsNew £1 bus tickets have been approved, with free parking across Oxford for NHS and school staff, funded by some of the temporary congestion charge income.

Other Regional Press

• 100 electric buses now part of First Bus Norfolk fleetFirst Bus has expanded its electric bus fleet in Norfolk to 100 vehicles, thanks to the addition of 14 new electric double-deckers in Norwich. The latest additions mean that electric buses now account for more than 60 per cent of the operator's fleet in the UK county.
• Police called to Elgin Bus Station nearly 270 times since driver's tragic deathNew figures from Police Scotland show officers have been rushed to hundreds of assaults, sexual offences, fights, public nuisance calls, hate crimes and fires at the Moray bus station since 2024.
• Bromsgrove MP 'disappointed' after A38 BREP Westminster Hall debateBROMSGROVE MP Bradley Thomas has spoken of his disappointment after the Westminster Hall debate on the A38 BREP scheme.
• Work begins on step-free access project at Weston stationWork has begun on a project to improve accessibility at Weston-super-Mare railway station.
• New weather station at Craven Arms to keep trains runningNew weather stations are now helping to keep trains running safely and smoothly, even in the face of extreme conditions.
• Construction plan for Wellington Station lift and footbridge work lodged with councilParking and traffic arrangements for the construction of two lifts and a new footbridge at Wellington's railway station have been revealed.
• Volunteers clear historic platform at Frome stationA historic platform at Frome Railway Station has been cleared of overgrown weeds as part of a clean-up effort.
• £2m shore power plan to cut noise at Stourbridge stationA £2 million investment is being promised to reduce overnight noise at Stourbridge Junction railway station after complaints from residents being kept up at night.
• Northumberland Council considers ending free faith-based school transport for new pupilsNorthumberland County Council is seeking the views of parents and carers on proposed changes to its school transport policy.

Centre for Cities

• Mayors want better transport infrastructure. Here's how Government can help them build itWith approval first secured in 1993, many expected trams in Leeds to be running within a decade. But in 2026, they are inexplicably further away than 30 years ago. With the latest delay, West Yorkshire won't have trams until the late 2030s.

Insider Media

• Smaller bus companies invited to bid for routes in latest step to bring network under public controlThe West Midlands mayor has invited small and local bus operators to bid for individual routes as the region takes its next step towards bringing the network back under public control.

British Trams Online

• More details released of new DLR train rolloutA recent Freedom of Information request to Transport for London has provided a bit more clarity of when you may get to see the new B23 trains operating on various parts of the Docklands Light Railway network. The introduction of the new trains has not been without its problems but with the first of the units re-entering service last month, it is now hoped that it will be full systems ahead for the trains to start their takeover of more services.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• Transport Made Simple appoints Steve Wickers as Group Managing DirectorFormer First Eastern Counties MD and Norfolk County Council BSIP lead takes the helm as Peter Nathanail moves to Chairman.

Business Live

• Electric 'flying taxi' closer to reality as major deals agreedVertical Aerospace has struck up long-term agreements with two international firms

Rail Advent

• Scottish station set for accessibility boostNetwork Rail has begun work to improve accessibility for passengers at Dalwhinnie station and strengthen the infrastructure of the Highland Main Line in the area.

Railnews

• Modernised Bradford Interchange to be built The station at Bradford Interchange is to be rebuilt, replacing a structure which dates from the 1970s. Interchange is one of two stations in the city centre. It was opened in 1973, replacing the larger Bradford Exchange, and includes a bus station. It is now used by intercity services as well as local and regional trains.

road.cc

• Active travel has been weaponised claims Welsh transport minister, who criticises lack of strategy behind previous government cycling fundingThe Welsh transport minister says 'there's been a weaponisation of active travel' by political opponents, whilst previous government policy towards encouraging more people to walk and cycle has lacked strategy.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Operators commit to CPT charter on ASB and VAWGOperators representing around 90% of the buses in operation in Britain have signed up to a charter launched today by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) tackling anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls.

Other News Sources

• CPT Scotland calls for urgent meeting with First Minister over major bus reform announcementsThe Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland has written to First Minister John Swinney calling for an urgent meeting following his announcement of sweeping changes to Scotland's bus network at SNP Conference on Saturday (17 October).
• Bus and coach industry launches landmark charter to tackle anti-social behaviour and violence against women and girls, and calls for national system to report harassment and anti-social behaviourThe bus and coach industry will ... launch a major new charter to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWG) and anti-social behaviour (ASB) on public transport, alongside a call for Government to introduce a national system allowing passengers to report incidents in real time.
• Government sets out taxi licensing reform plans in response to Transport Committee reportThe Government has published its response to the Transport Committee's report on taxi and private hire vehicle (PHV) licensing, confirming plans for a draft Taxis and Private Hire Vehicles Bill and setting out its position on a series of recommendations aimed at improving consistency, safeguarding, enforcement and accessibility across the sector.