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

Thursday, 09 April 2026

BBC News

• Glen Sannox returns to Arran service as CalMac fleet strugglesThe troubled ferry has returned to the Troon-Arran route though almost a third of CalMac's fleet remains out of service.
• India's lack of widebody aircraft a 'scandal', says incoming IndiGo chiefIndia’s aviation market is set to grow but is held back by limited long-haul capacity, says Willie Walsh.
• Airlines cut flights and hike fares as fuel prices surgeAirlines have reduced services and lifted ticket costs as the Iran war weighs on jet fuel costs.
• Iran Strait of Hormuz warning adds to shipping uncertaintyOnly a few vessels have crossed the strait since the US-Iran ceasefire deal, according to BBC Verify analysis.

ITV News

• Trains cancelled after Oulton Broad North Railway Station fireSuffolk Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a roof blaze in a restaurant based in Oulton Broad North Railway Station on the platform in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The Guardian

• ‘You can’t take that on the plane for free!’ How Ryanair turned its staff into bounty huntersGround staff earn €2.50 for every piece of oversized luggage that they intercept. Meanwhile, passengers who are caught out pay a much bigger penalty Name: Oversized cabin bags. Age: Venerable – but prior to the advent of airline cabins, they were simply known as “bags”.
• Will shipping in the strait of Hormuz – and oil prices – return to normal?Analysts say doubts over stability of the ceasefire and damage to production sites mean the energy crisis is far from overMiddle East crisis – live updatesIf the US-Israeli ceasefire with Iran holds, it could offer the clearest hope of an end to the energy crisis since Iran’s Revolutionary Guards assumed control of the strait of Hormuz after the conflict began 40 days ago.
• Starmer says UK wants to help with opening of Hormuz strait on Gulf visitPM meets Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia before further visits to regional allies, who may see him as more reliable than TrumpMiddle East crisis – live updatesThe UK has a “job” to help reopen the strait of Hormuz, Keir Starmer has said, as Iranian reports said the key shipping route was closed again just hours after a supposed ceasefire.

Times Online

• Just fix the bloody ferries, Sarwar tells Swinney [subscription]First minister has pledged £10 million compensation for islanders after Glen Sannox's latest breakdown, but it's not enough, say his political rivals

City AM

• ‘Beautiful thing’: Trump moots US-Iran tax for ships in Strait of Hormuz   President Trump has floated the prospect of a 'joint venture' with the Iranian leadership on administering a tax on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz in a new peace deal for the region.

Local Government

• Flexi tickets cut cost of bus travel in LeicesterLEICESTER City Council has worked with bus operators to cut the price of Flexi bus tickets, making them the cheapest way to travel around Leicester for virtually all journeys.

Birmingham Mail

• Drivers face new 'environmental' taxes for larger vehiclesHeavy goods vehicles have become subject to new tax rates and road charges from April.

Birmingham Post

• New Somerset train station plans remain 'on shelf' in WhitehallSomerset Council awaits Department for Transport approval of the business case
• Station reopening could 'support planning growth and regeneration' in HaltonCouncil wants Ditton Station to reopen but says funding is needed

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Brewery tap planned for Hebden Bridge rail stationAnd it would join a number of other Yorkshire railway stations that have popular pubs within station buildings, notably Dewsbury, Huddersfield and York.

Bristol Live

• Bristol transport condemned as locals plea 'just get on with it'Similar sized cities in Europe show how poor quality public transport in Bristol is holding back the local economy

Sheffield Star

• Tram station with 100 park & ride spaces opens with ambition to unlock Sheffield and Rotherham business schemeMagna tram train station offers a new spot for people to catch public transport between Parkgate in Rotherham and Sheffield Cathedral.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• 'Cities like Leeds are falling behind': Pro-growth group backs plans for mass transit system in West YorkshireBritain Remade, the country's leading pro-growth campaign group with over 38,000 supporters, has today urged Sir Keir Starmer to give England's metro mayors the power to approve, fund and deliver major transport infrastructure projects.

Yorkshire Post

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Reform councillor denies missing key meetings as mayor warns move could 'kill' reopeningReform has denied councillors have missed key meetings relating to the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, as they seek to pull the plug on a £57m loan in a move which Labour has warned could 'kill' the project.
• Secret West Yorkshire mass transit review advises of 'significantly better' cost benefits of bus networkThe secret Whitehall review into West Yorkshire's proposed mass transit system has urged mayor Tracy Brabin to consider using buses over trams due to a 'significantly less' cost.
• West Yorkshire mass transit: Starmer told to hand over mayors to sign off transport projectsSir Keir Starmer has been urged to hand over powers to mayors to sign off major transport projects, and help bring trams back to West Yorkshire.

Cambridge News

• Cambridge to Oxford rail link slammed as 'delusional'CambridgeshireLive readers share strong views on plans to link Cambridge, Oxford, Bedford and Milton Keynes by rail, with concerns over costs, delays and local impact

Doncaster Free Press

• "Gravely concerned" MPs in joint letter to Reform leader over airport U-turnThe city's four MPs say they are 'gravely concerned' at Reform UK's plans to U-turn on funding to re-open Doncaster Sheffield Airport and have sent a joint letter to the party's leader warning the move would kill the project.

Other Regional Press

• Ipswich to Cambridge rail route renamed St Edmund's Line as Dr Peter Prinsley, MP for Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket, calls for more servicesThe new name for the main railway line through Suffolk has been revealed as an MP called for a direct service into London from a town.
• Council wants to reopen Cheshire railway station that closed in 1994Halton Council still wants to re-open a railway station closed more than three decades ago, but said funding must be secured first. Ditton Station was closed in 1994 and its main buildings demolished in 2005, although its platforms still remain.
• New Euston hub launches as trains return following engineering worksPassengers travelling through London Euston station will see a new customer information hub open as main line services resume on Thursday 9 April.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Integrating England’s transport plus safer busesChristian and co-presenter Mark Walker explore the themes and details of 'Better Connected: A Strategy for Integrated Transport' published by the UK Government on 2 April 2026 as the integrated national transport strategy for England [1:38]. Picking up a recurring podcast theme of road safety, Christian speaks to Louise Liddle who has channelled personal tragedy into a campaign for higher investigatory and driving standards reaching the top levels of government [27:06]. In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian outlines his next book and his research in Africa which will inform the project [45:05].

Rail Advent

• New hub opens at London Euston to support station usersWhen mainline train services resume from London Euston station tomorrow (Thursday 9 April) following engineering work, passengers will be able to get information from a new hub.

Rail Business Daily

• East West Rail announces details of last route-wide public consultationEast West Railway Company (EWR Co) has announced details of its last route-wide consultation on the latest designs for the project which will link Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.
• New customer hub opens at Euston stationPassengers travelling through London Euston will be able to use a brand‑new customer information hub when main line services resume on Thursday 9 April.

Railnews

• Wartime economy reversed as Camp Hill line reopens A West Midlands passenger service which was withdrawn as a wartime economy measure in January 1941 is running again. Although the closure of the Camp Hill line in Birmingham was originally said to be temporary, it was confirmed by the LMS in 1946. The line itself has continued to be used by through traffic.

Railway-News

• Fastening Systems: Small Components, Big ImpactThey are barely visible, yet so crucial for safety and efficiency on the track: fastening systems play a central role in load transfer and elasticity control. In this interview, Thomas Mayer, Vice President R&D and Engineering Fastening Systems, provides insights into the complex world of fastening systems and shows why the interaction of components determines performance and service life.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Scottish public backs bus priority measures, CPT polling suggestsThe majority of Scottish voters support coach and bus priority measures, according to a new poll commissioned by the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) Scotland.

The Business Desk

• Manchester Airport private jet facility prepares for take off priced at £10mA private jet facility at Manchester Airport, favoured by Premier League football teams and high profile celebrities, has been brought to market by global agents Knight Frank, with an asking price of around £10m.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow handled over £293bn in trade in 2025Heathrow Airport handled £293 billion worth of goods in 2025, accounting for more than a quarter of the UK's total trade by value, according to new government data.

Other News Sources

• Leeds Tram Plan Was Working To Exclusive: Tracy Brabin's attempts to start construction on a Leeds tram network before her next re-election campaign were blocked after a confidential Whitehall review concluded this deadline carried a high risk of wasted taxpayers' cash.

News from Europe

• Procurement reform underpins Stockholm bus rolloutSweden has spent decades greening its public transport, and the city of Stockholm has been a big part of this shift. The region reached a fully renewable-fuelled bus fleet in 2017 and is now taking the next step by planning a transition to electric buses by 2035. With around 2,000 buses serving 500 lines across 10,000 kilometres, the transition builds on long-standing experience with biofuels and biogas.