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

Wednesday, 19 August 2026

Government

• Prime Minister supports West Midlands to take public control of local bus networkGovernment and local leaders join forces to keep vital bus services running for millions of people across the West Midlands.
• Better WiFi on remote trains and access to cutting edge tech for British farmers through £13 million boost to drive next-gen satellite communicationsMore reliable broadband on remote Scottish railways and affordable sensors which help farmers grow more food.

BBC News

• Rail replacement plans for Newcastle to EdinburghTrain passengers are being warned of replacement bus services and diversions between Newcastle and Edinburgh for upgrade works.
• Heat and crowding spark Skegness rail complaintsPassengers travelling to Skegness in 30C heat have complained of overcrowding and failed air conditioning on a packed train service.
• Large solar array for Network Rail approvedHundreds of solar panels will be installed on the roof of a building in York after planning consent was obtained.
• Major repairs start at fire-damaged railway lineA section of West Midlands railway is the subject of a major repair operation following "significant damage" suffered during the Stourbridge fire.
• Steam engine trips suspended after two firesA heritage railway service has paused its steam engine trips after two fires, one of which was "most likely" caused by a passing train.
• Scientists stunned by children's lung recovery in ultra low emission zoneScientists say they have been "stunned" by how quickly young children's lungs began to recover and grow after pollution restrictions were brought in where they lived.
• Minister visits derailment site amid funding pleaThe rail minister has visited the site of a derailment in East Sussex amid calls for more investment in transport in the South East.
• Major repairs start at fire-damaged railway lineNational Rail is aiming to reopen the line by the weekend but says it will "take some time".
• Bus travel is changing in the West Midlands - what will it mean for you?What impact will WMCA's shift to a franchise model have on fares and timetables?
• Shipyard cranes to be overhauled ahead of major contractIt is part of an investment of almost £100m as the Belfast yard's Spanish owners prepare it for a major defence contract.
• Is it a bus? Is it a boat? The former Citybus taking to the waterThe vessel has gone from ferrying passengers around Belfast to sailing up the River Bann.
• Ferguson shipyard to cut a quarter of its workforceThe state-owned yard on the Clyde will lose 70 of its 283 staff through a voluntary redundancy process as it awaits confirmation of promised new orders.
• AI to help planes avoid climate-warming 'sky graffiti' A new UK trial hopes to reduce the condensation trails from planes, which can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere.
• American Airlines to bring back TV screens on US flightsIt is also adding more premium seats, with the changes aimed at improving the travel experience and boosting revenue.
• Ten years of the Night Tube: 'I did feel like a part of history'Ten years and 67 million passengers later, London's Night Tube is a vital part of the capital's infrastructure. But what was it like to work its opening night?

Financial Times

• Andy Burnham hails shake-up of bus services in West MidlandsAndy Burnham has hailed changes to bus services in the West Midlands as 'the single biggest act of public control since I came into office'
• London's clean air zone linked to improvement in children's lung healthBetter air quality following the introduction of a strict low-emission zone for vehicles in London has brought a significant improvement in lung health
• Thames Barrier may need £20bn replacement far sooner than expectedExtreme weather has put London's flood defence under strain, senior government officials warn.

The Guardian

• Introducing Ulez was my hardest decision as mayor of London but now we know its astonishing impact Sadiq KhanCritics said I was attacking motorists. It's more important for me that the city's children are no longer breathing dangerous levels of pollution

The Independent

• Gatwick claims Heathrow's third runway plans leave local households out of pocketHouseholds near Heathrow's proposed third runway will receive 'inadequate' compensation for necessary noise insulation, Gatwick airport has claimed.
• UK needs more clean air zones like Ulez, says mother of girl whose death was linked to air pollution after landmark studyA landmark new study has linked London's ultra-low-emissions zones to improved lung function in children
• Trump circles the Strait of Hormuz on map and proclaims it as 'new US territory'The president reasserts that the U.S. will takeover the Middle East passageway it hasn't been able to get under control for months and even parts of Iran in taunting new Truth Social post

The Scotsman

• Passengers on stunning West Highland Line to benefit from satellite internetIt is one of the world's most scenic railway journeys, passing through a dramatic landscape of wild, lonely mountains and deep, wind-lashed lochs.

The Telegraph

• Burnham's bus plan leaves West Midlands with £30m bill [subscription]Prime Minister hails move to transfer ownership of hundreds of routes and fleet of depots
• Children's lungs grew after London launched Ulez [subscription]Study of more than 3,400 pupils finds improved respiratory health since pollution car charges were introduced

Times Online

• Ferguson Marine shipyard to slash quarter of total workforce [subscription]The state-owned facility faces delays to new orders as bosses say the job cuts are needed to secure its long-term viability
• Mobico is dismantling the National Express empire it once built [subscription]The travel company's retreat from the West Midlands will be personal for chairman Phil White, who cut his teeth there
• Andy Burnham's vision for Britain pulls into focus at the bus station [subscription]The prime minister's summer roadshow rolls through another place he argues has suffered under private ownership. Can growth come from changing that?
• Train lines shut as firefighters tackle south London blaze [subscription]A fire at a recycling centre has shut railways running into London Bridge only weeks after a similar blaze at the same plant
• Ulez linked to improvement in health of London children's lungs [subscription]A five-year study found pupils in the capital reached the same breathing capacity as their counterparts in Luton as clean-air zones reduced air pollution
• Trump 'stops negotiating with Iran' after ship hit in Hormuz [subscription]The incident occurred a day after President Trump threatened to bomb Oman if it interfered in discusssions over the waterway's sovereignty

Transport Committee

• Transport Committee Chair welcomes free bus travel for disabled peopleThe Chair of the Transport Committee has welcomed Government plans to enable disabled people across England to travel by bus for free at any time of day.

City AM

• FTSE 100 Live: Stocks to fall as oil jumps after Trump claims Strait of HormuzOil prices are surging higher for the fourth consecutive session after Donald Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz as US territory.
• Let them build homes near stations, but let them be beautiful too Rules to allow thousands of new homes near stations is cause for celebration, but the government must avoid creating 'anywhere developments'.

Local Government

• New community rail project helps people gain confidence to travel independentlyA new community rail project is helping people with disabilities gain the confidence and skills to travel independently by train while promoting some of the outstanding attractions along the Cumbrian Coast Line.

Network Rail

• £7m investment to deliver major rail upgrades between Newcastle and ScotlandAn extensive package of rail improvements will affect journeys between Newcastle and Scotland over three weekends.
• Major railway recovery underway after Stourbridge wildfiresA major recovery operation is underway to repair significant damage to the railway caused by last week's wildfires in Stourbridge.

Birmingham Mail

• West Midlands bus operations sale 'logical for National ExpressMobico said the transaction of its West Midlands bus operations is expected to be completed in November

Birmingham Post

• Mobico sells West Midlands bus business to combined authority for £24mThe group, which also runs the National Express coach business, said deal is part of efforts to make Mobico "simpler and stronger"
• Leader of Newport Council on the M4 the city's tech sector and a relocation of the ONSDimitri Batrouni said the city is at the heart of the growing South Wales compound semiconductor cluster

Edinburgh Evening News

• Three weekends of rail disruption between Newcastle and Edinburgh amid major rail upgradesPassengers travelling between Edinburgh and Newcastle are facing three consecutive weekends of rail replacement buses and diversions due to major rail upgrades taking place across the North East of England.

LBC

• 'Keep the money on the track': Government urged to commit to public ownership of all new trains and carriages'Keep the money on the track': Government urged to commit to public ownership of all new trains and carriages

London Evening Standard

• Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic leads airlines shredding Government's case for third runway at HeathrowHeathrow is already the most expensive airport in the world for airlines to use, and expansion risks driving charges up to the point where the hub becomes unaffordable, British Airways parent company IAG added
• All Sadiq Khan's objections to Heathrow third runway as London mayor slams Government caseMinisters are currently reviewing development proposals to install a third runway at the West London site, amid opposition from local and environmental campaigners
• London bus strike halted! Walkout by 1,500 drivers suspended amid vote on new Arriva dealMore than 1,500 Arriva bus drivers returned to strike action this week amid a dispute over working conditions but the walkout has been stopped
• Ulez linked to improved lung growth in children, major study findsA study of more than 3,400 children found lung growth in London improved following the introduction of ULEZ in 2019

Morning Star

• Ensure all new rolling stock on railway is publicly owned, drivers' union Aslef urgesTRAIN drivers' union Aslef called today for a government commitment that all new rolling stock on the railway be publicly owned.

Nation. Cymru

• Railway bridge vandalised ahead of planned muralVandals have scrawled graffiti style tags over a railway bridge that had just been given a fresh undercoat in preparation for an authorised mural.

Sheffield Star

• 'Buses are a lifeline for some - we need a network that serves users, current and future' - reader's letterThis is something that Lib Dems in Westminster have been campaigning on for almost two years as the Bus Services Bill was progressing through Parliament.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Midlands needs new rail line to Manchester, says Burnham during visit to WolverhamptonPrime Minister Andy Burnham said a new railway line was needed to link the West Midlands to the North during his visit to Wolverhampton.

Yorkshire Post

• Yorkshire MP celebrates victorious disabled bus campaignAndy Burnham has credited Harrogate and Knaresbrough MP Tom Gordon for his campaign to end time restrictions on disabled bus passes.

Cambridge News

• 1,600 homes could be built in tiny Cambridgeshire city as Network Rail raises 'significant concerns'The plans could extend a Cambridgeshire city

Get Surrey

• Plans for 300 homes next to Surrey village train station submitted amid new Government planning rulesProposals have been submitted to build up to 300 homes on land opposite a railway station in a Surrey village. The plans include commercial space, a new 'station square' and come amid new Government planning rules.

Other Regional Press

• Richard Foord MP urging upgrades to vital Devon rail lineAn East Devon MP is demanding urgent upgrades to a vital rail line.
• 'Rip-off prices' for Preston train users - cheaper to travel from London to Scotland than to LancashireRail users have accused Avanti West Coast of 'ripping off' Preston passengers after it emerged it's cheaper to travel from London to Scotland than to catch a train from London to Lancashire.
• Northumberland council defends roads and bus funding after criticismNorthumberland County Council leader Glen Sanderson has defended the authority's record on road repairs, public transport and investment in west Northumberland after criticism from Hexham MP Joe Morris.
• Petersfield train service one of UK's most overcrowdedA train service between Petersfield and London was one of the ten most overcrowded in the UK last autumn.
• New Devon station gives hope to Somerset railway's futureThe opening of a new railway station in rural Devon should serve as a hopeful sign for efforts to reconnect the West Somerset Railway (WSR) with mainline services, according to one Somerset MP.
• Barnstaple to Bideford rail route protection sought in local planRail campaigners have put a former route back on the planning track, calling for it to be protected for possible future shared use between rail and active travel.

British Trams Online

• Another Stadler train enters service on the Tyne and Wear Metro555 024 has become the next of the new Stadler trains to enter service on the Tyne and Wear Metro. This is the 43rd of the trains to have carried passengers on at least one occasion leaving just three more to go!

Construction News

• How Heathrow's expansion can help modernise the way Britain builds major infrastructureHeathrow's expansion could have a large impact on the sector specifically around how major infrastructure will be built in Britain, Mott MacDonald global discipline leader for advisory David Beare.

New Civil Engineer

• Interview | Former Welsh infrastructure advisor on the challenges Wales facesDavid Clubb stood down as chair of the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales (NICW) last month, after more than four years in the role.

Rail Advent

• Satellites to improve broadband in the HighlandsA UK Space Agency project being trialled on remote rural railways in Scotland aims to improve broadband speed and reliability.

Rail Business Daily

• Business case planned to improve Devon's railways and build on previous successApproximately £150,000 is needed for a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) to enhance Devon's railways.
• High Speed Rail Group appoints Mandy Duncan and Jonathan Sharrock to Board of DirectorsThe High Speed Rail Group (HSRG) has appointed Mandy Duncan, Managing Director, Rail and Aviation at Kier Infrastructure, and Jonathan Sharrock, Senior Account Director at Arcadis, to its Board of Directors.

Railway-News

• Measuring Wi-Fi Quality From The Passenger's PerspectiveWhen It Comes To Onboard Wi-Fi, Passengers Judge The Experience Simply: Does It Work, And Does It Work Well?
• Why System-Level Rail Asset Management Beats Asset-by-Asset PlanningRail infrastructure managers do not usually run into trouble because a single asset is old, late or in poor condition on its own. The bigger problem comes when asset decisions are made without enough visibility of how they affect performance, access, risk, cost and sequencing across the wider network.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• National Express UK Bus at a crossroads - but what of UK Coach?Speculation will turn to UK Coach arm after UK Bus sale news, but any writing off is premature
• Purchase of NatEx bus operations will smooth franchising, says TfWMThe proposed acquisition of National Express local bus operations by West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) will streamline the forthcoming franchising process in the region, according to Transport for West Midlands (TfWM).

Aviation Industry

• Menzies trials AI-powered cargo dimensioner at HeathrowCargo handler Menzies Aviation is testing cargo measurement and build-up technology at its Heathrow operations to see if the technology can create efficiencies in its operations.
• Heathrow cargo trial using AI-powered computer vision technologyMenzies Aviation has launched a proof-of-concept trial of AI-powered cargo measurement and build-up technology at its cargo operations at London's Heathrow Airport (LHR), in partnership with computer vision specialist, CIND.
• Scottish Government commits to additional private jet taxationEarlier this year, the Scottish Government consulted on introducing Air Departure Tax (ADT) from April 2027. The consultation included questions on applying a new rate to private jets, supplementary to Scottish Government commits to additional private jet taxation appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• MP urges National Highways to take on Bromsgrove road schemeBROMSGROVE'S MP has called for National Highways to take control of a delayed road project.
• Is Euston station really that bad?I think Euston station may be one of the most joyous places in London. Wait, where are you going? Stick with me.
• Sadiq Khan: Government has 'not sufficiently made' case for Heathrow third runwayThe Government has not made a sufficient case for a third runway at Heathrow and is relying too heavily on evidence dating back almost a decade, London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan has warned.
• FS Italiane to Launch Paris-London High Speed Rail Service via Channel Tunnel by 2029The FS Italiane Group is initiating a massive expansion of its high-speed rail network, headlined by a planned entry into the London-Paris corridor via the Channel Tunnel by 2029.
• Icomera to Launch Passenger-Centric Rail Wi-Fi Testing Across Europe and North America in 2026Icomera is shifting the rail connectivity paradigm by deploying passenger-perspective measurement tools across European and North American networks to eliminate the gap between technical network reports and actual user experience.
• UK slings £13 million into spaceThe UK Space Agency is ploughing £13 million of public funds into 16 projects geared towards the development of satellite communications systems.
• Rail Wi-Fi and farming sensors: UK govt awards £13m to 16 satellite projectsThe supported projects include providing broadband on rural Scottish rail lines and powering agricultural sensors on commercial farms
• Rail Minister admits strong case for better rail services in BridgwaterLord Hendy acknowledged the town's strong economic case, for enhanced rail connectivity
• Barnstaple to Bideford rail route protection sought in local planRail campaigners have put a former route back on the planning track, calling for it to be protected for possible future shared use between rail and active travel.