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

Saturday, 20 September 2025

BBC News

• Railway station's £12m upgrade plans at riskA plan for a £12m upgrade of Redditch railway station in Worcestershire is at risk, as the county council looks to reduce its financial borrowing.
• Bus trips fall for first time since pandemicThe number of bus trips taken annually in a region has fallen slightly for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic.
• Date revealed for major A38 road improvementsA multi-million pound improvement scheme for a major road leading to a city airport could begin construction in June 2026, according to council reports.
• Airport boss stands down amid sale by councilsThe managing director of an airport is stepping down for personal reasons as its incoming owner announces a "bold" vision for future aviation growth.
• Mayor loses no confidence vote in airport rowA Labour mayor has lost a symbolic "no confidence" vote put forward by a Reform UK councillor.
• Edinburgh Airport workers call off strike threatSupport workers who help passengers with reduced mobility on and off planes had threatened to walk out over a pay row.
• Annual cost of Belfast bike-rental skyrockets to £120The cost of a 20 minute pay-as-you-go cycle is almost double the price it used to be.
• Bus firm sorry over wee-in-bottle memo to driversA note to drivers told them to "properly dispose" of bottles used for "relieving themselves".
• Nearly all Ulez fine evaders are persistent - TfLAlmost all fines issued for non-payment of the £12.50 daily Ulez charge are from persistent evaders.
• Ministers yet to seek climate advice on Heathrow expansionThe government faces calls to give the Climate Change Committee a bigger role in advising on airport expansion.

Times Online

• Nationalisation isn't making the trains run on time, data shows [subscription]Bringing railway operators under public ownership has not improved punctuality, but it has increased the number of timetabled trains

The Mirror

• Brussels Airport cyberattack: Flight cancellations and delays expected TODAYAn overnight cyberattack at a European airport has casued chaos for travellers this weekend.

Birmingham Post

• New Wellington railway station will cost £20m and won’t open until 2028Rail services set to return to Wellington after more than 60 years

Manchester Evening News

• Free bus pass age to rise for state pensioners from 2026The Department for Transport has confirmed that from next April, individuals in England will have to wait an additional year to receive their free bus pass

Yorkshire Post

• Celebration of 200 years of the modern British railway system is a reminder of its powerful potentialThe 200th anniversary of the modern British railway system is the perfect time to look back on and reflect on the importance of rail travel.

Carlisle News & Star

• Penrith station named as best small station at National Rail AwardsOften dubbed as the 'Railway Oscars', the National Rail Awards celebrates outstanding achievements within the rail industry.

Other Regional Press

• Bus companies only care about corporate greed, not local needsDelays, disruption, despair. Those three Ds dominate the minds of any transport user when news of a strike reaches them.

Rail-News.com

• UK Rail Industry Makes Progress on Cost-Effective Safety DecisionsThe UK rail industry has taken steps to improve how it assesses health and safety measures, following recommendations from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• SYMCA awards bus depot feasibility contract ahead of franchisingThe South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) has appointed Janus Architecture to deliver what it describes as 'feasibility designs' for six bus depots in the region as part of preparations for the rollout of franchising.

Other News Sources

• 'This cannot continue' - Rail advocate to mark one year since Congleton's last Sunday serviceOne year has passed since a train last stopped at Congleton on a Sunday. The reduction in such services is the result of a dispute between Northern Trains and the RMT Union over rest days.
• IMechE sets out challenges and opportunities of safe transport automationAutomation is increasingly used in every mode of transport. Beyond vehicle control, AI is being applied to assist or replace human task elements in system design, maintenance and operation, and these challenges are fundamental to most human-centred systems being disrupted in this way.
• Bus workers to strike across Sussex amid 'penny-pinching' pay cutsFollowing a ballot result where 1300 workers were asked about taking strike action, workers are now due to take strike action on October 6 and 15.