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

Saturday, 20 June 2026

BBC News

• London's driverless revolution: Awe, anxiety and the unknownThe driver has taken his hands off the wheel, and the car starts driving itself. I am suddenly dumbstruck and lost for words.
• Where will region's new buses go as fleet turns electric?An order for more than 200 more electric buses has been placed by transport bosses in Greater Manchester.
• Driver dies and 33 people seriously injured in Bedford train crash A train driver has died and 89 people have been injured after two trains collided in the Bedford area as police declare a major incident.
• Edinburgh airport evacuated over suspicious packageOfficers say inquiries are ongoing and are urging passengers to contact their airlines for updates.
• Energy bills, business rates and HS2: What are Burnham's potential policies?After winning the Makerfield by-election, we look at what policies Andy Burnham has advocated - including transport, education and energy.
• New replica unveiled of Clydebuilt ship that changed the worldA full-sized model celebrates Henry Bell's Comet, built more than 200 years ago in Port Glasgow.
• Transport hub proposed for cleared airport siteA proposition has been made to use contaminated land near the airport as a transport hub, once soil affected by "forever chemicals" has been cleared.

Financial Times

• Third Heathrow runway would add just 0.05% to UK GDP, government findsA third runway at Heathrow would boost the UK's economy by just 0.05 per cent, a tenth of the level forecast by the airport, according to an official.

The Guardian

• Edinburgh airport reopens after security alert but passengers warned of ‘knock on’ effect‘Suspicious package’ prompted partial evacuation of terminal building but flights were resuming after explosives disposal experts gave all-clear. Edinburgh airport reopened on Saturday morning after parts of the terminal building were evacuated on Friday night because of a security alert. An explosive ordnance disposal team was sent to the airport to investigate what Police Scotland described as a “potentially suspicious package” discovered at about 6.50pm on Friday.
• Can we electrify the world? Ambition moves from nerdish backwater to centre stageApart from effort to electrify, there were geopolitical tensions around climate science and the 1.5C goal at pre-Cop31 climate talksElectrifying the world – with electric vehicles, electric heating and cooling, and modernised heavy industry – could be the next biggest step towards phasing out fossil fuels, replacing the 80% of global energy that still comes from hydrocarbons.
• SUV buyers undeterred by warnings of risk to pedestrians, UK study findsExclusive: Research suggests financial penalties necessary if number of large vehicles on roads is to be reduced. Drivers who are told about the safety risks posed by SUVs to cyclists and pedestrians are very unlikely to be deterred from buying one, a new study has found.The findings indicate that if governments want to reduce the number of large, dangerous vehicles on the roads, it is likely to require financial penalties, according to the psychologists at Swansea University who led the research.
• Heathrow third runway GDP yield may be 90% less than previous estimatesDepartment for Transport analysis suggests tiny economic boost would be outweighed by up to £62.5bn in trade-offs

The Telegraph

• Train driver dies in rail crash near Bedford [subscription]A train driver has died in a rail crash near Bedford on Friday evening, with almost 90 people injured.

Times Online

• Michael O'Leary could earn €153 million in new Ryanair deal [subscription]The veteran chief executive, who will remain in charge until 2032, is likely to secure the payout if the budget airline hits targets
• Bedfordshire train crash: One dead and at least 80 injured [subscription]Ministers are understood to be preparing for multiple fatalities after two East Midlands Railway trains collided, leaving 11 people with very serious injuries

City AM

• Judge rejects Gatwick Airport bid to block new relaxed runway slot rulesA High Court judge has refused Gatwick's request for an immediate emergency freeze to stop the new 70 per cent rule from starting today.

Local Government

• Weymouth's bus shelters 'fit for a king' following transformation workThe look of Weymouth's seafront is going in the right direction, following 'a major refurbishment of the King's Statue bus shelters on the esplanade.

Wales Online

• New electric car to be built in Wales with thousands of orders already confirmedThe plans will create about 150 jobs

Other Regional Press

• £900,000 revamp planned for Glasgow southside rail bridge as busy lines to closeTwo railway closures are planned to allow the work to take place, and temporary traffic lights will be in use.
• Call to reduce parking fees in Selby during work on Gateway projectCommunity leaders in Selby have called on North Yorkshire Council to reduce parking charges during work on public areas near the town's railway station.
• Chesterfield transport schemes - including Staveley bypass and A61 corridor - receive fundingEast Midlands Combined County Authority has approved £298.19m of further Government funding for the Mayoral Transport Fund for the next three years to lay the foundations for key projects including improvements across Chesterfield.
• Historic Haslemere signal box redeveloped as new community museumSouth Western Railway (SWR) and Network Rail Wessex have formally handed over the keys of the Haslemere signal box to the Haslemere Signal Box Trust, marking the transfer of the Grade II listed landmark into community ownership.
• Full Business Case for A38 Major Road Network submitted to the DfTImprovement works planned for the A38 have taken an important step forward as the Full Business Case for the A38 Major Road Network project was submitted to the Department for Transport (DfT)
• Felixstowe School sixth form closure raises transport fearsA proposal to close a town's only sixth form is "disgraceful" as fears are raised over "expensive and unreliable" transportation to other schools.

New Civil Engineer

• Draft Airports National Policy Statement advances Heathrow third runway proposalThe government has published its revised planning framework for expansion at Heathrow and signalled further support of Heathrow Airport Ltd's proposal for a third runway.
• Transport groups warn against spending cuts to fund defenceTransport and freight groups have urged the UK Government not to reduce infrastructure spending to help pay for the planned Defence Investment Plan (DIP).

Rail Magazine

• Railway could face reduced services and subsidies, Alexander warnsQuizzed by the Transport Select Committee on June 17, the Transport Secretary however declined to give specifics of what might happen as the UK continues to seek ways to fund defence.

Rail UK

• £13.5 million track upgrades will improves services at Kilmarnock StationMajor engineering work will take place at Kilmarnock Station this summer to improve journey times and reliability on the vital rail route between Glasgow, Ayrshire and Dumfries, and Galloway.

road.cc

• Where's your hi-vis? Transport secretary praised for 'brilliant' bike commute video in 'normal clothes' but angry drivers accuse her of dressing 'dangerously'Fantastic to see a normal woman wearing normal clothes riding a bike for a normal, everyday journey: Transport secretary praised for 'brilliant messaging' with Brompton commute video but angry motorists accuse her of stroking her ego and ask: 'Where's your hi-vis?'

Aviation Industry

• Government publishes long-awaited planning framework for proposed Heathrow expansion on clean air day Government publishes long-awaited planning framework for proposed Heathrow expansion on clean air day but communities and campaigners warn of serious shortcomings

Other News Sources

• Transport for London keeps Capita behind wheel of road charging ops in 3912M extensionReplacement deal now expected in mid-2029 as body says safe transition will take at least five years
• Manchester agency wins Angel Network transport briefBrandXYZ is to work alongside the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to support the region's new Angel Network

News from Europe

• CEF Transport: €1.1 billion available for infrastructure projects across the EUThe European Commission launched through its Executive Agency CINEA the 2026 call for proposals under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) for Transport, making €1.1 billion available to build and modernise transport infrastructure in the EU and the CEF associated countries of Ukraine and Moldova.