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

Thursday, 16 July 2026

BBC News

• We wish East West Rail was already here, say teensTeenagers living in Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire say they hope East West Rail (EWR) will help them overcome transport hurdles that are holding them back from taking up opportunities in work and further education.
• Why are trains being cancelled during hot weather?Numerous trains have been cancelled and services disrupted over the past two weeks amid soaring temperatures across the country.
• Transport rule change 'could hit school funding'Controversial changes to a home-to-school transport policy could hit future pupil numbers and finances, a councillor has warned.
• Government brings British Steel under public ownershipThe Scunthorpe steelworks has been officially nationalised under new government powers passed this week.
• Union pushes ministers to deliver promise of work for state-owned shipyardThe GMB has accused ministers of dragging their feet over new work for Ferguson Marine which as announced before the Holyrood election.

Department for Transport

• £33.4 million to fund new gateline improvementsNew ticket gates at railway stations will help crack down on fare dodging, while reinvesting millions into better rail services across England.

The Independent

• Frontier Airlines to add Starlink wifi to flightsFrontier Airlines has become the latest airline to announce the installation of Starlink internet on its flights.
• New ticket barrier technology installed on UK railway to prevent fare dodgersHigh Wycombe station, operated by Chiltern Railways, has installed taller gates with tailgate sensors

The Telegraph

• Train companies will install 6ft ticket gates to stop fare-dodgers [subscription]More than £33m being spent on taller barriers with AI sensors to detect tailgaters

Times Online

• Eurostar challenger plans London-Cologne line by 2030 [subscription]Gemini Trains also wants to run rival services to France, including Disneyland Paris and Charles de Gaulle airport
• Andy Burnham must ensure Heathrow plan doesn't price people out [subscription]The incoming prime minister has a once in a generation opportunity to get the development right with consumers protected and a new runway by 2035
• Fare-dodgers face taller rail barriers with 'anti-tailgate' AIOperators in fare-evading hotspots will be given £33 million. The head-high gates will carry software to spot those who sneak in behind another passenger

GB News

• Motorists slam eyesight rules impacting millions as new driving licence rules punish over-70sBritons have slammed proposals to introduce compulsory eyesight tests for drivers aged 70 and over, warning the move would unfairly target older motorists.
• Britons reject self-driving cars as Londoners oppose robotaxis in 'concerning' move for LabourBritons have started backing away from the idea of self-driving taxis in the capital, with a new poll showing public opposition to driverless cars remains high.

The National

• SNP will not stop cuts to Scottish island flights, Stephen Flynn saysSCOTTISH Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn has said the SNP Government will not step in with funding after flights serving the Highlands and Islands were cut back.

Sky News

• TfL hack sentencing latest: Teen hackers started arguing days into massive cyber attack - as angry messages revealed in courtThalha Jubair and Owen Flowers were teenagers when they carried out the "aggressive" cyber attack in 2024, costing London's transport network millions.

Bristol Live

• Growing village near Bristol 'needs a railway station again'More than 250 people want the government to act, including the local MP

London Evening Standard

• Gatwick Airport chaos as flights declare emergency and diverted after sudden runway closureFlights to London Gatwick were diverted across the UK after incident, disrupting hundreds of passengers
• Taller barriers to be installed at London stations in crackdown on fare-evasionThe upgrades form part of a £33.4 million funding package that will be rolled out across England by six train operators

Manchester Evening News

• Major changes at 18 UK train stations to stop fare dodgers - full listMajor changes to ticket barriers will be rolled out across 18 UK train stations in a bid to stop people dodging fares, the Government has announced.

Yorkshire Post

• Doubt over Doncaster Sheffield Airport will only increase after CAA reportFurther doubt has been cast over the viability of the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA). The overarching sentiment towards the project has been positive. Who wouldn't want a fully functioning airport and aviation hub in South Yorkshire? A reopened DSA could transform the local economy.
• North Yorkshire schools transport: Why are children being held hostage to political fortune?Controversial 'home to school' transport reforms will not save North Yorkshire Council substantial amounts of money and will 'kill the Dales' families and campaigners warn. Scrapping free transport to all but a child's closest school might even cost more money than the projected £3m in council budget savings, it's claimed by opponents.

My London

• Richmond renews pleas to reopen Hammersmith Bridge to public transport as car plans shelvedRichmond Council said it refused to accept the latest plans for the bridge as 'the end of the story'
• The 2 London train stations where taller ticket barriers to be installed to deter fare dodgersNew ticket barriers will be installed at railway stations across England in a crackdown on fare evasion, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.

Other Regional Press

• A new vision for public transport in the North EastWe need to see a fully integrated system where different types of transport can be used on the same ticket, with them working together to make a better system for transport users
• Extra cash for Northumberland coast cycle route set to be signed off in £18.6m investment packageA multi-million pound funding boost to cover the rising cost of a new cycle route on the Northumberland coast looks set to be signed off.
• 'Don't replace coastguards with volunteers', says council leaderThe leader of North Yorkshire Council will lobby the Government over a plan to cut the pay of coastguard rescue officers.
• CrossCountry say more Bridgwater services 'not practical'Bridgwater's push for better rail links has hit a key obstacle, with CrossCountry warning that adding more services to the town is not currently practical due to already crowded trains.
• Business Voice - Encouraging signs of growth at Southampton AirportAs we move into the peak summer holiday period, there is a real sense of optimism across Southampton Airport.
• Campaign continues to reopen closed Mauchline train station A CAMPAIGN to reopen Mauchline's long-lost railway station is gathering momentum, despite a setback from Transport Scotland..
• Brighton station pioneers Auracast for hearing aid usersA new technology is improving the travel experience for passengers with hearing loss.
• End of the line for rail fare dodgers as new ticket barriers rolled out at Manchester and Liverpool stationsNew ticket barriers will be installed at railway stations across England in a crackdown on fare evasion, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced.
• Ticket barriers to be installed at Worcester railway stationsWorcester Foregate Street and Worcester Shrub Hill stations will have new ticket gates installed as part of a nationwide crackdown on fare evasion.
• Transport after 6pm in Glasgow is 'not good enough'Public transport after 6pm in Glasgow is not good enough to support a modern city centre nighttime economy it has been found.
• Poor public transport holding back East's tourism economyPoor public transport is holding back the East's visitor economy, a new study has found.

Business Live

• Taller ticket barriers at railway stations in crackdown on fare evasionGates to be deployed at hotspots across England

Highways News

• South London leaders call for action to close the transport divideSouth London leaders have called for action to close the transport divide, launching a bold new strategy setting out the investment needed to transform connectivity, unlock growth and make everyday journeys quicker, easier and more reliable.

Rail Business Daily

• Budget boost to get railway station revamp back on trackLeicester City Council has been given the go-ahead to allocate almost £10 million of Government funding to help ensure that a radical revamp of Leicester's historic railway station goes ahead.

Rail Magazine

• More regional powers 'could help deliver mass transit schemes'Giving regions more power to decide over mass transits could help deliver networks, if they're the right answer for local transport needs.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Squarepeg Buses mounts West Yorkshire bus franchising protestOperator says Combined Authority has not done enough to protect SMEs in reregulation process
• RHA launches Wellbeing Charter for road transport workersRHA has launched a Wellbeing Charter aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of people working in the coach sector, and other road transport and logistics industries.

Safer Highways

• The Friday Blog | Heathrow's Third Runway and the M25 Question: Can Britain Really Move One of Europe's Busiest Motorways?For decades, the debate surrounding Heathrow's proposed third runway has focused on aviation capacity, climate change and economic growth. Yet hidden beneath those arguments lies what may prove to be the greatest engineering challenge of them all: moving the M25.
• Nottingham launches £3m framework to support highways and transport design projects Nottingham City Council is seeking specialist design partners through a new framework agreement worth up to £3 million to help deliver highways and transport schemes across the city over the next four years.
• Transport Improvements Key to Unlocking East of England's £4bn Visitor Economy, Report Finds Study highlights need for better public transport links to support tourism, businesses and local communities
• TfL Defends £13.9bn Borrowing as Critics Question Scale of London Transport DebtTransport authority says loans are funding long-term investment rather than day-to-day operations

TaxiPoint

• Freenow by Lyft improves Heathrow airport pickup payments with higher cancellation support and new waiting fee for driversFreenow by Lyft has introduced changes to its Heathrow Airport pickup payments, increasing compensation for drivers when passengers cancel and adding a new waiting fee for airport collections.

The Business Desk

• Logistics group swoops for live entertainment transport specialistMM Band Services, a transport specialist behind tours for artists including the Foo Fighters, Shakira, and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, has been acquired by Netherlands-based entertainment logistics company Pieter Smit Group.

Other News Sources

• Scottish Greens MSP Kristopher Leask 'disappointed' in transport secretary Stephen Flynn's response to Loganair flight cut letterA politician who played a leading role in the campaign to save lifeline flights has expressed his disappointment at the transport secretary's response to his calls for help.
• West Northants streets to gain 3,000 EV charging sockets in £2.85m rolloutThe humble lamp post is about to start paying its way. West Northamptonshire is to host one of the UK's largest local on-street electric vehicle charging programmes, with more than 3,000 sockets, most of them fitted to existing lamp columns, due to start appearing on residential streets from mid 2026.
• £20m Dover fix comes with no promise of shorter queues this summer The UK government has announced 320 million for additional passport-control booths and vehicle-processing capacity at the Port of Dover as concerns grow that the EU's biometric border system could cause severe summer congestion.
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport invests in Air Traffic Control team as part of preparations for reopeningDoncaster Sheffield Airport has invested in recruitment and technology for its Air Traffic Control (ATC) team as it continues to work towards reopening.
• Edinburgh Airport Partners With Airportr To Bring Baggage-As-A-Service To One Of The UK's Fastest-Growing Travel HubsEDINBURGH, Scotland, July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Airportr, the travel technology company that pioneered Baggage-as-a-Service, allowing checked-in passengers to have their luggage collected from their home or hotel and delivered directly to their flight, has partnered with Edinburgh Airport and easyJet to bring the Airportr service to passengers departing from one of the UK's busiest and fastest-growing airports.
• First UK train station installs permanent Auracast systemAmpetronic and Listen Technologies have completed the UK's first permanent Auracast-based assistive listening installation in a railway station at Brighton.
• More trains through central LondonThe Thameslink programme upgraded a live north-south rail route through London, including infrastructure dating back to the 1860s. For Network Rail, we developed the safety programme for the European Train Control System (ETCS) in the central Core, enabling metro-style frequency while retaining a conventional signalling fallback.
• Arcadis joins TfL PSF3 to support complex transport deliveryArcadis, the world's leading company delivering data-driven sustainable design, engineering and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets, has been appointed to Transport for London's (TfL) Professional Services Framework 3 (PSF3), further strengthening its long-standing relationship with one of the UK's most high-profile and complex infrastructure organisations.

News from Europe

• Omio to acquire Rail EuropeOmio Group has entered into an agreement to acquire Rail Europe, a global distributor of European rail tickets founded in the 1930s.
• Failed €50m rail IT system: contractor says scope of project was 'not sufficiently specified'NTA privately warns Irish Rail of 'significant financial consequences' arising from move to fire IT company Indra
• Proposal to extend made-in-Europe policy to firefighting aircraftEurope needs to onshore production as increasingly frequent and severe wildfires drive global demand, French MEP warns