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

Friday, 29 May 2026

BBC News

• Hidden waterway under railway station uncoveredRailway passengers can now see a section of a river that has been hidden underneath a station for more than 150 years.
• Rail line closes for HS2 viaduct workRail passengers are being asked to plan ahead as part of a major commuter route shuts for three days for HS2 work.
• M4 congestion needs a 'roads-based solution', first minister saysRhun ap Iorwerth said the Brynglas Tunnels in Newport are an "economic problem for Wales".
• Busiest Tube, Overground and DLR stations revealedTottenham Court Road is the busiest London Underground station, Transport for London figures show.
• World Cup will boost late-night travel, TfL saysTFL says World Cup matches plus other summer events could see this year's busiest travel evenings.
• Biggest rail operator nationalised: What it meansThameslink, Southern, Great Northern and Gatwick Express services will be nationalised on Sunday.
• Prisoners trained in roadwork skills to improve job prospectsPrisoners in Scotland will be trained in roadwork skills to improve their job prospects after release from jail.
• Oil prices fall after report of breakthrough in US-Iran talksA report of a extended ceasefire, subject to Donald Trump's approval, has led to global oil prices to fall on Thursday.
• Humanoid robots 'the future' of car making, says BMWBMW is introducing humanoid robots to a car plant in Europe, building on similar projects in the US.

Department for Transport

• Britain's biggest train operator's services enter public ownership this weekendGovia Thameslink Railway (GTR), which includes Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express, will transfer into public ownership.

STV

• Caledonian Sleeper train given Outlander makeoverThe Caledonian Sleeper train has been given a new look in celebration of Outlander, with the makeover hailed as exciting and surreal by one of the show's stars Sam Heughan.

The Guardian

• Nearly 500 seriously injured in e-scooter collisions in Great Britain last yearTen people, all of whom were e-scooter riders, were killed in collisions compared with six in 2024Nearly 500 people were seriously injured in collisions involving e-scooters in Great Britain last year, government statistics have shown.The Department for Transport (DfT) said there had been an estimated 1,484 casualties in crashes involving electric scooters, compared with 1,390 in 2024. Continue reading...

The Herald

• SNP Stephen Flynn on Scottish income tax, business rates, Kate ForbesIndividuals who have put more into the Scottish income tax system up until now have 'perhaps not got as much left to give as some other people would like to think that they do', Stephen Flynn has declared. The new Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Tourism and Transport made this observation when asked, in an exclusive interview with The Herald, what he believed should happen on the income tax front in the context of divergence with the rest of the UK for higher earners.

The Independent

• Caledonian Sleeper train given Outlander makeover in celebration of the showSam Heughan unveiled the new design at London Euston on Thursday.
• Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket explodes in giant fireball on launchpad during ‘hotfire test’Bezos calls it a ‘very rough day’ and says it is still too early to say what caused the blast

The Scotsman

• Night train to the Highlands embraces the Outlander effectThere is a certain romance about the night train to the Highlands.

The Telegraph

• Potholes blamed for surge in cyclists suffering serious injuries [subscription]Crumbling road surfaces can prove fatal for those on two wheels, says AA president

Daily Express

• Blue Origin New Glenn rocket goes up in flames at NASA Space CentreJeff Bezos has issued a statement after his Blue Origin rocket exploded in dramatic fashion at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

Mail Online

• Controversial £2.4 million cycle street could be torn up after trial period, admits head of organisation that built itBrian Milnes, the chairman of the Greater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) which installed the bright red, third-of-a-mile-long scheme, revealed its future depended on a trial period.

The Mirror

• Uber introduces two new safety features to give passengers 'peace of mind'Uber drivers will be notified about and will have the option to cancel the booking without penalty

Local Government

• Cumberland Council raises concerns over Stagecoach bus services with Traffic CommissionerCumberland Council has formally raised concerns about the performance of Stagecoach bus services in the area with the Traffic Commissioner, ongoing issues affecting passengers and communities across the county.

Belfast Telegraph

• Co Antrim bus giant Wrightbus wins order for 125 electric vehicles in ManchesterCo Antrim bus manufacturer Wrightbus has won a new order for 125 electric buses from Greater Manchester's transport network.

London Evening Standard

• Caledonian Sleeper train given Outlander makeover in bid to entice Londoners to visit Scotland locationsThe launch comes ahead of World Outlander Day on June 1

Nation. Cymru

• Welsh Government promises action after repeated Menai Bridge closuresThe Welsh Government has promised urgent action to improve the resilience of the Menai crossings after a series of closures caused major disruption during one of Ynys Môn's busiest weeks of the year.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• Why Highland Council says all-electric Ember buses are 'benchmark they have to aspire to' for public transportCouncillors discussed the council's public transport strategy and said Ember was the bar they had to reach.

Wales Online

• A new road to take traffic off the M4 at Newport is needed says Wales' First MinisterThe First Minister described the 'bottleneck' around a section of the motorway as an 'economic problem' that's harming Wales

Cambridge News

• England’s first cycle street where bikes have priority opens in CambridgeThe route provides commuters and students with a connection between Cambridge West and the city centre

Other Regional Press

• Developers invited to bid for £10bn Old Oak schemeThe Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation (OPDC) has begun the search for a private sector partner to help deliver the £10bn transformation of Old Oak in West London.
• £50 million secured to fix Bransty Tunnel but reopening date remains out of sight£50 million has been secured to fix and upgrade West Cumbria's Bransty Tunnel but its reopening date remains out of sight.
• SWR marks one year since entering public ownershipSouth Western Railway (SWR) celebrates one year into public ownership with 39 additional new trains in service since renationalisation.
• Derbyshire council backs Peak District railway plan despite fears for Monsal TrailDerbyshire County Council has voted to support plans for the reinstatement of the Peaks and Dales railway line between Matlock and Buxton despite concerns about the effects this could have on popular tourist beauty spots including the Monsal Trail.
• Arriva announces new fast and direct bus service linking Canvey Island and SouthendArriva has announced that it's introducing a brand new, direct bus service linking Canvey Island and Southend Seafront.


Bus and Coach.com

• New Power converts Wrightbus deckers for First in BathDouble-deckers converted to run on electric by Wrightbus re-power specialist, New Power, are heading into in service in Bath.
• Manchester orders 125 electric Wrightbuses for Bee NetworkAnother 125 electric buses from Wrightbus have been ordered for Greater Manchester's franchised Bee Network.

Bus-News

• Bern Depot Assessed for Autonomous Bus ManoeuvresPolish technology company Autonomous Systems has completed an autonomy readiness assessment of the BERNMOBIL bus depot at Eigerplatz in Bern, Switzerland, assigning the facility 'Smartbus Ready' status.

Rail Advent

• Colas Rail UK secures contract for work on new North Somerset railway lineColas Rail UK's Infrastructure division has been awarded the contract to install the Signalling & Telecommunications (S&T) and Power infrastructure on the railway line that is to be reinstated between Pill and Portishead in North Somerset.
• Cross-Passage doors manufactured for HS2 by Bolton-based Booth IndustriesBooth Industries has delivered the first of 300 safety-critical cross-passage doors for the HS2 rail project from its new Bolton manufacturing facility, safeguarding more than 130 jobs in the North-West.

Rail Business Daily

• Warrington unveils vision for transformed Bank QuayWarrington Borough Council has fleshed out ambitious new details for a massive 300-acre masterplan surrounding Warrington Bank Quay station.

Rail Magazine

• Talks underway over alterations to HS2 train orderHS2 Ltd. is in early discussions with both Hitachi Rail and Alstom regarding its current train order.
• Britain's Largest Train Operator Returns to Public Ownership as GTR Joins Great British RailwaysMillions of rail passengers across the South East and East of England will see their journeys brought back into public ownership this weekend, as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) officially transfers into public hands on Sunday 31 May 2026.

Railnews

• After the heat, now lightning blows signal fuses Thunderstorms have damaged signalling in west Wales and north west England, and many trains are delayed. Meanwhile, National Rail has warned that temperatures may exceed 30 degrees in some areas again today.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Stagecoach electric bus joins South Devon multi-modal excursionStagecoach South West will operate a battery-electric bus as part of a multi-modal excursion in South Devon combining road, river, ferry, and heritage steam railway travel.
• First Bath repowers debut as West of England ZE shift continuesOpening reworked StreetDecks for city delivered alongside its first brand-new battery-electrics

TaxiPoint

• MP highlights taxi licensing medical delays, which Minister says is an authority problem not a DVLA issue Perry RichardsonThe Government has confirmed that responsibility for taxi and private hire medical licensing decisions rests with local authorities, not the DVLA, amid growing concern over delays linked to Group 2 medical assessments.

The Business Desk

• HS2 opens talks on £1.24bn maintenance contractsHS2 has begun early market engagement on a proposed £1.24bn programme of maintenance contracts, as it prepares for the next phase of delivery on the high-speed rail project.
• Former diesel double deckers reborn as electric buses take to Bath's streetsFirst Bus has introduced the West of England's first 'repowered' electric buses, with the converted double deckers now operating in Bath.

Transportxtra

• Two Commons Select Committees coordinate further HS2 scrutinyTwo parliamntary Select Committees have agreed the next steps in their scrutiny of ongoing progress in delivering the troubled High Speed 2 (HS2) project.
• Government FOI release sheds light on multiple public sector legal challenges to HS2The Government has shed some light on work undertaken in response to HS2 legal challenges from other public-sector organisations, including the UK Government-sponsored Environment Agency.
• High Speed trains will spend minority of their time on the new infrastructure, Hendy tells MPsRail Minister Lord Peter Hendy told MPs on the Transport Committee last week that HS2 trains will spend only a minority of their time on the new HS2 infrastructure.

UKTram

• UKTram attends Rail Forum Parliamentary Reception as cross-sector collaboration continues to growUKTram Managing Director James Hammett attended the Rail Forum Parliamentary Reception last month, joining colleagues from across the wider rail and transport industry for discussions on the future direction of UK rail policy and investment.

Aviation Industry

• Gatwick Airport Limited supports journey to net zero with new Wildlife Trust partnershipsGatwick Airport Limited (GAL) has partnered with two Wildlife Trusts to help remove carbon emissions.

Other News Sources

• Infrastructure, Investment and Resilience: How Wales Can Turn Ambition Into DeliveryTwo events in quick succession have offered a useful perspective on how closely national and Welsh conversations about investment and infrastructure delivery are becoming aligned.
• HS2 station works saved from year-long delay after ministers back compulsory purchaseNetwork Rail has been given permission to buy a plot of land to support the construction of the Old Oak Common station, despite a planning inspector's report recommending that they shouldn't.
• Another 14 Alexander Dennis buses for Compass Travel as ALBUM member confirms further investmentAlexander Dennis, a subsidiary of NFI Group Inc., today announced that it has agreed a deal with Compass Travel (Sussex) Ltd for the supply of 13 Enviro200 single-deck buses and one Enviro400 double-decker.
• Heathrow and Netcompany: A Masterclass in Demand ForecastingEurope's busiest hub adopted AI-driven orchestration to unify real-time data, predictive planning and operational resilience