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

Wednesday, 15 April 2026

BBC News

• Preston Bus scraps £1 evening bus fare capA city bus company is scrapping its £1 fares for evening journeys after blaming rising costs for the decision.
• First look at new Cambridge rail station entranceA new entrance at Cambridge railway station could be open by the mid-2030s, according to a rail company.
• Borough to get thousands of EV charging pointsThousands of electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be installed across a borough in Essex to encourage motorists to switch to more eco-friendly transport.
• Bus drivers to strike again at east London depotMore than 300 bus drivers on seven routes are set to walk out at an east London bus depot again over fears fatigue problems could affect safety, their union has warned.
• NHS and teachers could benefit from congestion cashProposals on how to spend money from Oxford's congestion charge, including new travel benefits for NHS and school staff in the city, have been put forward.
• Underpass plans 'genuine victory' for campaignersThe latest consultation on plans to link Oxford and Cambridge by train include proposals for an underpass to replace a level crossing following a campaign led by locals.
• Electrical fault likely cause of fire at stationA fire at a railway station restaurant was likely caused by an electrical fault, an investigation has found.
• Locals question future of HS2 link to the northSome residents living on the section of HS2 that will connect it to the West Coast Mainline say they believe it will never be completed.
• The people making the case for the economic benefits of HS2The line could cost £100bn but HS2 says it is spearheading wider regeneration in the West Midlands.
• How many ships are crossing the Strait of Hormuz?Four vessels with links to Iran have crossed the Strait of Hormuz despite the start of a US naval blockade, but two of those vessels appear to have reversed course.
• Rolls-Royce launches new two-seater electric carThe company says it will create only 100 of its Project Nightingale in its Goodwood headquarters.
• Fuel prices stop rising after 43 days of increases, RAC saysThe motoring group says prices could start to come down over the next couple of weeks.

Department for Transport

• East West Rail's plans for the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor - Written StatementEast West Rail (EWR) is central to the government's economic growth mission and plans to unlock the potential of the Oxford to Cambridge Growth Corridor. By delivering new east-to-west connectivity, EWR can support up to 100,000 new homes, connecting new and established communities with improved access to employment, training and education. By 2050, EWR is expected to boost the regional economy by £6.7 billion every year.
• Launch of the Better Connected transport strategy - statementThe Better Connected strategy establishes a shared vision to deliver a safe, reliable, affordable and accessible transport system for people across England.

The Guardian

• 'Field of Dreams stuff': will Leeds finally get its trams after decades of promises?Plans for return of such transport have been discussed for years, and not all local people believe that service will come
• Scottish Greens pledge free bus travel and basic income in election manifestoParty says plan for 'radical change' will be funded in part through higher taxes on aviation, gambling and landlords

The Herald

• Traffic congestion costing Glasgow bus passengers £24m a year studyTraffic congestion is 'quietly' costing Glasgow bus passengers £24 million a year, a study has found. Researchers at the University of Glasgow found delays on five key bus routes 'significantly' stretched peak time journeys and make the service less reliable for people trying to access work, education, shopping and healthcare.
• Swinney’s most reckless promise: fund the Clyde TunnelJohn Swinney has promised his government will directly fund the Clyde Tunnel if the SNP win the election. And a promise is a promise right? says Mark Smith

Times Online

• Fuel protests could return 'in weeks' as blockade squeezes supplies [subscription]Soaring energy costs linked to the Strait of Hormuz stalemate have revived drivers' and farmers' pleas for state help
• Taxi drivers unite to stop being taken for a ride by hailing apps [subscription]Dublin cabbies have created Tap a Taxi to combat the rising costs of commission when customers use services such as Uber and Freenow

Daily Express

• Major airline cancels flights as UK airports hit by wave of pilot strikesThe walkout is set to start at 12:01am on April 16 and continue until 11:59pm on April 17

i News

• Why Lime Bike misuse could scupper a city transport revolutionHundreds of hire bikes are being abandoned across pavements, dumped in canals, and seized in their thousands by London councils.

Mail Online

• Virgin Australia to join Qantas and hike prices to cope with fuel crisisTwo major airlines lift the prices of some airfares to offset rising fuel costs amid the war in Iran.

The National

• Glasgow Buchanan Bus Station huge redevelopment plan revealedA TRANSFORMATION masterplan for Buchanan Bus Station and the surrounding area has been revealed.

Local Government

• Full Steam Ahead for Earlestown Rail Station ProjectMajor improvements to Earlestown Rail Station will be progressed to the design stage thanks to the appointment of a contractor to carry out the works.

Network Rail

• Euston station's new and improved assisted travel lounge reopens to passengersCustomers at London Euston were welcomed back inside the station's assisted travel lounge today after a refurbishment to make journeys easier.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• ORR Business plan: Protecting Rail and Road UsersIn its 2026-27 Business Plan, Britain's rail regulator and monitor of National Highways explains how it will protect rail passengers and road users, while itself transforming for the biggest shake-up of the railways in a generation.

Birmingham Mail

• The Birmingham bus routes affected by HS2 with 'up to 18 months' of worksThere will be a number of changes to services in Birmingham next month
• Anger as new Lime electric bikes dumped around Birmingham suburbLime e-bikes have been rolled out across the city - but concerns have been raised that now with virutal bays and not physical docks - bikes are being abandoned causing unsightly hazards
• HS2 Curzon Street Station regeneration plan set for leap forwardPlans to create 'characterful' public spaces around the new HS2 station in Birmingham city centre have been recommended for approval

Birmingham Post

• Nissan pulls UK powertrain work from £50m Sunderland Jatco factorySunderland car parts factory forced to seek alternative work after Nissan decides not to localise electric powertrain production

LBC

• Massive haul of bikes and e-scooters seized in police crackdown on antisocial vehicles and 'hidden power buttons'The bikes had been linked to "drug running, burglary and theft" the Met confirmed to LBC.

Manchester Evening News

• The 'absolute joke' of a bus service driving Salfordians madSite investigations are beginning for some much-needed improvements.

The York Press

• Ripon awarded coach friendly status by trade associationA city in North Yorkshire has been recognised for making group travel easier and more accessible.

Carlisle News & Star

• Egremont bus cancellations leave volunteer out of pocketA West Cumbrian bus passenger says regular cancellations are making their journeys to Egremont more expensive despite claims that using public transport can save money.
• Muncaster Microbus has new Mercedes Sprinter vehicleCopeland's Muncaster Microbus has a brand new, disabled accessible Mercedes Sprinter vehicle, funded by Mid and South Copeland GDF and The Cumberland Investment Fund.

Other Regional Press

• New funding boost for Highbridge rail station moves upgrade plans forwardHighbridge railway station is set to receive new accessibility‑focused signage this spring after a fresh injection of funding, councillors confirmed this week.
• Somerset could get share of £1bn to fix Bridges, tunnels and flyovers across Somerset could be repaired if the council successfully bids for a share of £1bn of central government funding.
• This is where new 317.6m transport funding will be spent in NottinghamMore than £17m will be invested in Nottingham's transport network in 2026/27. The City Council is expected to accept the funding from East Midlands Combined Council Authority ( EMCCA ) at its Executive Board meeting on Tuesday, 21 April.
• MP launches campaigns for better transport and NHS dentistry in village... The first is the need to stagger bus and train times from Silkstone Common's station, after they revealed that buses and trains currently run at similar times, along much of the same route and that the services are unreliable.
• Platform safety work to disrupt Greater Anglia services from Bishop's Stortford in MayInitial work took place at Sawbridgeworth in February to tie in with Network Rail engineering works and minimise disruption to passengers, but more is needed and will coincide with projects at Cheshunt and Broxbourne over the weekend of May 9 and 10.
• Rail network 'under persistent weather stress' as flood affected stations identifiedNunthorpe, Redcar Central, Saltburn and Darlington were highlighted in research examining how flooding is affecting train services
• Virgin Atlantic raise ticket prices saying failed US-Iran peace talks 'not good news'Fuel prices surged following Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz

New Civil Engineer

• VolkerFitzpatrick celebrates return of passenger services in Birmingham after 80 yearsVolkerFitzpatrick has completed three new railway stations on the Camp Hill line allowing the reintroduction of passenger services to the route in south Birmingham after 80 years.
• 'Detailed inspections' reveal £550k of 'urgent works' needed to repair Yorkshire bridgeNorth Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) says Bridge 42, which connects Grosmont to Whitby, needs £550,000 of 'urgent repairs' to ensure the safety of the structure.

Rail Magazine

• Industry welcomes hints of Railways Bill amendmentsThe Rail Minister has suggested that amendments will be made to the Railways Bill that will provide clarity and reassurance to the freight sector.
• Saga of White Rose station drags on as future remains far from clearFour years after work started, and two years after everything ground to a halt, there's still no clarity about when White Rose station in south-west Leeds will be finished - or even if ever it will be.
• Vision for HS2 train fleets that could improve capacity and journey times set outHS2 Ltd should proceed with its order for 54 200-metre-long trains before procuring a new fleet to replace the Avanti West Coast Pendolinos in 2040.

Rail UK

• HS2 starts work on new Fosse Way cycle bridgeHS2 engineers have begun installing a dedicated cycle bridge that will connect the Offchurch Greenway in Warwickshire to Route 41 of the national cycle network.

Railway Gazette

• Pendolino windscreen cleaning regime revisedUK: Alstom and contractor OCS have developed a revised approach to cleaning the windscreens of Avanti West Coast's Pendolino inter-city train fleet.

Sustainable Bus

• Aurora grid connections enable Stagecoach depot electrification for over 1,300 electric buses across the UKAurora Utilities has connected a new group of Stagecoach depots to support the rollout of electric bus infrastructure across the UK. Aurora Utilities has announced the energisation of a further set of Stagecoach bus depots as part of the operator's ongoing fleet electrification programme, extending the partnership across multiple regions and adding new capacity

Other News Sources

• Dover becomes UK's first net-zero portThe port has reached its carbon net zero goal for Scope 1 and 2 emissions, marking a significant milestone in maritime decarbonisation
• Cambridge to Oxford corridor won't happen without East West Rail, claims bossThe boss of East West Rail (EWR) has said without the project, a growth corridor between Cambridge and Oxford wouldn't be possible. New stations and more trains are planned to serve higher demand that officials are expecting for the Universal theme park near Bedford.
• SMRT taps AI and analytics to predict rail faults and speed up maintenanceThe Singapore rail operator has developed an intelligent analytics platform to support predictive maintenance and pinpoint track issues, maximising its three-hour nightly maintenance window
• Department for Transport shows how its AI system avoids biasThe UK Department for Transport (DfT) has worked with Google Cloud and the Alan Turing Institute to build the Consultation Analysis Tool (CAT) to analyse citizen feedback from public consultations.
• UK government strengthens role of coaches in public transportThe UK seeks to better integrate coach services into local transport strategies and the wider mobility system, in line with advocacy by IRU member the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT).
• The verdict is in - does North Devon want the Bideford railway to reopen?Hundreds of North Devon Gazette readers have their say on ambitious plans to reopen the railway line between Bideford and Barnstaple - our poll results revealed
• 'Green cliffs of dover': Port of Dover becomes first UK port to reach net zero emissionsDover claims to have become the UK's first net zero port, 25 years ahead of the UK government's target for the maritime sector

News from Europe

• Finland and Sweden set to finally be linked by rail this summer, creating EU's longest train journeyWhen the border rail link opens this summer, it will create what is thought to be the longest train journey that's possible to take in the EU.