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

Wednesday, 11 February 2026

BBC News

• Reopening of disused rail line 'not backed up' with fundsPlans to reconnect Oswestry to the main rail line have been put on hold, as funding from the cancelled HS2 project has "not been possible". In an email to North Shropshire MP Helen Morgan, Rail Minister Lord Hendy said the proposal "had not been backed up" with necessary funds.
• Plans to transform UK's busiest station approvedThe project has been met with opposition from those who say it will disfigure the railway station.
• BP steps up cost cutting as profits slideThe oil giant also suspends its share buyback programme ahead of the arrival of its new boss.
• Ford says it took an extra $900m tariff hit last yearThe US carmaker's tariff costs were higher than expected because of a change to the Trump administration's tariff relief program.

Department for Transport

• George Bradshaw address 2026The Transport Secretary sets out her vision for a reformed railway that's run by the public, for the public.

Financial Times

• Ryanair signs multibillion-dollar deal to bring engine maintenance in-house Agreement with CFM will limit costs and offer more security, says airline’s chief Michael O’Leary
• The airlines fighting the expansion of HeathrowThe carriers say the £33bn plan for a new runway is unaffordable. The airport says the companies just want to keep out competitors

The Guardian

• Artist accuses AirAsia of using his mural on plane without consentErnest Zacharevic alleges the carrier has repeatedly used his art in its external corporate branding without consentA Malaysia-based artist has filed a lawsuit against the low-cost airline carrier AirAsia and its parent company Capital A Berhad for allegedly using his art on a plane without permission.Ernest Zacharevic, a Lithuanian-born artist based in Penang, alleged AirAsia used his 2012 street mural, Children on a Bicycle, on an aircraft between October and November 2024.
• Honeymoon period for new BP boss won’t last longMarkets did not like the decision to suspend share buy-backs – and investors will want clarity about what happens nextThe clearing of the decks continues apace at BP. The last chief executive, Murray Auchincloss, got the heave-ho in December. Last month brought news of hefty write-downs on the troublesome low-carbon energy assets in solar and biogas. Now comes an admission that the current debt-reduction measures aren’t enough to ease the strain on an over-extended balance sheet. Share buy-backs are being suspended.Buy-backs have become the essential symbol of financial virility in...

The Independent

• Dubai International Airport handled a record 95.2 million passengers in 2025Dubai International Airport remains the world's busiest airport for travelers, with 95.2 million passengers in 2025

Times Online

• Airports warn soaring business rates threaten jobs and routes [subscription]Edinburgh airport faces a £15 million annual increase in business rates, while Glasgow, Aberdeen and Prestwick will also be hit by multimillion-pound rises
• EV charging firm given £28m of taxpayers cash runs out of power [subscription]The assets of Trojan Energy, which developed electric charging points that sat flush on pavements, have been bought out of administration, saving 60 jobs
• Britons face four-hour airport queues in EU this summer [subscription]The Entry/Exit system started in October across the European Union has already caused massive delays for arrivals that will only worsen over the holidays

Network Rail

• Strong progress on Kirk Hill bridge upgrade as demolition footage releasedTime-lapse demolition footage has been released as strong progress continues on a bridge reconstruction benefiting passengers and freight.
• Planning approval for Network Rail's transformation of Britain's busiest station.The proposals will futureproof Britain's busiest station for decades to come, increasing customer capacity and creating a fully connected, accessible transport hub for customers across the capital and beyond.
• Teams to start £2m woodland management project set to reduce risk to vital Merseyside railwayWoodland management teams will soon begin a £2m project aimed at controlling vegetation and reducing delays on a key section of railway line in Merseyside.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• North Wales on high-speed rail network vision dubbed The LoopAn ambitious vision has been unveiled for an elevated high-speed railway network that would connect nine cities in Wales, England and Ireland. The Loop is the creation of the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Chris Williamson.

Derby Telegraph

• Major contract for Derby company Alstom as CrossCountry train is unveiledDerby train maker Alstom has been celebrating the unveiling of the first fully refurbished CrossCountry train at its Litchurch Lane works - marking the site's "first major refurbishment contract in a generation".

London Evening Standard

• The railway's dismal record on digital connection needs urgent actionRail operators must invest in stronger onboard routers, better integration with mobile networks, and consistent coverage along commuter routes

Wales Online

• New train station planned for Cardiff to get massive boostBackers of the scheme are expecting an announcement of UK Government funding

Other Regional Press

• Liverpool Airport cancellations below UK average in 2025Flight cancellations have risen, but this UK airport is still flying high above the rest.
• Richmond Council restates firm opposition to Heathrow expansion plansRichmond Council has reaffirmed its strong opposition to any expansion of Heathrow Airport, including the proposed third runway and any measures that would increase flight numbers or disruption for local communities.
• The new Essex railway station that's 'changed travel for the better'A new 'very smart' Essex train station has 'changed travel for better for ever', commuters have said. The new Beaulieu Park Station, on the outskirts of Chelmsford, which cost about £175million to construct, launched in October and it's safe to say it's getting very good reviews from Essex locals.
• Bus stops 'won't be fixed until summer' as users get 'drenched'Watford High Street bus stops with roofs which shattered in a crash will not be fixed until the summer – as users continue to get soaked.
• Major bus service changes announced across OxfordshireMajor bus service changes for Oxfordshire have been announced by Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel.

Rail Advent

• East Midlands Railway doubles number of body worn camerasEast Midlands Railway (EMR) has added over 330 body-worn cameras for its staff, doubling the number of devices to strengthen safety for colleagues and passengers.
• Photos as CrossCountry unveil first refurbished Voyager trainCrossCountry and Alstom invited RailAdvent to Derby Litchurch Lane Works today to see the unveiling of the first Voyager train to go through a refurbishment as part of a £75m project.

Rail Magazine

• 'Mini Switzerland' plans published for Hope Valley Line integrated transport demonstratorDetailed plans have been published for a proposed rural transport demonstrator in the Hope Valley, billed as 'Mini Switzerland', which aims to show how fully integrated bus and rail services could work in a UK rural setting.
• 'They will make a huge difference': CrossCountry unveils first refurbished VoyagerCrossCountry has revealed the first refurbished Voyager unit, marking the start of a £75 million investment programme.
• How Freightliner locomotive fleets are splitting after Intermodal saleFollowing ratification of the sale of Freightliner Intermodal (FLI) to the CMA CGM Group, Freightliner's locomotive fleet has been split into two.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Bus Enhanced Partnership must deliver all the time, not some of itEnhanced Partnership is going well in some areas but for others, the struggle is crystal clear

Transportxtra

• Senior DfT rail leader based in devolved ScotlandThe DfT has published a spreadsheet which shows Alex Hynes, Chief Executive of DfT Operator Ltd, being based in Scotland.
• Mayoral rail plans may buck nationalisation as West Midlands Trains joins public sectorWest Midlands Trains was renationalised this week as the latest step in the Labour Government's rail reform programme, but uncertainty is growing over the future private or public status of some local rail services in two areas with Labour mayors. One service could even be returned to private sector operation.

Aviation Industry

• The Crown Slips: Why London Heathrow Won't Be Europe's Busiest Airport In 2026London Heathrow Airport is widely recognized as Europe's busiest airport, and it has held the title for decades. In 2025, it narrowly beat Istanbul Airport by the slimmest of margins, serving 84.48 million passengers compared with Istanbul's 84.44 million, according to ACI Europe data. However, with traffic growth stalling in London and, in contrast, robust increases continuing in Istanbul, aviation insiders now expect Heathrow to lose the crown in 2026.

Other News Sources

• Barnsley will benefit from rail plan - despite not being namedBARNSLEY will still benefit from a transformative rail plan despite the town not being directly named in proposals, according to council leader Sir Steve Houghton.
• More coach services between London, Heathrow and Wales as FlixBus expands networkLeading travel tech company FlixBus is expanding its network for 2026, launching more coach services between central London, Heathrow Airport, Cardiff and Swansea from Sunday 15 February.
• Powys MP calls to reopen disused railway stationsSteve Witherden, Labour MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, has tabled an amendment to the Railways Bill that would establish a department within Great British Railways to explore reopening stations closed since the 1960s.
• Airport launches expansion plans to boost traveller numbers to three millionSouthampton Airport has revealed expansion plans including two new passenger lounges, a second floor, and more parking as bosses look to boosting traveller numbers to three million a year.