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

Monday, 27 January 2025

BBC News

• Bus, taxi and cycle-only trial starts in city roadBus, taxi and cycling-only restrictions are being tested along a Southampton road.
• Greens push for legal action over Botley Road closureA group of Green councillors are calling for Oxford City Council to consider taking legal action over Network Rail's "mismanagement" of the Botley Road closure.
• Fight for half-hourly trains to coast to continueA mayor has said he remains committed to fighting for a half-hourly train service between York and Scarborough.
• Historic London tramways posters to go on displayThe London Archives will showcase 40 posters dated from 1922 to 1933 that promoted tram use.
• Reeves hints at support for Heathrow expansionAn announcement is expected next week, as part of major speech on plans to boost the economy.

Channel 4 News

• Rachel Reeves hints at support for Heathrow third runwayThe Chancellor Rachel Reeves has hinted that she's in favour of a third runway at London's Heathrow airport saying it could go hand in hand with moves towards more sustainable aviation.

Financial Times

• Brazilian airline merger would boost aviation sector, says Azul boss John Rodgerson defends potential tie-up with rival Gol despite concerns about competition and ticket pricing
• Reeves to tell Labour MPs to back growth strategy UK chancellor expected to support Heathrow airport expansion despite concerns over environmental impact
• The battle against infrastructure delays is far from wonTransport and energy projects can deliver the growth Britain needs — if ministers act decisively
• Ryanair blames Boeing delay as it cuts passenger forecast Low-cost carrier says it no longer expects US manufacturer to deliver enough aircraft to meet its growth plans

The Guardian

• Reeves: third Heathrow runway would be hard decision but good for growthChancellor expected to unveil new building projects and revise planning rules to stimulate UK economy
• Rachel Reeves indicates support for third runway at HeathrowChancellor says runway would mean fewer planes circling London, and points to moves towards sustainable flying

The Herald

• ScotRail's cost and delays vs rail operators across the UKA long running criticism of Scotland's railways is that it is too expensive and delay-stricken.
• Electrifying rail network is just another empty promiseLAST week was a momentous one for those of us who live along the busy commuter railway line between Glasgow and East Kilbride.

The Scotsman

• CalMac's three hybrid ferries cost nearly £1.5m to maintainThree CalMac ferries which cost £34 million to build a decade ago ran up a maintenance bill of nearly £1.5m last year, the operator has confirmed.

The Telegraph

• Starmer drops opposition to third Heathrow runway, No 10 suggests [subscription]Prime Minister and Rachel Reeves are in 'lockstep' on the issue with the Chancellor expected to make announcement on Wednesday

Times Online

• Third Heathrow runway would improve air quality, says Rachel Reeves [subscription]Chancellor faces opposition as she prepares to allow expansion of the UK's busiest airport, saying it would stop planes circling over London
• 'Dirty tricks' revisited as Virgin Group hits out at Eurostar [subscription]As Sir Richard Branson's company plans to launch a rival cross-Channel service, it says the monopoly operator on the rail link is 'playing games' to thwart it
• Why time, not money, may stall Heathrow's third runway [subscription]After years of political opposition, Rachel Reeves is about to support expansion of the airport but the project must still clear huge financial hurdles

Daily Record

• ScotRail resumes more services after Storm Eowyn caused 'significant damage'Network Rail engineers have been called out to 500 incidents on railway lines since Friday, an increase on the number previously shared.

The Mirror

• Spain's tourism suffers fresh blow as Ryanair escalates spat over 'excessive fees'Ryanair has escalated its spat with Spain's regional airports, calling on authorities to sell failing air travel hubs and support companies with a plan for growth
• Rachel Reeves warns ministers they must back Heathrow decision in war on 'blockers'Chancellor Rachel Reeves effectively confirmed that she'd give her backing to divisive proposals for a third runway at Heathrow Airport in a major growth speech this week

Sky News

• Kemi Heathrow says she backs a third runway at Heathrow airportSpeaking to Sky's Trevor Phillips, Kemi Badenoch says she voted for a third runway before "so why would I change my mind?"
• Kemi Badenoch 'certainly would' back Heathrow third runway - as Reeves hints at supportThe Conservative Party leader, whose constituency includes Stansted Airport, said she has supported the expansion of the UK's largest airport in the past, and would not change her mind on doing so.

Bristol Live

• Ryanair cuts flights to Spanish airports over £8.70 chargeThe budget airline has stopped all flights to some airports and reduced services elsewhere

Manchester Evening News

• Andy Burnham wants to run Greater Manchester's railways, here's everything you need to knowIt's the mayor's new transport mega-project - but what does it mean for you?

Other Regional Press

• Powys to trial bus reform plansPowys and Ceredigion will become the test bed for plans to overhaul the bus network to become more 'customer-focused' by allowing public, private or third sector operators to bid for packages of local bus services with routes and timetables controlled by Welsh Government rather than by commercial bus companies.
• Call for better public transport infrastructure in CardiffCouncillors have called for better public transport infrastructure and new bus routes to support plans for tens of thousands of new homes in Cardiff.

Bloomberg

• Cabinet Doubts Linger Over Boost From Reeves' UK Airport PlanEconomists say London hub could displace growth from elsewhere Chancellor set to green-light Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton plans

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Manchester secures £86m clean air investment without driver chargesThe government has backed Greater Manchester's innovative clean air strategy, approving an £86 million investment package that will aim to improve air quality without imposing additional charges on drivers. Under the new plan, 117 new lower and zero-emission buses will be introduced, alongside targeted traffic management measures and support for transitioning taxi fleets to cleaner vehicles. This approach differs from other regions that have implemented Clean Air Zones with motorist charges. The investment breaks down to £51.1 million for bus infrastructure, incl...

Rail Magazine

• No decision made on Talerddig crash Class 158s as Transport for Wales accepts new unitsThe two diesel multiple units involved in the Talerddig head-on collision in October (158824/841) remain at Machynlleth depot, where they remain as part of the investigation into what happened.
• Transport for Wales' Class 756 to serve new destinations from springTransport for Wales' tri-mode trains will begin serving two more routes from spring. The Class 756s have been in use on the Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil lines since November but are soon to begin running along the Coryton and lower Rhymney lines (from Caerphilly to Cardiff Queen Street).

Railway Gazette

• Great British Railways and private sector to compete for ticket salesUK: The Department for Transport has announced that the future Great British Railways will sell tickets online, while retaining a 'thriving' private sector market where third party ticket retailers can compete in an 'open and fair' manner.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Tell me what coach needs', industry hears from minister LightwoodUnder-Secretary of State for Transport Simon Lightwood is absolutely determined to work with the coach industry and engage with its members, delegates at the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) conference on 23 January heard direct from the minister.
• Multi-year bus funding settlement in England 'hopeful': ministerThe Department for Transport (DfT) is 'hopeful' that a multi-year bus funding settlement in England will be facilitated by the ongoing Spending Review, Under-Secretary of State for Transport Simon Lightwood told the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) conference on 23 January.

The Business Desk

• Consultation opens on plans for NW rail freight hub that could generate 6,000 jobsLogistics giant, Tritax Big Box Developments, has launched an informal non-statutory consultation on proposals for Intermodal Logistics Park North (ILP North) in the Newton-le-Willows area.

Other News Sources

• Ship Recycling Market Remains JitteryAs threats of trade wars loom, global shipping already seems to be reacting in kind with the Baltic Dry Exchange falling to its lowest since February 2023, says cash buyer GMS. This marks a clear shift towards easing freight rates as a gradually…
• Britain's railway arches are getting hollowed outRailway arches are functional. If you want to keep a railway bridge horizontal, you're going to need arches. Once, Network Rail owned these bits that kept the trains in the sky. But these days, they have a price on them, as retail space. There are currently around 5,200 businesses located in railway arches, and in 2018, Network Rail was convinced to part with the lot for £1.5 billion.
• 'This is a growth story How Network Rail plans to become one of the UK's biggest housebuildersThe transport operator's group property director talks to Tom Lowe about the 'new mindset' at Network Rail and why the country's biggest owner of brownfield land is taking a more assertive role in redevelopment projects on its sites
• Sustainable Shared Transport and Fujitsu launch open platform for joint transportation and delivery in Japan, enhancing logistics efficiency across industriesSustainable Shared Transport Inc. (SST), a subsidiary of Yamato Holdings Co., Ltd. (1) and Fujitsu Limited, today announced the launch of a joint transportation and delivery system for shippers and logistics providers in Japan. SST will start providing the service on February 1, 2025.
• Eluned Morgan 'looking to transform bus transport in Powys'Eluned Morgan has said she is hoping to transform public transport in Powys with her new bill on buses.