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

Wednesday, 19 February 2025

BBC News

• Buses to connect towns for first time in 50 yearsTwo towns will be connected by bus for the first time in half a century from the end of March, Shropshire Council says.
• Defibrillators to be fitted on over 50 trainsDefibrillators are to be installed on more than 50 trains by the end of March, an operator has announced.
• Appeal to keep 'only bus route linking two towns'Stourbridge MP Cat Eccles leads calls for the continuation of a bus service which is set to end.
• Railway arches development unveiled in £1.7bn planDevelopers say Grade II-listed arches in the shadow of Manchester Piccadilly could be transformed.
• Train named after worker for 50 years of serviceA train has been named after a Liverpool man who has spent 50 years working on the railway.

Financial Times

• Trump considers 25% tariff on imported carsUS president threatens to intensify trade war with additional levies on drugs and semiconductors
• Run to the sun: on board Amtrak’s new 47-hour Chicago-Miami sleeper The season-scrambling Floridian takes passengers direct from the snows of Illinois to Florida’s palm-lined beaches
• German trains are less punctual than Britain’s ‘broken’ railwaysOlaf Scholz mocked UK trains. FT analysis of 1.9bn data points show they are more reliable than Germany’s network

Daily Record

• Scrapping peak rail fares for good will be vote winner for Anas SarwarThe SNP should have scrapped peak rail fares for good and Sarwar’s move will be a vote winner.

i News

• 'Waste of time': Great British Railways 'won't lower fares'Passengers have been left in 'limbo' because of delays in implementing reforms, a former rail minister tells The i Paper

The Mirror

• Transport Secretary confirms date when state-owned Great British Railways will be set upTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander said she has told officials at the Department for Transport she expects Great British Railways to be operational by the start of 2027

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Airport announces big change at passenger drop-off and pick-up pointsManchester Airport is changing the way its charges drivers for dropping off and picking up passengers ­— with motorists now paying online or over the phone by midnight the following day.

Bristol Live

• 'About time' as Bristol Airport road upgrades would 'benefit everyone'Residents and businesses in the area are being asked for their views on a series of road upgrades which could cut journey times between the M5 and Bristol Airport

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Port's major expansion will create 300 'well paid' jobs in North WalesThe approved scheme will allow the port to accommodate giant next-generation off-shore wind turbines

Liverpool Echo

• Network Rail 'very sorry' following major disruption on Merseyrail linesPassengers travelling home at rush hour described it as a "nightmare"

London Evening Standard

• Sadiq Khan ignores call to earmark funding for legal challenge against Heathrow expansionCity Hall Liberal Democrats warn the mayor to 'be careful not to appear to backtrack on promises he has made to Londoners'

Nottingham Evening Post

• Nottinghamshire council promises more frequent buses after 'fantastic' improvementsThe changes are being rolled out throughout February and March
• Nottinghamshire bus operator announces raft of ticket price increasesA bus operator which provides services across Nottinghamshire has announced increases to its ticket prices. Trentbarton said it is introducing the changes from Sunday, February 23 due to the rising costs of bus parts, materials, lubricants and fuel.

The York Press

• 'Cynical': £15m Government pledge to York's National Railway Museum slammedThe Labour government’s re-commitment to £15 million previously pledged to help fund the expansion of York’s National Railway Museum has been branded a hokey cokey and cynical by opposition councillors.

Bucks Free Press

• HS2 cutting number of lorries using narrow lane in Wendover after residents’ backlashThe number of lorries using a narrow road in Wendover will be reduced, the company behind HS2 has promised.

Cambridge News

• 'Greater accessibility at Meldreth Station is badly needed' says MPA recent funding application was not successful

Other Regional Press

• Upgrades planned for Colchester bus sheltersWe have entered into a 10-year partnership with Clear Channel UK for the maintenance and upkeep of bus shelters in the county.
• Over 150,000 journeys made using new Pay As You Go rail ticketingMORE than 150,000 journeys have been completed using the new Pay As You Go ticketing system in South Wales since its launch three months ago, making it Transport for Wales' (TfW) fastest-growing ticketing product.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Research reveals driver wellbeing takes centre stage in fleet safety strategiesUK fleets are prioritising driver mental wellbeing as part of their safety strategies, with 82% reporting formal processes to support drivers after incidents. The findings, from a study by Webfleet 1, Bridgestone’s fleet management solution, and video telematics partner Lytxâ, highlight a growing focus on the human aspect of fleet safety. Safety technologies are also yielding wider benefits, with 88% of fleets reporting improvements in driver recruitment and retention as a result of adopting tools to help protect their mobile workforce. “Driver mental wellbeing is ...
• Rail passengers to get new Watchdog as part of major railway reformA new rail watchdog will be established to represent passengers and hold train operators accountable, as part of sweeping reforms announced by the government. The independent body will work alongside Great British Railways (GBR), a new organisation that aims to unite track and train operations under one roof for the first time. The watchdog will have powers to investigate persistent problems, set service standards, and refer poor performance to regulators for enforcement. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: "Passengers have put up with broken railways for far too long. This l...

New Civil Engineer

• Lighthouse | Is the government finally ready to deliver on its infrastructure promises?Rising living costs, healthcare, productivity, climate change and more present huge difficulties for policymakers. The solutions are complex and costly.
• Consultation launches on rail reform Bill to establish Great British RailwaysThe UK government has launched a public consultation on its Bill aimed at significantly reforming the railway system, with plans to establish the new body Great British Railways (GBR).

Rail Magazine

• Freight operators says ERTMS risks losing its purposeERFA has warned that specification changes, national divergences and the absence of a business case for train operators mean that ERTMS risks losing its original purpose of improving interoperability.
• HS1 Ltd kick-start St Pancras passenger capacity improvements planHS1 Ltd has issued a call for bidders to help boost passenger capacity at St Pancras station, with the aim of development work beginning in 2027 or 2028.

Railnews

• Great British Railways proposals published The future ‘directing mind’ Great British Railways has been described in more detail than before as part of a consultation launched today by the Department for Transport. Key points include that ‘passengers will travel on GBR trains, running on GBR tracks, and arrive at GBR stations -- all run by the expert leadership of a single organisation in line with a clear strategic direction set by the Secretary of State’. Some existing railway industry organisations will no longer be needed, or have new duties.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Cambridge driverless bus trial seeks operator after Stagecoach exitGreater Cambridge Partnership (GCP) is looking to bring in another operator to the Connector autonomous bus consortium following Stagecoach East's decision to withdraw from the Innovate UK-funded scheme that will see four driverless vehicles tested in Cambridge.
• Strathclyde bus franchising affordability 'uncertain' as row reignitesThe question of funding for bus franchising in the Glasgow city region remains unclear after a draft Strathclyde Regional Bus Strategy from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) noted how its affordability is 'uncertain' given wider stress on public finances in Scotland.

RMT

• RMT responds to government rail reform plansRail union, RMT has welcomed the government's plans to unify Britain's railways but says further action is needed to tackle inefficiencies and ensure long-term improvements for passengers and rail workers.

Other News Sources

• UK bus market hits 16-year high and leads in European zero-emission marketA 70.1% rise in registrations has led to 8,390 buses joining UK roads in 2024, making it the largest bus market in Europe.
• The Channel Tunnel is largely underused for rail freightA 'monopolistic' approach by the two companies currently offering rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel linking France and the UK is seriously hindering the market's development, according to Europorte chairman and CEO, Raphal Doutrebente. "I think rail freight via the Tunnel only represents 10 per cent of the annual capacity available one million tonnes of goods, whereas the potential is estimated at 10 million tonnes.
• Alexander promises watchdog with teeth as she rewires railPlans for a landmark bill to reform and revive Britain's railways, including setting up a powerful passenger watchdog to hold train operators to account, have been unveiled today by the government.
• Great British Railways: New Rail Watchdog to Oversee Industry ReformThe UK Government has announced plans for a major reform of the railway system, introducing a new passenger watchdog to oversee service standards and ensure accountability from train operators.
• TSSA Comment on the Great British Railways ConsultationTSSA today welcomed the consultation on Great British Railways (GBR) and urged the government to go further by bringing rail freight and rolling stock companies into the public sector.
• Trainline shares dip after government opens consultation on Great British RailwaysTrainline PLC (LSE:TRN) shares fell 1.5% on Tuesday after the government released an update on its plans for Great British Rail (GBR), which included a "powerful" passenger watchdog to hold rail companies accountable.