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

Tuesday, 11 March 2025

BBC News

• Government refuses plans for £750m railway hubControversial plans for a £750m freight rail hub in Leicestershire have been refused by the government.
• Europe's busiest single-ferry route in £30m upgradeHighland Council proposes a major revamp of the Corran Ferry's infrastructure.
• Public inquiry to start into airport night flightsA public inquiry into night-time flying rules at Leeds Bradford Airport's is set to begin later.

Financial Times

• US port operators turn to automationTerminals increasingly look to robots amid rising demand
• Driverless trucks promise to revolutionise freight transportHeavy goods vehicles emerge as important battleground for autonomous driving technology
• High-speed freight trains emerge as fresh alternative to trucks in UKThe trains are not only much faster than a truck but carry far more, while requiring only a single driver

STV

• Violent young adults should be stripped of bus passes - MPYoung people aged between five and 21 have made more than 200 million journeys with their passes since the Scottish Government introduced the scheme.

The Guardian

• Footage shows oil tanker and cargo vessel on fire in North Sea – video reportAn oil tanker and a cargo ship collided in the North Sea, just off the coast near Hull on Monday. The collision occurred in the early hours, causing large fires on both ships as rescue missions set out to extinguish the blaze and rescue the crewOne person still missing after oil tanker and cargo ship collide in North Sea Continue reading...

The Independent

• Ryanair passengers stranded in Spain after late-night diversion and air-traffic controllers went homeExclusive: Passenger claims Bilbao air-traffic controllers told pilots: ‘You can’t take off, we’re going home’

City AM

• Heathrow: Business travel groups join calls for change Representatives of the business travel and global tourism industry have joined calls for Heathrow Airport to alter its regulatory model ahead of any expansion. The Business Travel Association (BTA), The Advantage Travel Partnership and World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) on Monday announced their support for change at the UK’s busiest hub, adding to a [...]
• Tech secretary hails space sector as a ‘launchpad’ for growth Science secretary Peter Kyle has hailed the UK space sector‘s recent achievement as proof that the UK is a “launchpad for innovation and investment”. The field has secured £80m more in European Space Agency (ESA) contracts than government contributions in late 2024, the highest return for any ESA member state. This success is set to [...]

Daily Express

• The £5.8bn airport visited by over 25m passengers in 2024 that was a 'ghost' air hubThis new airport took some 30 years to open and lay almost abandoned for many years, but it now stands as a thriving example of aviation infrastructure.

The National

• Inverness Airport wins best in Europe award for fifth consecutive yearINVERNESS Airport has scooped a prestigious best in Europe award for the fifth consecutive year.

Local Government

• £13 million to improve local bus services given the go aheadImprovements to local bus services and associated infrastructure to the value of £13,049,411 will be made across Hampshire during the coming year, 2025/26

Network Rail

• Freight is great! The benefits of using freight on the Wales & Borders routeRail freight is often unfairly viewed as the second-class citizen of the railway especially as it's difficult to argue that almost every single one of us benefits from it in one way or another.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• ORR authorises new Newsham station ahead of opening to publicThe Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has authorised the new Newsham railway station ahead of its expected public opening on 17 March. The new station will provide improved connectivity as part of the Northumberland Line project.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Compulsory purchase powers needed for new rail stationA council is set to use compulsory purchase powers to acquire land which is needed to develop the new £25 million rail station at Elland.
• Train operator announces plans to cut cost of travel into BradfordTrain operator Northern is reducing fares for travel into Bradford Forster Square from Ilkley and Skipton by introducing its cheapest 'Advance Purchase' tickets on these routes for the first time

Bristol Live

• Free bus passes should be taken away from criminals, says MPLillian Jones said ' rights should come with responsibilities'
• Park Street bus gate latest as more call for 'disastrous' plans to be scrappedTraders say they will be forced to shut up shop

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• MP says it is 'frustrating' that government not taking issue of runoff management seriouslyA member of parliament (MP) has said 'it is frustrating that the government does not appear to be taking the issue of properly maintaining balancing ponds to mitigate road runoff issues seriously.

Northern Echo

• Lufthansa sees newly-painted plane roll out of Teesside AirportTeesside Airport’s Airbourne Colours facility has completed the painting of a second Lufthansa Airbus A321.

Yorkshire Post

• Why Yorkshire is the railway equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle - Andrew VineWho could ever have imagined Yorkshire would become the railway equivalent of the Bermuda Triangle, that fabled and feared area of the Atlantic where ships and aircraft disappear without trace
• Leeds Bradford Airport: Night flights battle with Leeds Council goes to public inquiryA public inquiry into rules relating to Leeds Bradford Airport's night-time flights will begin today in its latest battle with Leeds Council over the issue.

Bucks Free Press

• 'Absolute chaos' as car fire causes heavy delays near Heathrow AirportPassengers making their way over to Heathrow Airport this morning could face delays due to a vehicle fire along the M4

North Wales Live

• Merseyrail hits back after three stations on network named and shamedRail operator claims analysis from national news agency is 'heavily distorted' and does not give fair picture

Oxford Mail

• Oxford: Calls for bus route west of Woodstock Road to returnNorth Oxford residents say they are living in a 'bus desert' and are calling for a route connecting Cutteslowe and Jericho to Botley via the city centre to return.

Plymouth Herald

• Cost of Plymouth's new shipping container bus stops slammed as an 'utter shambles'The chair of the Plymouth Liberal Democrats has launched a stinging rebuke at the council over the costs of placing the temporary converted shipping container bus stops along Royal Parade.

Other Regional Press

• New £18m train station on Glasgow line could open in June next yearAn official at East Renfrewshire Council said it is hoped that work will begin in May or June of this year.
• Main departure board at Euston station to remain after trialThe main train departure board at Euston station is to remain after a successful trial.
• Calls to bring back bus route for Oxford passengersNorth Oxford residents say they are living in a “bus desert” and are calling for the previous bus route connecting Cutteslowe and Jericho to Botley to return.
• Priority road and transport schemes revealed for Nottingham and NottinghamshireThe shortlist includes a mix of local and strategic projects, some of which were already under consideration due to their regional importance.
• Ipswich to pay over £250 per day to keep bus service goingIpswich Borough Council is set to pay more than £250 per day to ensure that a bus service in the town keeps running.

Rail Magazine

• GWR confirms Class 175s will enter service this yearAfter months of speculation, GWR has finally confirmed it has signed a lease deal with Angel Trains to take 26 of the ex-TfW Class 175s for use in Devon and Cornwall.
• Work to build new station building set to start four years after original was demolishedConstruction of new station buildings at Wickford is set to start in 2025 after a four-year wait.

Railnews

• Virgin seeks investment for cross-Channel routes Virgin is reported to be making another bid to stay in the rail industry. This time, it is looking at international trains through the Channel Tunnel, and seeking to raise 700 million pounds for potential routes between London and cities like Paris and Brussels, in competition with Eurostar.

Aviation Industry

• Half-term helps Manchester airport and Stansted hit record FebruaryManchester airport and Stansted both achieved a record February by each handling more than two million passengers for the first time across the month.

Other News Sources

• Siemens Mobility opens new facility at Goole Rail VillageSiemens Mobility has officially opened its new Rail Components Distribution Centre in Goole.
• IOPC Funds Not Relevant to Stena Immaculate CollisionThe International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds) has offered its view on the collision between the Solong and Stena Immaculate off the north-east coast of the UK on March 10, saying:“Whilst the United Kingdom is a 1992 Fund Member State and the Stena Immaculate appears to be a ship…
• Plans for new roundabout and section of road moves a step closerThe search will soon be on for a contractor to build the Barnham Road Roundabout as part of the realignment of the A29
• Longer trains for West Highland LineLonger trains are being introduced for some services on the West Highland Line tomorrow.