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

Thursday, 20 March 2025

BBC News

• Victorian viaduct upgraded for metro rail projectA Victorian viaduct in Cornwall has undergone strengthening work as part of an ongoing £56.8m rail project to connect the county's coasts.
• Delay for Millennium Bridge £3.5m refurbishmentA £3.5m refurbishment of the Millennium Bridge, expected to begin by this spring, has been pushed back to next year.
• Jaguar Land Rover announces 150 new jobsThe car maker announces a recruitment drive as part of its electric vehicles strategy.
• Black cabs could vanish from London, report warnsSimplifying the Knowledge is among recommendations suggested to stop the decline of the trade.
• Disabled travel access an 'embarrassment', MPs sayA report by parliament's cross-party-transport select committee says accessibility failings are "systematic" across all modes of transport.

ITV News

• Dozens of new South Western Railway rail fleet left driverless after delays in trainingA billion pounds has been spent by the rail company into its service from Waterloo to boost capacity and ease overcrowding.

Financial Times

• What will be in Rachel Reeves’ Spring Statement?The chancellor’s ship is set to stay afloat despite choppy waters next week, but bigger threats lurk beyond

The Guardian

• UK cybersecurity agency warns over risk of quantum hackersOrganisations including energy and transport firms told to guard systems against powerful new computers. The UK’s cybersecurity agency is urging organisations to guard their systems against quantum hackers by 2035, as the prospect of breakthroughs in powerful computing threaten digital encryption.
• Reeves to reveal biggest UK spending cuts since austerity in spring statementLabour MPs uneasy as chancellor prepares even deeper reductions that economists say will harm key services

The Independent

• Amtrak CEO steps down as Musk insists 'sad' rail service needs to be privatizedStephen Gardner left position to 'ensure that Amtrak continues to enjoy the full faith and confidence of this administration'

The Telegraph

• Scrapped HS2 leg set to be replaced with new rail line. [subscription]Ministers considering reviving plans for new high-speed line between West Midlands and Greater Manchester

City AM

• Exclusive: Top transport civil servant who oversaw HS2 to step down Dame Bernadette Kelly, the top civil servant at the Department for Transport (DfT), is to step down after nearly eight years in the role. A Whitehall veteran with four decades of experience, Kelly was appointed permanent secretary in April 2017 following a stint as director general of the DfT's rail group.
• Jaguar Land Rover hires 150 EV roles ahead of electric Range Rover launch Jaguar Land Rover will recruit 150 specialist EV technicians in the West Midlands ahead of the launch of its all-electric Range Rover in 2025. The luxury carmaker said the new roles would be central to its plans to offer pure electric versions of all of its brands by 2030.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Upgrade works near Colton Junction this weekend to affect trainsPassengers are being urged to check before travelling this weekend due to engineering work as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

Yorkshire Post

• TransPennine Upgrade: Engineering work to affect rail journeys through Yorkshire this weekendRail users are being advised to check before they travel this weekend as engineering works are affecting various routes through Yorkshire.

Cambridge News

• Cambridge cycle upgrades project takes step forward as concerns shared over ‘glacial pace’It will likely still be over a year before work on Madingley Road cycle upgrades begins.

Oxford Mail

• Congestion in Oxford needs 'Plan B' warns bus company bossCongestion in Oxford is at "emergency levels" according to a bus company boss who is urging council leaders to come up with a "Plan B" solution.

Other Regional Press

• New bus service launched for Castle Cary station in SomersetA new direct bus service now connects Castle Cary station, boosting transport links across Somerset.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• 3/11 Tesla troubles and Lower Thames Crossing tensionsThe troubles facing electric vehicle giant Tesla as the company's reputation becomes entwined with that of its leader, Elon Musk [1:40]. Christian interviews Transport Action Network founder and director Chris Todd on why the UK Government should cancel the vastly expensive Lower Thames Crossing road and look at public transport alternatives instead [13:00]. In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian looks at the possible impact on taxi fares throughout Great Britain of legal action being taken by private hire operator Uber [27:30].

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Full detail of new Silvertown Tunnel Cycle Shuttle Service confirmed by TFLSilvertown tunnel is set to open on 7 April and Transport for London (TfL) has just revealed the final details of its new zero-emission Cycle Shuttle Service.   The tunnel will allow cyclists to take advantage of the new cross-river connection as TfL confirm the service will run on opening day and is expected to encourage more active travel across the area. The service will be able to carry a variety of standard and non-standard cycles and will be free to use for at least the first year, operating every 12 minutes from 06:30 to 21:30. It will have two stops, one on each side of the...

New Civil Engineer

• National Highways and Tarmac depart standards for 'near net zero' resurfacing of A64 BramhamNational Highways and Tarmac departed from standards to deliver the lowest carbon resurfacing scheme on the strategic road network on the A64 in North Yorkshire.
• £10M funding for Port of Nigg expansion to boost offshore wind capabilitiesThe Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has announced approval for up to 310M aimed at enhancing the Port of Nigg to boost its ability to support offshore wind developments.

Rail Advent

• HS2 encourages ex-service personnel to consider careers in the construction industry HS2 and its construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) have been running an initiative to help unemployed and under-represented groups gain employ

Railtech

• After 87 years, a regional cross-border train will be back between Germany and NetherlandsThe German-Dutch train connection between Coevorden and Bad Bentheim looks like it is really going to happen. The Bentheimer Eisenbahn has received formal permission to run on the last 500 metres of Dutch track. The consent procedure was one of the last bumps in the road to make the route possible.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Coach and bus accessibility failings raised by Select CommitteeThe all-party body's survey on accessibility found 44% 'often' or 'occasionally' met with difficulty on buses

Other News Sources

• How major infrastructure projects are fast tracking London's regeneration Amid the post-Budget furore over tax rises, one positive piece of news was commitment to funding that will see HS2 end at London main line station Euston, rather than Old Oak Common. Work on taking the high-speed rail line to Euston station had been suspended as more private investment was sought to complete tunnelling and station work.