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

Wednesday, 26 March 2025

BBC News

• Rail line hit by orange water to close for weeksA key rail route affected by orange contaminated water will shut for more than three weeks for repairs, transport bosses have confirmed.
• Toll rises for Tamar Bridge and Torpoint ferryThe Secretary of State for Transport has approved increased charges for the Tamar Bridge and Torpoint Ferry.
• Operator named for first part of East West RailAn operator has been announced for the first stage of a major railway line. Chiltern Railways has been named by the government as the operator for the section of East West Rail between Oxford and Milton Keynes.
• Heathrow substation fire not suspicious, police sayPolice say they do not consider the incident a "potentially criminal matter" following a brief investigation.
• Irish signs at Grand Central Station to cost £150kIrish language campaigners had called for the move, but some unionist politicians have criticised the spending.
• Bee Network unveils plans for a further 300 e-bikesHundreds more e-bikes will be available on Greater Manchester's Bee Network from the middle of May.
• Restaurant plan for Brixton station proposed by TfLThe proposed new venue would operate out of a disused part of the station on Electric Lane.
• Lower Thames Crossing approved by governmentThe 14-mile (22.5km) road will link the A2 and M2 in Kent with the A13 and M25 in Essex.

ITV News

• Disability activist works with train operator to improve experience for disabled passengersA disability activist who has worked with West Midlands Trains on an accessibility project says he hopes new designated waiting spaces at stations across the region will improve journeys for disabled passengers.

Channel 4 News

• Heathrow airport incident shows ‘failure to plan’ expertWe’re joined by Lord Toby Harris who chairs the National Preparedness Commission.

Department for Transport

• Kevin Rooney announced as new Senior Traffic CommissionerSecretary of State for Transport appoints Kevin Rooney as the new Senior Traffic Commissioner.
• East West Rail services planned to begin this year as Chiltern Railways named operatorThis milestone will unlock the potential of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor and provide greater connectivity across the region.

Financial Times

• US judge orders Boeing to defend fraud charges in courtPlane maker had sought to settle charges relating to 737 Max crashes that killed hundreds of people
• Qantas to start world’s longest direct flights from Australia in 2027Carrier says customer satisfaction is high on its current direct service between London and Perth
• Met Police ends ‘criminal’ probe into substation fire that closed HeathrowOfficers find ‘no evidence’ the origins of the west London blaze were ‘suspicious’

The Guardian

• Lower Thames Crossing plan for Essex and Kent approved by governmentHeidi Alexander gives green light to controversial ?9bn tunnel, Britain?s biggest single planned road-building project
• Counter-terror police say fire that shut down Heathrow airport not suspiciousScotland Yard says electrical substation fire in Hayes last week no longer ‘a potentially criminal matter’A fire that led to the closure of Heathrow last week is no longer being treated as a “potentially criminal matter”, Scotland Yard has said.The Metropolitan police’s counter terrorism command had been leading the investigation to establish the cause of the blaze at the nearby electrical substation in Hayes, west London, that started on Thursday evening and was still burning on Friday.

The Independent

• UK's largest-ever road tunnel set to be built after ?8.3bn plan approvedLower Thames Crossing will include 2.6-mile tunnels under River Thames linking Kent and Essex

City AM

• Arriva?s Chiltern Railways announced as first East West Rail operatorArriva Group?s Chiltern Railways has been selected to operate the first stage of the East West Rail project linking Oxford and Cambridge.

Birmingham Mail

• Warning issued to anyone who orders Costa Coffee on Easyjet flightEasyjet is charging almost a third more for some Costa coffees on flights compared to high street prices, according to reports.

Birmingham Post

• Virgin and two other firms bid to end Eurostar monopoly with new Channel Tunnel serviceA third operator seeking to challenge Eurostar's monopoly on Channel Tunnel services has been announced
• Shell gives almost £19bn to shareholders and promises even more cash to comeThe FTSE 100 giant handed almost £19bn to its investors in 2024 while also revealing plans to cut spending and reduce costs
• Arriva's Chiltern Railways to run first East West Rail services in major UK transport updateThe Department for Transport (DfT) said on Tuesday it expected services to start later this year, connecting Milton Keynes to Oxford for the first time in 60 years

Bolton News

• Andy Burnham on trams coming to Bolton as he discusses public transport changesThe Greater Manchester Metro Mayor said that extending the Metrolink was still something that they "would like to do".
• Manchester Airport's introduces big changes to pick-up and drop-off zones from todayManchester Airport started removing barriers today in a big change for drivers using pick-up and drop-off zones.

Bristol Live

• Key Bristol roundabout to close at night as part of £1m schemeIt is one of nine areas to be resurfaced as part of the £1 million scheme

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Revival plan for controversial 'Red Route' road 'could cost every North Wales household £1,770''Shocked' critics claim costs have 'spiralled out of control' and the road would 'destroy' ancient habitats

Manchester Evening News

• These are the powers Andy Burnham wants over Greater Manchester's railwaysA new report has shed more light on Greater Manchester's views on the future of rail

Wales Online

• 20mph roads in Swansea which look set to return to 30mphFollowing a public consultation, 17 road and street locations around Swansea could see their current speed limit of 20mph increased to 30mph

Cambridge News

• East West Rail announces major update in future Oxford to Cambridge servicesIt is a 'significant step' forward in the scheme

Other Regional Press

• Newton-le-Willows to London LUMO train plans under threatPLANS for a new rail service that would take?passengers from Bank Quay and Newton?directly to London are under threat after the Department for Transport moved to block the project.
• Nottingham City Transport named Best City OperatorUK Bus Operator of the Year, Nottingham City Transport (NCT) is celebrating after scoring the highest customer satisfaction score of any city operator in the country, following the publication of the latest independent Transport Focus Your Bus Journey Results.
• Operator for first part of rail route announced as services set to begin this yearThe Rail Minister has named Chiltern Railways as the operator for the first stage of East West Rail.
• Teesside Airport refreshed business plan: Ryanair extension, military movements and predicted lossesThe news comes in Teesside Airport's refreshed business plan, which sets out financial projections and net zero ambitions for the years ahead
• Collapsed road could take at least three years to fix and ‘cost tens of millions’Any scheme to permanently fix a collapsed road caused by a major landslip will take years to complete and prove very costly, it has emerged.
• Bus passengers in certain part of Yorkshire are unhappiest in the countryMayor says local services are 'broken' after region comes bottom in national survey

New Civil Engineer

• Lower Thames Crossing receives planning permissionThe secretary of state for transport has granted development consent for the Lower Thames Crossing project, paving the way for a new road link connecting Kent, Thurrock and Essex.

Railnews

• First East West Rail operator named Rail minister Lord Hendy has named Chiltern Railways as the operator for the first stage of East West Rail. The line is set to open later this year, providing trains between Oxford, Bletchley and Milton Keynes Central and serving six stations, including a new one at Winslow.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Bus passenger satisfaction up in England: Transport Focus surveyEncouraging trends were seen across England, Wales and Scotland in the Your Bus Journey survey

Transport Action Network

• Approving mega-road is economic madnessTransport Action Network?s (TAN's) reaction to the Government?s approval of the Lower Thames Crossing today ahead of the austerity Spring Statement tomorrow

Other News Sources

• UK Government decides not to renew funding for the Western GatewayThe UK Government has issued a decision to cease funding any pan-regional partnerships which have an English Mayoral Combined Authority within their geography including the Western Gateway from 31 March 2025.
• Government urged to seek new funding models for London?s public transportThe government has been urged to ensure that Transport for London (TfL) receives a long-term funding agreement ahead of tomorrow?s Spring Statement.? The London Property Alliance (LPA) submitted its request ahead of the statement, calling on the Chancellor to tap into the potential for property developments to support public transport upgrades.
• Network Rail and Transport for London weighing options for ?2.5bn Victoria Station redevelopmentDecision on scale of scheme to be taken within weeks ahead of first consultation later this year
• UK transport cheers as Lower Thames Crossing gets green lightOne of the UK?s largest infrastructure projects has been greenlit after the country?s Department for Transport today gave the go-ahead to build the Lower Thames crossing
• Pathway to decarbonising freight transport in Wales plotted in new reportPolicy options to decarbonise Wales? commercial vehicle sector have been laid out in a new report by Zemo Partnership for the Welsh Government.
• 'Sickening, madness, devastating and misleading' - caustic views on government decision to start work on Lower Thames CrossingTHERE has been a critical response from opponents of the Lower Thames Crossing project after it was given the green light by government this morning (Tuesday, 25 March) ? with one campaigner describing the decision as 'sickening' and another saying 'it's complete madness'.
• Campaigners disappointed at Lower Thames Crossing decisionOPPONENTS of a proposed £9 billion road crossing between Kent and Essex say they are 'devastated and deeply disappointed' after it got the go ahead from Government reports the Local Democracy Reporter.