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

Friday, 28 March 2025

Government

• PM: North will no longer be held to ransom by broken transport systemThe Prime Minister has announced more funding to deliver the largest rail investment in the North in decades.

BBC News

• Station clocks broken months after being fixedThree Victorian rail station clocks have broken five months after being repaired.
• Stretch of motorway to close for bridge worksSt Anne's Road bridge, in Denton, Tameside, which crosses the M67, is being replaced.
• UK not entering trade war with US over car tariffs, says PMThe UK is in "intense negotiations" with the US over tariff plans, the prime minister says.
• How will carmakers be affected by Trump's tariffs?Investors sold off shares of carmakers in Japan, Germany and the UK, but US brands are also set to be hit.

ITV News

• PM announces £415 million to upgrade struggling rail services between Manchester and YorkshireThe Prime Minister has announced £415 million to upgrade struggling rail services between Manchester and Yorkshire. It comes after delays to the electrification of the TransPennine route upgrade between Manchester and York following the dropping of the Phase 2 HS2 extension.

Financial Times

• European airlines urge EU to pull back on climate policiesChief executives call for easing of green fuel and carbon pricing rules
• Blackstone buys stake in UK airports group for £235mnUS private equity investor takes 22% holding in owner of Aberdeen, Glasgow and Southampton airports
• Heathrow warns airlines risk having to pay £1bn for better power systemCEO says airport will review case for upgrading grid connections after outage that shut hub for nearly 24 hours

The Guardian

• Which UK carmakers will be hit hardest by Trump’s latest import tariffs?Eight in 10 cars produced in Britain are exported, with high-end manufacturers much more reliant on the US market. The UK’s automotive sector describes itself as “the engine room of Britain’s international trade”, boasting how it generates “£1 in every £8 the UK earns from exporting goods”.
• End of an era for Canada-US ties, says Carney, as allies worldwide decry Trump’s car tariffsCanadian PM says Donald Trump has permanently altered relations, as countries around the globe insist import taxes are harmful to all, including WashingtonCanada’s prime minister has said the era of deep ties with the US “is over”, as governments from Tokyo to Berlin to Paris sharply criticised Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs on car imports, with some threatening retaliatory action.Mark Carney warned Canadians that Trump had permanently altered relations and that, regardless of any future trade deals, there would be “no turning back”.

Times Online

• ?Trade tensions? blamed for 12th month of falling car production [subscription]Industry body says ?these are worrying times for UK vehicle makers? as output drops 11.6 per cent in February
• Facelift will turn ugliest M?tro station into Parisian belle [subscription]The station entrance at La Fourche will be restored to its art nouveau glory on the transport network that residents seem to admire and loathe simultaneously
• Buyers? tariff fears could put the skids under car sales to US [subscription]Dealerships in British luxury cars are fielding calls from concerned buyers and studies suggest President Trump?s levies could cut vehicle imports by 75 per cent

Belfast Telegraph

• Derry rail service 'unfit for 10,000 students'An additional million seats to and from the city can be delivered annually at relatively low cost, the group says, with 'equality of services' west of the Bann.

Birmingham Post

• Bristol Airport's expansion plans to be opposed by councilThe transport hub is seeking permission to expand to serve 15 million passengers a year

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Northern train 'The Bradfordian' adorned with City of Culture artworkA TRAIN has been re-named “The Bradfordian” and covered with Bradford themed artwork in celebration of City of Culture.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• 'Toll charge' call over renewed proposal to build controversial 'Red Route' roadThe controversial road has been a topic of discussion for many of our readers in North Wales, with some suggesting the road should be a toll road

Manchester Evening News

• HS2 is dead, but an HS2 alternative could be on the cards for Greater ManchesterThere's been a plan for months and the government is making 'positive noises' - but will it happen?

Northern Echo

• North will not be 'held to ransom' by poor transport, PM says in TransPennine boostNorthern England will no longer be “held to ransom” by poor transport systems, Sir Keir Starmer said.

Oxford Mail

• Calls for new Oxford bus route after council axe plansThe return of a bus route connecting Cutteslowe and Jericho to Botley via the city centre has been left out of the council?s service improvement plans for the next year.

Train Operators

• Greater Anglia improves station help pointsThe train operator for the East of England, Greater Anglia, has upgraded its help points across its network following feedback from customers.

New Civil Engineer

• Network Rail names firms on ?300M framework supporting Norther Powerhouse and othersNetwork Rail has selected four suppliers to participate in its ?300M Development and Design Partnership Framework (DDPF), aimed at facilitating major rail programmes including Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) and the enhancements portfolio in its Eastern region.

Rail Magazine

• UK passenger numbers continue to climb in later ORR stats - but Heathrow Express journeys dropPassenger journeys in October- December 2024 (Q3 2024-25) rose by 7% compared with the corresponding three-month period in 2023-24, highlighting the continued recovery of passenger travel since the pandemic ended.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Simon Lightwood to address ALBUM conference in NottinghamLocal Transport Minister Simon Lightwood (pictured, front left) will address this year?s ALBUM conference, which is to be hosted by Nottingham City Transport on 12-14 May.
• Safeway Coaches takes delivery of three new Yutong additionsSafeway Coaches of Batley has taken delivery of three new Yutong models in the form of a single TC9 midi and two GT12 full-size examples, supplied by Pelican Bus and Coach.

Transport for the North

• Your Bus Journey satisfaction results show a mixed picture in the NorthBus services are a vital transport link for people living and working in the North. Getting to work, shops, hospital appointments and visiting friends are made possible by reliable, frequent bus services. Affordable fares, good quality bus shelters, reliable information and bus priority measures all make for increased satisfaction for bus users.

Other News Sources

• How National Highways is working towards sustainability targets for Lower Thames CrossingAndrew Kidd, director of environmental sustainability at the agency, discusses how the project is minimising carbon and nature impacts, with the help of external consultants
• Busworld Europe 2025 Set to Premiere New VehiclesSix months before Busworld Europe 2025 opens in Brussels, early announcements from exhibitors indicate that a diverse range of vehicles and components will be premiered at the exhibition.
• Rail response to the Spring Statement 2025The Spring Statement didn?t overtly mention rail, but its infrastructure and connectivity commitments have sparked responses from adjacent stakeholders. Despite the absence of direct rail funding announcements, Civils contractors welcomed the announcement of a further ?13 billion of capital spend over the course of this Parliament by saying the benefits of this investment will only be felt once industry can get spades in the ground on projects.
• Latest update on project to rebuild long-lost canalAN UPDATE has been issued on a long-running project to rebuild the Herefordshire and Gloucestershire canal.