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

Saturday, 10 May 2025

BBC News

• HS2 tunnel machine breaks through for milestone A giant HS2 boring machine has broken through to complete the first section of a three and-a-half mile (5.6km) tunnel on the route's approach into Birmingham.
• 'Most successful' road safety scheme in £1.8m lossAverage speed cameras have cut crashes by more than 30%, councillors hear, but come at a cost.
• Bus network to come back under public controlTransport for West Midlands will set fares, timetables and routes and award contracts to operators.
• Bryson gets permission to challenge station Irish signsJamie Bryson says he hopes the end result of his challenge will be no Irish signage at Grand Central Station
• Delays as airport terminal hit by power cutThe issue was affecting passport processing desks at Manchester Airport's Terminal 3.
• Greater Anglia to be nationalised in OctoberThe rail firm says it will be brought under public ownership later this year.

Department for Transport

• First HS2 rail tunnel breakthrough completed in Birmingham, as project reaches latest milestoneLongest railway tunnel ever built in West Midlands will help bring £10 billion into the region's economy over the next decade.

Financial Times

• BA owner orders 53 Boeing and Airbus planes in long-haul betAirlines group says demand for travel is strong despite macroeconomic uncertainty
• United Airlines is rising above Newark chaos Chief executive Scott Kirby’s reputation for frank talking has won investor plaudits and helped boost the airline’s shares
• UK and Switzerland open way for direct rail linkGovernments outline plan to encourage train companies to launch services that could cut journey time to five hours

The Independent

• HS2 marks major 'nerve centre' milestone with completion of 3.5-mile tunnel boreWorkers celebrated and waved flags to mark the end of more than 650 days of work by TBM Mary Ann to link Water Orton in Warwickshire with Birmingham.

The Scotsman

• Exclusive:Ferguson Marine seeking direct award to build major new CalMac ferryThe Scottish Government-owned Ferguson Marine shipyard is hoping to be handed another major CalMac ferry order, The Scotsman has learned.

Times Online

• UK to Switzerland in five hours by high-speed train. Not so fast [subscription]Direct trains between the UK and Switzerland are a step closer after the two countries agreed to work together to make it happen.
• Edinburgh's North Bridge repairs delayed again as costs rise [subscription]Overhaul of historic structure linking capital's Old Town and New Town is expected to be completed in summer 2026 at an estimated cost of £85m
• British Airways owner IAG splashes out billions on new planes [subscription]The airline group that owns British Airways has announced a multibillion-pound spending spree on dozens of new long-haul aircraft as it shrugged off short-term jitters about traffic volumes between the United States and Europe.
• British Airways plane caught fire after pilot 'confused left and right' [subscription]Gatwick airport was closed after the co-pilot of a flight taking 334 passengers to Vancouver made a mistake that set the Boeing 777's brakes alight
• Newark Airport hit by second radar outage in a fortnight [subscription]Concerns about the safety of air travel in the US after screens went dark and ground staff were 'unable to see, hear or talk' to pilots for 90 seconds

Sky News

• Trump's tariffs hit the West's busiest port - with traffic down by nearly a thirdDriving south from Los Angeles along the coast, you can't miss the San Pedro port complex. Dozens of red cranes pop up from behind the freeway.

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• World's oldest operational cast-iron railway bridge to be renovatedThe world's earliest cast-iron railway bridge to still be in place over an operational railway is to be raised, and renovated, by Transpennine Route Upgrade engineers.

The York Press

• York community interest company aims to give away 500 bikesA new community interest company, reCicle CIC, has launched in York to restore and give away 500 bikes to individuals and families across North Yorkshire, who need them most.

Wales Online

• Cardiff Council fears bus franchising plans could hit school transportThe Bus Service (Wales) Bill is aimed at improving public transport across the country, but Cardiff Council is worried about potential unintended consequences

Burnley Express

• Prioritise potholes and road safety MP tells new county bossesAn East Lancashire MP has urged the new Reform UK-led county council to make action on road safety. potholes and special education its priorities.

Other Regional Press

• Shropshire MPs join forces to call for new rail line to capital that will have 'massive positive impact' for regionMore than 20 local MPs have signed a letter calling for Network Rail to back the new Wrexham, Shropshire & Midlands (WSMR) passenger rail service.

Train Operators

• Greater Anglia to be nationalised from OctoberToday, the Department for Transport has confirmed that Greater Anglia 'the UK's most punctual train operator and the current Train Operator of the Year' is set to be nationalised on 12th October 2025.
• HS2 celebrates first Birmingham tunnel breakthroughHS2's giant tunnelling machine Mary Ann broke through today [9th, May 2025], marking the end of her mission to excavate the first bore of what will soon become the longest railway tunnel in the West Midlands.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• UK sign agreement to forge direct rail link with SwitzerlandA direct and sustainable rail link connecting the UK to Switzerland could soon become reality after the Transport Secretary announced that a deal has been signed with the Swiss Federal government to commence discussions for its development.

Construction Enquirer

• HS2 Curzon Street station redesign approved as timber roof axedRevised plans for Birmingham's landmark HS2 Curzon Street station have been approved, with a major design change seeing the timber-lined roof swapped for copper-coloured aluminium panels

New Civil Engineer

• HS2 considered over 20 bat protection measures before opting for £119M 'bat shed'High Speed 2 (HS2) Ltd weighed up over 20 different options for protecting bats from high-speed trains in Bernwood Forest before settling on the infamous £119M 'bat shed', NCE can reveal.

Railnews

• Greater Anglia renationalisation date announcedThe former Greater Anglia franchise will be renationalised on 12 October, and its majority shareholder has said it is disappointed

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• West Midlands bus network to move to franchising approachMayor Richard Parker makes widely expected decision; rollout likely to commence in late-2027