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

Thursday, 15 May 2025

BBC News

• New rail link needed after election losses - mayorInfrastructure investment can offer the government the "strong northern story" it needs after recent election losses, the Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has said.
• Mayors make case for Liverpool-Manchester rail linkSteve Rotheram and Andy Burnham say a new rail link could deliver a £15bn boost to the economy.
• Trump touts 'record' Boeing-Qatar Airways deal The commitment from the state-owned airline comes as Boeing pushes to rebuild its business.
• Jaguar says it has no plans to build cars in the USThe comment came after the company's boss refused to rule out opening production plants in America.

Financial Times

• Put double-decker trains in the Channel Tunnel, says France’s AlstomFrench company’s high-speed trains could increase capacity and lower fares between London and continental Europe

The Guardian

• Opposing LTNs doesn't make you a 'culture war' petrol-head. Just look at what happened in LambethFor five years residents have complained about traffic being pushed on to other roads. Finally they're being listened to

Manchester Evening News

• Andy Burnham says case for new Manchester to Liverpool railway line has 'landed' in LondonThe Greater Manchester mayor has spent the day in London, trying to convince the government to back the major transport project

Wales Online

• Bristol Airport 'should mind their own business' as answers are demanded over Cardiff subsidyBristol Airport has written to the Welsh Government demanding more information on the £205 million subsidy for Cardiff Airport, which has been described as 'unprecedented'

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Crucial step taken by Civial Aviation Authority to allow City of Doncaster Council to progress an airspace suitable for DSA's future operationsToday the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has started the processes to allow Doncaster Sheffield Airport to move forward with its request to control an area of airspace for a potential future reopening of the airport.

Oxford Mail

• Calls for Oxfordshire council to scrap transport measuresA group of businesses in Oxford are calling for controversial transport measures to be scrapped after the election of a new council.

Wrexham.com

• Investing in transport 'vital for a thriving Wales', says Wrexham University Vice-ChancellorInvestment in resilient and sustainable transport links is vital for creating a thriving Wales for the future.

Other Regional Press

• Wellington station plans "dead in the water" says former mayorA 30-strong delegation travelled to Parliament last month to press the case for new railway stations in Wellington and Cullompton
• MP slams bus fare rise and warns of 'catastrophic' impact on rural travelLiberal Democrat Sarah Gibson urges the government to rethink £3 cap and invest in vital routes
• Government minister says Nottingham City Transport proves council-run bus companies 'can work'A minister says the Government is scrapping a national ban on council-run bus companies after Nottingham City Transport's (NCT) success 'proved the approach can work'
• Greater Anglia announces extra seats and additional servicesGREATER Anglia is set to increase seating capacity on some of its services and additional trains in Essex.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Silvertown Tunnel road-tested, HS2 prospects analysed and AI let loose S3 Ep14Christian experiences in person London's brand new Silvertown Tunnel and the mandatory cycle shuttle bus [2:18]; elaborates on striking new figures for the construction costs of HS2 [09:55]; releases a narrative of his book 'Liberation Line' by engaging AI bots [19:35} and welcomes proposals to lower the age requirement for train drivers in Great Britain [43:40].

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• New laws introduced to boost UK green aviation fuel productionThe Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced new legislation in Parliament aimed at increasing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production in the UK. The measures, announced today (14 May 2025) aim to provide revenue certainty for green fuel producers while supporting job creation across the country. An additional £400,000 in funding has also been announced to help producers get new clean fuels to market more quickly, following £63 million already made available through the Advanced Fuels Fund this year.   SAF reduces greenhouse gas emissio...

New Civil Engineer

• UK must 'learn from the mistakes' of PFI contracts if returning to them, Nista warnsGovernment must 'learn from the mistakes' of previous Private Finance Initiative (PFI) contracts if it is to resurrect them, a senior infrastructure advisor has told MPs.

Rail Magazine

• Network Rail station retail income closing in on £1bn per year after latest increaseSales of food and drink at Network Rail's 20 managed stations could soon be worth £1 billion per year.

Rail Technology Magazine

• New tech to make rail replacement travel more accessibleThe Government has announced four innovative projects are set to share £800,000 to improve accessible information for passengers.

Railnews

• TfL dumps social media as tool in emergencies Transport for London has revealed that it no longer uses social media as a way of communicating to passengers, after power cuts caused rail services to be cancelled and many central London stations closed. The power failures have been attributed to a National Grid fault, but TfL was criticised by passenger watchdog London TravelWatch for not making the situation clear to its passengers

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Reading Buses takes Enviro400EV orders to 32 with further batchEight additional buses via ZEBRA 2 supplementary funding complement 24 already expected

The Business Desk

• New global cargo routes boost East Midlands Airport freight hubEast Midlands Airport has welcomed another international cargo operator to its freight network.
• Journeo and First Bus drive £10m deal to power up fleet operationsAshby-based information systems provider Journeo has secured a £10m framework agreement with First Bus UK.

Other News Sources

• Step forward for reopening of former Doncaster Sheffield Airport - key decision passes hurdleSecretary of state for transport Heidi Alexander has elected not to call in the decision regarding the airspace at the hub, avoiding a further hurdle in its reopening. The final decision on the airspace will now be made by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).
• New Heathrow runway will boost annual CO2 emissions by 2.4 million tons, UK admitsThe climate impact of a third Heathrow runway revealed in internal government documents obtained by POLITICO.
• Reading Buses increases its electric bus fleet to 32Bus and coach mobility solution provider Alexander Dennis has announced that Reading Buses has placed a order for another eight Alexander Dennis Enviro400EV electric double deck buses.
• Electric double-decker buses arrive in PlymouthThe first of 50 zero-emission electric double-decker buses have now arrived in Plymouth, marking a major shift toward cleaner public transport.
• Bus-only streets and bus lanes in Herefordshire planBus priority lanes and even bus-only streets in Hereford and the county's market towns are among new plans to get Herefordshire moving better.
• Disrupting rail freight: Assessing the role of DAC in industry evolutionMichal Litwin, European Rail Freight Association`s (ERFA) Board Member, and Director General of the Federation of Independent Rail Operators (ZNPK), spoke to Global Railway Review's Halimah Haque about the potential impacts of Digital Automatic Coupling (DAC) on the rail freight industry and the challenges faced by independent operators in adapting to emerging technologies.
• Disappointment as new railway station scheme snubbed in planSupporters of a new railway station in Herefordshire say they are disappointed it doesn’t get a mention in the county’s new transport plan for the coming decade and a half.