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

Wednesday, 11 June 2025

BBC News

• City's rapid transit scheme cost could hit £323mA proposed new tram-style bus system for Aberdeen could cost as much as £323m, according to a new report, external.
• Network Rail urged to resolve rail line concernsNetwork Rail has been urged to "resolve any outstanding concerns pragmatically", to get a direct rail link to London up and running.
• New Lower Thames Crossing images releasedNew images of the future Lower Thames Crossing have been released as the main construction of the £10bn project moves closer.
• New stations in £445m rail plan for WalesFive new stations in Newport, Cardiff and Monmouthshire, plus upgrades in north Wales are on the cards.
• Uber brings forward trialling driverless taxis in UKThe autonomous cars with no human safety driver at the wheel will be trialled in London next spring.
• Eurostar plans direct trains to Frankfurt and GenevaThe firm hopes a fleet of up to 50 new trains will be up and running by the early 2030s.
• Budget airline Jetstar Asia to close in weeks, customers offered refundsJetstar Asia has struggled with rising supplier costs, high airport fees and increased competition.

The Guardian

• 'They're living in fantasy land': Uber to trial self-driving taxis in London next springPartnership with Wayve will use cars without a human safety driver onboard for the first time in Europe
• Europe was promised a new golden age of the night train. Why are we still waiting? | Jon WorthRomance, excitement and sustainability – continent-crossing sleeper trains should be a hit. It’s time for the EU to catch onAs Europeans woke up to the joy of travel post-lockdown, it looked as though we were in store for a resurgence of continent-crossing night trains. Sleeper train fans hailed a “night train renaissance” and a “rail revolution”, combining some of the nostalgia for an old way of travelling with modern climate and sustainable transport concerns.The long-distance European train journey might be slower than a short-haul flight, but it is surel...

The Herald

• Edinburgh to London trains fuel transport giant's growthTransport giant FirstGroup has highlighted the success of its Lumo trains between Edinburgh and London as it plans a major expansion of services linking Scottish cities with England.

The Independent

• Self-driving taxis to be allowed on UK roads next yearIt will be the first time companies in the UK will be allowed to trial autonomous commercial services without a human sitting in the driver's seat

The Scotsman

• Scottish bus firm axes all services after entering liquidationA BUS operator has axed all services with immediate effect after the firm entered liquidation.

The Telegraph

• Over-60s free travel costs taxpayers three times as much as fare dodgers [subscription]Providing free transport for over-60s in London is costing taxpayers £500m a year, prompting calls for the benefit to be scrapped.
• Rail challenger to take on Labour's nationalised trains [Subscription]Lumo plots expansion across UK after announcing bid to triple passenger count

Times Online

• Driverless taxis will change the face of UK transport [subscription]Uber has announced that from next year it will begin testing fully driverless cars provided by a British start-up
• New super seatbelt adapts to the user thanks to real-time data [subscription]A new 'super seatbelt' will use real-time data and adapt depending on traffic conditions and the person wearing it in the biggest development since the three-point was launched in 1959.

This is Money

• First Group profits bounce back after transport group returns to London following RATP takeover First Group has returned to profit and cheered progress in its bus and rail operations. Shares in the Aberdeen-based transport operator rose 12.1 per cent as investors welcomed stronger-than-expected profits.

National Highways

• New images show how the Lower Thames Crossing is setting new standards for greener roads in BritainA new approach taken for road design and building by cutting construction carbon and restoring nature

Birmingham Mail

• Thousands set to see West Midlands transport prices rise over 50% - full listThe Ring and Ride service has been hit by a huge increase in costs and the West Midlands Combined Authority's (WMCA) Board will decide later this month whether to approve the fare hike

Derby Telegraph

• Pride as Derby-built Alstom electric trains enter service to and from EustonSince 2015, the company has produced a huge 2,660 carriages from the Aventra train family for UK customers

London Evening Standard

• Why is the Bakerloo line covered in graffiti?Have you noticed an increase in graffiti on the Bakerloo line? Increased graffiti on Tube trains, in particular on the Bakerloo line, has prompted some Londoners to take matters into their own hands by giving carriages a scrub themselves.
• Stansted seeks go-ahead to boost capacity to 51 million passengers a yearThe planning application comes as Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports also plot big increases in passenger capacity

Nation. Cymru

• UK Government set to announce £445m for Welsh rail projectsChancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce £445m for Welsh rail projects in her spending review tomorrow.

The Press and Journal (Aberdeen)

• 'Maths geek' councillor tells bus boffins £323m rapid transit plan for Aberdeen 'doesn't add up'Councillors argued public money is being "wasted" on the Aberdeen Rapid Transit project - with £3.4m already put aside for it "without a shovel in the ground".

Wales Online

• Chancellor Rachel Reeves set to promise Wales nearly half a billion pounds for railAn initial funding settlement of £445m for new rail projects in Wales will be confirmed by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the Comprehensive Spending Review

Other Regional Press

• DfT gives free bus passes for over 60s England update and makes £955m funding suggestionA growing campaign says people in England should get the concessionary travel those in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland get
• Rugby MP calls on county council to improve town's bus servicesRUGBY'S MP has called on Warwickshire County Council to improve bus services in the town.
• 'We need to challenge the car-dependent transport system we live in'During the run-up to the 2024 UK General Election, Rishi Sunak leaned into the 'War on Motorists' narrative during his campaign, pledging to end 'hare-brained' road safety schemes such as 20mph zones and Low-Traffic Neighbourhoods.
• Lower Thames Crossing images show how £9 billion tunnel between Kent and Essex will lookNew images have been released by National Highways highlighting how the Lower Thames Crossing could look like in a few years with its greener approach. The £9 billion project, which is set to link Kent and Essex, aims to tackle congestion at the Dartford Crossing while putting nature at the heart of its design.
• New images show how the Lower Thames Crossing is setting new standards for greener roads in BritainNEW images released by National Highways today (Tuesday 10 June) highlight how putting low-carbon construction and nature at the heart of its design is shaping the look and feel of the new road.
• Eurostar announcement on new routes ‘short-sighted and disappointing’MP Sojan Joseph says Eurostar’s plans to launch services to Germany and Switzerland are “short-sighted” - as the operator continues to skip Kent.

Bus and Coach Buyer

• New National Bus Company called for by think tankA new National Bus Company (NBC) is being called for by IPPR North, a UK think tank. The company is envisioned to be a joint venture between government and local areas. IPPR North believes it could electrify the rollout of zero-emissions buses across the country.

Rail Magazine

• Frustrated open access operators criticise Network Rail over track access responsesOpen access operators have criticised Network Rail (NR) over its attitude towards applications submitted on two trunk routes.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• National Express set to boost south coast connectionsNational Express is to introduce a new route between Portsmouth and Gatwick and increase daily connections to other south coast destinations.

Trafnidiaeth Cymru [Transport for Wales]

• Network North Wales: Metro is go!Last month, we hosted our inaugural Public Transport Summit in the city of Wrexham, bringing together colleagues and stakeholder partners from across the transport sector.

Aviation Industry

• London Stansted Airport Submits Expansion Plan‍ London Stansted Airport (STN) has put forward its latest expansion proposal, aiming to boost passenger capacity to between 48 and 51 million annually by 2040. STN is the fourth busiest airport in the UK after London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW) and Manchester (MAN).

Other News Sources

• Spending Review: £1bn Call to Tackle Bus Service GapsCampaign for Better Transport is calling for an additional £1 billion a year for buses as its analysis reveals four out of every ten wards in England and Wales (3,003 out of 7,608) do not have a 'reasonable' level of bus service.
• If Cyclists Designed Cities: Why Roundabouts Would Be Velodromes and Public Transport Would Be TandemsUrban planning is serious business. Unless, of course, you hand it over to cyclists then it becomes a deliciously deranged blend of spandex, sprockets, and suspiciously clean carbs. Here's what your average city might look like if the people who think a great Sunday includes 3,000 metres of climbing were given the blueprints.
• Billionaire Surinder Arora bids for Heathrow expansion with shorter, low-cost runway planArora, one of Heathrow's largest landowners, is partnering with US engineering company Bechtel to submit a proposal after aviation minister Mike Kane said the Government was open to alternative bids.
• Hydrogen powered construction a step closer after successful Lower Thames Crossing trialThe Lower Thames Crossing's plan to replace diesel with hydrogen in its heavy construction machinery will help accelerate Britian's transition to clean power

News from Europe

• Germany launches first Level 4 AV public shuttlesFor the first time in Germany, passengers are riding public transport operated by Level 4 autonomous vehicles. The KIRA pilot project, now live in Langen and Egelsbach (Offenbach district), marks a significant step for the country in exploring how driverless shuttles could support local mobility particularly in suburban and rural areas.