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

Wednesday, 09 July 2025

BBC News

• Police seize illegal e-bikes in city centreThe e-bikes were found to reach speeds of more than 40mph, with one seized bike reaching more than 70mph.
• Ferguson's signs deal to build Navy warship sectionsThe deal comes at a time when the state-owned shipyard had only one contract remaining on its books.
• Assume the 100ml airport rule remains, flyers toldTransport Secretary Heidi Alexander says passengers should check with airports about carry-on rules.
• 'Bitter' court case against bus gate dismissedA court challenge against traffic restrictions being introduced to a busy city centre road has been dismissed.
• Staff to be charged for hospital bus serviceA bus service to hospital sites in Leicester will no longer be completely free for staff, health bosses have announced.
• Funding confirmed for Haxby rail station projectFunding for a new station at Haxby has been confirmed as part of a £10.2bn investment in rail projects across the UK.
• Work to protect Dawlish mainline 'on hold'Work to protect the Paddington to Penzance mainline at Dawlish in Devon has been put on hold, the government has announced.
• Transport secretary cancels A12 widening schemeA scheme to widen an A-road used by about 90,000 vehicles a day will no longer go ahead due to a lack of funds, the government has announced.

Department for Transport

• Transforming the UK's road and rail networks - Oral statement to ParliamentOutlines the 5 strategic road schemes and 5 key rail upgrades that will support 42,000 jobs and pave the way for 1.5 million new UK homes.

Financial Times

• Red Sea ship insurance prices jump as Houthis resume attacks Sunday’s assault by the group was the first since December, prompting concerns about an escalation

The Herald

• Billionaire brothers acquire historic Scottish bus companyA Scottish bus company owned by two billionaire brothers has acquired a long-standing Scottish coach company.

City AM

• Luton Airport chair: Green targets for expansion ‘not easy’ to meetStrict green targets for Luton Airport’s expansion plans will “not be easy” to meet, its new chair has said, even as he praised the economic importance of the project.

Local Government

• Partners welcome Haxby Station announcementWork to build a new station at Haxby has taken a major step forward after funding was confirmed by the Department for Transport.
• Mayor says Government's funding for key rail and road projects will drive growth, opportunity and better journeysMayor Richard Parker said the Government's announcement today (Tuesday July 8) of funding for the Midlands Rail Hub and M54 - M6 link road projects will transform the region, driving growth, opportunity and better journeys.

Network Rail

• TRU electrification work charges aheadThe Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) has reached another milestone as engineers complete five consecutive weekends of critical work between Leeds and York, that will support the electrification of the railway.
• Key rail projects in the west given the green lightTwo key rail projects in the west have been given the green light today (8 July) by the Government, following June's Spending Review announcement.

Birmingham Mail

• New Birmingham Airport liquid rules explained as passengers told 'no limit'Explained in full - Birmingham Airport's new liquid rules as long-awaited change comes into effect ahead of summer holidays

Birmingham Post

• Major changes planned for Exeter traffic in bid to boost walkingA comprehensive new plan for the Newtown area is to be debated next week
• Work on new model Qashqai starts at Nissan's Sunderland plantNew models of the Leaf and Juke will also come into production in the next 12 months

The York Press

• 'Start work now' on £24m Haxby rail station near YorkNorth Yorkshire's mayor has called for work to begin on a new rail station in Haxby following Government confirmation that the project will go ahead.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• West Midlands Mayor welcomes major step forward for M54/M6 link roadA new link road has been hailed as vital for driving 'new opportunities' for the Black Country.

East Anglian Daily Times

• Lack of funding for Ely/Haughley in Government announcementThe lack of funding set for upgrades to the Ely/Haughley rail junction from the Government has been labelled "punishment" by the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce.

Other Regional Press

• Bus passengers could face having to pay higher bus fares earlier than expectedPeople travelling on buses in Fenland could face having to pay higher bus fares earlier than expected. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has proposed to end the local bus fare cap early, to use the funding to extend the Tiger Pass scheme.
• 31.1 million plan to boost bus use in HerefordshireDetails have been revealed of how £1.1 million will be spent improving Herefordshire's bus services.
• Suffolk Chamber slams Government as Suffolk snubbed in £92bn transport investmentIn a blow to the Chamber and our region, the Ely/Haughley junction improvements have been excluded from transport upgrades announced today, despite the Government backing over 50 road and rail schemes across England worth £92 billion.
• Lincolnshire county councillor and South Kesteven district councillor says decision to shelve rail funding is 'kick in the teeth'A councillor has described the Government's plans to shelve funding to improve trains in the East Midlands as a 'kick in the teeth'
• Government announces raft of new transport projects across North as part of £92 billion investmentThe Government has confirmed funding for a series of major transport projects across the North as part of the broader £92 billion transport investment outlined in the Spending Review, aimed at boosting economic growth, job creation, and housing development under the Government's Plan for Change.

Construction News

• Government unveils £92.8bn transport upgrade planThe government has confirmed funding for more than 50 transport upgrades in England and Wales, including the long-delayed A66 Northern Trans-Pennine route and a West Midlands rail hub scheme.

Modern Railways

• Government pauses MML electrification, York capacity works and Dawlish Phase 5The Government has paused the third phase of Midland main line electrification to Sheffield and Nottingham, plus the final phase of the South West Rail Resilience Programme (SWRRP), which involves strengthening cliffs at Holcombe.

New Civil Engineer

• Government backs over 50 road and rail projectsThe government has approved over 50 road and rail infrastructure projects across England, promising faster journeys and improved connectivity for millions of commuters and businesses. Among the schemes given the go-ahead is the long-delayed A66 Northern Trans-Pennine route and the reinstatement of the Portishead to Bristol city centre rail line, which has been closed for more than 60 years.

Rail Advent

• Coventry Very Light Rail trial run was succesfulCoventry City Council's Coventry City Council's Coventry Very Light Rail (CVLR) is a new rail transport system created, which runs much cheaper than conventional light rail systems.

Rail Magazine

• Southeastern becomes South Eastern RailwayPassengers may not even notice the small name change, as Southeastern becomes South Eastern Railway. But track and train are now together under the leadership of Steve White, who talks to Paul Clifton.
• Analysis: billions for railway schemes - but will it be enough?Mayors were celebrating windfalls in the Chancellor's announcement of cash for local transport schemes. Yet the new money won't go far, says Howard Johnston.
• Rail reform "frustratingly slow" says Network Rail Chief ExecutiveSir Andrew Haines says stable funding is needed to ensure the reformed railway does not make suboptimal decisions.
• Reinforce where rail links meet for North West's needsJim Steer, Director of Greengauge 21, believes the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Board's plan for a new line is not the solution to the region's problems.
• Further Midland Main Line electrification and York capacity projects pausedMajor rail projects including further electrification of the Midland Main Line and capacity around York have been officially paused by the government.

Rail UK

• LNER Celebrates 50th Birthday of National Railway Museum With Striking New LiveryLNER is marking the 50th anniversary of the National Railway Museum with a striking new livery on one of its InterCity 225 trains.

Railway Gazette

• Comment: Rail freight's push for visibilityThere are welcome signs that the rail freight sector is starting to seize the opportunity to become a key element in the global logistics sector, argues our Executive Editor Nick Kingsley.
• Leasing companies join forces to co-fund rail researchUK: Four ROSCOs have signed a memorandum of understanding with the Rail Safety & Standards Board creating a framework for cross-industry research projects.
• Rail sector spearheads campaign to help ex-prisoners secure careersUK: Merseyrail, Angel Trains and the Go-Ahead Group have signed up to support an initiative aimed at helping ex-prisoners find work in the transport sector.

Other News Sources

• Government gives green light for £24bn investment in over 30 road schemesFive major strategic road schemes in the North of England and the Midlands, along with 28 smaller road improvement schemes, have been given the go-ahead by the government today (8 July), backed by £24bn of funding from the Spending Review.
• Funding secured for Midlands Rail HubMidlands Connect's flagship scheme, a transformational rail improvement which will benefit 7 million people across the region, has been given the green light.
• The Grocer Gold Awards 2025: Tesco rail freight scheme wins Supply Chain Initiative of the YearTesco's rail freight initiative has become synonymous with the supermarket. You only see Tesco cars on the rails. I've never seen anyone else's, one judge noted.
• Long-Running Rail Projects Given Go Ahead After Year-Long PauseA slate of long-awaited transport projects has been given the green light again after almost a year on hold.
• Rail disruption at weekends as work to prepare for bi-mode trains continuesPassengers are reminded that London journeys continue to be affected by a series of weekend engineering work on the Midland Main Line.
• Leicester hospitals slash free staff transportLeicester hospitals have slashed free transport for staff, a move which GMB Union has branded 'a pay cut by stealth'.
• Transforming Mobility: Including disabled people in transport planningTransforming Mobility is a Sustrans project with Transport for All, funded by the Motability Foundation, understanding how to better include disabled people in transport planning. Through research and engagement in the UK and Belgium, it's exploring how cities can improve accessibility by involving disabled people in decision-making.
• Liverpool City Region expands use of digital twin in public transport planningLiverpool City Region Combined Authority has announced the expansion of an initiative with South Korean partners to use a digital twin in the management of public transport.

News from Europe

• E-bikes are becoming e-waste - here-s how to reduce the environmental costElectric e-bikes make cycling easier, faster and more accessible. They are already playing an important role in reducing the environmental impact of transport, particularly when they replace a trip in a private car. But when you scrap an e-bike, you also have to scrap its battery. And these batteries can be particularly dangerous and tricky to dispose of. This means the growth of e-bikes is leading to at least one related environmental problem: a rise in electronic or e-waste.
• Netherlands awards Arriva 15-year, €650m rail contractArriva Group has secured 15-year, €650m contract to continue operating the Vechtdal regional rail lines from December 2028.
• EU to spend €2.8 billion on 94 transport projects across EuropeThe European Commission has selected 94 transport projects to receive a share of €2.8 billion in funding, with rail projects accounting for 77 per cent of the total spending.