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

Thursday, 21 August 2025

BBC News

• Council voices concerns over airport expansionA council has voiced its concerns over a planning application to expand the capacity of London Stansted Airport.
• Battery-powered train breaks distance recordA battery-powered train has broken the world record for the longest railway journey on a single charge.
• ScotRail ticket and payment systems hit by network outageThe rail operator said its internet service provider was dealing with a connectivity issue.
• New bridge and roads plan to boost Glasgow Airport links The £59m project is expected to improve transport connections between Paisley town centre and the airport.

The Independent

• Train passengers face potential 5.8% fares hikeAbout 45% of fares on Britain's railways are regulated by the Westminster, Scottish and Welsh governments.
• Boeing plane diverts moments after take off as bright flashes spark in skyA Boeing plane was forced to divert moments after take off as bright flash sparked in the sky.

The Scotsman

• Surprise inflation hike: Here's how much rail fares might rise next year in ScotlandRail passengers could face fare increases of nearly 6 per cent next year - but ScotRail's ticket prices are likely to again rise less sharply.

The Telegraph

• Prolific train fare-dodger 'caught 30 more times while on bail' [subscription]One of Britain's most prolific fare-dodgers committed 30 further offences while on bail, a court has been told. Charles Brohiri, who had been charged with almost 100 counts of travelling without a train ticket, was caught fare-dodging as recently as Aug 18, prosecutors say.

City AM

• Forest hikes e-bike prices amid fragmented London market Forest, the e-bike operator recently licensed by Hounslow Council, has announced it is raising its 'pay as you go' service fee by 50 per cent to £1.50, citing a doubling of the fees charged by London boroughs to operate.

Birmingham Post

• Costain shares plummet as HS2 delays impact revenue, with rail services hardest hitThe construction firm said its overall revenue fell 17.8% to £525m for the first six months of the year, of which revenue for its rail infrastructure services slumped 23.3% to £185m
• Forest e-bike operator raises prices in London, citing increased borough feesForest, the e-bike operator recently licensed by Hounslow Council, has announced it is raising its "pay as you go" service fee by 50 per cent to £1.50

Bolton News

• A ‘vital’ new £19M link road at housing estate faces more delaysWork on the final part of a long overdue new link road at one of the UK’s largest brownfield development sites has stopped after a land deal expired.
• Train services across North West facing disruption after 'delibrate act of vandalism'Emergency work is underway to restore the signalling system for the West Coast Main Line, causing major disruption to service across the North West, to Scotland and London Euston.
• Bee Network bus drivers voting on whether to strikeBus drivers in Greater Manchester could go on strike later this year after pay offers were rejected

Bristol Live

• DfT issues update as motorists demand parking rule change across UKCampaigners claimed that 'incredibly vague' details at parking stations across the UK could lead to an array of problems

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester Airport told to 'do more' on drop-off and pick-up feesIt comes after the RAC claimed that Manchester Airport was the most expensive UK airports on a 'cost-per-minute' basis

Morning Star

• Government urged to drop 'parasitic' private contracts as rail fares set to soarTHE government was urged to ditch 'parasitic' private contracts today after it emerged that regulated train fares in England could soar by 5.8 per cent next year.

Nation. Cymru

• Northern Powerhouse Rail and the implications for Welsh PoliticsA news story which caught my eye was the briefing by UK Government sources that Northern Powerhouse Rail is to be formally revived this Autumn.

Nottingham Evening Post

• 'Lesser seen side' of East Midlands Airport set to create 20,000 new jobsThe "lesser seen side" of East Midlands Airport could create more than 20,000 new jobs in the coming years after a major boost for the site. Airport bosses say ambitious expansion plans would represent a £4 billion uplift for the economy if delivered as planned over the next 20 years.

Yorkshire Post

• Time for the Transport Secretary to act, rail fare increases would only heap further misery onto passengersThere is an air of resignation amongst frequent rail passengers. Despite the numerous laments over the years, nothing ever changes, including the cost of rail travel going up. So regulated train fares potentially increasing by 5.8 per cent next year will come as no surprise to them.

Other Regional Press

• Woking MP calls for rail fare freeze after predicted £300 riseCommuters travelling between Woking and London could face an increase of more than £300 in rail fares next year, according to new figures released today.
• 'Pay As You Go' rail service to launch 'soon' in North WalesA NEW Pay As You Go (PAYG) rail service will be coming to North Wales "soon", according to MS Ken Skates
• Great British Railways: LNR trains to become publicly ownedThe return of Watford Junction's trains to public ownership leaves "more questions than answers", according to a rail user group.
• Deputy First Minister officially opens airside solar farm at Edinburgh AirportOne of the UK's first airside solar farms has officially been opened at Edinburgh Airport by Deputy First Minister, Kate Forbes.
• Theme park bosses welcome railway service upgradeBosses of a theme park proposed for near Bicester have welcomed a significant upgrade to Chiltern Railways' services.
• Vital rural bus service launches urgent appeal for more volunteer driversA vital rural bus service urgently needs more volunteer drivers to maintain its reliability for passengers.
• Kirklees one step closer to publicly controlled busesWest Yorkshire has made its first step towards selecting bus operators to help run the region’s new Weaver Network
• Electric car charging trial underway in Coventry for people who do not own a drivewayResidents can join the project, which is being led by Coventry City Council and Trojan Energy

New Civil Engineer

• East West Rail stages 2 and 3 being re-baselined after DfT spent nearly double expected budgetEast West Rail (EWR) Connection Stages 2 and 3 (CS2 and CS3) are being re-baselined after the Department for Transport (DfT) spent nearly double its forecast on the project last year.
• £59M road bridge scheme between Glasgow Airport and manufacturing district to commenceWork will soon begin on a £59M transport scheme intended to link Paisley town centre with the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (Amids) and Glasgow Airport.

Rail Magazine

• Campaigners urge Government not to raise rail fares in 2026Train fares are set to rise after the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed the latest Retail Prices Index (RPI) figure had jumped from 4.4% in June to 4.8% in July.

Railway-News

• TfW Announces £1 Rail Fare Promotion for PAYG Customers in South East WalesTransport for Wales (TfW) has announced that customers will be able to travel through any of its 95 South East Wales Pay As You Go (PAYG) rail stations for 1 GBP this summer.

The Business Desk

• Airport plugs into modernised ground power supply to cut noise and emissionsLeeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has introduced eight Fixed Electrical Ground Power (FEGP) units to improve the environment in and around the airport.