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

Wednesday, 27 August 2025

BBC News

• Residents 'shell shocked' by 'cruel' bus closureThere is growing anger over the closure of a bus route connecting Hampshire and Berkshire, which some residents said would leave them completely cut off.
• Transport group calls for more trains at UniversalThe head of a transport body has urged planners behind the proposed Universal Studios theme park to prioritise rail over road upgrades.
• Farmer calls for summer steam train ban after firesA farmer has called for a ban on steam railway trips in hot weather after a series of fires on his fields near the tracks.
• Trains used as 'fire engines on rails' in hot weather Trains are pulling water tanks – equipped with pumps and sprayers – to damp down the sides of the tracks.
• Campaign calls for free public transport in LondonThis would reduce inequality and get polluting cars off the road, Fare Free London says.
• Nationalised shipyard still waiting for promised investment Ferguson Marine was promised £14.2m a year ago to buy new equipment but most of it has not been ordered.

ITV News

• South Yorkshire Mayor 'cannot say' Doncaster Sheffield Airport will reopenThe Mayor of South Yorkshire has appeared to cast doubt over the planned reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).
• London mayor rolls out campaign on people blasting music on public transportMayor Sadiq Khan will roll out a campaign encouraging people to use headphones when playing music on London's public transport.

The Guardian

• Trump administration pulls another $175m from California's high-speed railMove follows cancellation earlier this summer of $4bn in federal grants for state's ambitious but long-overdue plan
• London-Berlin: competition hots up for cross-Channel rail linksFirms vie with Eurostar to provide direct services from Britain to mainland Europe as they spy growth in market
• ‘People have forgotten common courtesy’: what do people think of playing music out loud on public transport?Some applaud TfL’s efforts to stop ‘headphone dodgers’, while others say people should ‘suck it up and get over it’A campaign by Transport for London (TfL) to target people playing music or videos out loud on public transport is launching this week, with posters targeting “headphone dodgers” appearing on the Elizabeth line and other services from autumn.TfL bylaws already ban passengers from singing or playing music out loud anywhere on the network unless they have a licence such as the ones granted to approved buskers.
• Starships are meant to fly: SpaceX’s rocket finally launches after setbacksTest flight comes after explosive failures raised doubts over founder Elon Musk’s goals to reach Mars and moonThird time was the charm on Tuesday for the launch of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket after the launch had been scrubbed two times in as many days. The success of this 10th flight proved the spacecraft had overcome its past failures key to the Mars rocket’s reusable design.

The Independent

• British people are terrified of noise on public transport - but we desperately need itAs Sadiq Khan encourages Londoners to put their headphones on in a bid to stop disturbing other passengers, Olivia Petter makes a case for keeping them off

The Observer

• Airport runway: flying's new fashion aestheticFor years, every airport has attracted its own kind of passenger. London City Airport for suits with laptops, Luton for hen parties, silvery extensions falling out of their hair. For most people, the circumstances of their travel seemed to dictate how they dressed.

Local Government

• Council set to consider rail-line funding increaseThe Council is set to consider extra funding to ensure the Northumberland Line rail project can be completed in full as originally intended over the coming months.
• Council buys rail transport operatorDudley Council has bought the operators of Coventry's fledgling rail transport system.

Birmingham Post

• Filtronic wins 'landmark' $62.5m SpaceX order as Starlink success continuesThe rocket company's Starlink subsidiary said County Durham's Filtronic has been important to its satellite rollout

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• How Newcastle Airport plans to avoid holiday disruption as jet fuel workers in strike ballotLogistics drivers at a company which distributes jet fuel to major airline companies at Newcastle, Glasgow and Edinburgh airports are being balloted for strike action

Other Regional Press

• Dartford Crossing Dart Charge will rise in SeptemberFrom September drivers will pay more to use the Dartford Crossing as tolls go up for the first time in more than a decade.
• Sam Rowlands MS highlights work of the British Transport PoliceSAM ROWLANDS, Member of the Welsh Parliament for North Wales, has praised the work of police who keep the public safe on railways across North Wales.
• Major Doncaster Sheffield Airport update as mayor says it's 'unlikely to be operational until 2028' Oliver Coppard says he 'hand on heart' wants to make the right decision to save DSA

Rail Magazine

• Huddersfield station closure will see 3,000 trains diverted and 1,850 buses running3,000 train services are to be diverted, with 13,500 rail replacement bus services running during a 30-day closure of Huddersfield station
• TfL urges passengers to use headphones in new campaignTransport for London (TfL) has unveiled a new poster campaign across the capital's transport network urging passengers to use headphones when playing content or making phone calls during their journeys. The move follows research showing that 70% of 1,000 passengers surveyed consider loud music and speakerphone use on public transport a nuisance.

Railnews

• TfL urges mobile users 'keep your music to yourself' A new campaign aimed at selfish passengers who create a nuisance by playing loud music on their phones has been launched by Transport for London today. TfL posters urging people to wear headphones are starting to appear on the Elizabeth Line and will be displayed on other routes soon.

Railway-News

• Transforming Rail Safety Through Digital Innovation: Insights from Great BritainFor infrastructure managers worldwide, safety is the foundation of every successful railway operation. Protecting lives, maintaining service reliability, and ensuring compliance in a high-risk, high-regulation environment is a constant challenge.
• Embedding the Future: How Vector is Transforming Light RailAs light rail plays a growing role in sustainable cities, Innovation Director Dr Adam Nevin explains how Trelleborg Polyurethane Products Vector system is helping to solve the challenges of vibration, noise and stray currents.

Aviation Industry

• Airside Solar Farm Opens at Edinburgh AirportA new airside solar farm has officially opened at Edinburgh Airport, marking a milestone as one of the first to be opened in the UK.

Other News Sources

• Thousands explore Ashford Depot at their Railway 200 open dayOn Sunday, some 2,500 people were allowed to walk on ballast and visit the Ashford railway depot as Southeastern held an open day as part of the Railway 200 celebrations.
• Major rail disruption coming as works to close tracksNetwork Rail Wales & Borders will close sections between Newport, Hereford and Shrewsbury for engineering works on 6–8 & 13–14 Sept. Replacement buses run.