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

Wednesday, 22 October 2025

BBC News

• Construction completed on new £60m rail bridgeConstruction of a new £60m railway bridge set to go over the M6 has been completed. The bridge, which is 130m (426ft) long and weighs around 3,000 tonnes, will replace the old Clifton bridge which crosses the M6 near Penrith in Cumbria and carries trains travelling on the West Coast Main Line.
• Gyratory bus stop change 'dangerous and ludicrous'A petition signed by thousands of people has criticised a "dangerous" and "utterly ridiculous" decision to place a "floating" bus stop on a busy stretch of road.
• Focus on accessibility with 3D rail station mapsA train company has launched 3D maps to make it easier for disabled passengers to travel. Southeastern says that maps for 139 stations on the Southeastern network will also help those who are visiting a station for the first time.

Financial Times

• HS2 link to West Coast Main Line delayed for four yearsBritain’s most troubled rail project forced to postpone work connecting new line with the north
• Eurostar places €2bn order for double-decker trainsNew fleet from Alstom will allow group to extend routes to Geneva and Frankfurt

The Guardian

• Eurostar to run doubledecker trains through Channel tunnel from 2031Operator signs €2bn deal with Alstom amid boom in international rail travel from UK. Eurostar is to start running doubledecker trains through the Channel tunnel to meet growing demand for international rail travel from the UK.The rail operator announced it had signed a €2bn (£1.7bn) deal for at least 30 – and up to 50 – new trains from the manufacturer Alstom.

Times Online

• Jaguar Land Rover cyberattack nears £2bn in UK's costliest hack [subscription]The five-week shutdown of factories and disruption to 5,000 suppliers has created a growing financial crisis across the UK's biggest automotive network

City AM

• Labour is finding that renationalising rail doesn't make trains come on timeSince returning to public ownership, delays and cancellations on our commuter trains have got worse, not better. So why is Labour doubling down? Asks Thomas Turrell

Daily Record

• New call to enable GPs and hospital consultants to issue temporary Blue Badges to patientsThe UK Government has been urged to consider changing the way people access the Blue Badge Scheme to help those 'experiencing long NHS waiting times for major surgery'. Conservative MP Alicia Kearns suggested an 'assessment of the potential merits of enabling GPs and hospital consultants to issue temporary Blue Badges to patients with severe mobility limitations'.

Local Government

• Leeds and Sheffield - Better Connected: Political and business leaders champion rail investment between Yorkshire's two largest citiesPolitical and business leaders from Leeds and Sheffield are travelling to Westminster to make the case for 'transformational rail investment' between the two city regions.
• Southampton City Council outlines transport priorities to 2028As part of the ambitious plans for transforming travel in Southampton contained within the city's Local Transport Plan - the Connected Southampton 2040 Transport Strategy, the council has published its priorities for the next three years prior to consideration by the Cabinet next week
• Fresh consultation on A4 Bath to BristolUpdated sustainable transport proposals for along and around the A4 between Bath and Bristol will be published today, following the regional authority and local councils listening to residents' feedback.

LBC

• Where could London's £700m Overground line be?Sir Sadiq Khan has announced the £700m 'west London orbital' addition to the Overground will be given a name reflecting the area's history.

London Evening Standard

• New £700m addition to London Overground 'would be renamed to reflect area's culture and history'Sadiq Khan confirms that his rebranding of the Overground dubbed virtue-signalling nonsense by critics would be extended to the West London Orbital

Manchester Evening News

• Transport minister issues statement on use of headphones while driving and cyclingA representative of the Department for Transport has given an update on whether using headphones while driving and cycling could be made illegal.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Metro Pop card expansion delayed into 2026 as transport boss issues contactless updateIt had been hoped that an upgraded Pop smart ticket system would be launched across the Metro, Shields Ferry, buses and some trains this autumn
• Metro bosses 'not happy' with new train air con leaks as search for fix goes onAfter water was seen leaking through the ceiling of the new Tyne and Wear Metro trains during this summer's heatwave, bosses are still searching for a solution to the fault

Yorkshire Evening Post

• Sneaky Leeds University students used 'loophole' in train-delay scheme to defraud companies of £140,000Chinese students Li Liu and Wanqing Yu, who lived together in university accommodation 'exploited a loophole' by seeking refunds on train tickets.

Yorkshire Post

• The HECK! Community Bus: Peter Wright praises Yorkshire community project as 'life-saver' as it celebrates a year of tackling rural isolation and lonelinessThe Yorkshire Vet's Peter Wright has hailed the HECK! Community Bus project as a 'life-saver' as it celebrates a year of addressing rural isolation and loneliness.

Oxford Mail

• Oxford: calls to add new bus station closer to rail stationPoliticians, campaigners and a bus company chief have backed calls for a new bus station to be part of major plans to redesign Oxford's railway station.

Other Regional Press

• Hertfordshire buses review confirmed after £360k boostHow buses operate in Hertfordshire is set to be reviewed after the county council secured £360,000 in government funding to explore alternatives.
• New sustainable transport proposals for A4 Bath to Bristol unveiled - here's everything you need to knowThe West of England Mayoral Combined Authority has revealed new transport proposals for the A4 Bath to Bristol route, aiming to improve pedestrian, cycling, and bus infrastructure.

Coach and Bus Week

• Transport UK invests in electric ferry carsTransport UK has invested in a fleet of new electric cars for staff shuttle transport as part of its ongoing commitment to deliver a cleaner operation. Six new Dacia Spring electric 'ferry' vehicles have entered service transporting staff based at its Beddington Garage who start or finish work remotely.

Highways News

• Highways Sector Council launches second phase of 'Ways of Life' campaignThe Highways Sector Council (HSC) today unveils the second phase of its 'Ways of Life' campaign a cross-industry initiative designed to spotlight the diverse job opportunities within the highways sector and inspire the next generation to see it as a place to build careers of purpose, skill, and impact.
• MPs to examine how to strengthen skills in UK's transport manufacturing sectorsThe Transport Committee is holding the first session of its new inquiry into the capability of the workforce in Britain's transport manufacturing sectors, and the skills needed to help them thrive. The evidence session takes place tomorrow morning from 09:15 and can be watched live on Parliament TV.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Innovative bus shelters for Basildon from Bauer and Essex CCBauer Media Outdoor in partnership with Essex County Council has launched the Milestone range of bus shelters, which the supplier describes as representing the most significant innovation in UK bus shelter design for decades.
• 'No definitive answers' on zero-emission transport, hears RHA forumPresentations reveal there is work still to be done in achieving consensus on industry issues

Other News Sources

• More Than 1.5 Million 'Pay As You Go' Rail Journeys Made in WalesMore than 1.5 million pay as you go rail journeys have now been made on Transport for Wales (TfW) routes in South Wales.
• London is set for a new £700 million Overground lineIf it gets the green light, the West London Orbital will bring more rail links to the north and west of the city
• New panel will shape future of West Midlands transportTransport for West Midlands (TfWM) is establishing a Design Excellence Panel to ensure all future transport infrastructure projects meet the highest standards of design, accessibility and sustainability.
• Leeds and Sheffield leaders head to Westminster to call for rail investmentPolitical and business leaders from Leeds and Sheffield will speak at an event in Westminster later today to call for investment in the rail network between the cities.

News from Europe

• Portugal invests €746 million to drive green rail revolutionPortugal is accelerating its journey towards sustainable mobility with a transformative €746 million (£647m) investment in 117 new energy-efficient electric multiple units (EMUs).
• Here's what Europeans from 7 countries think of rail booking processesBarriers to ticketing are pushing travellers away from trains, but the EU has now a chance to fix this. A new poll by YouGov for T&E looks at passenger experience at booking journeys
• Force EU railways to show competitors - offers, NGO saysThe European Commission should oblige rail companies to show competitor operators' offers on their website in a bid to boost train use, the green lobby Transport and Environment (T&E) said on Wednesday.