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

Tuesday, 02 December 2025

Government

• Homes England awards £23 million infrastructure grant in latest step towards unlocking wide-scale regeneration and thousands of new homes in LondonBus Transit grant will fund essential transport links to Thamesmead, part of broader Docklands Light Railway (DLR) Extension, paving way for 25,000 to 30,000 new homes and two new communities.

BBC News

• Late trains for those enjoying night on the townA new late service is being added to a rural train line for those wishing to enjoy a night in the city.
• Digital systems 'causing misery' for bus commutersA problem with the system that tracks live bus journey times and displays them at bus stops is causing "misery for commuters", a councillor has said.
• Concerns over 'life line' bus after firm leavesResidents in a rural village say they are concerned about a "life line" bus service after its operator said it would withdraw its 14 services.
• MP's call for station platform lifts turned downAn MP's call to make a train station accessible has been turned down by a government minister. James Cartlidge, Conservative MP for South Suffolk, wrote to the government in October asking for lift access to be installed between all platforms at Marks Tey train station, near Colchester in Essex.
• Car-sharing company ZipCar to end UK operationsZipCar, which has more than 600,000 UK members, temporarily suspends new bookings on its platform.

Financial Times

• Airbus warns of quality issues on some A320 aircraft panelsLatest challenge facing European planemaker comes as it seeks to deliver ambitious jet delivery target

The Guardian

• Manchester-London 7am ‘ghost train’ to carry passengers after outcry over regulator’s decisionAvanti service was to have been axed from mid-December but would have still run because of needs out of Euston. The express Manchester-London 7am Avanti service will take passengers after all, after the rail regulator conceded defeat in the face of public outcry over a ruling that would have left it running as an empty “ghost train” each day.

The Independent

• The story behind the 'ghost train that never was' from Manchester to LondonAfter Manchester-London 'no passengers' U-turn, who calls the shots on which rail services can run?

Times Online

• All aboard Manchester ghost train as regulator reverses passenger ban [subscription]The Office of Road and Rail switched its earlier view that allowing the 7am train to London to pick up passengers would harm the overall performance of the line
• Zipcar to reverse out of British car-share clubs by end of 2025 [subscription]Over 70 jobs at risk as American company calls time on its British operations after losses widen to £11.7m as customers take fewer and shorter trips
• Has FirstGroup found a profitable route past rail nationalisation? [subscription]The big question is whether a Labour government will allow the private operator to keep its remarkably lucrative open access operations on track

The Mirror

• Bizarre 'ghost train' plan derailed after backlash from passengersRail bosses have back tracked after passengers were in uproar over their plans to ditch a busy Manchester - London commuter service and run it as a 'ghost train' with only staff allowed on board

Network Rail

• Incredible images show new rail bridge ahead of M6 installationThe steel structure of a £60m new railway bridge set to take passengers on the West Coast Main Line over the M6 has now been completed ahead of installation in January.

Birmingham Mail

• 'Downward trend' for number of deaths on Solihull roadsWarning 2030 road safety target likely to be missed in Solihull despite positive trend
• Certain drivers will have new 3p per mile car tax 'increased' to higher rateMotorists will have their mileage checked annually, typically during their MOT as is already the case, or for new cars, around their first and second registration anniversary

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Eye-catching progress on Transpennine Route Upgrade as masts go upEye-catching progress has been made in West Yorkshire on a multi-billion pound railway upgrade.
• How much compensation Bradford Council has paid out for pothole damage since 2022Bradford Council has paid out more than £10,000 in compensation to motorists and cyclists whose vehicles were damaged by potholes since 2022, new figures show.

Bristol Live

• Bristol Airport's exciting £60M transformation loomsThere will be almost double the number of shops and restaurants

London Evening Standard

• Crossrail 2, successor to Elizabeth line, 'could be delivered if London learns lessons from Europe'Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan urged to put £40bn rail project back on starting line, cut costs and 'hope the stars align'

The York Press

• Transport spokesperson says 'change' needed to tackle 'challenging' weekend trafficCHANGES are needed to ensure York can cope with congestion ahead of Christmas, the council’s transport spokesperson has said after long delays around the city’s designer outlet.

Other Regional Press

• How TfL could cut cost of London Underground extension and new rail line in halfIn a report, entitled 'Mind the Funding Gap', a cross-party committee also calls on the Mayor and TfL to restart the development of Crossrail 2
• Southend Greens call for CAMPAIGNERS and councillors for the Green Party in Southend have called out the council's approach to transport and parking as piecemeal and patchwork
• New Forest National Park Authority host transport summitThe inaugural New Forest National Park Transport Summit, held on Thursday, 20 November at Brockenhurst Village Hall, brought together around 100 attendees to explore how people move around the National Park in ways that protect and enhance its working landscape.
• WSMR's Gobowen to London Euston rail link plans returnPlans for a direct rail route linking Gobowen with London Euston are back on the table.
• Safety lessons to be published after speeding train 'lurches' and injures passengers in GranthamA speeding train lurched sideways as it entered Grantham and caused minor injuries to passengers, a preliminary report has found.
• New late service from Newcastle to be introduced on the Northumberland LineNorthern will introduce a new late service on the Northumberland Line, following calls from passengers who want more time to enjoy a night in Newcastle.
• South Suffolk MP James Cartlidge's call for lift access at Marks Tey train station turned down by Government ministerAn MP's call to make a train station accessible has been turned down by a Government minister.
• £60 million railway bridge complete ahead of installationThe steel structure of a £60m new railway bridge set to take passengers on the West Coast Main Line over the M6 has now been completed ahead of installation in January.
• Mirfield train station to close over Christmas for major TRU improvement worksMirfield train station will be closed to commuters over Christmas to allow for Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) improvement works.
• Essex and Suffolk MPs request funds for A137 rail-road crossingAn Essex and Suffolk MP have called for the government to help fund a new rail-road crossing between the two counties due to concerns about traffic and increased housing demand.
• Birmingham Airport was nearly 'shut down' over security scandalA total of 85 training certificates were forged by a Mitie worker as part of a cover-up while a compliance officer warned 'this could have catastrophic consequences'

Highways Magazine

• Transport Scotland bags international road safety awardTransport Scotland's road safety approach has bagged a Prince Michael International Road Safety Award in recognition of 'outstanding contributions to improving road safety'.

New Civil Engineer

• Cemex wins £30M from government after HS2 forced closure of its factoryThe High Court has ruled that the government will pay Cemex UK almost £30M in compensation as compulsorily bought land for High Speed 2 (HS2) forced closure of one of the concrete supplier's factories.

Rail Business Daily

• Driving rail projects forward through collaborationArman Gukasyan is Founder and CEO of Revizto, an integrated BIM collaboration software platform connecting architects, engineers, contractors, subcontractors and owners throughout the entire project lifecycle. He recently spoke with former UK Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris on his experiences of major rail infrastructure projects.

Rail Magazine

• WSMR resubmits bid for Wrexham-London Euston serviceWrexham, Shropshire and Midlands Railway (WSMR) has submitted a new application to run an open access service into London Euston.

Railnews

• Railways Bill set to be debated in detail next week The House of Commons is to debate railway reforms in full next week, when the Railways Bill is due to receive its Second Reading.
• ORR u-turns and restores fast Manchester express The Office of Rail and Road has changed its mind about making the 07.00 Avanti West Coast train from Manchester to London an empty stock working carrying only staff, following widespread protests.

RMT

• RMT warns of surge in violence against rail workers while BTP presence cutRail union, RMT says a sharp rise in attacks on rail workers are taking place at the same time as the British Transport Police (BTP) presence is being cut on the network.

Other News Sources

• Can Hitachi Rail Hit Carbon Neutral Goal Despite Expansion?Hitachi Rail expanded to 24,000 employees after its acquisition of Thales but is targeting carbon neutrality by 2030 with battery trains and solar power
• Fresh calls for rail link between Alloa and DunfermlineA FRESH call has been made to get the idea of reopening a train link between Clackmannanshire and West Fife back on track.
• Local users, flexible procurement, and GBR's governance, must be central to rail reformsBritain's railway network sits at the intersection of nearly every major policy challenge facing the country: regional inequality, economic stagnation, housing, jobs and decarbonisation chief among them.
• Local MP calls for new express bus route in eastern EnfieldA local MP is launching a campaign for a new express bus service in eastern Enfield. Enfield North MP Feryal Clark is calling on Transport for London (TfL) to boost bus connectivity through Enfield Lock and Ponders End and link them directly to the tube network.
• AECOM ON BOARD FOR LEAMSIDE LINE RAIL PROJECTSpecialists have been appointed to take forward plans to reopen the Leamside Line. North East mayor Kim McGuinness' plans to reopen the Leamside Line a 21-mile disused rail line in North-east England are progressing with the appointment of global infrastructure consultancy AECOM.
• £1 evening bus fares across Wales this DecemberTransport for Wales (TfW) is making festive travel more affordable this December with a special £1 evening fare offer on selected TrawsCymru bus routes.
• The Surrey roads where councils want to 'encourage walking, cycling and public transport use'The roads are described by the councils as 'vital' for the local area, with the councils looking to make a 'range of practical improvements'