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

Monday, 15 December 2025

BBC News

• Goodbye to InterCity 125 trains after 49 yearsDozens of people have watched the final South West service of a type of high-speed train after almost 50 years in operation.
• 'Tap in system a back door fare rise' - commuterA new tap-in, tap-out system at Surrey and Sussex stations has been branded a "back door fare increase" by a commuter.
• Timetable revamp means more trains for YorkshireMajor changes to train timetables on the East Coast Main Line will mean more services, extra seats and reduced journey times, according to operator LNER.
• Train timetable revamp takes effect with more services promisedA revamp of train timetables has come into effect across the country, involving some of the most significant changes for more than seven years.
• Historic rail bridge collapses into River SpeyThe Spey Viaduct forms part of the Speyside Way trail and is popular with both walkers and cyclists.
• Tories to scrap petrol car ban if they win next electionThe Conservative Party leader says the policy is "destructive" and "economic self-harm".
• Southwark Tube high rise blocks plan re-approvedThe plans had to be reapproved after the station received Grade II-listed status.
• Shipyard plan 'a priority' despite markets moveCity Hall says it will prioritise a shipyard despite plans to move two markets to the Royal Docks.

Times Online

• ScotRail replaces AI Iona announcer after voiceover artist complaint [subscription]Gayanne Potter said her recordings had been used without her permission, so ScotRail has picked one of its employee as the voice to train an AI model
• Historic Spey viaduct partially collapses into river [subscription]The former railway bridge across the River Spey was popular with walkers and cyclists. A local MSP has called for an inquiry to check maintenance records

Birmingham Mail

• Travel warning issued to UK motorists for 'busiest Christmas on record'This Friday is expected to see 24.4 million cars on the road

Birmingham Post

• Entrepreneur with £50m plans to revamp Swansea Airport makes last minute pleaIn a last minute plea to council chiefs before a decision was made on the site's lease, Michael Henry said there was £50m ready to be invested in the airport

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Settle-Carlisle line to be used by long distance trains for first time in a decadePEOPLE who cross the Settle to Carlisle line are being warned to take extra care in the new year because of an increase in train services due to work on the West Coast Mainline.

Liverpool Echo

• Merseyside village cut off from Liverpool after four o'clockPeople in one part of Merseyside said they're effectively cut-off from Liverpool after four o'clock in the afternoon, citing a lack of bus services and poor reliability.

Manchester Evening News

• The deserted ghost line that could return from the deadA forgotten railway with just two trains a week is suddenly at the heart of a bold new vision. Could tram-trains finally bring Denton and Reddish South back to life?

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Northumberland Line celebrates first anniversary with almost a million passenger journeysNorthern says that 920,000 journeys have been made on the Northumberland Line in its first year back in service

Yorkshire Post

• Rail connectivity between Leeds and Sheffield 'not fit for purpose', warns Tracy BrabinWest Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has said that the public will not believe Government promises on Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) unless they 'see something happen' in the short term, as she said that rail connectivity between some of the region's major cities was 'not fit for purpose'.
• Major Northern, LNER and TransPennine Express timetable changesA new hourly fast train between Leeds and Sheffield has been launched in Britain's biggest timetable shake up since the ill-fated May 2018 changes.

Other Regional Press

• What we know about the Lower Thames Crossing so far with construction scheduled to start in 2026What is the Lower Thames Crossing and when will it be finished?
• Mayor Paul Bristow hopes to secure bus pass until 2027The mayor of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has asked the Combined Authority board for help in securing a bus pass scheme until 2027.
• There is 'cause for celebration' as the number of rail journeys in Wigan rises by a tenth in a yearThe number of passenger journeys taken from rail stations in Wigan has dramatically increased, latest figures show.
• Footbridge a 'much needed improvement' but critics say it spoils Victorian charmThe new train station footbridge offers step-free access to passengers for the first time after the old Victorian one was dismantled and moved to a heritage railway
• Shrewsbury Railway Station must become more than 'a museum piece', Government toldShrewsbury Railway Station has been "on the edge of people's maps" for too long and must become more than "a museum piece," an MP has warned.
• More trains and better connections as new Wales rail timetable beginsAn improved train timetable across Wales has started. The December timetable update on the Wales and Borders network will offer more services, strengthen connections and help boost the economy.
• Nine e-bikes seized at notoriously dangerous Oxford roundaboutNine e-bikes were seized by Thames Valley Police during roadside checks at The Plain, a notoriously dangerous roundabout in Oxford.
• Extra trains as part of rail timetable shake-upA new timetable comes into force on the Southeastern rail network today, providing more services and extra seats.

Rail Magazine

• Three-week Cardiff Queen Street blockade to improve capacity - here's howCardiff Queen Street station will close for three weeks in 2027 for remodelling that will increase capacity.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• How CPT measures against its coach and bus manifestosCPT continues to deliver on its coach and bus mission statements from 2024, says CPT President Paul Lynch
• Bus service improvement work requires more than fares-first focusFares are part of the wider bus service mix, but for long-term change they are not a silver bullet
• Renewed concern over coach drivers sharing rooms when on tourFormer driver and BUSK's Nightcap campaign in call for renewed scrutiny of shared accommodation practices when away abroad
• CPCA franchising delay 'adds to local market uncertainty'Delay to bus franchising plans in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough until at least 2028 has heightened uncertainty for operators and could put future investment at risk, according to transport lawyer Frank Suttie of Freeths.
• No single answer to coach industry recruitment test, sector hearsStaffing remains tricky for much of the coach industry as a recent panel discussion explored
• Small actions, big impact: everyday inclusion in transportLouise Cheeseman reflects on how small gestures across the workplace play their part in wider cultural shift

Other News Sources

• Christmas Chaos: Heathrow, Manchester, and London Airports Bracing for Record-Breaking Holiday Traffic in 2025!As Christmas 2025 approaches, the UK is set to witness an unprecedented level of travel congestion
• Heathrow's North Hyde fire exposes hidden vulnerabilities in critical infrastructureHuman decisions often drive system failures, yet both the Heathrow substation fire report and the government's energy resilience plans overlooked this, says Chris Glover at Buro Happold
• Birmingham Airport set for busiest Christmas everBirmingham Airport is preparing for its busiest Christmas ever with an 11 per cent increase in customers year-on-year.
• Somerset MPs push for greater rail investment as Railways Bill moves forward'Glastonbury and Street, the two largest settlements in the constituency, are both completely unconnected to the railway'
• East Midlands Railway's Big Timetable Shakeup: A Game-Changer for UK Travelers with More Seats, New Routes, and Unbeatable Tourist AccessEast Midlands Railway (EMR) has announced a significant overhaul of its train timetable, bringing a wave of exciting changes for travelers in Derby, Lincoln, Nottingham, and Matlock. These changes promise to deliver faster connections, thousands of extra seats, and a huge economic boost to the regions. With tourism in mind, this overhaul is set to transform travel and make these destinations even more appealing to visitors.