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

Monday, 22 December 2025

BBC News

• Farewell tour for 40-year-old Surrey train fleetA farewell event for commuter trains which are being phased out in Surrey is taking place to benefit three charities.
• Delayed revamp work to close bus station for weeksDelayed work to renovate a bus station at a Derbyshire town is due to start next month, closing the site for 14 weeks. Changes to Swadlincote bus station in Civic Way, were promised in 2024 as part of the county's Bus Service Improvement Plan but they never progressed.
• New cycle link to improve station accessA council is set to spend more than £600,000 on a cycle link ahead of the planned construction of a new train station.
• Why the railways often seem to be in such chaos over ChristmasParts of Britain’s rail network will close for engineering work over the festive period - but is that the right time to do it?

Financial Times

• Ministers set to lay out details for ‘Northern Powerhouse’ rail scheme in new yearTimelines and funding remain unclear for proposal that has been promised for a decade

The Guardian

• Cycling is changing at speed – but is Britain keeping pace?Emulating the bike-friendly highways enjoyed by our continental neighbours will take a lot more money and political willEver since Team GB’s velodrome successes at the 2008 Olympics, campaigners and government ministers have confidently predicted that Britain is about to become a nation of cyclists. There is just one problem: for the most part, it has not happened.Apart from a very concentrated spike in bike use during Covid, the level of cycle trips in England has stayed broadly static for years, and things do not appear to be changing. Continue reading...

The Telegraph

• This British rail invention could have changed the worldFor the past 30 years, passengers staring out the window from trains hurtling along the East Coast Main Line, bound for Leeds or Edinburgh, might have noticed something odd just outside Peterborough.

Times Online

• A new cross-Channel rail route is coming - here's what it will look like [subscription]Richard Branson's Virgin Trains is planning services from 2030 to Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam. It means more choice for passengers and, hopefully, lower fares

The Mirror

• CrossCountry services cancelled between Nottingham and Cardiff Central all dayCross Country has apologised for the disruption on the lines between Nottingham and Cardiff Central, which it says has been caused due to staff shortages and will last all day

Birmingham Post

• Bristol Airport expecting hundreds of thousands of passengers over Christmas periodSunday, December 28, is expected to be the busiest day

Liverpool Echo

• All changes to Northern Rail over festive period as replacement buses announcedNetwork Rail takes the opportunity to carry out essential improvements at this time of year

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Major free bus travel update for over 60s in England as new date confirmedA petition calling for all over-60s to be given free bus travel in England has passed the 100,000 signature mark and a Parliamentary debate is scheduled for January 5, 2025

The York Press

• Dial & Ride service absence branded 'open wound' and lack of progress 'unforgiveable'THE ongoing absence of Dial & Ride in York is an open wound, the council’s transport spokesperson has said amid calls to bring back the service.

Yorkshire Post

• Major railway improvements to be made over Christmas and new year between Leeds and YorkThere are major railway improvements that will be made over Christmas and new year between Leeds and York - here's everything you need to know.

Other Regional Press

• Basingstoke rail ticket freeze applauded by Luke Murphy MPA freeze on rail fares has been welcomed as a boost for commuters in Basingstoke.
• Twyford station: London commuters get upgrade of facilitiesResidents who use Twyford train station to commute into London will be pleased to hear it has undergone a £1.7million update.
• £24.7m boost for bus services up to 2030Somerset Council said it would allow it to continue providing vital support to local buses services
• Somerset Bus Partnership welcomes £24.7m boost for bus services up to 2030The Department for Transport will provide £24.7m over the next four years to support Somerset bus services and deliver key infrastructure improvements
• Disruption to Christmas getaway amid queues for ferriesChristmas getaway passengers have faced disruption amid long queues towards the Port of Dover.

Rail Advent

• Siemens to supply 61 battery-powered trains to German railway networkGerman railway company Zweckverband Nahverkehr Westfalen-Lippe (NWL) has ordered 61 state-of-the-art Mireo Plus B battery-powered trains from Siemens for use on the Northern Westphalia Network (NNW).
• Purpose-built accommodation opens in Lincoln for East Midlands Railway staffTo accommodate its growing number of staff, East Midlands Railway and Transport UK has opened new accommodation for its train crew and drivers based at Lincoln.

Rail Magazine

• RAIB issues urgent safety notice after Shap derailmentThe Railway Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) has issued an urgent safety notice after a landslip caused a derailment on the West Coast Main Line (WCML) in November.
• Eurostar and Virgin given extension to finalise Temple Mills agreementEurostar and Virgin have been given until mid-February to come up with a draft depot access agreement for Temple Mills.
• Eurotunnel cancelling UK rail investments ahead of "unsustainable" taxationEurotunnel has cancelled its UK investments ahead of a potential 200% hike in its business rates.

Railway Supply

• Spain €60 nationwide transport pass: why UK fares stand outSpain €60 nationwide transport pass will launch in the second half of January, offering unlimited train and bus travel for €60 a month (around £52.50), as reported by The Guardian. It has also sparked debate in the UK, where rail fares are often cited as among Europe's most expensive.

The Business Desk

• £1.75bn Midlands Rail Hub takes shape as delivery alliance namedThe delivery team for the Midlands Rail Hub, a proposed £1.75bn programme to increase rail capacity across Birmingham and the wider Midlands, has been confirmed.

Other News Sources

• Young people in Brighton call on council for free bus faresThe petition was debated at a meeting of the full council on Thursday, with four members of Brighton and Hove Youth Council putting their case to councillors.
• Bee Network rail: the yellow blueprint for big city transport ambitionsManchester's 2050 vision for rail services has the right priorities, but requires buy in from national rail policy.

News from Europe

• German finance minister slams Deutsche Bahn's Chinese e-bus purchase, sparks protectionism row; experts warn on competitivenessGermany's Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has expressed frustration with Deutsche Bahn's procurement strategy, which includes a large order from German manufacturer MAN alongside a separate order for 200 electric buses from Chinese automaker BYD. He stated that the move "annoys" him and called for "healthy local patriotism" in such decisions.