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

Wednesday, 14 January 2026

BBC News

• New boost for plan to bring back axed railway lineAn ambition to reopen a railway line axed in cuts 60 years ago has received a significant boost after being backed by the government.
• New Birmingham-Manchester rail link to be proposedPrevious plans for a high-speed rail line between the cities were scrapped by Rishi Sunak's government.
• Government sets out plans for north of England rail investmentThe scheme will be delivered in phases, starting with upgrades to lines between Leeds, York, Bradford and Sheffield.

Financial Times

• Delta expects earnings jump amid ‘premium arms race’ in upmarket travelUS airlines invest in upgraded cabins and exclusive lounges as high-end and corporate travel remains resilient
• Boeing beats Airbus order numbers for the first time this decadeDemand from countries rushing to buy US aircraft to curry favour with Trump administration boosts aviation group
• Reeves to unveil £45bn railway upgrade in northern England But chancellor only committing to ‘planning, development and design work’ worth £1.1bn during current parliament
• Ministers to announce new rail link between Birmingham and ManchesterGovernment will reveal much-delayed plans for major new and upgraded rail links in north of England

The Guardian

• Labour revives Northern Powerhouse Rail project with pledge of £45bn fundsPlan will start with TransPennine upgrade with new line connecting Liverpool and Manchester in second phase. Long-awaited plans for better railways across the north of England have been given government backing with an undertaking to “reverse years of chronic underinvestment” by spending up to £45bn building Northern Powerhouse Rail.Just over £1bn has been allocated to work up a detailed three-stage plan to connect cities from Liverpool to Newcastle, which could fulfil most of the demands of northern leaders, in a series of long-term projects.

The Independent

• UK to build new rail line between Birmingham and Manchester two years after HS2 scrappedPlans expected to be set out alongside new Northern Powerhouse Rail proposals as Labour tries to woo voters from Nigel Farage's Reform

The Observer

• New franchises could turn the bus around on public transportAfter years of deregulation, some local governments are taking back control but more will be needed to counter flagging passenger numbers

The Telegraph

• Labour races to begin £45bn Northern rail upgrade before election [subscription]Rachel Reeves announces plans to improve links for cities such as Liverpool and Manchester

Times Online

• New Liverpool-Manchester rail link is part of £45bn overhaul [subscription]The first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail will be built in the 2030s and improve connections to Sheffield, Leeds, York and Bradford

GB News

• Northern Powerhouse Rail plans finally unveiled as £45bn railway set to link Liverpool and ManchesterLabour has neither announced a firm budget nor committed many specific funds beyond 2029 for the scheme

The Mirror

• Major boost for trains after biggest rail overhaul for generationThe Government is set to unveil details for the long-delayed Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), with new rail lines to and from Manchester, and major upgrades to rail infrastructure in West Yorkshire

Sky News

• New Birmingham to Manchester rail line to be builtBut the Northern Powerhouse Rail project aimed at boosting east-west rail links in northern England from the 2030s will get priority.

Birmingham Mail

• New rail line from Birmingham to Manchester planned - but no date for when trains will departGovernment to keep land originally intended for second leg of HS2 while project is developed
• All the Birmingham roads with new 30mph speed limitsThe city council has slashed speed limits on a number of key routes

Birmingham Post

• Cornwall Airport owed £1.5m by Eastern Airways after administrationIt is understood the transport hub is unlikely to recover the money owed
• Biggest rail boost in a generation: £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme confirmed with plans for new Manchester-Birmingham lineChancellor's Northern Growth Strategy aims to help North rival Europe's most successful regions

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• 'Superb news' for Bradford as Government backs Northern Powerhouse Rail 'to the hilt'THE North needs to be “backed to the hilt” rather than just receiving “lip service” – the Prime Minister has claimed.

Liverpool Echo

• New Liverpool to Manchester rail line as £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail plan confirmedThe mayor welcomes 'investment we have been crying out for' as the government promises the 'biggest transformation to travel in the north in a generation'

London Evening Standard

• 'You'll have a fight on your hands!' Huge backlash against 'cruel' plans to limit London's Freedom PassMore than 50,000 people have joined a growing backlash against plans to curtail free travel currently enjoyed by more than a million older Londoners.

Manchester Evening News

• The tram expansion and bus plans that could ease congestion on Salford's roadsPlans for a Metrolink expansion and new bus improvements are the latest effort aimed at easing congestion on Salford's roads. Salford council and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) have put together the new scheme to make buses more frequent and more reliable in the city.

The York Press

• York to benefit from Northern Powerhouse Rail programmeThe Government's growth plan promises faster, more frequent rail services, creating more jobs, new homes and unlocking business opportunities.

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Bus usage on the decrease in the West Midlands - transport chief gives three key reasons as rail journeys increaseWest Midlanders are using local buses less with thousands of less journeys recorded in latest figures as transport chiefs outline three key reasons

Yorkshire Post

• Northern Powerhouse Rail plans unveiled by Starmer with key Yorkshire upgrades part of first phaseA raft of Yorkshire projects are set to be prioritised in the first phase of Northern Powerhouse Rail, the Government has announced, with Sir Keir Starmer saying it will show that opportunity isn't reserved for London

Hull Daily Mail

• Hull to get 'improved services' as Government announces Northern Powerhouse RailThe plans hope to unlock the North's economic potential and boost living standards

Oxford Mail

• Oxfordshire transport chief backs pavement parking finesOxfordshire's transport chief has welcomed plans to give councils more powers to fine motorists for selfish and inconsiderate pavement parking that puts people in danger

Other Regional Press

• Full list of all the bus stops getting a makeover in North East Somerset this monthHundreds of bus information screens are being installed all across the West of England this month, with 150 already being up and running and 100 more to come. The Real Time Information screens are part of a £1 million bus improvement scheme, including timetable display screens, and three solar-powered screens.
• Work continues at in Hilsea to improve the northbound bus lane and road infrastructureWork is continuing at in Hilsea to improve the northbound bus lane and road infrastructure in the area.
• New night bus route to link Trafalgar Square with Ruislip from this weekendWest London is set to benefit from a major boost to night-time transport from this Saturday with the launch of a new night bus route linking central London with Ruislip.
• Government commits to Northern Powerhouse Rail with new Bank Quay hubTHE Government has confirmed plans for major investment to upgrade rail connectivity in northern England including a new Warrington Bank Quay station.

Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport

• Government unveils new road safety strategyThe government has published its first road safety strategy in over a decade, setting a target to reduce deaths and serious injuries on Britain's roads by 65% by 2035. The strategy includes consultations on lowering the drink-drive limit in England and Wales, introducing a minimum learning period of three to six months for learner drivers, and mandatory eyesight testing for drivers over 70. Approximately four people die on Britain's roads daily. In 2023, one in six road fatalities involved drink driving. Drivers aged 17 to 24 represent 6% of licence holders but are involved i...

Construction Enquirer

• Treasury unlocks ?1.1bn to revive Northern Powerhouse RailThe government has finally moved to drag the Northern Powerhouse Rail mega-scheme out of limbo, committing fresh cash and promising tighter cost control after years of drift and delay.

New Civil Engineer

• DfT confirms £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail and promises Midlands to Manchester railwayThe chancellor has unveiled a major government plan to boost economic growth in the North of England, placing the long‑promised Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) at the centre of a programme of investment in transport, skills and housing.

Rail Business Daily

• Plans set out for Northern Powerhouse RailPeople across the North West are set to benefit from a brand new line between Liverpool and Manchester as major new Government plans are unveiled to unlock billions of pounds of economic potential.

Rail Magazine

• Yorkshire lines upgraded and new Liverpool-Manchester route in Northern Powerhouse Rail planA three-phase Northern Powerhouse Rail plan is being unveiled by the government.

Railnews

• Government announces new 45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail plansThe government has announced plans for a new railway between Manchester and Liverpool. The government said its plans will boost economic potential and living standards in the north, with more reliable and more frequent trains serving major cities, adding up to ?40 billion a year to the economy.

Aviation Industry

• Boeing outsells Airbus in 2025 despite fewer deliveriesBoeing booked more aircraft orders than Airbus in 2025 for the first time since 2018, official figures showed, even as the European manufacturer delivered more planes during the year.
• Manchester Airports Group welcomes Government commitment to Northern Powerhouse RailThe Government's plans for Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) have been backed to maximise the impact Manchester Airport's connectivity and investment has on the regional economy.

Other News Sources

• Back on track? Govt to confirm £45bn Northern Powerhouse Rail fundingA new rail route between Liverpool and Manchester via Manchester Airport and Warrington will make up one element of the long-promised rail project to boost east-west links across the North of England.