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

Tuesday, 27 January 2026

BBC News

• MPs demand answers after Dartford tunnel damagedTwo Labour MPs have demanded answers as to how an over-height vehicle was able to cause significant damage to one of tunnels of the Dartford Crossing.
• Ryanair fares to rise as passenger numbers forecast to surgeThe airline says it expects fares to increase by up to 9% as passenger numbers grow this year.
• Airlines pay out millions after initially rejecting claimsPassengers accuse carriers of "confusing" them into dropping compensation claims for cancelled flights.
• Rail lines to close after landslip affects trackA railway line between Surrey and West Sussex will be closed until "at least Friday" following a landslip, Network Rail has said.
• Bridge closure called 'fatality waiting to happen'Residents in three villages have said diversions set up until July while a railway bridge is replaced have made the roads past their homes far more dangerous.

Department for Transport

• Great British Railways Appointment - Chair RoleThis is a high-profile, high-impact role for a leader who thrives on complexity and transformation. You will be the visible champion of GBR in the media, in UK government, and across industry, driving a relentless focus on passengers and customers while safeguarding safety and operational integrity. You will provide external advice and expertise to inform the Minister's decisions.

Financial Times

• Ryanair demands ‘big discounts’ from Ukraine to resume flightsChief Michael O’Leary says airline could restart services within four to six weeks of any peace deal
• Ryanair is the rare airline that can afford to stay cheapWhile most carriers are moving upmarket, Michael O’Leary is burnishing his penny-pinching credentials

The Guardian

• Scotland-France ferry could relaunch amid £35bn Dunkirk regeneration planFrench port’s green energy push, evoking second world war spirit of resilience, is seen as a testing ground for reindustrialisationA new cargo and passenger ferry service directly linking Scotland and France could launch later this year as the port of Dunkirk embarks on a €40bn (£35bn) regeneration programme it claims will mirror the second world war resilience for which it is famed.The plans could include a new service between Rosyth in Fife and Dunkirk, eight years after the last freight ferries linked Scotland to mainland Europe
• Number of US-style ‘battering ram’ pickup trucks on UK roads has nearly doubled in a decadeExclusive: Campaigners say ‘menacing vehicles’ are putting children at risk owing to their large front blind zones. The number of US-style pickup trucks on UK roads has almost doubled in the past 10 years, data shows.The vehicles are more environmentally damaging than ordinary cars, and more dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists. Campaigners have said the extra-large vehicles, which are often too big for UK streets and parking spaces, are built like “battering rams”.

Times Online

• Taxpayer to lose £120m a year in Thames tunnel deal [subscription]Revenues from the existing Dartford Crossing tolls are to be handed to a private operator in perpetuity to provide cashflow to the Lower Thames Crossing project
• Was 2025 the year London became a cycling city? [subscription]Uptake has surged and TfL's cycleway now rivals Copenhagen's in scale, with Timothée Chalamet among those embracing the ubiquitous Lime bike
• LNER 'quieter' coaches are a monstrous dilution of a beautiful thing [subscription]It's cowardice to pretend that softening the title will prevent antisocial behaviour either a train carriage is silent or it is not
• Britain a world leader in airport drop-off fees [subscription]Charges of up to £1 a minute to take passengers close to the terminal are earning airports £300m a year. Few of their competitors abroad charge for the privilege

Daily Express

• Wizz Air eyes transatlantic flights in time to ferry UK football fans to FIFA World CupWizz Air is eyeing a bold new venture that could change the game for football fans and transatlantic travel. What's brewing behind the scenes?

Local Government

• Council awarded £169,000 from Active Travel England to help encourage more walking and cyclingWiltshire Council has been awarded £169,000 from Active Travel England (ATE) to support local active travel initiatives that will help more people walk, wheel, and cycle for everyday journeys across the county.

Network Rail

• TRU wraps up a month of major upgrades transforming train travelTranspennine Route Upgrade (TRU) teams have completed over 32 days of major upgrades between Leeds and York, helping deliver faster, greener, more frequent services across the North.
• Station restoration enters final phase with clock tower transformation the 'crowning glory'The year-long restoration of Scarborough station is nearing completion and bringing even more benefits than originally planned.

Birmingham Post

• Long-awaited plans for east-west road linking M61 and M6 could be revivedLocal Democracy Reporting Service explores how 'transformational' project could take shape

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• Major works on key railway link completed after more than a month of worksMajor railway upgrades between Leeds and York completed as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, improving journey times, capacity and reliability.
• Affordable transport and reduced congestion are crucial for Bradford, says MPWhen I talk about the environment in Bradford, I am talking about cold homes, high energy bills, congested roads, polluted air and a public transport system that too often lets people down. For me, green policy is not about slogans or lifestyle lecturing. It is about improving daily life for people
• Ground works seek to confirm new £25m station has legally startedA CERTIFICATE of lawful development is being sought to confirm that work on the new £25 million Elland Rail Station has legally started before a planning deadline expires.
• £6.5m to be spent on new replacement Accessbus fleetA SCHEME to replace West Yorkshire’s fleet of Access buses is expected to cost around £6.5 million.
• Leeds to Manchester trains hit by Standedge Tunnel fireTHE fire service has confirmed what caused a blaze in a railway tunnel that has wreaked havoc with today's trains.

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Railway line in North Wales county to close for nine daysTwo level crossings will also see temporary closures, affecting local traffic

Manchester Evening News

• UK motorists who park cars on pavements face fines as part of new 2026 ruleThe Government has warned that it plans to introduce new legislative measures to 'tackle pavement parking', which could see UK drivers fined for parking on pavements.

The York Press

• Railway 200 celebration of rail hailed world's biggestA national railway celebration has been hailed the world's largest rail celebration.

Yorkshire Post

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Council liable for rent underpayment penalties under 'any time' audit agreementDoncaster Council is liable to pay penalties for rent underpayments at Doncaster Sheffield Airport under an agreement which allows landowner Peel to inspect its books 'at any time', a leaked lease between the parties has revealed.

Bucks Free Press

• 'Large pothole' emergency response as several vehicles damaged on A-roadThere has been an emergency response to a 'large pothole' after several vehicles were damaged on A41 Aylesbury, Aston Clinton.

Other Regional Press

• NEW CYCLING AND WALKING PATH PLANNED BETWEEN SALISBURY AND WILTONWILTSHIRE Council has been awarded £169,000 to support travel initiatives including a shared-use path between Salisbury and Wilton so people can walk, wheel and cycle everyday journeys.
• Improvements planned for railway stationINFORMATION for travellers is expected to be improved at Dorchester West Railway Station where Network Rail is planning to install two Customer Information System (CIS) displays.
• Campaigners vow to 'keep the pressure on' to ensure extra Peterborough train service to London arrives on timeCampaigners have vowed to keep the pressure on to ensure a promised extra Peterborough train service to London arrives on time.
• Great Western Railway railway fund open for applicationsA bug house shaped like a signal box is just one of the community projects that's been brought to life by railway funding in Devon.
• Rail chaos in Devon revives push for Tavistock route - 'Mother nature will always win'Repeated weather damage on Devon's coastal line is prompting MPs, rail groups and residents to revisit plans for a Tavistock and north Dartmoor railway
• Dorchester West Railway Station set for passenger info upgradeINFORMATION for travellers is expected to be improved at Dorchester West Railway Station where Network Rail is planning to install two Customer Information System (CIS) displays.

New Civil Engineer

• Government blames 'accounting changes' for £2.4bn decrease in transport spending budgetThe Government has blamed 'accounting changes' for a £2.4bn discrepancy in Department for Transport (DfT) budgets posted at the Spending Review and the Autumn Budget.

Rail Magazine

• Northern Powerhouse Rail agreements on stations and capacity signedA potential underground Manchester Piccadilly station, pushing the case for a new Bradford station and improving capacity at Sheffield are all included in Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) agreements with devolved authorities.
• GBRf buys back Class 60s then stands fleet down from front line trafficThe fleet of ten GB Railfreight Class 60s has been stood down from front line traffic, but bought back by the freight operator.

Railnews

• Northern's rolling stock plans may not include leasingNorthern has revealed that it is planning to buy up to 450 trains, but it has not confirmed how they will paid for.

Railway Gazette

• Transport for London looks to add bar code readers to Underground ticket gatesUK: Transport for London is looking at options to install bar code readers on its ticket gates. This would enable National Rail tickets for through journeys which include a cross-London transfer by London Underground to be issued electronically.

TaxiPoint

• 'A COMMERCIAL MATTER': Government rules out regulating dynamic pricing in private hire vehicle sector Perry RichardsonThe Government has ruled out regulating dynamic pricing in the private hire vehicle sector, saying fare structures remain a commercial decision for operators and that passengers are already protected through advance booking requirements.
• Government says engagement ongoing with taxi and PHV industry as MPs press on Uber-style working conditions Perry RichardsonThe Department for Transport (DfT) has cited wider employment law reforms and ongoing engagement with industry bodies in response to parliamentary questions on the working conditions of private hire vehicle drivers working for large national operators such as Uber.

Aviation Industry

• Heathrow announces £1.3bn infrastructure investment in 2026 with T4 revamp and much moreHeathrow Airport a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub has announced plans to invest £1.3 billion in infrastructure in 2026, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

Other News Sources

• Another delay for east London's Beam Park station as business case is reworkedA decision about whether East London's long-delayed Beam Park station will be built is now not expected until later this year.
• TfL to charge utility companies £2.5k per day to shut roads in bid to limit bus delaysTransport for London will charge utility companies up to £2,500 per day to shut busy roads. Sir Sadiq Khan has set a deadline of 2030 to tackle the capital's congestion problem and speed up bus journeys.
• Bus company celebrates excellence in safe driving by hundreds of driversThe recognition is based on consistently high safety scores and professionalism behind the wheel throughout 2025.
• Landslip closes major Surrey rail line until at least Friday as emergency repairs take placeA replacement bus service will be in operation between two Surrey towns
• Changes could be made to 'dangerous' bike lane after cyclists break their wristsCyclists have branded a city bike lane as "dangerous" and "badly executed" after many people reported injuring themselves falling on the curb
• HBC Construction to build £7.2m facility for Network RailHBC Construction (HBC), formerly known as Henry Boot Construction, has been awarded a £7.2m project by Network Rail in Sheffield.

News from Europe

• Munich's airport to open massive new terminal in AprilMunich Airport is gearing up to unveil the new Terminal 1 Pier on April 13. the facility is scheduled to start welcoming passengers on April 21.
• Brussels Airport aims for sustainable growth with less nuisanceAt the launch of the Balanced Approach procedure, Brussels Airport stresses the importance of a stable and coherent operational framework that provides legal certainty and enables sustainable growth, while realistically reducing the impact on the environment.