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

Thursday, 05 March 2026

BBC News

• Rising demand for e-scooter rental in London - TfLMore than two million e-scooter trips were recorded across 12 months, a rise of more than 50% on the previous year.

The Mirror

• Qatar Airways offering limited 'relief flights' amid Iran conflict as operations suspendedAirspaces across the Middle East have been closed and flights disrupted after joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran which killed the country's then-Supreme Leader over the weekend

The National

• John Swinney unveils £2 bus cap in 4 Scottish council areasJOHN Swinney has announced the roll-out of a £2 bus fare cap across a number of council areas.

Local Government

• Plans set out for new Exeter to Cranbrook walking and cycling routeA new report from Devon County Council sets out proposals to complete a new off‑road walking, wheeling and cycling route between Exeter and Cranbrook.
• Transport upgrades scheme set in stoneThe Transforming Cities Scheme has rounded off with nine slabs engraved at key sites from the project.

Birmingham Mail

• New photos of Birmingham's Curzon Street station as 'major HS2 milestone' achievedNew photos offer a visualisation of the public spaces around the building

Birmingham Post

• Farrans starts work on Bristol Airport £30m expansion to almost double retail and dining optionsFarrans secures contract for airport work and work under way

Manchester Evening News

• The insane saga that will see Oldham Road ripped up AGAINOldham Road will be dug up for a third time since the start of 2025 but it's what Mancunians want, transport bosses say.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Free bus pass age in England to rise from April 2026 confirmedThe Department for Transport has said that residents in England will need to wait an extra year before receiving their free bus pass

Wales Online

• Reform pledges to scrap international aid and abolish 20mph limit if elected in WalesThe party also says it would build an M4 relief road, upgrade the A55, and keep the NHS fully free

Wolverhampton Express and Star

• Cycling to West Midlands bus and rail stations falls - sparking push to reverse declineThe number of people cycling to bus and railway stations in the West Midlands has dropped prompting efforts to reverse the trend.

Other Regional Press

• £14bn for Welsh rail, not M4 relief road, confirms first ministerThe first minister confirms the £14bn announced for Welsh rail improvements won't be diverted to an M4 relief road, emphasising rail as the future of Welsh transport.
• Shaun Davies MP meets Transport Minister to press case for direct Telford-London rail linkShaun Davies MP met this week with Lord Hendry, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, to discuss the latest proposals for a new direct rail service between Wrexham and London via Telford.
• Telford MP meets Transport Minister to press case for new direct Shropshire to London train serviceShaun Davies MP met with Lord Hendry, Minister of State at the Department for Transport, to discuss the latest proposals for a new direct rail service between Wrexham and London via Telford.

Centre for Cities

• 01 The rationale for rail reform is clear for operating inter-city servicesAt the heart of the rail reform agenda is solving operational fragmentation on the rail network. Currently Network Rail owns and is responsible for infrastructure (e.g., tracks and signals) while Train Operating Companies (TOCs) operate passenger services (some of which are under direct Department for Transport (DfT) control), franchised and regulated by the Office for Rail and Road (ORR).
• 02 Rail reform can also solve spatial fragmentation between powers over intra-city services and their impactsIntra-city passenger services, by contrast, provide connectivity within urban areas. These play a different economic role to inter-city rail: they are commuter networks, giving residents access to local economic opportunities, mostly concentrated in city centres.7
• 03 Big cities should be the priority geography for rail devolutionTackling spatial fragmentation through rail devolution will have the largest impacts in established mayoral authorities, which cover the largest urban areas in England.
• 04 The Railways Bill provides the tools for rail devolution, but leaves some uncertaintyGetting the most out of rail devolution requires the right partnership between metro mayors and GBR. By establishing a single point of accountability, the Railways Bill better allows for this collaboration than the existing fragmented system, and the new statutory role for mayors is delivered by Clause 5 of the legislation, giving GBR scope to 'enter into arrangements' with mayoral authorities.
• 05Rail reform provides an opportunity for national government, GBR and metro mayors to jointly make the economic case for rail devolutionThe present rail reform agenda marks a positive step toward solving the issues of fragmentation under the current system. But while most of the focus has been on dealing with operational fragmentation, there is a risk that its provisions to tackle spatial fragmentation could stall in the places that would benefit from it most if there is uncertainty for metro mayors on how to proceed.

Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

• Wales's rail vision plus Michael Portillo's outlookAs the Welsh Government publishes 'Today, Tomorrow, Together' A vision for rail across Wales and Borders', Christian speaks exclusively to Ken Skates MS, Cabinet Secretary for Transport & North Wales, about how train services are being envisioned as well as covering Welsh bus reform and the controversial 20mph speed limit policy for local roads [2:36]. Christian discusses with broadcaster and former minister Michael Portillo his love of railways, finding a surprising twist on his current political outlook [29:43]. In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian examines progress in the pedestrianisation of London's Oxford Street [39:38].

Highways News

• Burnham: Whitehall doesn't understand how transport drives growthThe Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has challenged central government to support transport as a driver for growth, as he accused Whitehall of prioritising cost-cutting over economic growth and consistently underserving northern transport.

New Civil Engineer

• MPs demand 'infrastructure first' approach to housing as 'loopholes' see transport ignoredMPs have demanded the government take an 'infrastructure first' approach to future housing plans as they believe developers are using 'loopholes' to avoid considering the transport implications of their new estates.

Rail Business Daily

• Online virtual tour of Beaulieu Park rail station will help people travel with confidenceTrain operator, Greater Anglia, has launched an online virtual tour of Beaulieu Park rail station to help people plan their journeys and travel with confidence.
• More than 75,000 passengers travel with Transport for Wales Passenger Assist service.Transport for Wales (TfW) says it helped a record 75,339 passengers travel with confidence in 2024/25, people who may not have made the journey at all without the support of its Passenger Assist service.

Rail Magazine

• Andy Burnham: Greater Manchester "will never accept" new surface-level Piccadilly stationManchester will never accept a new surface-level Piccadilly station, Andy Burnham has said.

Railnews

• RMT calls for better legal protection for transport staff The RMT is demanding stronger legal protection for transport workers, as violent incidents continue to rise. The union has called on the Government to introduce a specific criminal offence for assaulting public transport workers ahead of a House of Lords debate.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Rotala to take new Enviro200 deliveries past 100 with latest batchFirst examples of a second batch of 21 also sit alongside 67 supplied for use on Bee Network
• Remote tachograph downloading brings benefits, says NovadataCompliance monitoring, reduced administration, stronger security, better driver oversight cited

RMT

• RMT demands stronger legal protection for transport workers as violence soarsRMT has called on the Government to introduce a specific criminal offence for assaulting public transport workers ahead of a debate in the House of Lords.

Other News Sources

• Interview with Gary Wilburn, Managing Director of EP ArchitectsEP Architects have spent the past five years working with community rail partnerships to renovate and repurpose redundant station buildings across the South of England, completing over twelve sites to date.
• Fortec: A Resilient Rail Digital ExperienceHow collaboration, integration and passenger-first design are redefining modern CIS and meeting the demands of today's rail digital experience
• First Bus announces six new routes to mark 100 years of Lanarkshire bus travelThe company say the refreshed network, which starts on March 29, will deliver new, frequent services, some operating every 15 minutes, along with new early morning and later evening trips.
• Over £70 million goes toward improving walking and cycling routes in the WestThe West of England is seeing significant investments in walking, cycling, and wheeling infrastructure, with over £70 million currently being allocated to improvements across the area.
• Heathrow third runway plans face 'delusion or deception' warning over costs and timelinePlans to build a third runway at Heathrow Airport have come under renewed scrutiny after a report accused the airport of 'misrepresentation' over its claims the project can be delivered within a decade without relying on taxpayer funding.
• Rail transport is rolling with technology-driven upgradesFreight rail remains an old-school business but its strong fundamentals, combined with digitisation and electrification, are starting to make an impact.
• Devolution cannot arrive quickly enough for transport reformA futuristic Waymo driverless taxi welcomed visitors at the entrance to the Interchange transport conference in Manchester this week, its all-seeing rooftop camera no doubt scanning the road ahead for hazards and opportunities.
• Transport Providers Get Boost From CouncilFunding Boost for District's Community Transport Providers Newry Mourne and Down District Council has helped drive the success of two local transport providers connecting people and communities.
• The future of transport infrastructure is nowAs climate volatility and cyber threats redefine the market, infrastructure investors are moving beyond risk mitigation to unlock a resilience dividend for their transport assets.

News from Europe

• Portugal betting on High-Speed RailCP Comboios de Portugal has defined high-speed rail as the central axis of its strategy for the period 2026-2032, after registering a record 208 million passengers in 2025.
• Hitachi Rail to deliver driverless trains and signalling for Turin metro line 2€481.6 million contract covers rolling stock and CBTC signalling for Turin Metro Line 2, introducing fully automated GoA4 operations and advanced digital asset management.
• AccesRail partners with Italian high-speed rail operator ItaloThe air-rail distribution and intermodal travel solution AccesRail has partnered with Italo, Italy's high-speed rail operator, AccesRail announced Wednesday. The partnership expands route coverage and increases service frequency, according to the company.