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

Tuesday, 21 April 2026

BBC News

• Petition calls for East West Rail passenger servicesA petition, calling for passenger services on the East West Rail line from Oxford to Milton Keynes to begin, has amassed more than 2,000 signatures.
• South Uist facing 'non-stop' tourism cancellations after ferry disruptionA South Uist tourism business says they are dealing with a wave of cancellations thanks to ongoing disruption on the ferry network.
• How AI is helping haulage firm make deliveriesMobile People Powered Logistics has increased revenue from £5m to £20m after using AI to streamline deliveries
• London Tube driver strike to begin at middayTube drivers in the RMT union are taking part in two 24-hour walkouts this week.
• Oil prices rise after Trump says Iranian ship seizedEnergy markets have seen wild swings since the US and Israel attacked Iran on 28 February.
• Another flight leaves passengers behind due to border delaysNew European border rules have caused delays at airports across the continent, affecting flights.
• Petrol thefts surge as Iran war pushes up fuel costsOne petrol retailer says he is experiencing about five drive-offs a week at each forecourt, costing him thousands.

ITV News

• Exclusive figures reveal extent of dangerously tired London bus driversNearly half are so worn out behind the wheel that they've almost crashed.

Financial Times

• Heathrow can raise airline fees to pay for third runway bid, regulator saysTicket prices at Heathrow are set to rise to cover the costs of its third runway application, after the UK aviation regulator said the country's only hub

The Guardian

• Electric car sales soar 51% in mainland Europe as Iran war drives up fuel pricesData shows 224,000 new EVs were registered in March, with Norway leading way in terms of switching. Sales of electric cars soared 51% in continental Europe last month, amid a rise in petrol and diesel costs driven by the Iran war.Data shows that 224,000 new electric vehicles (EVs) were registered in March, and 500,000 across the first three months of the year – a 33.5% increase on a year earlier, according to analysis of national sales data in 15 countries by New AutoMotive and E-Mobility Europe, a trade body.
• Tube strikes: how disruptive will action by London Underground drivers be?RMT has called action in two 24-hour tranches this week over opposition to four-day working pattern. A strike by London Underground drivers will severely disrupt transport in the capital over the next four days.The RMT union and Transport for London (TfL) said that the strike would go ahead from midday on Tuesday 21 April, with no last-minute talks planned on Monday.
• Almost half of EU’s busiest flight routes are ‘hard or impossible’ to book on trains – report‘Stone age’ system of booking cross-border rail tickets holding back climate action by consumers, says thinktankEurope’s “stone age” system of booking train tickets makes it needlessly difficult for travellers to avoid polluting flights, a report has found. Booking equivalent train tickets is “difficult or impossible” on almost half of the EU’s busiest international air routes, analysis from the Transport & Environment (T&E) thinktank shows.

The Independent

• TfL Tube strikes: When are drivers walking out this week and what lines will be affected? London commuters may need to change their travel plans ahead of the action

The Telegraph

• BA fears losing vital Heathrow landing slots over jet fuel crisis [subscription]Airlines call for easing of rules imposing penalties if they cut the number of flights on busy routes

Times Online

• Why are Tube drivers striking ? and which lines will be affected? [subscription]The London Underground is set for four days of disruption as the RMT union and TfL clash over working hours. We answer key questions about the strikes
• Rule change will help drivers without driveways charge EVs. [subscription]Motorists will be able to have a 'gully' to run an electric cable as a permitted development, which can cost £1,000 under current rules
• Island tourism is hurting, but no fines for CalMac ferry delays [subscription]Visitors are cancelling holiday stays after disruption to services but a new agreement with the government removes financial penalties on the operator

Reuters News

• UK regulator proposes allowing Heathrow Airport to recoup $433 million in expansion costsBritain's aviation regulator on Monday proposed allowing Heathrow Airport to recover up to 320 million pounds ($433 ​million) in early costs related to expansion work, as the UK's biggest ​airport pushes forward with plans to add capacity.

City AM

• EV sales surge as oil shock drives shift from petrol Electric car sales are accelerating across Europe, as rising fuel prices and tensions linked to the Iran conflict push drivers away from petrol and diesel. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations jumped 51 per cent year on year in March across 15 European markets

Daily Express

• Airline cancels all summer flights with just 72 hours notice for passengersAll summer flights for the airline on its Maldives and Europe routes, as well as services via Dubai, with no resumption expected until at least October
• Trump declares national emergency over gas as Iran war rocks oil marketsGlobal oil markets have been highly disruptive since the start of the Iran conflict

The Mirror

• Airline cancels all summer holidays with 72 hour notice to passengersThe flight carrier has abruptly cancelled its entire network for the whole summer, with passengers now left scrambling for refunds - and uncertainty hanging over the company
• Major airline that flies from London Heathrow cuts 46 flights in May - full listThe schedule change comes amid rising fuel prices across the global as a result of the Iran war, which started after the US and Israel carried out joint strikes on several key Iranian sites in February

Civil Aviation Authority

• Aviation regulator publishes draft decision on Heathrow expansion early costs recoveryThe UK Civil Aviation Authority has today announced its draft decision on the regulatory treatment of early costs incurred by potential promoters of expansion at Heathrow airport.

Local Government

• Major service improvements for bus passengers in the city have been announcedBuses on all of the city's main route groups are now running into the city centre at least every 15 minutes, during the daytime from Monday to Saturday.

Birmingham Mail

• Rachel Reeves confirms 116 cars exempt from new £440 chargeSnub to petrol and diesel owners.

Other Regional Press

• More concern and controversy over £8m bridge plan The 38m Lighterage Quay Bridge project aims to connect Newham Industrial Estate with Boscawen Park
• Priti Patel slams axing of 'shovel-ready' A12 wideningAn Essex MP has said the government wasted millions of pounds by scrapping a large infrastructure scheme.
• Heathrow Airport can recover up to £320m in early expansion costs regulatorHeathrow Airport can recover up to £320 million of early costs linked to its expansion plans, the industry regulator has said.
• Charfield station update as car park image releasedA first glimpse of progress has been revealed at the site of a long-awaited railway station.
• Network Rail reveals more bridge work in major Fife electrification projectThe infrastructure organisation has submitted a planning application to Fife Council for listed building consent to alter and replace parapets at Markinch station. The single span bridge carries tariff from Mitchell Road.
• Rail firm Northern appoints new chief operating officerRAIL firm Northern which runs services on the Airedale line has appointed a new chief operating officer.
• Oxfordshire to get new bus service led by volunteersA community bus service has been given the green light to connect Eynsham through to Standlake, Witney, and North Leigh.
• New 20mph limit to go ahead on major Coventry road despite objectionsSome residents and businesses have opposed the scheme, which will also require road humps, islands and double yellow lines, saying it would lead to “unnecessary congestion, frustration, and potentially more dangerous conditions"

Rail Advent

• Trains ready for testing if new Marchwood and Southampton to London service is approvedA decision is expected soon by the Office of Rail and Road for Alliance Rail's proposed new service from Marchwood to Southampton and London Waterloo.

Rail Business Daily

• Greater Anglia is one of the most punctual UK train operators for three years runningFigures released by Greater Anglia (GA) highlight continuing excellent punctuality results being delivered for customers across East Anglia, with GA one of the best performing train operators in the UK for over 3 years now.
• Heidelberg Materials unveils 'Battery Bill' new electric shunting locomotive at Whatley quarryHeidelberg Materials UK has commissioned a new Class 08e electric shunting locomotive at its Whatley quarry in Frome, Somerset.
• Tram stops to be transformed as part of an eco-initiativeTram stops across the West Midlands are set to become vibrant wildlife havens as part of Metro's latest environmental initiative.

Rail Magazine

• Chris Gibb fired from DFTO role days after publishing his HS2 rolling stock visionChris Gibb has been fired from his role with DFTO days after he set out his vision for HS2 rolling stock.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Alstom Appoints Martin Sion as Chief Executive OfficerAlstom has announced the appointment of Martin Sion as its new Chief Executive Officer, marking a significant leadership transition at one of the world's leading rail and sustainable mobility companies.
• Northern appoints DFTO executive Warrick Dent as new Chief Operating OfficerNorthern has confirmed the appointment of Warrick Dent as its new Chief Operating Officer, strengthening the operator's senior leadership team at a pivotal point in its transformation programme.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• Go-Ahead bus firms add £2.2 billion to UK economy, report findsA report by Oxford Economics has calculated the Go-Ahead Group's bus operations contributed at least 32.2 billion to the UK economy in 2025.

Sustainable Bus

• Market, policy and operations in focus for zero-emission intercity buses, at Sustainable Bus Tour session in Bus2BusThe transition to zero-emission buses in Europe is extending into the intercity segment, and this was the topic of the Sustainable Bus Tour session held during Bus2Bus 2026 in Berlin

TaxiPoint

• CROSS-BORDER SUSPENSION RULES: What will new national taxi enforcement powers mean for private hire giants under Devolution Bill reforms? Perry RichardsonLarge private hire operators including Uber, Bolt and Addison Lee face a change in regulatory risk following the latest amendments to the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill, with new enforcement powers allowing operator licences to be suspended across England with immediate effect.

Aviation Industry

• CAA proposes Heathrow be allowed to recoup £320m in expansion costsThe aviation regulator intends to allow Heathrow to recover up to £320 million in early costs related to its £33 billion third runway expansion plans. The Civil Aviation Authority said the draft decision, which is now subject to statutory consultation, would enable the London hub to recoup costs incurred during 2025 and 2026.

Other News Sources

• China launches new rail route to EuropeThe first China-Europe freight train on the Wuhan-Baku route has departed on the new route through the Middle Corridor, reinforcing the role of this Eurasian axis as an alternative to traditional routes. The new connection combines rail transport with a crossing of the Caspian Sea and is expected to reduce transit time to approximately 18 days, compared to up to 22 days on conventional routes.
• Fares, Franchising and Funding: What the 2026 Manifestos Mean for Scotland's Bus and Coach SectorSenior Public Affairs Manager for Scotland, Sara Collier, reviews what the Holyrood 2026 manifestos mean for bus and coach operators - and passengers across Scotland.
• See inside the 'smoother, quieter and comfier' electric buses coming soon to Surrey's roadsWhile the electric buses look fairly regular they have some features you won’t see on most of the Stagecoach fleet

News from Europe

• Finland to launch first cross-border rail link to Sweden in 30 yearsFinland is set to introduce a new cross-border rail connection to Sweden this summer, marking the first time Finnish trains will operate outside the country since 2022.
• Spain to make rail freight subsidy scheme permanentThe Spanish government is planning to introduce a permanent subsidy scheme that combines funds for eco-incentives and track closures. A call for applications is expected for Autumn this year.