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

Friday, 19 June 2026

Government

• Whitehaven Bus Station: from new start to 5 years of impactA landmark regeneration project in West Cumbria is celebrating 5 years of success.

BBC News

• Free bus service could be passed to private firmHereford's free to use Zipper buses could pass to a private operator once the city council's funding to run the service comes to an end.
• London Councils shelves review of Freedom PassThe scheme offers free travel across London's public transport network for people aged over 66.
• CrossCountry ranked Britain's worst train operatorTransport Focus asks it to reduce delays and provide better information during disruption.
• Heathrow's 'critical' expansion blueprint releasedA consultation is launched on the Heathrow expansion, outlining conditions for the project to go ahead.

Department for Transport

• Consultation launched on draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement - Written statement to ParliamentAnnouncing the launch of the consultation on the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement (HENPS).
• New consultation sets foundations for Heathrow expansion to take offConsultation launched on the framework for future planning decisions for Heathrow's third runway.

Financial Times

• Gatwick airport launches legal action after ministers relax runway slot rulesGatwick airport has lodged a legal complaint against the UK government over its decision to relax airline take-off rules in a highly unusual move

The Guardian

• Fewer than half of commuters in Great Britain think train fare value for moneyFindings of national survey comes as rail regulator reports record 1.83bn passenger journeys last year
• Heathrow third runway likely to affect health of millions nearby, official report warnsExpansion could also harm access to housing, education, healthcare, open spaces and transport, analysis says. Construction of a third runway at Heathrow is likely to have significant adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of up to 3 million people living nearby, an official report has said, as the government launched the next stage of its rapid airport expansion plan. An analysis for the Department for Transport (DfT) has found that expanding London’s hub airport could have “major adverse” impacts on the health of the most local population.

The Herald

• Prestwick Airport chief's legacy as he reveals departurePrestwick Airport's chief executive yesterday highlighted the turning around of a roughly £3.5 million annual operating loss to a 33.5m profit since he joined around eight years ago as he revealed his decision to retire.

The Telegraph

• Trains at their most popular in a century... but still arriving late [subscription]Passengers are taking the most railway journeys in a century despite punctuality hitting its worst level since Covid, new statistics show.
• Labour opens door to hotel tycoon building Heathrow third runway [subscription]Labour has opened the way for Surinder Arora, the hotel magnate, to build Heathrow's third runway after suggesting that it could be constructed in phases to minimise risk and spread the cost.

Times Online

• Rachel Reeves: We'll bite the bullet on Heathrow expansion [subscription]The chancellor says a third runway is vital for UK competitiveness and wants construction to begin before the next election
• Heathrow airport expansion plans 'expected within days' [subscription]Ministers are preparing to publish the blueprint for a third runway as Sir Keir Starmer battles to save his premiership
• FirstGroup bears brunt of nationalisation but beats forecasts [subscription]Shares in the bus and train operator jumped 6 per cent due to better-than-expected adjusted revenue and profits and a £100 million buyback
• Britain wastes £8bn a year paying over the odds for infrastructure [subscription]Road, rail and energy schemes cost far more than overseas equivalents due to planning delays and stop-start investment, analysis finds

City AM

• Ministers open door to phased Heathrow third runway plan Heathrow's third runway expansion may be built over several phases in a bid to hit the government's ambitious timeline, opening the door to a proposal tabled by rival bidder Heathrow West. In planning documents published by the Department for Transport on Thursday, the government said that a phased construction of the mega-project may be necessary

Mail Online

• At last! Ticket inspectors finally get tough on fare dodgers: Moment hero TfL worker pushes man back into station as he tries to force his way out without payingThe incident involving the TfL revenue inspector and a fare dodger at Enfield Town station in North London on the Overground's Weaver line was filmed by a fellow passenger.

The National

• 'Spades in the ground' for Heathrow third runway by 2029A blueprint for a third runway at London's Heathrow Airport has been published by the UK government, describing its expansion as 'critical to national growth'.

This is Money

• Boost for Britain as JLR announces plans to build new Defender at Merseyside plantJaguar Land Rover will build its new Defender model at its Merseyside plant in a much-needed boost for the British car industry.

Local Government

• New bus services to launch across the regionNew bus services will be launching in July across the West of England, connecting even more communities in the region.

Office of Rail and Road (ORR)

• ORR says most journeys made on Great Britain's rail network since 1920Passengers made 1.83 billion journeys on Great Britain's rail network between April 2025 and March 2026, the Office of Rail and Road announced today; the highest number since 1920.

Birmingham Mail

• Dudley Council shells out £80k to drivers over issue plaguing roadsPothole compensation costing tens of thousands as council declared blitz despite 15,000 repairs

Birmingham Post

• TrawsCymru boosted with 30 new bus investmentIt forms part of a £15.3m investment in new buses by Transport for Wales
• Nissan reported to be in talks with Government about financial supportThe under strain car maker is said to be discussing commitments to its Sunderland operation
• Liverpool John Lennon Airport names Clive Condie as chairman Air industry veteran succeeds Robert Hough

London Evening Standard

• Heathrow third runway: Sadiq Khan slams airport expansion 'rushed' by Starmer and Reeves as Burnham eyes No10A public consultation on the masterplan for a bigger Heathrow will run only until the end of August as Labour rival Andy Burnham 'marches' on Downing Street

Nation. Cymru

• Reform MS backs Newport Labour petitionA Reform MS signed a Newport Labour petition opposing M4 junction closures and urged constituents to support it too, saying it would strengthen his case in the Senedd.

Cambridge News

• Train operator serving Cambridgeshire told to improve after being ranked Britain’s worstThe train operator has been asked to improve passenger experience and reduce delays, as well as to cut overcrowding
• Cambridgeshire bus services could be cut by more than a third without more fundingAn independent report on bus franchising has warned 38 per cent of services in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough could be cut

Other Regional Press

• Telford MP continues fight for better rail services following meeting with Rail MinisterTelford MP Shaun Davies met with Rail Minister Lord Hendy to continue his long-standing campaign for much-needed improvements to Telford's rail services.
• £1.8m earmarked to fix Calderdale's potholes - on one conditionCalderdale could receive almost £1.9m for road repairs and pothole filling as part of a £15.5m West Yorkshire Combined Authority funding package from the Department of Transport

Rail Business Daily

• ORR says most journeys made on Great Britain's rail network since 1920Passengers made 1.83 billion journeys on Great Britain's rail network between April 2025 and March 2026, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has announced; the highest number since 1920.

The Business Desk

• HS2 ramps up fraud crackdown with investigation overhaulHS2 has strengthened its anti-fraud framework following a major overhaul of its investigation strategy, according to newly released board papers.

Aviation Industry

• Gatwick reveals refreshed construction frameworksGatwick has awarded its refreshed set of Building and Civils Frameworks, appointing 11 suppliers to support the airport's ambitious capital investment programme.
• Heathrow response to draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy StatementThe publication of the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement is a significant milestone toward unlocking new capacity at the UK's hub airport new capacity that will create jobs and apprenticeships, boost trade and grow investment across every corner of the UK.

Other News Sources

• Regent Centre Metro and bus interchange refurbishment to take place over school summer holidaysA major refurbishment project at Regent Centre Interchange will begin at the end of June, as part of North East Mayor Kim McGuinness' commitment to improve local transport infrastructure.
• Solihull Chamber visits HS2 construction siteSolihull Chamber Patrons and members visited the HS2 Construction site to gain first-hand insight into the progress being made on one of the UK's largest infrastructure projects.