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

Wednesday, 05 August 2026

BBC News

• Trump says Iran will be 'hit very hard' if Hormuz Strait not open soon as oil prices fallUS Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent both announced talks had progressed to allow shipments to resume.
• Town and village to trial bus service from SeptemberA new trial bus service linking two Staffordshire towns and the villages between them will be launched at the start of next month.
• Campaigners denied appeal over Gatwick expansionCampaigners have lost a bid to take their legal fight against the government over plans for a two-runway operation at Gatwick Airport to the Court of Appeal.
• Luton Airport expansion clears final legal hurdlePlans to expand London Luton Airport have been given official approval after final legal proceedings concluded.

Department for Transport

• Gatwick to open second runway as government wins legal challengeFrom 2030, Gatwick Airport's expansion is expected to enable up to 100,000 additional flights a year, increasing passenger choice and boosting airline competition.

The Guardian

• Secondhand EV leasing hits the fast lane as more UK drivers explore ways to cut motoring costsNumbers using finance rises 170% in a year as leasing firms boom alongside leapin secondhand vehicle supply and surging fuel pricesThe number of people leasing used electric cars in the UK has more than doubled in the last year as drivers look for cheaper ways to avoid soaring petrol prices during Donald Trump’s war on Iran.Used electric car leasing has risen by 170% in the last year across members of the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), a lobby group whose members buy about half the UK’s new vehicles to lease them out to businesses and consumers every year. ...
• SpaceX beats revenue expectations in first earnings report after IPO crashCompany posts $7.81bn in revenue, a jump of 92%, after share prices crashed following IPO debutFor the first time since SpaceX went public, the world is getting a first-hand look into the trillion-dollar corporation’s financials. The Elon Musk-run business reported its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, saying that its revenue jumped 92% since June.SpaceX beat Wall Street expectations, reporting $7.81bn in revenue, versus analysts’ predictions of $6.93bn. While expansive, the company is not profitable. The company reported a loss of $541m, down from a $1bn loss in the same quarter...
• A rail nightmare: what it's like on England's busiest commuter-only trainThis evening service from London to Crewe is hot, sweaty and heaving with people, many having to stand or sit in the gangways
• Gatwick airport to open second runway after legal challenge fails£2.2bn project will allow about 100,000 more flights a year to use Britain's second busiest airport

The Telegraph

• Judges throw out attempt to block second runway at Gatwick [subscription]Court dismisses challenge to airport plan that will allow it to take 100,000 more flights each year

Times Online

• UK economy will benefit immensely from Gatwick's second runway [subscription]Expansion will create an estimated 14,000 jobs, produce an extra £1 billion in economic benefits and relieve the intense pressure on Heathrow

City AM

• Gatwick expansion green-lit as court throws out activists' appealWork on Gatwick Airport's second runway can get under way after the Court of Appeal kicked out a legal challenge against the expansion project.
• Luton Airport expansion set for take-off after environmental challenge dismissedLondon Luton Airport's growth plan has received judicial approval after a campaign group's legal challenge was rejected by the UK's top court.

The Mirror

• Major airline scraps free cabin bag policy with new £13 ruleThe airline says it's going to start charging passengers for 'priority carry-on' so it can stop weighing every piece of luggage at the gate just before departure

The National

• New plan for train from Scotland to mainland EuropeA NEW route between the Highlands and mainland Europe could be on its way, after a working group met for the first time to assess the feasibility of extending the Caledonian Sleeper service to the continent.
• Stephen Flynn snubs another meeting on Glasgow bus campaignersSTEPHEN Flynn has turned down a third meeting with another Glasgow campaign group looking to hold talks on bus franchising.

Local Government

• Work to start on new lift for Lawrence Hill stationPassengers using Lawrence Hill railway station will benefit from funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, with work beginning this summer to install a new lift serving Platform 2. The project is part of ongoing efforts to make the region's transport network more accessible, inclusive and easier to use for everyone.

Network Rail

• Peak District and Manchester Victoria rail upgrades this AugustMulti-million-pound railway upgrades will take place in Greater Manchester and the gateway to the Peak District from this weekend to improve future journeys for passengers and freight.

Birmingham Post

• Bev Craig: ‘Getting to Leeds, Sheffield or Bradford has to be made easier’New Greater Manchester mayor says she will work with other mayors to find transport solutions

London Evening Standard

• 1,500 London bus drivers to strike over working conditions in extreme heatDrivers suffering from heat exhaustion, heat stroke and dehydration in the extreme heat, Unite the union says
• Gatwick Airport to open second runway as Government wins legal challengePlans to expand Gatwick Airport are to go ahead after campaigners lost a bid to take their legal fight against the Government to the Court of Appeal.

Nation. Cymru

• Cardiff Airport recognised as one of UK's leading airports for accessibilityCardiff Airport has been recognised as one of the UK's leading airports for accessibility after receiving a 'very good' rating in the UK Civil Aviation Authority's latest annual Airport Accessibility Report.

Doncaster Free Press

• Doncaster Sheffield Airport reopening 'at pace', but no word on crucial lease renegotiation in updateThe reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport is continuing 'at pace,' Mayor Ros Jones has said, but there's no update on the crucial lease renegotiation.

Other Regional Press

• Caledonian Sleeper train from Highlands to Europe?Could rail passengers one day travel direct from the Highlands to mainland Europe - and vice versa?
• Rail project chiefs urged not to use unique Mossley roadUSING a unique Mossley road as an access point for construction vehicles on a multi-billion pound rail project will create unwarranted risk and havoc, an inquiry has been told.
• New developments suggest Winslow Railway station may finally openA new six billion pound train line, and the opening of a new railway station in Aylesbury Vale ? that has left passengers waiting for two years, could finally be open by the end of 2026.
• Network Rail will not reopen Botley Road early despite completionThe planned reopening date of Botley Road remains the same despite a major milestone being completed six days ahead of schedule.
• New developments suggest Winslow Railway station may finally openA new six billion pound train line, and the opening of a new railway station in Aylesbury Vale that has left passengers waiting for two years, could finally be open by the end of 2026.
• Heathrow Accessibility Rating Improves As Gatwick Retains Top MarksAirport assistance services have improved across the UK, but the aviation regulator says disabled passengers still face delays, uncertainty and practical barriers when travelling.
• Gatwick can 'press on' with bringing 'exciting project to life' as Government wins legal challenge to open second runwayLondon Gatwick can 'press on' with bringing their 'exciting' Northern Runway project to life following the Court of Appeal's dismissal of a legal challenge against the expansion.

Construction Enquirer

• Gatwick second runway cleared after court challenge failsGatwick Airport's £2.2bn second runway expansion has cleared its final legal hurdle after the Court of Appeal dismissed a challenge against the project, paving the way for construction to begin.

New Civil Engineer

• Judges reject appeal against High Court's Gatwick second runway rulingCampaigners have seen their attempt to take the High Court's Gatwick second runway ruling to the Court of Appeal denied.

Aviation Industry

• AEF response to Government update on the revenue certainty mechanism for the SAF MandateThe Department of Transport has confirmed further details of the mechanism designed to make alternative aviation fuels (also known as SAF) more competitive with traditional kerosene.  What is the Revenue … The post AEF response to Government update on the revenue certainty mechanism for the SAF Mandate appeared first on Aviation Environment Federation.

Other News Sources

• Telford transport chiefs eye up very light trains schemeMini trains could be running on reopened lines in Telford if a feasibility study proves that they could work.
• Unite takes legal action against Heathrow catering firm Do & Co over TUPE transfer agreementUnite, the leading union representing workers in civil air transport, is currently taking legal action against catering firm Do & Co over their refusal to honour a TUPE agreement for workers.