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

Thursday, 13 August 2026

BBC News

• South Korea's Incheon airport beats Heathrow to become world's busiestSouth Korea's Incheon has become the world's busiest airport by international passenger traffic for the first time, new figures show.
• Customers 'right' to be disappointed with GWRPassengers have been "right" to be disappointed by trains and improving "reliability and punctuality" was a priority, the managing director of rail operator Great Western Railways (GWR) has said.
• Airport boss: I feel terrible over baggage failingsBirmingham Airport boss Nick Barton talks to the BBC to address passengers' anger over the problems.
• Don't travel unless it's essential, says rail firmOff-peak services on Thursday between London Marylebone and Birmingham will be hourly, Chiltern says.
• More night buses among overhaul to Bee NetworkThe mayor says she is 'making it easier than ever for people to get around the city region by bus'.
• More data centres approved for west LondonPlans for a data centre near Heathrow Airport are approved despite concerns about its energy use.
• Rail operator set to reinstate key train servicesThe company will begin to reinstate priority services from 31 August.
• Jaguar Land Rover owner Tata Group's chairman to step downChandrasekaran said he would not seek reappointment when his term ends due to a lack of support from the Tata Sons board.

The Guardian

• Live facial recognition cameras to be used on UK’s busiest shopping streetSadiq Khan has indicated the technology will be deployed on London’s Oxford Street despite human rights concernsThe Metropolitan police are understood to be planning to use live facial recognition (LFR) technology on Britain’s busiest shopping street.In June, the Met said it would introduce the technology in London’s West End by Christmas and into a further six areas next year. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, has indicated that the newly pedestrianised Oxford Street will be included. Continue reading...
• Victims of road crime feel ‘forgotten by system’, official review findsMany of those affected in England and Wales think offences are not treated with the seriousness they deserve, says commissionerBereaved families or seriously injured victims of road crime feel “forgotten by the system” with offences not treated with the seriousness they deserve, an official review has found.The victims’ commissioner for England and Wales found that many of the thousands afflicted each year by criminal driving felt that “the harm they had suffered mattered less” than that from other serious crimes. Continue reading...

The Herald

• Scottish rail engineer Brodie hires more apprenticesTwo privately owned Scottish companies are this month demonstrating their commitment to nurturing the next generation of talent, providing young people with a gateway to skilled employment at a time when jobs are hard to come by.

The Independent

• Chinese bullet train breaks acceleration world record by going from 0 to 800kmph in 5 secondsAn experimental bullet train in China broke its own world record for acceleration, going from zero to 800km an hour in about five seconds, potentially paving the way for ultra-high-speed transportation.

The Telegraph

• You have to be a grade-A moron to ride an e-scooter [subscription]When does an 'accident' stop being an accident and become a stone-cold certainty? When it involves an e-scooter.

Times Online

• Police failing to treat road deaths seriously, families say [subscription]Bereaved relatives face slow investigations and insensitive officers while navigating an overwhelming justice system, according to a report
• Flight noise limits to be relaxed, saving carbon and travel time [subscription]Thousands of households face extra noise pollution as ministers prioritise shorter, greener and sometimes louder routes

i News

• Britain is a joke - it can't even use the few things it actually buildsWhen you go looking for evidence for this problem, you start seeing it everywhere (or rather, you don't, because nobody's built it). The largest, most expensive and highest profile mess is HS2, which as originally conceived would have connected almost every major British city and, by adding capacity and removing bottlenecks, benefited smaller places far off the route, too.

The Mirror

• UK airport offering free 'skip the queues' perkThis may help reduce a lot of travel stress - especially for families

Local Government

• Go-Flexi extends to Levenmouth as part of important service changesAn on-demand bus service that provides Fifers with a flexible way of travelling has been extended into Levenmouth after Fife Council received funding from SEStran.
• Investment to enhance Carlisle Market Hall bus hub to support city centre businessesCumberland Council is set to begin work on a major upgrade of Carlisle's Market Hall bus hub, improving facilities for passengers and enhancing one of the city's busiest public transport gateways.

Birmingham Mail

• Kings Heath's new Camp Hill stations draw visitors but city 'could learn from Manchester'The new stations at Kings Heath, Moseley Village and Pineapple Road on the Camp Hill line have been open for four months

Birmingham Post

• Bristol 'flying taxi' maker Vertical Aerospace lands $100m and plans UK production facilityThe company is leading the race to develop an all-electric vertical take-off and landing (EVTOL) aircraft
• Tui hit by Middle East travel chaos and rising fuel costs as airline earnings slumpThe world's largest travel and tourism firm swung to a €17m airline loss

Daily Post (North Wales)

• Welsh Government sheds more light on what caused mysterious Menai bridge closureThe reason for the crossing's most recent closure has been mired in confusion and speculation

London Evening Standard

• Eurostar competitor orders 19 high-speed trains to go from London to ParisFerrovie dello State Italiane (FS Group) has signed an agreement with Hitachi Rail for the supply of 19 new high-speed trains

Nation. Cymru

• Plaid Cymru MS welcomes support from transport expert over town's £33m 'glass monstrosity'Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Lindsay Whittle has welcomed comments from a highly regarded transport expert questioning the need for a new £33m transport interchange in Caerphilly.

Newcastle Evening Chronicle

• Northumberland A1 fight to go to Prime Minister after Government refuses to actNorthumberland County Council leader has said he cannot accept a lack of action on the problem road

Blackpool Gazette

• 'Fair fares, reliable buses' - Blackpool MP Chris Webb backs Prime Minister Andy Burnham's £2 bus fare capBlackpool South MP Chris Webb has welcomed the announcement that bus fares will be capped at £2 from January, saying the move will help keep people connected while putting more money in their pockets.

Cambridge News

• ‘Outrageous’ plans to get rid of car park could ‘shut the doors’ of historic buildingResidents are outraged that a town's bus station and 'vital' car park could be changed into flats and new businesses

Oxford Mail

• Renewed calls for additional station on the £7bn East West Rail lineThe campaign for services to stop at Northampton, one of the largest towns in England, has revived following multiple delays to the railway line.

Other Regional Press

• Government urged to safeguard railway connectivity in YeovilA South Somerset MP is calling for government action to protect rail connectivity as passenger numbers rise.
• Sir Bob urges council to restore Queen Street bus stationCOLCHESTER residents are urging the council to restore the former bus station at Queen Street.
• Transport for Wales trains cancelled amid severe weatherRail passengers are being urged to check before they travel after severe weather prompted widespread disruption to Transport for Wales services across Mid Wales and the English border.
• Manchester Airport tells passengers to arrive early for summer rushMore than 3.3 million passengers travelled through the airport in July, making it the second busiest month in its history.
• Wakefield MP critical of council decision to shelve road safety schemeAn MP has criticised a council decision to shelve long-awaited plans to improve safety at a road junction in Wakefield.
• ‘Relief’ as MP ‘intervenes’ over rolling road closures for major power network upgradeA major scheme to upgrade the underground electricity network near a motorway is now well under way - and about to impact a busy village.
• Speed bump plea to stop drivers racing in Coventry street rejectedThe council insists the street has a good safety record but will carry out a spot speed survey to check if further action is needed

Rail Business Daily

• GWR unveils short-story vending machines at railway stations to keep kids reading over summerGreat Western Railway (GWR) has rolled out Short-Story Dispensers at key stations across its network. The dispensers are part of a campaign aimed at encouraging children to read over the summer holidays.
• Gateway to Bournemouth to get step-free accessEssential work to improve accessibility at Pokesdown station is set to begin, with two new lifts to be installed to provide step-free access to both platforms.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Thorpe Park Rail Station Plans Move Forward as Public Consultation OpensResidents, businesses and rail users are being invited to have their say on plans for the proposed Thorpe Park Rail Station, a major transport investment set to strengthen links between east Leeds and the city centre.
• Network Rail Invests £1.49m in East Midlands Upgrades to Boost Reliability and Reduce Flood RiskA £1.49 million programme of railway improvements in the East Midlands will see buses replace trains between Leicester and Peterborough over the weekend of 22 and 23 August.

Railnews

• PM hints at rail fare reforms aheadThe Prime Minister has hinted that he is ready to reform rail fares.

The Business Desk

• East Midlands Railway to restore more services after reliability improvesEast Midlands Railway (EMR) is set to increase its Intercity timetable from the end of August after improved reliability following a period of reduced services.

Other News Sources

• Lancs looks to Lincs with senior transport hireLancashire Combined County Authority has appointed Karen Cassar as its first director of transport.
• Doncaster and Rotherham trial transport appA 12-month pilot for a new flexible public transport service is launching across parts of Doncaster and Rotherham in August, aiming to improve connections in areas where conventional bus routes are limited
• First Bus manager's role in Scotland public transport praised by parliamentA manager with First Bus in Aberdeen has received recognition in the Scottish Parliament for his services to public transport.
• EV technician shortage could reach 43,000 by 2035, warns Logistics UKThe UK could face a shortage of more than 43,000 qualified electric vehicle (EV) technicians by 2035 despite record numbers entering the profession, according to Logistics UK.
• Twyford station: Plans for 50 car parking spacesChanges are being made to make life easier for people getting in and out of a busy transport hub.
• Customer-centric rail: closing the passenger journey gapHow operators, passenger advocates and technologists are turning fragmented trips into one journey, from booking to the seat on board
• Solent Airport: new management and business park signal changesSolent Airport at Daedalus is entering a new phase, with a new operations manager taking charge as Fareham Borough Council moves ahead with plans for further business development on the historic airfield site.
• Volvo Completes Delivery of 72 Electric Buses to Arriva LondonVolvo Bus UK & Ireland has completed delivery of 72 battery-electric BZL double-decker buses to Arriva's Tottenham depot as the operator continues a major renewal of its UK fleet.
• Raspberry Software launches train fare fraud investment management moduleThe module brings investigation data together in one place, ensuring cases are managed consistently while reducing manual administration and improving visibility throughout the investigation process. It is offered as standalone software, and can be integrated with Raspberry's existing TIPS platform.
• Mayors will be key to Burnham's housing ambitionsMayors should set a clear regional vision that brings partners around together shared goals, including housing. Agreed by mayors and local leaders, regional strategies provide a framework for decision making across transport, growth and housing

News from Europe

• Belgium faces legal action over Brussels Airport noiseThe federal government has until 1 October to come up with solutions to address the issue