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

Wednesday, 02 September 2026

BBC News

• North Edinburgh tram extension could be shelvedPlans to build a new tramline linking the north and centre of Edinburgh are likely to be shelved following a row over the proposed route.
• New community bus 'a lifeline' for rural townsA new community mini-bus service has started in a rural county, running three days per week.
• How is a £2 cap on bus fares working in the Highlands and islands?The Scottish government is investing £10m in a pilot scheme that could lead to a wider rollout.
• Bus journeys in west of Scotland to be capped at £2 from MondayFirst Minister John Swinney announced the move in his programme for government, alongside plans to cut health boards from 14 to two.
• Will self-flying planes transform the skies?Autonomous crop-spraying aircraft are leading the way in pilot-free flying.

The Guardian

• Japan halves speed limit to 30km/h on all narrow city streetsSpeed limit dropped from 60km/h for around 70% of general roads in the hope of making narrow streets of crowded cities saferDrivers on residential roads in Japan have been forced to take their foot off the accelerator, after the speed limit was slashed from 60km/h (37mph) to 30km/h in an attempt to reduce deaths and injuries among pedestrians on narrow urban streets.The new limit, which went into effect on Tuesday, applies to residential roads with no centre line or maximum speed signs, media reports said.

The Herald

• Edinburgh transport chief stands by attack on SNP trams planEdinburgh's transport convener has stood by comments criticising the SNP's 'reckless' plan for the city's tram network, despite his administration supporting them in principle.

The Scotsman

• Lumo passengers forced to wait an hour while train refuelled en route from Stirling to LondonPassengers on Lumo's ill-fated new Stirling-London service have suffered cancelled services, no working toilets - and now a train which stopped for an hour to refuel.

The Telegraph

• Village with no bus routes gets new bus stop [subscription]Residents of Egginton, who have been without a bus for almost a decade, were surprised to see pole being erected

Times Online

• Germany accuses Moscow of drone attack on Leipzig airport [subscription]Berlin is preparing to close two Russian diplomatic institutions after a cargo plane was hit by an explosive drone last month
• The problem facing British trains [subscription]Across the country, passengers have been left stranded by a rail system crippled by ageing infrastructure, track congestion and seemingly endless delays.
• More delays and extra £20m for CalMac's Turkish-built ferries [subscription]Scotland's latest domestically built ferries were delayed and over budget. So, increasingly, are the new vessels ordered from Turkey, as project costs for the construction of new CalMac ferries are confirmed to have risen by a further £20 million.

Daily Record

• Bus fares across Glasgow and the west of Scotland to be capped at £2, John Swinney confirmsPassengers will pay £2 for single bus journeys from Monday, September 7.

i News

• The areas where 1.3m new homes could be built near UK train stationsAndy Burnham told to 'go big' on building homes around railway stations to make a 'significant dent in the housing shortage'

Local Government

• Historic switch to publicly controlled bus network in Liverpool City Region starts this SundayLiverpool City Region bus services will start returning to public control this weekend for the first time in 40 years.

Birmingham Mail

• Birmingham trams to stop fare dodgers from September 13 with inspectors, fines and new ticket ruleThere will be new Revenue Officers checking tickets and issuing pentaly fare notice charges

Birmingham Post

• Range Rover Electric: JLR launches its first fully electric luxury SUVThe Range Rover Electric, Jaguar Land Rover's first fully electric luxury SUV, is being built at JLR's manufacturing plant in Solihull

Bradford Telegraph & Argus

• £270,000 community funds available across West YorkshireA £270,000 community fund is set to open for applications later this month.

Bristol Live

• Leaked map 'error' for South Bristol traffic plan sparks backlash over remaining roadblocksSpot the difference - despite little support for the idea, the council appears to be pressing ahead with 'modal filters'

Derby Telegraph

• The trains that saved Derby factory Alstom start entering service in record timeClass 345 Aventra No. 345071 is the first of 10 trains being produced in the city for the Elizabeth Line in London - which we helped to campaign for

London Evening Standard

• London bus strikes postponed after 'significantly improved offer'Bus drivers working for Arriva North London will no longer walk out this weekend following the improved offer

Cambridge News

• ‘Nothing has changed’ on city street despite £3.4m upgradesThe council says that the improvements have had a positive impact from a highways perspective
• 'Poorly designed junction' divides opinion as locals call for safety reviewMore than 200 Newnham residents have signed a petition calling for a safety review of the Barton Road and Grantchester Street junction

My London

• Delay to London driverless taxis 'a win for opponents' to AI vehicles 'generating tons of data'Brent Green Party welcomed the delay to the rollout of 'robotaxis' which they said will generate huge amounts of data to put further strain on energy and water supplies

Other Regional Press

• SWANSEA BAY METRO: Every new station and tram line now has a price tag but the funding still has to be foundEach piece of the Swansea Bay Metro now has a price tag for the first time: Cockett station, hourly trains to Pembroke Dock and Milford Haven, passenger trains on the District Line and a tram-train from Swansea to Neath. The next challenge is to find the money.
• Plaid Cymru Signal Willingness to Work with Andy BurnhamPlaid Cymru MPs have written to the Prime Minister calling for a constructive relationship to advance devolution to Wales. Plaid Cymru has long campaigned for more powers over policing, the Crown Estate and rail infrastructure and these calls are outlined in this letter to Andy Burnham.
• Shopping centre to be demolished for £1.3bn East West Rail lineA council is set to demolish a shopping centre in anticipation of an influx of people visiting the town after the East West Rail line is open.
• Summer community meetings to the current 'unacceptable situation' at King's Lynn's Queen Elizabeth Hospital, MP James Wild vows to keep the pressure on... And yes, trains came up regularly in my conversations. Latest figures the Fen Line Users' Association shared with me last week found 195 cancellations in August to that point compared to 380 in July.
• Poppies allowed on taxis again after backlash causes council U-turnA council has temporarily changed its taxi licensing policy to allow poppies and ‘Lest We Forget’ stickers after a row sparked abuse and threats.
• Birmingham Airport night flights: within limits amid resident noise complaintsBirmingham Airport is operating 'comfortably' within its permitted night flight restrictions, Solihull councillors have been told, as the airport tracks around 21 overnight flights on average. Despite the airport remaining below the 7.6% indicative cap set by Solihull Council, noise complaints from residents near Marston Green and Sheldon continue, with 23 complaints recorded earlier this year.
• HS2 viaduct takes major step forward as first 55m bridge section installedHS2 engineers have successfully installed the first 55-metre steel section of the new Saltley Viaduct over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines over the August Bank Holiday weekend, as work on the Birmingham viaduct replacement progresses through the first of four phases.

Insider Media

• First of ten new Derby-built Elizabeth line trains enters serviceThe first of ten new Derby-built Class 345 Aventra Elizabeth line trains has begun passenger service in London.

Coach and Bus Week

• Alexander Dennis takes AD Repower project in houseFollowing the collapse of its previous third party project partner, the manufacturer has taken on a number of key staff and will continue the project, initially focusing on Enviro400 vehicles
• Scotland to invest £55m in bus infrastructureThe Scottish Government has pledged an additional £55m to help provide better bus infrastructure aimed at improving service reliability and punctuality

Rail Business Daily

• East Coast Main Line celebrates digital signalling milestonePassenger trains have used digital in-cab signalling on the East Coast Main Line for the first time, marking what Network Rail called a 'new era' for the route.

Rail Magazine

• Recovery plan needed for GWR '175s' as reliability struggles continueGreat Western Railway (GWR) has put the introduction of its Class 175 fleet into a recovery plan as reliability issues continue to plague the diesel multiple units.

Rail UK

• HS2 appoints new chief programme officerHS2 Ltd has appointed a new chief programme officer as part of the comprehensive reset of the project. Neil Holm will take on the role which is focused on completing the remainder of HS2's construction and preparing for the introduction of passenger services

Railnews

• 'Generational change' on East Coast Main Line The first train in public service controlled by ETCS has run on the East Coast Main Line between Welwyn Garden City and Moorgate. Network Rail has revealed that the 08.05 Great Northern service on 31 August used in-cab signalling throughout.

The Business Desk

• New Birmingham HS2 crossing reaches first construction milestoneConstruction of the new Saltley Viaduct has taken a step forward, with HS2 engineers installing the first section of the new bridge over the Birmingham to Derby railway lines.

Other News Sources

• Wales moves to fast-track six new rail stationsThe Welsh Government is pushing to get six long-promised railway stations built faster, as it seeks to tackle chronic congestion and give travelers more alternatives to the motorway M4.
• Bus franchising starts to roll as First West Yorkshire signs contract to run Huddersfield servicesFirst West Yorkshire will continue to run bus services in Huddersfield after winning one of the first new franchising contracts.
• Reliability and route-by-route planning are key to bus fleet electrification, researchers findBus routes in Birmingham are part of new research that shows the critical importance of electric bus reliability and the need for a route-by-route approach to fleet electrification.
• Could Britain's train stations unlock 1.2m new homesBritain's biggest cities could accommodate more than one million additional homes around inner-city railway stations if housing densities matched comparable cities overseas, new research suggests.