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

Saturday, 26 September 2026

BBC News

• No furlough compensation for Alexander Dennis after conditions not metThe Scottish government has not paid any of its promised £4.1m furlough package to Alexander Dennis after the firm failed to met agreed conditions.
• What next for station scheme beset by roadwork delays?After three years of chaos and delay, a key route in the centre of Oxford finally reopened in the early hours of Sunday morning.
• JLR is 'jewel in the crown' of UK economy, says PMBurnham insists mass car production still has a future in the UK despite concerns over EU policy.
• E-bikes seized by police sold on at auction, BBC findsThousands of electric motorbikes are confiscated annually because they are suspected of being driven illegally or used in a crime - most are destroyed, but last year police sold at least 161.
• New Piccadilly train featured at Berlin exhibitionTransport for London features its new Piccadilly line train at an international exhibition.
• TfL announces capital's publicly owned bus companyTransport for London says one west London route will switch to its own operator from late 2027.
• UK diesel price close to all-time highThe average price of a litre of diesel at the pump stands at 198.32p, according to the RAC motoring body.

Financial Times

• Burnham's opposition to Heathrow expansion puts third runway in doubtAndy Burnham has plunged the plan for a third runway at Heathrow into doubt by privately telling MPs he has always opposed the project,

The Guardian

• Schoolchildren without smartphones penalised with higher bus faresDespite guidance keeping mobile phones out of England's schools, cheaper travel may only be available via an app
• 'Major milestone': TfL to launch new public bus operator in LondonBuses for London aims for 'greener, safer and better-value' service but private operators say move will not fix problems

The Independent

• Companies with highest number of train cancellations during summer heat revealedThe number of planned journeys cancelled between April and June this year rose to 102,667, a rate of 4.1 per cent. This was up from more than 80,000 cancellations (3.2 per cent) the three months prior, according to the latest data from the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

The Telegraph

• Heidi Alexander: Heathrow expansion is compatible with net zero [subscription]A third runway at Heathrow is compatible with net zero, the Transport Secretary has insisted after criticism of the expansion from the Government's climate advisers.
• Khan accused of 'mad vanity project' with London bus power grab [subscription]New company created with initial fleet of 100 vehicles and depot in west of capital
• TfL fined £2m after pensioner killed by bus at pedestrian crossing [subscription]Transport operator failed to ensure people and vehicles could circulate safely at Walthamstow bus station

Times Online

• Train cancellations are worst on record, how bad was your operator? [subscription]This summer saw an all-time low in punctuality and reliability for Britain's railways. See how your local rail operator managed

City AM

• VW-backed car hire giant plunges to £43m loss as tax hikes bite One of the UK’s biggest car hire businesses has taken aim at government tax hikes after it plunged to a £43.2m loss. Europcar UK, which is backed by German carmaker VW, recorded a profit of £7m in 2024 but its fortunes went into reverse gear a year later amid rising costs and weak demand.

Mail Online

• Andy Burnham casts doubt on Heathrow airport expansion as he 'tells MPs he has always opposed project'Andy Burnham is said to have told Labour colleagues that he had 'never been in favour' of the third-runway project.
• How modern LED headlights are terrorising millions of drivers: They led to the death of Jenni Murray after she was dazzled and crashed into two parked cars. Now we reveal why experts think the problem is only going to get worseOn a journey she knew well, Lynda Murphy was blinded bright headlights. Losing sight of the road, she crashed into a metal barrier. It's a problem that resonates with the vast majority of drivers.

Birmingham Mail

• Watch moment Arriva ‘ghost’ bus slams into Tamworth homes after eerily rolling out of depotCalls have been made for bollards to be put in place after a bus slammed into a property on the other side of the road from a depot - said to be the fourth time it has happened
• Midland motorway stop named among UK's worst servicesDrivers ranked UK motorway services on Google - with one Midland stop ranking badly
• Birmingham bikers say 'we don't feel safe cycling here' as viral star calls for changeThousands of cyclists hit the streets for a viral ride around Birmingham

Birmingham Post

• What's next for the proposed Manchester-Sheffield tunnel?Future Works has come up with plans for a 14-mile Peak District tunnel

London Evening Standard

• Zack Polanski slams Heathrow third runway 'great betrayal' as Holborn by-election hots upGreen leader says new runway is 'betrayal of climate commitments, betrayal of communities breathing polluted air, and betrayal of our children's future'
• Andy Burnham throws into doubt Heathrow's plans for a third runwayAndy Burnham stressed the views of Londoners must come first when considering the Heathrow expansion
• Andy Burnham orders flagship public London rail company to up game after summer of disruption'We've had a difficult summer across the railway network, across all of England and the UK, to be honest. It isn't good enough,' says the Prime Minister

Nation. Cymru

• Concern as further delays hit roll-out of tram-trainsContinuing delays in the roll-out of tram-trains on the south Wales Valleys Lines have prompted concerns that the Welsh Government-owned company Transport for Wales may have bought the wrong trains.

Cambridge News

• Cambridgeshire village which spent thousands on bus shelters will have all services cutCambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority voted on a number of changes to bus services across the county

Other Regional Press

• London Northwestern Railway may offer cheaper Euston tripsThe train operator Londoners may overlook for cheaper journeys from Euston to Birmingham, Milton Keynes, and beyond.
• MSP presses cases for ferry compensation payoutsIsles MSP Donald MacKinnon has met with the Islands Minister, Jim Fairlie MSP, where he pressed on him the 'urgent and precarious' position that island businesses find themselves in due to the 'historic and ongoing ferry disruption' across the isles.
• Torbay MP says council has 'repeatedly failed' to recognise importance of bus networkTorbay MP Steve Darling has criticised the borough's council over its handling of bus services, citing the collapse of a building in Paignton and roadworks at Churston as examples of the council's failure to value the bus network.
• Fight begins to save vital South Cumbria bus routesLiberal Democrat candidate for mayor of Cumbria Libby Bateman started the campaign after the travel firm revealed plans to cut its timetables.
• Coventry taxi fares rise approved despite cabbie objectionsCoventry City Council has approved higher hackney carriage fares despite objections from some cabbies. Starting fares will stay the same, but distance and waiting-time allowances will be reduced, meaning extra charges will kick in sooner.

Highways Magazine

• Welsh Govt funds VR films to boost safety message with the youngDeputy transport minister Mark Hooper has launched virtual reality (VR) road safety content aimed at young drivers.

Rail Magazine

• Digital Pay-As-You-Go 'cheaper and faster' than contactless for UK rail, new report claimsThe report, which is authored by public transport expert Thomas Ableman, argues that while "London-style ticketing" remains the industry benchmark for simple multimodal travel, copying its physical Contactless payment setup represents an expensive and time-consuming missed opportunity.

Railnews

• Another Scottish station is set to open The new station at Balgray will welcome its first passengers on Sunday. Built to serve one of East Renfrewshire’s growing communities, the station will provide convenient links to Glasgow. It will open ahead of schedule and within budget.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• CPT criticises TfL publicly-owned bus operator plans for LondonUncertainty 'could undermine future private bus operator investment', the trade body believes

Aviation Industry

• CAA confirms review into air traffic control technology failureThe Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has published the terms of reference for its review of the Nats air traffic control system failure on September 8 which caused the delay, cancellation or diversion of more than 2,000 flights.

Other News Sources

• One year on: what the UK's 10-Year Infrastructure Plan means for investorsPPP is moving, slowly. Euston Station, cited in the original strategy as a potential Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) pilot (a financing model where the public and private sectors share a long-term contract to build and run an asset), has progressed to market engagement: the Department for Transport began sourcing a delivery partner in early 2026, with a tender for a five-year, roughly £300 million engineering and design contract expected to follow**. The funding model for the station itself, however, is still not finalised.
• Reports suggest Andy Burnham 'open minded' over Heathrow expansion plansNew Prime Minister yet to be publicly drawn on government's support for £33bn third runway, but FT reports he has privately expressed misgivings over the controversial plans and was previously highly critical of the project
• New fears over Bungay and Halesworth bus route futureFears have been raised that a town could end up losing a major bus route after it emerged that further service reductions could be on the cards as funding looks set to be cut.
• Unite welcomes TfL plan for publicly-owned London busesUnite, the union representing bus workers in the capital, has today welcomed plans by Transport for London (TfL) to launch a publicly-owned bus company in late 2027.
• Nostalgic makeover for modern Blackpool tramBlackpool Transport is paying tribute to its rich heritage with the unveiling of an eye-catching 'new' look for one of its modern, second-generation trams.