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

Friday, 02 October 2026

BBC News

• Self-driving shuttles feature in transport planTrams and self-driving shuttle buses are among the proposals aimed at helping a growing town meet its transport needs.
• Move to stop charges for parents to sit by children on flightsThe government says it will ensure parents cannot be charged for sitting next to their children on planes if new powers get approval in Parliament.
• Twin HS2 viaducts completed after major worksThe longest HS2 viaduct structures in the Midlands have been completed. They span the M42 northbound and southbound and run 1,400 metres in length

Department for Transport

• Take off for passengers as government scraps extra charges when flyingFrom 2 October 2026, airlines will be required to seat children under the age of 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.

The Guardian

• How poor public transport policy is putting the brake on cities | LettersDavid Andrews suggests a tram network could be the answer to London’s clogged streets, while V Narayanan says unused cycle lanes are a waste of valuable road spaceYour analysis of slowing buses in global cities sets out the mechanism exactly, and the remedy follows from it (London buses in decline Why public transport in global cities is slowing to a crawl – visualised, 23 September).
• UK airlines to be banned from charging parents to sit with childrenPlanned rule change forms part of Burnham’s bid to crack down on the ‘little charges that add up’Airlines will be blocked from charging parents extra to sit with their children on planes, according to government plans.The new rule would require airlines to seat passengers aged under 14 next to their parents or an accompanying adult free of charge. Passengers will also no longer need to pay to tweak the name on their flight booking if they need to correct a mistake.

The Scotsman

• Exclusive:Trade unions locked out of SNP government discussions on the future of busesUnion leaders said they are 'alarmed' that workers were 'bypassed' on stakeholder discussions about the Scottish Government's proposed better buses bill. Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, has now written to Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn saying there has been 'a concerning lack of engagement' with trade unions in this area.

The Telegraph

• Heathrow third runway faces fresh setback as MPs question its benefits [subscription]Heathrow's third runway has suffered a fresh setback after the head of the Commons transport select committee cast doubt on the scheme's benefits. Ruth Cadbury, the Labour MP who chairs the committee, said the economic case for the runway was 'even weaker' than when MPs last voted on the plan eight years ago

Times Online

• Airlines face crackdown on charging parents to sit with their children [subscription]Andy Burnham promised the reform as one of his 'everyday fixes' tackling the small irritations that catch people out, waste their time and cost them money
• Britain in emergency diesel talks with Europe after Trump ultimatum [subscription]Trump has threatened to ban American exports of the fuel if European nations fail to release their own stockpiles

Transport Committee

• Fare play? Government's role in ticketing and pricingThe Transport Committee is exploring Government interventions in public transport fares, pricing and ticketing.

City AM

• The UK's Space Strategy is a map to the stars The UK's Space Strategy is a map to the starts published at a time when when geopolitical tensions on Earth are increasingly shaping the space sector at a global level, says Rachael O'Grady The UK’s Space Strategy, released this month, recognises that space-derived technologies, and the way we use them, have entirely transformed

Daily Record

• SNP orders for new buses leaves 'Beijing buzzing' while 115 Scots jobs are slashedAlexander Dennis is shutting one of its two factories in Falkirk and plans to slash jobs while it focuses on chassis work in Scotland instead of completing full vehicles.

The Mirror

• 'Rip-off' airline charges including fees for parents to sit next to children under 14 to be bannedHolidaymakers will also be given greater flexibility to correct simple name errors including spelling mistakes on bookings for free - rather than facing charges

Local Government

• Mayors call for more direct decision making powerRegional mayors have called for increased powers to make decision directly so they can deliver their mandates in the face of opposition from councils.

Sky News

• SpaceX flight led by first black female commander sets US speed recordAstronauts on board a SpaceX flight, including the first black woman to lead a crew to orbit, has arrived at the International Space Station (ISS) after setting a US speed record. 

Birmingham Post

• Airbus A350F freighter to rival Boeing completes first flightFor years Boeing has ruled the large long-haul freighter market
• Manchester Airport expansion plans: Bosses want to move key roadRunger Lane between Terminal Two and the M56 Junction 6 could be moved

Manchester Evening News

• Manchester City Council makes whopping £17m profit from parking charges A roads policy expert asks if some councils are using parking as a 'cash cow'

Nation. Cymru

• Senedd Members reject Reform bid to scrap 20mph speed limitsSenedd Members have rejected a Reform motion calling for the Welsh Government to scrap default 20mph speed limits.
• Deputy transport minister accused of intimidation during Reform debateA Welsh Government deputy minister has been accused of trying to intimidate a prominent Reform MS as he delivered a speech calling for Wales' 20mph default speed limit to be scrapped.

Northern Echo

• Darlington step closer to direct Brighton rail linkDarlington has moved a step closer to gaining a direct rail link with the South Coast after Grand Central secured four trains for its proposed Newcastle to Brighton service.

Wales 247

• Major construction work to begin on new Cathays station footbridgeWork on a step-free footbridge at Cathays railway station will enter its main construction phase this October, Transport for Wales has said.

Yorkshire Evening Post

• First look at the new 'Weaver Network' buses taking over Leeds next yearThe new 'Weaver Network' busses that will be rolled out across Leeds and West Yorkshire from next year have officially been revealed.

Yorkshire Post

• York set for new direct trains to Brighton and Gatwick under Grand Central plansGrand Central has secured four additional trains for its proposed new direct rail service between Newcastle and Brighton, which could run up to five times a day in each direction.

Cambridge News

• Greater Anglia trains 'unable to run' for hours on route through Cambridge Disruption is expected until at least midday

North Wales Live

• Andy Burnham makes major change to 'rip off' UK airline rulesThe Prime Minister said people are "fed up" with the current policy

Other Regional Press

• Safety measures considered after latest crash on A9 in PerthshireTransport Scotland says it could install traffic signals at the Dunkeld and Birnam junction.
• Transport secretary meets Cumbrae ferry group over serviceTRANSPORT secretary Stephen Flynn has met representatives of the Cumbrae ferry committee to discuss a range of issues affecting the island's service.
• First look at brand new West Yorkshire buses as new fleet unveiledWest Yorkshire's brand new Weaver Network buses have been unveiled ahead of their roll out which begins next year. Visiting the Wrightbus Factory in Northern Ireland, Mayor of West Yorkshire, Tracy Brabin, saw the region's new fleet of buses being assembled. They will come into use from Spring 2027 when the Weaver Network comes into effect.
• Andy Burnham says 'it's a rip-off' as new airline fee rules announcedAirlines will be blocked from charging parents extra to sit with their children on aeroplanes, according to Government plans. Passengers will also no longer need to pay to tweak the name on their flight booking, if they need to correct a mistake.
• MP Bradley Thomas gets Parliamentary debate over Bromsgrove's A38 BREP schemeBROMSGROVE MP Bradley Thomas has secured a Parliamentary debate on the A38 BREP road scheme.
• Direct train between Brighton and Newcastle take next stepsPlans for a new direct rail link connecting the north and south has taken its next steps.
• New shelters and CCTV in £950k Hampshire bus upgradeBus passengers across Hampshire are set to benefit from new shelters, live departure screens and CCTV after nearly £1 million of improvements.
• Teens causing trouble at Barnsley Interchange risk losing free bus passes'MiCard is a privilege, not a right'
• Coventry city centre parking concerns as Belgrade Plaza car park remains closedA councillor has reported difficulties with evening parking and signage following the closure of Coventry's Belgrade Plaza car park, including older theatre visitors struggling to find somewhere they feel safe parking. The council is working to secure surrender of the lease so another operator can take over.

New Civil Engineer

• Train sped up after automatic warning system before fatal Bedford crash, Raib report revealsA passenger train involved in a fatal crash near Bedford sped up after its automatic warning system (AWS) gave a red light, a Rail Accident Investigations Branch (Raib) interim report has revealed.
• Why small and steady will accelerate GBR's AI futureFrom operational planning to passenger services, there is growing pressure on organisations to demonstrate how they are preparing for a more intelligent, customer-focused future. But as Great British Railways (GBR) continues to evolve, there is a risk that the industry becomes too focused on future AI innovation before the operational groundwork is fully in place to support it.

Rail Advent

• London and South East railway staff to wear new uniformWorkers on the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) in London and the South East of England are wearing a new uniform, and their old uniforms are being donated to help jobseekers, schoolchildren and homeless people.

Rail Magazine

• Edinburgh Trams southern extension prioritised by city authority - but project remain unfundedAspirations remain to extend north and south but it's thought a southern extension offers greater opportunity.

Rail Technology Magazine

• Greater Manchester reconnects town to rail network after 60 yearsWork has officially started on the construction of Golborne railway station, marking a major milestone for transport connectivity in Greater Manchester and delivering the city-region's first brand-new railway station of the 21st century.

Railnews

• East Midlands Railway continues timetable recovery East Midlands Railway has undertaken to restore more of the services which have been suspended since July because of rolling stock problems. Difficulties with its new Aurora fleet were compounded by delays in maintaining its Class 222 diesel units, but the operator improved its Intercity services from 87 per cent to 92 per cent of the full planned timetable on 1 September.
• 'Leaf-busting' trains set to start their journeys The arrival of autumn means that fleets of Network Rail’s special ‘leaf-busting’ trains are setting out on their journeys today. They will travel for a total of 6,200 hours -- the equivalent of 36 weeks -- in their annual bid to keep railheads clean, because fallen leaves create a black film, rather like dry ice, which can make it difficult for trains to stop and also cause damage to motors if the wheels slip.

Route One (Bus and Coach)

• First Wrightbus Weaver Network buses for WYCA are completedWrightbus majors on UK manufacturing as Mellor supplies 33 Strata minis for AccessBus work
• Good bus links key to high street economy: Metroline surveyBus services are crucial to boosting the UK's high street fortunes, according to a survey commissioned by Metroline.
• WYCA contract awards gain delay as Squarepeg challenge buildsA standstill period preventing the formal award of four small Tier B and all home-to-school Tier C bus franchising contracts in the first round of that transition in West Yorkshire has been further extended to 7 October by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA).

Transportxtra

• GBR must support place-making and new housing, says GovernmentGreat British Railways will be required to actively support place-making and housing development, the DfT has said in a briefing for the House of Lords on the Long Term Rail Strategy (LTRS).

Other News Sources

• Rolling into town: GBR's rolling stock and infrastructure strategyThe eagerly-awaited long term rolling stock and infrastructure strategy (the Strategy) was published on Monday 28 September. The Strategy is a key part of the formation of Great British Railways (GBR) and the bringing together of track and train. It is one of the first documents to be branded as a GBR strategy, and so is a notable milestone.
• Peel Ports pushes port hubs to boost UK constructionPeel Ports Group is urging the UK to make greater use of port infrastructure to move construction materials, easing pressure on supply chains and supporting major housing and infrastructure projects.
• MPs launch inquiry into government's role in public transport pricing and ticketingThe House of Commons Transport Committee has launched an inquiry looking at the government's role in public transport fares, pricing and ticketing arrangements.
• Shinto ceremony marks start of British Library extension and Crossrail 2 stationThe ceremony which incorporated a series of Shinto rituals to prepare the site for construction work and to ask the kami or guardian spirits of the land for good luck and a safe delivery of the project followed a time-honoured Japanese tradition with a priest or 'saikan' officiating.
• Campaign to bring back Falmouth Docks rail link gains traction'The rail link could take hundreds of lorries off the road with even one train every day or so. Time to bring it back.'
• Leighton Buzzard MP calls for footbridge refurbishment and national station 'spruce up'Alex Mayer wants to encourage more people to travel by train and be proud of their station and wishes to transform the bridge's "tired looking" appearance.