The Office of Rail and Road will become an advisor and ‘critical friend’ to the Transport Secretary and GBR, as part of a radical overhaul of its rail functions. GBR will replace the ORR in determining access to the network and charges for private-sector operators to use the network. The ORR will remain the independent health and safety regulator. It will continue to enforce licences, and will operate as now in relation to railway infrastructure owners outside the GBR fold, such as the London St Pancras to Channel Tunnel high-speed line and the Core Valley Lines. The ORR will be an adjudicator where train operators outside GBR – including open access and freight – believe their requests for access have not been treated fairly by GBR. The Government said last week:... continue
The UK Government will not transfer ownership of Scottish rail infrastructure to the Scottish Government, but said last week that a solution had been found to achieving vertical integration of train operations and infrastructure in Scotland. Bill Reeve, Transport Scotland’s director of rail... continue
One of the main talking points in rail circles since Labour was elected last year is the extent to which GBR will be left to run the network without interference from the Government and civil service. Last week, the Government said: “While Ministers will set its overarching objectives and... continue
The House of Commons Transport Committee has issued an urgent Call for Evidence ahead of an inquiry into the new Railways Bill. Its MPs... continue
Urgently adopting distance-based digitally managed road user charges, at a minimum for electric vehicles, should be a priority for governments, a new report from the International Transport Forum urges. Distance-based charges should be levied on heavy vehicles as a key plank of... continue
Several countries have made progress in implementing key aspects of the ITF recommendations, the report says. Fuel tax has been fully replaced by a distance-based charge in Iceland; Singapore has adopted a Global Navigational Satellite System (GNSS-) based user charging system for all... continue
Accelerating the shift towards zero emission cars is among the central ambitions set out in the Government’s new Carbon Budget and Growth and Delivery Plan (CBGDP).According to the multi-sector plan, the UK’s shift to a “cleaner, more efficient and better integrated transport... continue
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has reacted angrily to the leader of Warwickshire... continue
Councils are struggling to balance their legal duty to provide transport for eligible pupils and the duty to balance budgets, states a new report by the National Audit Office (NAO). The body recommends that the Department for Education’s upcoming reforms to the SEND (Special Educational Needs... continue
The Regional Transport Plans (RTPs) for each of the four regions of Wales have taken effect, but there is only a small increase in capital funding for “regional transport and active travel” in the 2026/27 budget published by the Welsh Government last week. Welsh RTPs ended in 2014 when... continue
A new Centre for Cities report on the benefits of integrated transport for urban areas stresses the impacts of making existing public transport systems ‘better’ rather than ‘bigger’. It claims the concept is under-explored in the UK, but that the current policy landscape... continue
First Group has come up with further new Open Access rail service applications for its Lumo operation despite previous knock backs from the DfT and Office of Rail and Road (ORR). One of the proposals is a new direct route between Cardiff and York, with six return services each weekday from December... continue
Filey station on the North Yorkshire coast has received a £3. 6m upgrade. Network Rail worked with partners to refurbish the grade II-listed building, which opened... continue
The European Commission has launched an action plan to significantly accelerate the development of high-speed rail services across Europe. The initiative aims to cut travel times between major cities by promoting faster, more comfortable, and sustainable rail services, which is intended to reduce... continue
West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has reported a sharp decline in bus passenger numbers in the region. New data shows that the number of passengers this summer was 8% lower than during the summer of 2024, representing 2. 3m fewer bus journeys during the three-month period. At a meeting last... continue
South Yorkshire’s Mayor Oliver Coppard has proposed a freeze on Supertram fares and the child concessionary fare across bus and tram, along with a cut to the long distance single Supertram fare. The proposals will be discussed at a meeting of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority... continue
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is seeking a sole contractor for all its bus and tram shelters. The 15-year contract is worth an estimated £399m, which includes the replacement, refurbishment, maintenance and cleaning of shelters, as well as the advertising rights. According to TfGM,... continue
Doubt surrounds the prospects for a key freight-related rail upgrade scheme following conflicting signals from the government. The shadow transport secretary has accused Labour of “deliberately misleading the public” after the Department for Transport (DfT) declined to back a... continue
Plans have been unveiled to revive the direct rail route between Swindon and Birmingham, which was last in operation more than 20 years ago. The service could be reinstated through the £1.75bn Midlands Rail Hub project designed to improve rail connections across the Midlands, South West and... continue
The Department for Transport (DfT) has published an assessment of a new approach of generating travel insights by combining smartphone sensor-derived data (‘big’ data) and specific online user surveys (‘deep’ data). The pilot applications of the Fusion of User Surveys and... continue
The Government has published a draft of its 10-year vision giving local leaders more power to meet active travel targets. The third Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy (CWIS3), which has now gone out for consultation, aims to encourage councils across England to embed active travel into... continue
Motorway service operators have signed up to a pledge with independent transport watchdog Transport Focus to make services more accessible for disabled customers. Under the initiative Moto, Roadchef, Welcome Break, Extra and Getlink Customs Services to consult disabled customers prior to building... continue
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