Public Transport

Chris Ames visits Paris 2024 by public transport, swims in a Bruges canal, and lives to tell the tale.

Krishna Desai, senior global marketing manager at Cubic Transportation Systems, discusses the history of how transport ticketing has changed since the start of the millennium.

Northern Ireland’s public transport operator is on its way to a national account-based ticketing (ABT) system, providing capped contactless fares across the country.

City region transport authorities have warned that attempts to introduce London-style ticketing could be heading in the wrong direction because of a lack of direction from the Government on how to integrate emerging technologies

Michael Roberts will take over as chief executive officer of London TravelWatch from January.

The Government should improve the way transport projects are funded as the current system of local authorities bidding for capital funding is 'costly and inefficient', according to a new report.

West Midlands’ public transport network reached record numbers during the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, the region’s transport bosses have reported.

Software provider Amdocs has announced a collaboration with smart ticketing and payment solutions firm Unicard to create a ticketing product that can support multi-operator and multi-modal fare capping.

The RMT union claimed to have shut down the London Underground with a one-day strike that it said was ‘to oppose pension attacks and job cuts’.

Nottingham City Council has successfully rolled out the first Oyster-style contactless ticketing system in the country outside of London.

Liverpool City Council has launched a series of measures aimed at making public transport in the city safer for women and girls.

Transport for London (TfL) will no longer require passengers to wear face coverings on its services but will ‘strongly encourage’ them to do so.

Transport for London fares will increase by 1% above inflation next month, mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.

Nine out of the 10 central Elizabeth line station stations have now been transferred to Transport for London ahead of the start of passenger services through the central section of Crossrail in the first half the year.

Transport operators have welcomed the end of Plan B restrictions in England but London mayor Sadiq Khan has complained that removing the legal requirement to wear face coverings will create inconsistency.

Strikes on two of London Underground’s Night Tube lines are continuing, with the RMT union and Transport for London (TfL), unable even to agree on what they are currently arguing about.

Transport for London has banned privately-owned e-scooters from its network for safety reasons.

The Scottish Government will struggle to return public transport service levels in the face of uncertain demand following the pandemic, transport minister Graeme Dey has said.

The new passenger ferry for the island of Lismore is nearing completion and preparing for delivery in December.

Local government transport funding should be overhauled by pivoting away from competitive bidding and putting in five-year budgets, according to Westminster's main independent advisor on infrastructure.

The island of Lismore will have a new ferry running to Port Appin by the end of this year after Argyll and Bute Council awarded a £500,000 contract for the replacement vessel.

Returning to a car-dominated transport network will put climate targets and a ‘fair’ economic recovery at risk, transport campaigners have warned after a survey revealed that cars will continue to be the preferred mode for most journeys.

Transport for London has said it is looking to restore Night Tube services on some lines after its boss said the service could be out of action for a further year.

Bus services in Wrexham, North Wales have been severely disrupted after 28 drivers tested positive for COVID-19.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has selected three firms to develop ‘bold, innovative conceptual designs’ to help inform and potentially transform the delivery of the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro (CAM).

A new social-distancing app is ready for industry-wide deployment after a successful pilot with Network Rail, its developers have said.

The Welsh Government has withdrawn its message that public transport in the country was restricted to essential travel by key workers and people with no alternative mode of transport.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has agreed to form an arm’s length body to take forward the delivery of the Cambridgeshire Autonomous Metro (CAM).

Former head of New York City Transit Authority, Andy Byford, will be London's new Transport Commissioner - returning to lead the capital's network after starting out there as a graduate trainee.

A new report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies on commuting patterns has found those with the lowest incomes are far less likely to be able to work from home.

The Scottish government has released guidance for transport operators and passengers as well as committing further funding to help support its phased transition out of lockdown.

The Government has issued guidance to public transport passengers and operators as the nation emerges from the COVID-19 lockdown.

Transport for London (TfL) has issued guidance for the use of public transport in the capital, including calling for face masks to be worn.

The deputy chief medical officer for England has sought to explain why the UK has not implemented a screening procedure for new arrivals from abroad.

Less than a third of rail season ticket holders and only one in 10 bus season ticket holders have so far made a refund claim following the national coronavirus lockdown, a major survey has found.

The Government's action plan for the supply and delivery of PPE does not allocate any to transport workers, despite at least 14 deaths in the capital alone from COVID-19 so far.

Transport operators in Scotland are planning significant cuts to services as the coronavirus outbreak affects both demand and staffing.

Transport for London has warned it is currently facing a £500m loss of income due to the coronavirus outbreak and is asking for financial aid from government.

Poor public transport is contributing to the creation of underachieving schools across England, according to education analysts.

The Department for Transport has issued new guidance for transport workers on dealing with COVID-19.

City leaders have put transport at the top of their agenda for additional spending, driven by concerns over climate change.

Investment models used in the energy sector to help limit risk and co-ordinated national policies could help lay the groundwork for a new era of mobility, according to a new report from Amey.

Transport bosses in Scotland are promising a smarter travel experience after technology improvements allowed all 16 types of public transport smartcards in the country to be used across multiple transport modes and operators.

Amin Shayan, CEO of Littlepay, which provides the technology that allows tap-on, tap-off fare capping across Brighton and Hove and Metrobus buses in the South East, looks at how the concept could be more widely used across all public transport modes.

London Transport Commissioner Mike Brown is to leave Transport for London to head up the restoration of the Houses of Parliament.

The sub-national transport body (STB) for the South East has launched a 30-year strategy document that warns indulging continued traffic growth is ‘no longer sustainable’.

Satisfaction with public transport in Scotland has dropped by 10 percentage points over the past four years, while levels of walking have also fallen, official statistics show.

Transport Network speaks to Nick Mackie, Vice President, Contactless and Urban Mobility at Visa on the trials, tribulations and successes of smart ticketing.

Scotland’s first minister has set out plans for an ‘embryonic Scottish Green Deal’ including £500m for bus priority infrastructure and a target to achieve zero emissions on the country’s railways by 2035.

Plans for an autonomous metro system in the Cambridge and Peterborough area took a step forward after the combined authority board approved £1.7m to develop an outline business case.

Regional transport body England's Economic Heartland has published its Outline Transport Strategy for initial feedback before a formal consultation in the first half of 2020.

Gordon Mackay’s two-year term as chair of the Society of Chief Officers of Transport in Scotland (SCOTS) comes to an end in May. Transport Network catches up with him to talk winter service, collaboration and all things transport.

A study on behalf of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority has found a 'compelling case' for a £4bn autonomous underground metro scheme.

Blurred responsibilities, constant reorganisation and five-year funding models - all provoke debate about Transport for Wales.

Leaders across the North of England have officially approved a £70bn transport plan for the region and will now take steps to submit a Strategic Outline Business Case (SOBC) to Government for rail investment.

Benjamin Graham - communications executive for Sygnal, a leading onboard WiFi provider for the passenger transport industry - discusses the hows and whys of making sure your transport is digitally connected.

The cost of bailing out the overrunning Crossrail project could see a host of other transport projects in the capital put back, the chair of the London Assembly Transport Committee has said.

A new traffic commissioner for Scotland has been appointed by transport secretary Chris Grayling.

Having represented SRN users for around three years now, Transport Focus evidence base is emerging as potentially world class, something chief executive Anthony Smith is rightly proud of.

Bristol City Council has published a draft transport strategy that includes a mass transit scheme, as well as possible congestion and workplace parking charges.

The Scottish Government has begun procurement of the next contract to operate the Northern Isles Ferry Services, worth around £370m.

Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has said the rail industry would be completely renationalised within five years, at no up-front cost, under a Labour government.

Transport for London is to award a contract worth up to £380m to maintain and upgrade a key communications system for the London Underground without competition after admitting that it has ‘no reasonable alternative’.

The Scottish Government has acknowledged it must work harder to develop a sustainable transport network after its attempts to persuade people to leave their cars at home made little impact.

Researchers have called for improvements to bus services, including franchising, after new research found that unaffordable and unreliable local public transport is limiting access to jobs for people in low-income neighbourhoods.

A possible £1.7bn underground ‘metro’ for Cambridge will be designed to support the area’s failing bus services and discourage car use, the region’s mayor has said.

Ministers have announced £1.8m to help to improve transport links to the new HS2 hub at Toton in the East Midlands.

Drivers on the London Underground Piccadilly line were due to strike for just over two days from Wednesday evening, causing a complete shutdown of the line.

Transport planners in Cambridge are launching ‘innovative’ journey planning tools using real-time data to help people make more sustainable journeys.

The new president of the Local Government Technical Advisers Group (LGTAG) began his premiership with a call for radical resilience, tapping into a restlessness in the highways sector and a desire to end the ‘we have always done it this way culture’.

Planners have called on the Government to focus more on transport-oriented housing developments as a study reveals only half of new housing is built within 2km of a train station.

Work has begun on Luton Airport’s mass passenger transport system, which is set to cost £225m.

Council leaders have hit back against claims that local authorities are reneging on sustainable transport packages because they are allowed to ‘mark their own homework’.

After video exposing Amit Patel's experience navigating the Tube as a blind man went viral, Sarah Burrell says travellers need to more aware and considerate of the needs of disabled people.

The South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive (SYPTE) has appointed local firm VolkerRail to carry out the second phase of the Supertram rail replacement in Sheffield, in a deal worth approximately £12m.

New forms of collaboration are needed between the private and public sector, including data sharing arrangements, a new report has said.

Under pressure from the EU, Germany is considering making public transport free in five cities in a bid to tackle illegal levels of air pollution from road transport.

A proposed £180m “Metro Central” transport interchange in Cardiff requires urgent coordination with land-use planning, according to a leading Welsh academic.

The Government has announced a raft of new measures designed to crack down on the use of high-powered lasers, which have endangered pilots and train drivers.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has again ruled out a 'Congestion Charge' but says he is keeping his options open on bus reforms.

The international confederation representing public transport providers has created a new membership category for digital platforms such as Citymapper and Uber in recognition of the role the ‘digital revolution’ can play in complementing public transport.

The former convener of Edinburgh Council’s transport committee has told the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry that councils should not take on large public procurement projects like the city’s tram network, as the council advertised for contractors to build a £162m extension.

The Government is considering breaking up the huge franchise that includes Southern rail when it expires and trying to make new franchises more attractive.

Local authorities must ensure the security of public spaces near stations, the Department for Transport (DfT) has stressed in a new report.

Congestion in Scotland fell slightly last year, despite a 2% increase in car traffic, while the number of bus passengers fell by nearly 4%.

The new £48m Bolton Interchange has officially opened, bringing the town’s transport facilities ‘into the 21st century’ with environmental features and facilities for disabled passengers.

A new survey has revealed strong backing for measures to improve road safety and increasing support for both sustainable modes of travel and car use.

The transport watchdog has called for ‘a fairer deal’ for rail passengers after rising inflation is set to trigger a 3.6% increase in fares in England and Wales from January.

The latest statistics on travel trends in England show a continuing fall in the total number of journeys people are making, including a slight drop in trips – and distance travelled - by car.

Weekend 24-hour services will launch on the London Overground from December, following the success of the Night Tube.

Transport for London (TfL) has named six more underground stations that will be made step-free by 2020 as part of mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans to improve accessibility.

The Green Party has pledged to create ‘a people’s transport system’ that makes it easy for people to choose to leave the car at home – ‘or not have one at all’.

A suspected terror attack at Manchester Arena late on Monday night that killed at least 22 people and left many more injured, has closed Manchester Victoria rail station until at least the end of the day (Tuesday).

People in Northern Ireland would walk more regularly if the weather was better, according to a new survey that also found that the majority of workers drive to work on their own.

The pioneering project to construct the UK’s first tram train system achieved a major milestone over Easter as the track connection between South Yorkshire’s Supertram network and the heavy rail network was installed.

The National Audit Office (NAO) is to publish a report on the Government’s South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme that is expected to set out how the programme achieved ‘very little’ with nearly £40m of public money.

Councils from across London and the South East have urged the Government to give the Crossrail 2 scheme its full backing.

Strikes by members of the RMT union will affect thousands of passengers on the London Underground and Southern rail on Wednesday.

Translink has revealed its latest proposals for the Belfast Hub - a regeneration project based around what will become Northern Ireland's main transport interchange.

Heathrow must show half of its users will take public transport to get approval for its expansion plans, ministers have said, however there is no clear method of enforcement yet.

The new chair of the Urban Transport Group, Tobyn Hughes, has welcomed the Tees Valley Combined Authority as a new associate member and is looking to expand the group further.

Transport for London (TfL) will introduce a blue badge for those less able to stand on a permanent basis in the spring following a successful trial.

The heated debate over light rail in Leeds has been reignited after local politicians criticised the city council for giving up and allocating £270m to other transport projects.

Key figures from the transport sector have disagreed about the chancellor’s pledge to spend more money on roads while freezing fuel duty.

Council leaders and industry figures have declared themselves willing to play their part in delivering the £1.3bn worth of improvements and maintenance on the transport network pledged by the chancellor, but called for more detail.

The Autumn Statement will include an extra £1.3bn to improve Britain’s roads and public transport, including backing for an expressway connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge, and ‘billions’ for other infrastructure projects.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has announced measures aimed at tackling growing congestion on London’s roads, including doubling bus priority schemes.

An interim report into the Croydon tram derailment should be published this week, while the longer-term investigation is likely to consider whether automated braking systems can be used on trams, a minister has said.

The RMT union and London Underground (LU) have resolved a long-running dispute over pay, pensions and the Night Tube.

Conservative Zac Goldsmith has resigned as an MP over the Government’s backing for an expanded Heathrow airport, while local politicians including London’s mayor have said they are considering challenging the decision in the courts.

Transport for London (TfL) and the police are holding over 50 events this week as part of National Hate Crime Awareness Week, ‘to reassure passengers and transport staff that hate crime on the transport network is not tolerated’.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has backed plans for a new road tunnel at Silvertown, East London, including a user charge that he once said could be seen as ‘a tax on East and South East Londoners’.

Transport minister Andrew Jones hailed this week’s expansion of the Greater Birmingham's bus and tram smartcard to include rail as well, as a 'significant new development' for the region.

Transport bosses from the country’s biggest city regions have set out a route map for what an effective relationship with Government should look like, including prompt enactment of the Bus Services Bill, more stable funding and tougher action on toxic air.

A US manufacturer has unveiled an electric bus that it says can drive up to 350 miles on a single charge.

Campaigners have called on ministers to use the Bus Services Bill to improve public transport in rural areas, including reversing bus funding cuts.

A hard-hitting report says the funding to support capital investment in London’s transport network is at risk while the mayor’s fares freeze has left Transport for London (TfL) ‘hamstrung’.

The Northern Ireland Government has announced a £45m investment to modernise the country’s public transport ticketing, aiming to ‘transform travel’ and increase users.

The Go-Ahead group, which co-owns the troubled GTR rail franchise and beleagured Southern Railway, has announced statutory pre-tax profits of nearly £100m, a day after ministers announced a £20m fund to bail out Southern.

Councils in the West of England devolution partnership have a ‘range of back up plans’ to support the £200m Metrobus scheme should there be difficulties securing operators for the network.

Derbyshire County Council has launched a legal challenge over plans by Sheffield City Region to include the Derbyshire town of Chesterfield in a new mayoral combined authority.

Transport for London (TfL) is advertising for a contractor to build the £263m extension of the London Overground to Barking Riverside, east London's largest housing development.

The average level of rail overcrowding in the morning peak is now at 5% over capacity in major cities in England and Wales, new figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) have revealed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced a five-day strike next month in its ongoing dispute with Govia Thameslink Railway over the role of guards on Southern services.

The VW scandal is not the first time transport has been at the centre of a major scandal and is not even the latest. From vehicles that aren’t what they seem to unsporting behaviour and ticketing scams, here’s our Top 5 (worst) transport cheats.

Transport bosses in the North East have set out plans for a massive upgrade of rail and light rail across the region.

A new partnership that aims to ‘revolutionise’ the £1.2bn construction of new tram routes across the West Midlands has been formally launched.

Transport bosses have rejected calls from the competition watchdog for ‘additional hurdles’ to be introduced for franchising proposals under the Bus Services Bill.

Wolverhampton Council is set to develop a Statutory Quality Bus Partnership (SQBP) for the city centre, using existing legislation.

The first stages of investment in the £90m Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme have delivered early results, with the city’s bus services carrying 85,000 more passengers in 2015-16.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has given the go-ahead for an £18m extension of the Midland Metro tram network in Wolverhampton.

A long-running legal battle over whether bus companies must require people to give up disabled spaces to wheelchair users has moved to the Supreme Court.

Campaigners have given ministers a list of demands to help tackle the ‘failing’ Southern Railway franchise, as strikes over driver only operation (DOO) hit north and south of the border.

Transport for London (TfL) is in talks to provide mobile phone coverage for emergency services on the Tube network, with the possibility that coverage for passengers could follow.

Campaigners have called for action beyond the Bus Services Bill to reverse declining use after estimated journeys in England fell again, while price rises once more outstripped inflation.

Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) said it will drive forward more than £4bn of transport infrastructure over the coming decade, including more tram extensions, new suburban rail lines, cycle routes and better motorways.

Bus operators have expressed concern that councils do not have the financial resources or political commitment to deliver their part in the Government’s reforms.

Ministers should consider broadening the way public transport is financed and learn from innovative schemes like Nottingham’s workplace parking levy, campaigners have said.

Use of trams and light rail in England continued to rise over the past year, with record numbers of passenger journeys and vehicle miles.

West Midlands transport chiefs have warned that cutting the number of inter-city trains at stations in the region would make it ‘almost impossible’ to commute between some of its key cities.

Train operator c2c has launched what it says is the country’s first flexible season ticket, saving around 5% compared to the usual peak-time price of daily travel without a season ticket.

At least two fifths of supported bus routes in Oxfordshire will end after the county council removes subsidies next month.

Bigger may not always be better, but some transport modes seem to be growing all the time, albeit not without controversy. Here’s our list of the top 5 jumbo trains, planes, boats, buses – and buggies.

Campaigners have called for more to be done to protect school and college transport after a report claimed cuts have generated up to 100 million extra car journeys every year.

Ministers and London mayor Sadiq Khan have nominated Lord Andrew Adonis to be the chair of Crossrail 2, while Val Shawcross has been nominated as the capital’s deputy mayor for transport.

Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, has announced that CalMac Ferries Limited is the preferred tenderer for the next contract to operate the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services in a deal worth £900m over eight years.

The first all-night London Underground services will run on the Central and Victoria lines from 19 August, with services on the Piccadilly, Jubilee and Northern to follow in the autumn, new mayor Sadiq Khan has announced.

The much-anticipated Buses Bill will hand franchising powers to areas with directly elected mayors, while others will be able to apply for them. Legislation will also be introduced to facilitate autonomous and electric vehicles.

Passengers in London can now use Android Pay on their mobile phones to travel on the Tube, buses, trams and most National Rail services.

Leeds City Council said it has been ‘let down’ again after transport secretary Patrick McLouglin rejected its longstanding attempts to build a £250m trolleybus scheme.

Newcastle City Council plans to outsource its winter service provision under a maximum 10-year contract worth up to £6m.

Transport for London (TfL) is making live service information about its tram network available to passengers.

The media is full of stories of heroism by the staff and passengers on transport. Here are our top five.

Network Rail has established its property business as a company with its own board to help fill its funding black hole and allow the infrastructure operator to ‘focus on its core business’.

Businesses and politicians in the North are calling for new tax-raising powers for the region's local authorities and for the rail network to be transferred to Transport for the North (TfN).

The Government-commissioned report that recommended a new runway at Heathrow significantly underestimated the costs of improving surface transport access, which could exceed £18bn, according to Transport for London (TfL).

New road schemes still dominate Local Enterprise Partnerships' (LEPs) spending plans for the coming year, campaigners have said.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has backed rail operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) over the issue of running trains without guards, as another of the company’s franchises faces industrial action over the matter.

ASLEF, the train drivers' union, has claimed the Department for Transport (DfT) is behind a developing High Court legal battle between itself and a leading train company.

Transport for London (TfL) has named Mark Wild, the former head of the public transport network in the Australian state of Victoria, as the new managing director of London Underground.

Buckinghamshire CC is consulting residents during a ‘root and branch’ review of its transport services, as it looks to save £2.3m.

A Labour MP has written to transport secretary Patrick McLouglin about a ‘gradual erosion of Bolton’s public transport’ after night bus services to Manchester city centre were withdrawn.

A probe into the beleaguered South East Flexible Ticketing programme has moved a step closer after the National Audit Office said it would meet campaigners to discuss their concerns about the £80m scheme.

Police have launched an investigation after what is believed to be a drone hit a passenger jet landing at Heathrow, prompting calls from Labour for the Government to 'wake up' to the problem.

Serious offences spark bizarre punishments while trivial transgressions could get you jailed. Here are five reports of transport crimes and punishments that may leave you scratching your head.

Rail minister Claire Perry has launched a new smartcard product on two routes operated by Abellio Greater Anglia, as part of the beleaguered South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme.

Smartcard tickets are now being sold on buses and trams in South Yorkshire.

Senior MPs have heavily criticised the Government’s approach to airports' transport access, highlighting that many have been left ‘completely disconnected from major road and rail infrastructure’.

At least one regional transport body is set to return to Wales following the signing of a £1.2bn City Deal for the Cardiff region.

Key professional bodies have welcomed the prospect of greater rail devolution in the wake of the Shaw Report into Network Rail, however the freight sector has raised concerns over the potential fragmentation of services.

Transport for London’s (TfL) programme to improve sub-surface London Underground lines ‘is nothing short of a disaster for London’, a senior London Assembly member has said.

London’s Night Tube service is set to be launched in August, according to driver’s union ASLEF.

Campaigners have written to the chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) calling for an audit of the Government’s South East Flexible Ticketing programme (SEFT).

Surrey County Council has issued a wish list of improvements from the next South Western rail contract, including Oyster-style ticketing for all public transport across the county.

Labour’s shadow transport secretary Lilian Greenwood has again demanded that ministers ‘abandon plans to privatise Network Rail’ following a think tank’s call for the full privatisation and deregulation of Britain’s railways.

A planned 48-hour Tube strike scheduled for this weekend has been called off, the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has confirmed.

The Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union has announced that it will recommend that members accept a new and improved offer on the troubled Night Tube service.

The Campaign for Better Transport has called on ministers to ‘come clean’ about its £80m South East Flexible Ticketing (SEFT) programme, after transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin failed to deny it has been abandoned.

The rail industry doesn’t need ‘a lot more infighting’ over the future of Network Rail, as the organisation undergoes a government review, rail bosses have been told.

At least a million journeys a day in London are now made using contactless payments, new figures from Transport for London (TfL) reveal.

Plans to create a sub-national transport body in conjunction with a neighbouring consortium and deliver a ‘significant shift away from car journeys to more sustainable forms of transport’ are at the heart of the Greater Brighton City Region’s devolution bid.

Eleven major UK auto insurers are joining forces to explore the insurance and liability issues of automated vehicles emerging onto public roads.

The Scottish Government has published a ‘refresh’ of its National Transport Strategy, (NTS) in advance of a potential overhaul, which reveals a 6% fall in overall public transport use since 2006.

A potentially crippling London Underground strike planned for this Tuesday has been called off after the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union agreed to suspend it.

Norfolk Car Club, which started in 2009 with two cars, is asking Norwich City Council for 130 new parking bays on top of the existing 37 in the city to meet growing demand. The club aims to add 80 new vehicles to its existing fleet by the end of 2017.

The bus operator which caused a Twitter storm last spring with its risqué adverts is launching a second commercial service in Cardiff this week which will exploit bus lanes installed by the city council for a park and ride service.

Tackling loneliness and isolation among over 60s through increased use of community transport could save public services across the UK between £400 million and £1.1 billion a year, a new report claims.

Minister announces major milestones on smart ticketing progress, as the bus and rail sectors move closer to a national payment system.

The Passenger Transport Executive Group, known as pteg, has re-launched itself as the Urban Transport Group boasting major new members including Transport for London.

Plans for all UK rail passengers to 'tap-on, tap-off' using paperless ticketing are now firmly under way, following a series of meetings between the Government and key stakeholders.

Bristol City Council has launched a new open data web tool that will provide free access to a wealth of transport information, including real-time feeds from buses and car parks.

Local government body, Rail North, will jointly share with the Department for Transport the responsibility for managing two North of England rail franchises unveiled today.

Legal services supplied to Transport for London (TfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA) have been called into question by an internal audit report, an Assembly Member has claimed.

The High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) connection between Birmingham and Crewe is due to open in 2027, six years ahead of schedule, the Government announced today after finalising the section's route.

Leaders in the West Midlands have signed a provisional £1bn devolution deal with government that brings a directly elected mayor to the region from 2017, responsible for a raft of new transport powers.

Network Rail’s current five-year investment programme is fatally flawed by 'severe planning and budgeting failures', according to an influential group of cross-party MPs.

There is ‘genuine consensus’ on the inherent problems with Network Rail according to a government-commissioned study that is considering both full privatisation and full nationalisation as a means to reform the public sector operator.

Merseyside leaders have signed a devolution deal with government worth some £900m over 30 years that will see a directly elected mayor take power in 2017.

After winning a contract to help create a masterplan framework for the UK’s first 21st century Garden City, an expert at infrastructure giant AECOM takes us through the issues around building a modern city designed to stand the test of time.

Tyne and Wear commuters can take advantage of the first daily fare cap offer outside London when they use a new PoP 'pay as you' go top-up card.

Transport for London has released detailed plans on the £27bn Crossrail 2 project, including routes and locations for new train stations.

Transport Network caught up with Transport for the North's incoming chief executive, David Brown, to talk about his priorities for this waking giant.

Network Rail’s top executive has called for a range of groups including councils, local businesses and train operators to be made to directly invest in rail upgrades.

Chancellor George Osborne plans to establish a National Infrastructure Commission to help advise the government on which projects should be prioritised.

Virgin Trains has become the first rail operator to offer automatic refunds on delayed services, although tough restrictions apply.

Ministers promote plans to make compensation easier for rail passengers suffering delays, while fares are set to rise by 1% next year.

A group of major transport authorities have called for an end to the investment 'ice age' on regional rail, arguing that a new fleet for the network would bring at least £3.90 of benefits for every pound invested.

The Government has kicked off the bidding process for some £11.8bn of contracts for phase 1 of the £50bn HS2 programme.

Tube strikes could actually benefit the economy according to a new study from researchers at Cambridge and Oxford universities.

Major transport executives have called on Network Rail to hand over commissioning and delivery roles and its ownership of stations, in a stinging criticism of the troubled operator.

Increasing overcrowding on rush hour train services saw one in five passengers coming into London forced to stand last year, while a rail line in the North West reached 86% overcapacity.

The launch of the planned Night Tube services has been postponed after a bitter struggle between unions and Transport for London (TfL) bosses.

Recorded sexual offences at Britain’s trains and stations have reached record levels after seeing a dramatic increase of some 25% in 2014/15, British Transport Police (BTP) figures reveal.

The devolution of rail services and bus subsidies to local authorities and tax breaks for car-sharing commuters should form part of wider moves to boost mobility in the workforce, according to a leading political think tank.

First signs of a possible resolution emerge as Aslef backs off double strike action scheduled for later this month.

Network Rail has been slapped with a £2m fine after the industry watchdog found its performance on Southern, Govia Thameslink (GTR) and Scotland services in 2014-15 had breached its licence.

A West Midlands bus operator has been banned from running services after inspectors uncovered ‘predatory’ and ‘potentially dangerous’ business practices.

London is set for more transport turmoil this month after unions called a fresh round of two 24-hour strikes in the bitter dispute over the Night Tube services.

London is set for another 24 hours of mass disruption after unions rejected the latest deal from Transport for London (TfL) in their ongoing dispute over Night Tube arrangements.

Rail passengers in Kent and parts of East Sussex are set to benefit from a £5.5m investment in smart ticketing across Southeastern’s network.

Britain’s mainline railway is now regarded as the safest in Europe after harm to passengers fell by a third over the past ten years, the national rail watchdog’s annual health and safety report has highlighted.

Caerphilly could follow in the footsteps of Hillingdon and use sweeping new behaviour orders to police council and public transport areas.

The London Assembly's transport chair has called Transport for London's (TfL) handling of 24-hour Tube service plans 'inept' and suggested the body put 'a gun to their [own] head' by setting the launch date as it did.

London could be set for another Tube strike with members of the Aslef the train drivers’ union planning a 24-hour walk out on 5 August.

Britain’s largest union has erased a clause in its rulebook requiring strikes to remain legal, ahead of the introduction of tighter controls on industrial action.

After 30 years experience in highways, Trevor Collett talks to Dominic Browne about his hopes and concerns for the sector and being next in line to be president of the Local Government Technical Advisers Group (TAG).

Transport for London (TfL) has ‘little interest’ in preventing a 24-hour London Underground strike that could this week plunge the capital into gridlock, unions claim.

Council officers have welcomed an apparent Welsh Government u-turn over their role in the Cardiff city region Metro project to create an integrated public transport system.

Policies to devolve transport powers and build links to the North must go ‘further and faster’ if cities are to support growth, a report has claimed.

The national railways watchdog is considering calling for an overhaul of how Network Rail is funded, after launching an investigation into the operator's poor performance last year.

There should be no re-run on referendums over whether local areas should have directly elected mayors, local government minister Baroness Williams has said.

Our cartoonist finds inspiration from the unfortunate story of how Abellio Greater Anglia is set to spend £30m on cleaning after allegations of 'flea infested seats'.

The Government’s Cities and Local Government Devolution Bill was unveiled at the Queen’s Speech, allowing cities with elected metro mayors to take control of major powers including transport and planning controls.

London Underground (LU) drivers are being balloted on strike action over pay and staffing plans for the night Tube service.

Rail workers have announced the first UK-wide rail strike for 20 years will take place on Bank Holiday Monday 25 May.

Plans for new transport links to an 11,000 home development in east London have been put to consultation by Transport for London (TfL).

Millions of rail commuters face major disruption after members of the RMT union voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action in protest over a pay dispute.

Over 900 people have been evacuated from a train and thousands delayed following a power cut in south London.

New features on the Transport for Edinburgh mobile app will help blind and visually impaired bus and tram passengers navigate more independently around the Scottish capital.

Conservative plans to crackdown on strikes by setting tough new voting thresholds, especially in key services such as transport, have been labelled an attack on ‘democratic and legitimate rights’.

A major new survey has suggested HS2 is one of the lowest priorities for the public heading into the election, with other infrastructure projects also lagging behind.

Passengers affected by the ongoing redevelopment of London Bridge station should be compensated after enduring weeks of commuter chaos, according to a London council.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has defended the six figure salaries of HS2 bosses suggesting they were needed to bring the top people to this country.

Plans for carrying more rail commuters comfortably and safely have won development funding for two UK design firms in a global competition.

Electric vehicle charging points, low emission public transport and LED lighting have been named some of the most ‘vital’ investments to help UK cities become smarter.

Six Scottish regions are launching a bid for £1bn of city deal cash, with transport and infrastructure improvements emerging as central to the plans.

Public support for bringing the railway network back under national ownership has been put down to ‘historical fondness’ by a rail expert, after a new poll shows significant interest in the policy.

Plans are being drawn up for a £100m cable car system in Cardiff that could carry thousands of passengers over a five-mile stretch.

A Government-backed competition to fuel innovation in the rail industry has an expanded £6m prize fund.

A repeat of the West Coast Mainline debacle, which cost the taxpayer up to £45m, is ‘unavoidable’ unless civil service skills shortages are addressed, MPs have warned.

Leading campaigners who successfully lobbied to make Crossrail stepfree, have released seven key asks of government to improve transport for the mobility-impaired.

Local authorities and train operators have been invited to bid for a £60m government fund that could see them retain revenues from projects that boost the commercial potential of stations.

Motoring campaigners have accused the Government of allowing oversight of the Strategic Road Network to fall far short of what is applied to Network Rail.

An exclusive interview with Transport for London’s (TfL) director of customer experience, Shashi Verma, who has very clear ideas why the transport system should be central to London’s success.

After their success achieving access for mobility scooter users on the Thames Clipper boats, Transport Network spends a day with the members of Transport for All - a charity providing advice and information to disabled and older people using London transport.

Following news of the Government's plans for a West Anglia Task Force, the London Stansted Cambridge Consortium explains why transport improvements are so important for this region.

Crisis-hit Northern Ireland public transport provider Translink will next week announce a public consultation on potentially dramatic service cuts.

The UK government has sold its entire stake in the cross-Channel train operator Eurostar in a deal worth £757.1m to the exchequer.

A new smart phone app could spell the end to problems experienced by blind and partially sighted people navigating the London Underground and other transport networks.

Underground workers are to strike this weekend over the dismissal of a colleague who failed breathalyser tests.

Companies bidding for the Northern and Transpennine Express rail franchises have been told they will have to scrap older stock, raise capacity and boost station investment.

Thousands of outer London commuters will receive refunds on travel costs after mayor Boris Johnson made a U-turn on daily fare caps.

One of England’s major growth corridors is in line for significant improvements to its transport connections after the Government pledged to establish a West Anglia task force.

London is in line for another £10bn of transport investment over the next Parliament helping pay for a wider roll out of 24-hour Tube services to most lines and the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

Assaults to Tube staff have jumped 44% in five years, prompting fears that further employee cuts could leave many at greater risk.

A council in North West England is lobbying for a range of local transport improvements in a bid to ‘maximise’ potential connections with HS2.

Rail passengers travelling from south east England into London are the most likely to be delayed, a poll suggests.

An end to ticket price regulation on the rail network would help tackle train overcrowding and reduce costs for the taxpayer, according to a new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA).

London Underground drivers have voted to strike over a colleague's sacking after they failed breathalyser tests.

A four-year smart ticketing roll-out across the South West England bus network is on course to deliver economic benefits worth £35.5m by the end of 2015, according to an impact study from Plymouth University.

Thousands of rail passengers face higher fares and reduced service quality as a result of government plans to re-privatise the East Cost Main Line, according to the UK’s primary competition watchdog.

Mike Burton looks at whether HS2 will address capacity issues for the many or the few.

Bus services have been labelled ‘pivotal’ to local employment by a study raising further calls for stronger local powers to support ‘lifeline’ routes.

The business case for the ‘Northern powerhouse’ transport strategy will be completed in time to form part of this year’s Autumn Statement, Transport Network can reveal.

Welsh local government figures have raised concerns that transport decision making is being over-centralised, with one critic even suggesting they would be better off teaming up with English regions and 'getting out of Wales altogether'.

This month ADEPT’s transport board together with senior figures from associated areas of central and local government debated the links between public health and transport and how directors could become more involved in this cross-cutting agenda.

Decades of funding cuts to northern rail networks must be reversed if the region is to maximise the benefits of economic growth, a study claims.

Senior MPs have raised concerns over Network Rail's ability to deliver on its record £38bn investment programme following the Christmas disruption and called for more cash to be allocated outside London.

Education ministers should consider intervening in local transport policy if it is a ‘significant barrier’ to 16- to 18-year-olds staying in education, employment or training, an influential group of MPs has said.

Senior MPs have accused the Department for Transport (DfT) of poor planning, regional bias and poured cold water on the prospect of HS2 providing value for money.

Failures in the way the British Transport Police in Cardiff have handled data could have put public safety at risk, whistleblowers have warned.

The Passenger Transport Executive Group (pteg), representing the strategic transport bodies serving the six largest city regions outside London, has named its new chair.

Conservative plans to ban transport staff from striking unless 40% of the workforce back industrial action have prompted fury from trade unions.

Network Rail has vowed to consider moving more engineering work away from holiday periods and to change its protocols with private contractors in the aftermath of the Christmas disruption that affected thousands of passengers in London.

Transport for the North had its inaugural meeting this week, bringing together an alliance of key authorities to help design a better transport network for the region and make the Government’s Northern Powerhouse rhetoric a reality.

A planned bus strike across London is set to go ahead tomorrow with services affected from around 4am on Tuesday 13 January through to night buses early Wednesday morning.

Scotland has experienced widespread travel disruption after being battered by 110mph winds overnight, with Scotrail suspending all services at one point.

George Osborne has called for falling oil prices to translate to lower petrol pump and air fare costs however public transport users are unlikely to benefit.

London travel fare rises could be reversed and prices frozen using Transport for London (TfL) underspend and additional income, a report claims.

Close to 30,000 bus workers in the capital are to stage a one-day strike on 13 January over union demands for a single London-wide agreement covering pay, terms and conditions.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has raised the prospect of ending Christmas engineering works on the railways in response to the ‘unacceptable’ disruption that hit thousands of Londoners over this festive season.

The Green Party has vowed to cut an average of 10% from public transport fares and freeze the cost for the duration of the next parliament.

A new ‘social innovation’ model for delivering transport services across Northamptonshire is being considered by the county council, in a groundbreaking move that officers hope will save millions within the first two years.

Wheelchair users may occasionally be prevented from using public transport after a ruling today means bus companies are not required by law to force parents with buggies to make way in designated bays.

London Underground staff are expected to be ‘stretched to the limit’ by ticket office closures, with the first sites set to close early next year.

The franchise for the state-run East Coast main line has been awarded to a consortium of Stagecoach and Virgin, in a move slammed by Labour as selling the public 'down the river'.

Tube workers on the Northern Line took industrial action today in solidarity with a colleague who was dismissed in what the RMT union claims was a ‘blatant and clear cut case of victimisation and abuse of procedures’.

Campaigners for disabled transport access have won a fight to ensure all 40 Crossrail stations are stepfree when the line is fully operational by 2019.

Stephen Joseph OBE of Campaign for Better Transport looks ahead to the Autumn Statement and sees trouble up the road.

Over 500,000 people across Greater Manchester will from today be able to use smart ticketing, as phased roll out of ‘touch in’ travel cards continues.

London mayor Boris Johnson has labelled Crossrail 2 ‘vital’ for the economic growth of London and the South East, as support for the project mounts.

British Transport Police has urged women suffering abuse on public transport to ‘step forward’ and have confidence that the matter will be taken seriously, after a new poll demonstrates the scale of the problem.

Plans to create a 'Northern Powerhouse' through an HS3 link from Leeds to Manchester have been backed by the Government after the release of a major report from the boss of HS2 Ltd today.

Passenger complaints over train journeys have risen for the first time since 2011-12, a trend bucked by the publicly-owned East Coast operator which experienced the largest fall in complaints.

Improving transport in the largest cities outside London, with a focus on Manchester to Leeds rail, should be a key national growth priority, a government commissioned report has found.

The Government's decision to close the Transport Direct website is premature, says transport expert Stephen Joseph OBE.

Urban and rural travellers and tourists, users of passenger ferries, and flood-prone communities are among likely beneficiaries of new ‘white space’ broadband technology in which the UK is taking a European lead.

Stoke-On-Trent City Council has made its biggest push yet to win a place on the HS2 line with a new report stating it is the ’technically superior, cheaper and faster’ option compared to its arch rival Crewe and 'saves the tax payer at least £2bn’.

Abellio has won the Scotrail franchise, the single biggest contract let by the Scottish Government worth up to £6bn according to ministers.

New designs for 250 air-cooled London Underground trains have been unveiled by mayor Boris Johnson, with plans in place for walk-through carriages and improved accessibility.

Tube union RMT has confirmed the London Underground strike scheduled to start next Tuesday has been suspended following 'substantial progress' in talks.

London Underground is establishing a £75m fund to accelerate accessibility improvements on the Tube, bringing in new lifts at around a dozen more stations over the next ten years.

South London could benefit from an extension to the Bakerloo Line by the early 2030s, under £3bn plans unveiled by mayor of London Boris Johnson.

A rail link between Oxford and Cambridge could be re-opened under Liberal Democrat plans to deliver five Garden Cities along the route.

London will launch 24-hour ‘Night Tube’ Underground services from the early hours of 12 September 2015, the mayor confirmed today.

Stoke-on-Trent’s dreams of hosting a high speed rail station have taken another blow today with reports that HS2 Ltd chairman, Sir David Higgins, will favour Crewe instead when he makes a progress report next month.

London’s transport commissioner has warned there could be riots in the capital unless more trains and buses are provided at affordable fares for the poorest communities, it has emerged.

Labour has pledged to hand cities ‘London-style’ powers over transport and ticketing, among a range of policy commitments targeting airport capacity, road safety and rail.

Labour has vowed to honour devolution pledges that would hand regions power to invest in ‘trams, buses and railways’ if it takes power in 2015.

Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore has announced a further 6,000 jobs at the authority will be lost by 2018, but stressed HS2 will go ahead as planned.

The latest innovations in transport accessibility are to be showcased during a groundbreaking event staged by Transport for London (TfL) next month.

Protection for UK transport workers and other frontline staff needs to be 'bolstered' after new figures suggest at least 65,970 have been attacked while on duty in the last three years.

HS2 Ltd has announced that more than £10bn worth of contracts for the controversial £50bn HS2 project will soon be up for grabs with the hope almost all go to UK-based firms.

Labour has warned that commuters on some of the busiest rail lines in the south east could face fare hikes of more than £600 on their annual season ticket.

Train companies have been challenged to give commuters more seats on the busiest trains, as figures reveal some journeys are running at over twice capacity.

The train drivers’ union ASLEF has suspended a second strike on the central line scheduled for this Wednesday ‘after developments at talks’.

Unions have said the re-privatisation of the East Coast Mainline ‘defies all economic logic’ after the state-owned company operating the line revealed it returned £225m to the Treasury in 2013-14.

The Department for Transport (DfT) aims to improve the accessibility of the bus network for the UK’s 360,000 blind or partially sighted residents after figures show fewer than one in five buses have audio-visual (AV) technology.

Fears over poor rail connectivity for Humberside and lower service levels under new franchises in the North were raised at a House of Commons Transport Select Committee this week.

Network Rail has been reclassified as a central government body, with its roughly £34bn debt now on the national balance sheet.

London Underground is braced for further industrial action this week, after the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) confirmed its latest move in a long-running dispute over jobs and services.

Government subsidies for the rail industry have fallen by almost 40% over the past five years, statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT) show.

London Underground has awarded a £500m contract to Ferrovial Agroman Laing O’Rourke for design and construction of Northern line extensions.

A tube strike has been called for this Friday (22 August) on the central line by members of ASLEF the rail union.

The Government is facing anger from rail commuters after it emerged fares on some lines could increase by 5.5% from January with all regulated fares set to go up by an average of 3.5% next year.

The Royal London Society for Blind People (RLSB) is working with digital product studio ustwo on a new smartphone app aimed at helping visually-impaired people navigate London’s transport networks safely.

Train companies should 'build long-term relationships with their passengers' a new report suggests, after research found more than one in ten passengers feel negatively towards the industry.

The Government is considering a u-turn on reclassifying Network Rail as a public body from next month in order to avoid adding its £34bn of gross debts to the national deficit, it is understood.

Can we ever achieve true transport integration across different modes and between cities and towns? Adrian Tatum reports from the latest in a series of Surveyor and TEC round table debates which took place at Intertraffic in Amsterdam, Holland.

Hillingdon LBC and anti-HS2 campaigners have lost their latest legal challenge against the controversial £50bn rail line.

East Coast Main Line returns £1bn to Treasury since 2009, prompting anger over its return to private hands.

First Bus releases contactless smartcard after delayed roll out in Bristol.

The High Court has dismissed a Christian charity’s claim that London mayor Boris Johnson improperly intervened to ban a bus advert, which suggested people could be ‘post gay’ and ‘get over’ homosexuality.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has vowed to enforce a tougher price cap on rail fares if his party wins back power, as part of wider reforms to the rail network.

A new report from passenger transport bosses outlines the case for a major ‘growth agenda’ in northern railways, suggesting the network is a key foundation to the region’s economy.

Liverpool City Council has launched a major campaign to bring HS2 to the city, claiming the connection could bring an overall £8.3bn boost to the region's economy.

The national rail watchdog’s annual safety report published today has called for better infrastructure to help maintain the UK’s safety standards in the face of record levels of rail traffic.

MPs have called for testing of a ‘total transport’ solution in isolated communities that are faced with declining access to bus and rail services.

More than 35 councils from up and down the UK have joined together with local transport bodies to call for significant upgrades to the East Coast Mainline, in a bid to boost the UK economy by up to £9bn a year.

An inquiry into the economic case behind the controversial £50bn HS2 line has been launched by an influential group of Lords.

Regional rail services are being ‘penalised’ by a biased cost allocation system that feeds ‘false perceptions’ about value for money, transport bodies have warned.

West Yorkshire’s smart ticketing system is set to cover Huddersfield after the Government agreed a £153,000 investment to upgrade ticket gates at the town’s railway station.

Naomi Larsson on the simple distractions of public transport.

Naomi Larsson takes a comic look at one of the less publicised issues facing tube passengers.

Network Rail has been slapped with a record fine of £53.1m by the rail regulator for falling ‘significantly short’ on its punctuality targets.

Leading UK transport expert (and former Surveyor columnist) Christian Wolmar is seeking to become Labour’s 2016 mayoral candidate. He tells Dominic Browne why his transport and highways plans are what the capital needs.

David Cameron has confirmed £500m of new money for Glasgow's City Deal, which will see Scotland’s biggest city create a £1.1bn infrastructure fund focused on transport.

Prime minister David Cameron has unveiled a £146m funding package for rail improvements in Cornwall, designed to support the county’s tourist trade.

Council chiefs have warned that local authorities will need to slash spending by 12.5% before next April after identifying a £5.8bn 'black hole' in council finances next year.

Local leaders are clamouring for connection to a high-speed rail link between Manchester and Leeds, after chancellor George Osborne announced plans yesterday.

Chancellor George Osborne today outlined his vision for a High Speed Rail 3 (HS3) link running east to west in the north creating a regional economic ‘powerhouse’ stretching across the Pennines.

Liverpool has been warned it has only months to lobby for a valuable link to HS2, as leaders commit themselves to fighting for a connection to the high-speed service.

Chancellor George Osborne has hailed the end of construction on London’s newest tunnel under the Thames as part of the £14.8bn Crossrail project.

Full year results for Network Rail this week revealed the operator struggled to cope with a surge in passenger numbers and poor weather resulting in an increase in delays, despite a record annual investment of nearly £7bn.

The UK has the joint second highest public satisfaction level for urban transport in the European Union, according to the inaugural Eurobarometer survey on transport.

The Government has been accused of ‘dragging its heels’ over the introduction of rail season tickets for part-time workers as new figures suggest some could save £1,500 a year.

Revised plans for London’s Crossrail 2 project could see alternate routes adopted along lines linking the capital with Surrey and Hertfordshire.

Denbighshire CC has granted specimen licences to two companies which plan to operate hovercraft services between Rhyl and the Wirral - licences on the Wirral end would also be required.

London’s productivity could increase by £12.5bn a year by 2030 with the right transport spending on schemes such as Crossrail 2 according to engineering giant Siemens.

Plans for two new rail stations in Bradford and Leeds have been given final approval by the Department for Transport.

The Department for Transport has awarded the new Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise - the largest ever let in terms of passenger numbers - to Govia Thameslink, a joint venture majority-owned by Go-Ahead.

Voting is underway for the local government and European elections, in what proves to be an intriguing battle.

West Midlands public transport authority Centro is trialling solar-powered bus stop passenger information displays, which use Kindle book-style epaper.

Conservative HS2 rebel, Cheryl Gillan, writes exclusively for Transport Network following the Second Reading of the HS2 (Phase 1) Hybrid Bill, which passed through the Commons last week, but perhaps not with flying colours.

Network Rail will be more transparent as it delivers the most intensive period of upgrades since the Victorian era, according to the industry watchdog.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has hit back at claims it has betrayed residents by shelving plans for a £1bn extension to the Docklands Light Railway (DLR).

The Department for Transport (DfT) has released an improvement plan conceding an 'urgent need' to increase its commercial skills and vowing to develop a stronger integrated national strategy.

London is set for another of wave of industrial action on its transport networks as workers on the capital's mainline railway stations are due to strike for 24 hours from 7am on Friday 9 May.

The Department for Transport has announced a £100m cash boost to help 42 train stations in England, Scotland and Wales to improve access for disabled passengers.

A three-day strike by London Underground workers that was due to start last night has been suspended due to last-ditch talks between Transport for London (TfL) and the RMT union.

West Yorkshire passenger transport executive Metro has this week shuffled its way into the horror genre with a chilling launch for its MCard.

The managing director of Rossendale BC’s bus company Rosso has been suspended the council has confirmed.

Transport for London has announced that 52% of Tube services have been kept running during the strike by the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) over the last two days. However according to reports from the Independent newspaper, next week’s planned strike from 9:00pm Monday 5 May until 8:59pm Thursday 8 May is still on.

Transport for London has confirmed that Tube passengers will be able to pay by smartphone by the end of this year, with a payment app that can be downloaded to mobile devices.

MPs have comprehensively backed legislation enabling the planned HS2 link between London and the West Midlands, however two fresh legal challenges have been brought against the £50bn line from local opposition.

Londoners are enduring 48-hours of tube disruption after talks broke down between London Underground and the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

The UK rail network is becoming more self-sufficient according to new figures released by the industry watchdog today, with Government subsidies falling as passenger numbers and related income increase.

London Underground has announced a seven-year £330m programme to upgrade 70 stations including, Embankment, Paddington, Earls Court, South Kensington and Charing Cross.

Opposition leaders in Northamptonshire have lambasted the council over a £200,000 plan to change Northampton railway station's name to ‘reflect its heritage’.

One of life’s great mysteries is why public transport in the UK has to be so astronomically expensive compared to other countries with similar economies.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin today outlined the Government’s compensation scheme for home owners affected by the proposed route for phase one of HS2 between London and the Midlands.

The Information Commissioner has accused transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin of ‘unlawfully’ blocking the release of damaging information about HS2 and has announced plans to launch a judicial review against the decision.

West Midlands transport bosses look set to have further talks with the Department for Transport after an initial bid for the devolution of rail services in the region was rejected.

Labour leader Ed Miliband has suggested his party may renationalise some railway lines if they came to power, as long as the policy is costed and ‘affordable’.

Commuters value journey time reliability most when choosing rail yet struggle to compare this factor with other modes of transport, a survey reveals.

The Department for Transport (DfT) and Northern Rail have struck as deal that will introduce electric trains to the north west.

Prime minister David Cameron has hailed today’s reopening of the main railway through Dawlish in Devon as ‘a great day’, after part of the track was destroyed during winter storms.

Network Rail has launched a five-year £38bn investment plan today however bosses warn it may not be enough to protect UK rail from the effects of climate change and severe weather.

London’s £14.8bn Crossrail project will be extended beyond Maidenhead to Reading, the Government has revealed.

The Department for Transport (DfT) and the five northern passenger transport executives have signed an extension to Northern Rail Ltd's franchise agreement, which will see the operator run services across the north until February 2016.

Atos, the private contractor responsible for running disability benefit assessments for the Government including mobility payments, has pulled out of the £500m contract a year early.

A new report has highlighted a stark difference between political opinion and practice on integrated transport, with 39% of MPs strongly agreeing that it should be a priority while only 9% strongly agree that it actually is.

A recent study looked into the distances that commuters travel to work and whether the area that they lived in had a vital part to play.

Government funding is ‘essential’ to delivering rail links to the Barking Riverside development - London’s largest regeneration project - the capital’s transport chief has told Transport Network.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced major changes to HS2 following a report released today by the new head of the controversial £50bn line.

Chancellor George Osborne will use his Budget speech to back £100m-£150m plans for a major rail extension to Barking Riverside London’s largest regeneration site it has emerged.

Many hundreds of level crossings on railway lines could present an ‘unacceptable level of fatality risk’ an influential group of MPs has warned in a damning report on Network Rail's crossings strategy.

Delivery of Crossrail in 2018 is playing a ‘vital’ role in supporting residential and commercial developments across London, research has suggested.

Unions and transport bosses in London are set for ‘all-out war’ after mayor Boris Johnson approved plans for driverless Underground trains, just weeks after a second Tube strike was narrowly averted.

Network Rail has given a progress update on the restoration of the Dawlish rail line, which will now not be completed until mid April at the earliest, and awarded some £300m of framework aggreements.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has pledged to ‘look at ways’ to deliver a three-hour rail connection between Plymouth and London, as West Devon calls for an alternative route to the coastal Dawlish line.

The planned combined authority for the Liverpool region has sparked embarrassment and controversy less than a week after being given the green light by Government, as a result of bickering over its name.

The Government has handed First Capital Connect (FCC) a six-month contract extension to its commuter service franchise, as it prepares to launch a new ‘mega-franchise’ for Southern England.

Unitary authorities in Wales have still not received guidance on how to bid for bus funding for 2014-15, following a sudden change in Welsh Government policy.

Upgrades to 56,000 streetlights and green improvements across Manchester are expected to cut carbon emissions by 36% over the next three years in the city.

The reopening of the Dawlish line - the main rail link through the south west - has suffered a setback following yet more severe weather.

Customer satisfaction with train companies is ‘shockingly low’, with the majority of passengers on the majority of services disappointed – research has found.

The UK continues to suffer serious transport disruption due to floods and extreme weather, with the major commuter rail route from London to Brighton closed this morning.

Fancy 'exclusive' access to art? Try the top deck of your London bus.

In further signs of how the UK’s extreme weather crisis might change the nation’s transport network, Network Rail has revealed plans for a back-up inland route to the storm-stricken Dawlish line along the Devon coast.

Transport chiefs in the West Midlands have slashed £7.3m from Centro’s budget for 2014-15.

The prime minister has promised to look at restoring train lines and transport links hit by the flood crisis as ‘a matter of urgency’.

Less than half the cost of the proposed £12bn Crossrail 2 development might need to come from central government, meeting key Treasury demands.

The UK’s flooding crisis shows no sign of abating as weather forecasts predict more rain throughout the week and ministers and transport bosses warn the devastation could take months to clear up.

Network Rail has confirmed its commitment to improving reliability and safety across the network while reducing running costs by 20%.

London may have averted a second Tube strike, after last-ditch talks today appear to have worked.

Chancellor George Osborne has launched a £600m rail investment programme for the North of England, set to create up to 20,000 jobs and boost the northern economy by billions of pounds.

The UK’s flooding crisis continued this week as record water levels were recorded at several locations on the Thames, affecting train services between Staines and Windsor and Eton Riverside stations.

The latest period of severe weather has caused widespread damage across the rail and road network as prime minister David Cameron has pledged a further £100m for flood repair.

TfL confirms Tube services it intends to run in the face of strike disruption.

Talks have broken down between London Underground (LU) bosses and leading unions meaning two 48-hour strikes are set to go ahead today and next week.

A masterplan for future transport provision in East Lancashire will support ‘millions of pounds’ of local investment, councils have confirmed.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has admitted to parliament that the Government used secrecy laws to block the publication of a critical report into the controversial £50bn High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project.

In the first of our smarter cities series, David Willetts, minister of state for Universities and Science, talks about the UK’s tradition of innovation in the city space and its future in the growing smart city market.

Transport for London (TfL) has announced plans to help keep the capital moving in the face of potential widespread disruption during Tube strikes next week.

Traditionally, business group interventions into transport policy consist largely of demands for more infrastructure, especially big new roads. But it does not need to be this way.

Spending controls at Crossrail have ensured taxpayers remained ‘well protected’ from spiralling costs, auditors have concluded.

A new electric Class 700 train set for the Thameslink network is expected to boost capacity and reliability across the line.

Retailers including Tesco and Waitrose are to bring ‘click and collect’ shopping services to stations across the London Underground network, in a scheme that could reduce traffic congestion and raise cash for transport investment.

Economic growth in northern cities is being hampered by weak transport links and insufficient power over local budgets, a think tank has claimed.

Transport authorities in the north of England have been given a formal role in the renewal of the Northern and TransPennine rail franchises, after signing an agreement with transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin.

A decision by mayor Boris Johnson to ban ‘anti-gay’ adverts from buses is to be investigated following a ruling by the Court of Appeal.

Members of the leading Tube union, the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) have voted to strike in a dispute over the mayor's plans to close all 260 Tube ticket offices.

Transport campaigners have called for Whitehall to take a cross-departmental pooled funding approach to save local bus services facing the axe under austerity.

Transport emissions targets for the EU could be dropped in 2020 after Brussels failed to outline a future for greenhouse gas goals.

A drop in bus lane fines in Edinburgh has been hailed as a marker of the success of the scheme, as the council considers rolling out the technology across the city.

The Government has unveiled the shortlist of companies competing for the controversial Intercity East Coast rail franchise.

New analysis has suggested the average yearly travelcard cost in London has risen by £509 since Boris Johnson became mayor.

Higher fares on London’s bus, Underground and tram network have come into force, following delays caused by Government price caps.

The European Union (EU) is set to abandon specific targets on cutting transport emissions this week when it publishes its climate and energy strategy for 2030, it has emerged.

Hundreds of missing pages of the environmental impact documentation for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) has resulted in an extension to public consultation – putting parliamentary progress at risk.

MPs have been warned over the danger of transport cuts to rural communities, with campaigners claiming less than half of households in the most rural areas have a regular bus service.

The new HS2 chairman has revealed he is trying to speed up the delivery of the controversial high-speed rail line in a bid to cut costs.

Stockton BC is consulting on transport strategies in the area after being 'forced' into a £300,000 cut in bus subsidies.

Work has begun on a second Metrolink line through Manchester city centre in order to improve capacity across the network, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced.

Deputy prime minister Nick Clegg has told the Yorkshire Post the county's £1bn plan for a combined transport fund will still go ahead despite concerns over forthcoming Whitehall legislation.

Disability access on Stagecoach buses in Hartlepool has been criticised by MPs, with transport minister Robert Goodwill writing to the firm over the issue.

Teesside’s biggest taxi firm appears to have backed down in a dispute with Middlebrough Council over an alleged ban on disabled people using its taxis.

The roll out of a fleet of wirelessly charged electric buses has begun in Milton Keynes.

Millions are due to be spent on improving flood defences across south-east England’s rail and airport networks, leading figures in the industries have told MPs.

Disability campaign group Transport for All protested outside the Department for Transport (DfT) today, as part of ongoing calls for Crossrail to be fully strep-free when it opens in 2018.

Only a third of civil servants in the Department for Transport (DfT) have faith in the decision making of their senior managers and less than a fifth believe changes are made for the better.

The severe storms that brought transport chaos and misery to many over Christmas show no signs of letting up as forecasters warn of fresh flooding dangers.

Transport infrastructure remains vulnerable to adverse winter weather, with robust public communication needed to drive further improvements, according to MPs.

A range of leading figures in the transport sector have been celebrated in the New Year’s honours list winning CBEs and OBEs.

Rail minister Stephen Hammond has defended the New Year’s rail fare rises despite the widespread public anger, claiming it is the lowest in a decade.

Stadium developments are a key way for local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) to unleash transport cash and economic growth, transport minister Stephen Hammond has claimed.

Transport for London has unveiled its first electric buses with ‘zero tail pipe emissions’.

An alliance of transport and technology experts have called on the Government to embrace more smart travel technology such as real time information, smartcards and data collection.

Total bus usage in England fell by 1% in the year to September 2013 while bus fares increased by 1% above inflation, according to figures released by the Department for Transport today.

More than 350 readers for smart ticketing have been installed across the Manchester Metrolink network as the tram line gears up for using the technology.

Reports have claimed the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has attempted to ban the publication of a 2011 report into High Speed Rail 2 (HS2).

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced plans to integrate transport links between three of the UK’s core technology hubs.

The Treasury has vowed to continue its £38bn rail investment plans even if Network Rail’s £30bn debt mountain is added to the Government’s books next year.

New research shows London, the North West and West Midlands are the best performing regions for overall rail services, while the East of England and North East remain low on accessibility.

The Government has committed to improving surface access to airports in this month's Autumn Statement announcements, in a move welcomed by the Airports Commission.

Transport for London has today released a new draft business plan setting out spending priorities up to 2020/21, including continuing investment in tube upgrades, Crossrail and roads.

Scotland has been hit by 100mph winds as large parts of the UK face massive travel disruption and the Environment Agency warns of a significant coastal flooding.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation on the policy framework that transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin will base nationally significant road and rail scheme planning decisions on.

Concerns over the delivery of the National Infrastructure Plan (NIP) have been raised as the prime minister attempts to drive investment in big projects such as High Speed 2 (HS2), with Chinese capital.

Transport investment has fallen to a five year low with London still coming top of the regions, Treasury figures have shown.

The Government has ordered a public inquiry into the proposed £250m trolleybus route in Leeds.

The national rail watchdog has labelled Network Rail responsible for more than half of delays through failing on infrastructure works, as new figures reveal almost 1.7 million minutes of delays between April and October.

Tube operators will strike at noon on December 4 for 24 hours, following an overwhelming 88% vote in favour.

Plans to ballot workers on job cuts on the London Underground have been signed off by the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union.

Engineers and railway workers will be hard at work this festive period as maintenance and improvement work is set to cause delays over Christmas and New Year.

The Government’s flagship High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project starts its parliamentary journey is earnest today, with the publication of the Hybrid Bill for Phase One between London and Birmingham of the controversial £50bn line.

Rail commuters could save around 20% on their train fares if ministers allowed standing-only ‘economy class’ sections on peak-time commuter trains, according to a new report.

High-speed rail needs to be delivered quicker and stretch further, the Core Cities group has said as the first HS2 legislation passes through parliament.

Radical plans to overhaul the London Underground (LU) network have been announced, including 24-hour weekend services and 750 job losses.

Shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh has stated cycling safety will be a priority for Labour’s 2015 manifesto plans, vowing to try and bring it into the ‘mainstream of transport planning’.

Plans to devolve the bulk of the north’s rail network to local authority control have stalled in Whitehall according to reports, with one official reported as saying the plan ‘hangs in the balance'.

A light-rail service between Coventry and Birmingham could happen before the arrival of High Speed 2 (HS2), transport authority Centro has suggested.

Former deputy prime minister and Conservative grandee Lord Heseltine has dismissed criticism of the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail network as ‘daft’.

One of the UK’s leading unions has called for urgent Government investment in transport, arguing that every £1 spent on transport schemes delivers £4 in overall benefits.

The debate around helping cities make the most of the potential opportunities of HS2 has largely been missing – now that MPs have voted to release the first round of funding for the project this needs to change.

Chancellor George Osborne has announced plans to set up a taskforce to lower rail journey times in East Anglia by up to a quarter.

Plans to deploy one hundred driverless ‘pods’ in Milton Keynes by 2017 have been announced by the local authority.

A rise in the number of cyclists and motorcyclists that were either killed or seriously injured (KSI) on the UK’s roads this year has been attributed to the weather, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has called on infrastructure chiefs to work with Whitehall to develop a skills legacy from its planned £73bn capital spend.

On the 20-year anniversary of the Railways Act today - which paved the way for the privatisation of the network - research carried out by the rail unions suggests privatisation is costing the UK taxpayer £1.2bn a year.

Academic experts have rubbished a report produced for HS2 Ltd in front of MPs today, which suggested the controversial project would bring an annual £15bn in additional benefits to the UK.

Prime minister David Cameron will use a speech today at the CBI annual conference to call for ‘national unity’ on High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) as he orders a review into cutting the costs of the £50bn project.

Prime minister David Cameron has taken High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) a step closer after MPs overwhelmingly voted in favour of a paving Bill for the project, allowing funds to be released to pay for surveys, buy property and compensate evicted residents.

The Government’s analysis of the benefits of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) found it offers worse value for money than alternative plans to upgrade the existing rail network it has emerged.

Prime minister David Cameron will use a speech today at the CBI annual conference to call for ‘national unity’ on High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) as he reveals he has ordered a review into cutting the costs of the £50bn project.

The Department for Transport has released an updated best practice guidance for tendering road passenger transport contracts.

Network Rail has been tasked with a major clampdown on late trains and told to close high-risk level crossings alongside making £1.7bn in savings, the national rail watchdog announced today.

Rail minister Baroness Kramer has announced the latest stage of a smart-ticketing roll out across the south-west rail network with £3.25m investment in the technology.

Influential MPs have slammed the Department for Transport (DfT) over the £6bn Thameslink upgrade programme, lambasting slow decision-making, poor procurement practices and questionable financing models.

Municipal leaders in the north and midlands have rallied in support of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) warning the Labour party leadership faces a ‘protracted conflict’ if it does not back the £50bn scheme.

The Government's business case for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) released today, claims the UK's rail network will cease to function without the controversial £50bn project.

The UK has suffered at least five deaths, widespread transport disruption and major power outages, after the worst storms seen since 1987 battered parts of the south of England.

Jobseekers in Glasgow have seen their bus fares cut by more than half over the Christmas season, by bus operator First.

The alternative to High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) would leave the UK doomed to 14 years of weekend route closures and longer journeys, according to a Government-commissioned report.

The Labour leader Ed Miliband is reported to have given shadow chancellor Ed Balls a personal veto over the controversial £50bn High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, preparing the ground for a potential Labour rejection of the scheme.

London's iconic ‘Boris Bikes’ scheme is due to go electric to help users tackle the capital's hills, under a trial scheme in Haringey LBC.

One of the key planks of mayor of London, Boris Johnson’s objections to High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) has been overcome with the transport secretary, Patrick McLoughlin deciding to construct a tunnel under the capital.

Network Rail has awarded two major Crossrail contracts worth a combined £162m to VINCI Construction UK Ltd and Balfour Beatty.

The independent HS2 Growth Taskforce led by former Olympics chief Lord Deighton has warned towns and cities must act now to become ‘HS2 ready’, as it outlined key areas of interest in an initial report published today.

The Government has named 16 projects totalling £33bn that are in line to be underwritten through the Treasury’s infrastructure guarantee scheme.

A death on one of London’s cycling superhighways was an ‘accident waiting to happen’, according to the cornoner at an inquest into the collision between a cyclist and a tipper truck.

Atos, the private contractor responsible for running disability benefit assessments for the Government including mobility payments, has been slammed in Parliament and stung with a ‘no-confidence’ vote from Islington LBC.

Liverpool City Council has launched a controversial nine-month experiment to suspend the operation of all bus lanes in the city.

A leading transport think tank has independently thrown its support behind HS2, stating the project can be 'a catalyst for regional development' given sufficient local investment.

A leaked franchise prospectus for the East Coast Mainline has caused outrage by suggesting the deal could see a third-class service introduced to a UK train line for the first time since 1956.

Pressure is growing on the Government to reverse plans to re-privatise the East Coast Mainline with campaigners due to hand transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin a 23,000-person petition today.

A new tram for Birmingham have been unveiled as part of a £40m revamp of the fleet serving the city area.

Plans to cut services in Worcestershire CC include reductions to bus funding and street lighting, documents have revealed.

Low passenger numbers could result in further cuts to bus services across Cornwall, the local authority has warned.

Transportation plans across the East Lancashire region have been outlined by the county council in the area.

Backbench Tory MPs have warned David Cameron that votes may be lost to Labour should support for High Speed Rail 2 continue.

The new chair of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) has said the idea of building the Manchester to Birmingham stretch first would be considered.

An alliance of ten local authorities is taking the case against High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) to the Supreme Court this month and has written an open letter outlining the argument against the scheme.

Brighton and Hove City Council has come runner-up in a Europe-wide contest to find the best city for sustainable transport initiatives, billed as Europe's highest award for clean urban transport.

The Government has announced the creation of four new Better Bus Areas (BBAs), with York, Merseyside, Nottingham and Bath and greater Bristol set to benefit from £16.5m of investment in services.

The Treasury should put High Speed Rail 2 on hold until it can address concerns over the project's cost-benefits, MPs have warned.

Key infrastructure projects in Wales have been given a £617.5m boost, under the draft budget announced this week.

The new shadow transport secretary Mary Creagh has already hit out at the cost for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) in her first comments since obtaining the brief yesterday.

Multi-national giant Siemens have strongly indicated that if it secures a contract for the new generation of driverless Tube trains they will be built in the UK.

Hackney Wick station in East London is set for an £8.5m upgrade, designed to improve journey times to iCITY and the Olympic Park and help free up land for up to 2,000 new homes.

Prime Minister David Cameron has given his backing to the controversial High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) line arguing it will bring prosperity to the Midlands and North of England.

The creation of a combined authority in Liverpool with the ability to sign off transport and economic programmes moved a step closer this week with official plans submitted to Government.

Building a new runway at Heathrow Airport will cause misery for millions of Londoners Boris Johnson told delegates at today's Conservative Party conference.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has criticised London-based ‘moaners’ who complain about the costs of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2).

High-speed mobile broadband will be rolled out across the rail network, transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced.

Local authorities are in line for a major cash boost as a result of the purchase of land for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2), chief executive of the scheme, Alison Munro, has told Transport Network.

Labour’s shadow chancellor Ed Balls has accused the Government of ‘totally mismanaging’ the controversial High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project and even questioned its £50bn costs.

Concern has arisen among campaigners about transport poverty following new data showing bus patronage has fallen by 2.5% outside of London.

An alliance of 19 councils has called on ministers to put High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) to a national vote with citizens deciding between the controversial rail scheme and alternative spending plans.

Listed status has been given to Preston bus station in a bid to stop the 'Brutalist' structure being demolished.

Leeds much-delayed £250m trolleybus project has moved a step closer as local authorities apply for the key powers to build project.

Ticket prices for the troubled Edinburgh tram service have been announced, revealing the cost to the city airport will be similar to the bus route offered.

Accessibility for disabled people across the UK’s transport networks must be improved, the transport committee has warned.

Consultation on how Essex CC will provide financial support to local bus services and school transport policy, it has announced.

Cash should be spent on more active travel – especially cycling – rather than the construction of new roads in Wales, Sustrans Cymru has said.

Greater Manchester is backing a major international campaign supported by transport operators and authorities across 30 countries aimed at raising awareness of the social, economic and environmental benefits of public transport.

Powys CC is considering cutting 40% of its tendered bus services, less than a year after awarding operators four-year contracts.

The national rail watchdog has issued a stark warning to Network Rail over unacceptable levels of 'punctuality and reliability’ this spring, stating it would demand a better performance in future.

Plans to deliver £8bn in infrastructure spending over the next two years were outlined by the Scottish Government in its budget this week, with commitments to transport schemes despite swingeing cuts.

Boarding ramps at 19 Tube stations have been rolled-out by London Underground (LU) to improve accessibility across the network.

The High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project will add £15bn a year to the national economy and have a particularly significant impact on northern city regions, according to new research.

Mark Ralph, company director at Find The Engineer, with a though provoking article on HS2 asking, if is it already out of date?

The Government's High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) taskforce - charged with spearheading the delivery of the controversial £50bn project – has kicked off a national roadshow tour in the West Midlands today.

The troubled Edinburgh tram project is pushing forward as works in the town centre are finished four months ahead of the revised programme.

Conservative Grassroots - a body representing dozens of Tory association chairmen - has come out against the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, describing it as ‘a hugely expensive white elephant’.

Network Rail is ‘determined’ to keep working with the industry to build on progress – but described the Office of Rail Regulation’s (ORR) draft determination for the next half decade as unbalanced and unrealistic.

More than £1.5bn has been driven into the Scottish economy due to the impact of the First ScotRail service, according to a new study.

There is no ‘blank cheque’ for High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) according to the most senior civil servant in the Treasury who suggested to MPs the scheme could still be scrapped.

A university research group has called for private train operating companies to be abolished as part of radical reforms to the management of the rail network.

One of the great assets of foreign holidays is the chance to check over other countries’ public services and hopefully return feeling that perhaps the UK’s aren’t quite as bad as they are sometimes portrayed.

Cambridgeshire CC has accepted a £33m payout from contractor Bam Nuttall to settle a long-running dispute over the cost of building the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway.

The Government is investing nearly £3m in a trial of smart card technology to allow paperless ticketing for rail passengers across the south east.

The first critique of the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) scheme by a large-scale business group has been issued with the Institute of Directors’ (IoD) claiming the business case ‘is simply not there’.

Car use across England and Wales has declined by 2% in the last decade, research has shown.

Scottish and English border councils have agreed to join forces to improve transport links and boost economic growth.

Local authorities in Wales are expressing concerns for marginal bus services as they prepare to make future funding conditional on operators meeting ‘quality outcomes’.

Rising costs and skill shortages are the greatest challenge to the infrastructure sector, civils contractors have warned.

Transport bosses in Edinburgh have claimed the tram link from the airport to the city centre will be as quick as the bus service currently being provided, despite concerns it could take an additional eight minutes.

Plans have been developed by Transport for London (TfL) to deliver on the mayor of London, Boris Johnson, pledge to increase parking times at red route parking bays.

Birmingham business leaders have hit back at the Institute of Economic Affairs study into High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) as flimsy and unsubstantiated – following criticism yesterday by other northern areas.

Local growth opportunities have been highlighted in Nottingham where the tram extension has delivered £70m-worth of contracts to businesses in the East Midlands region.

Transport for London has begun consultation on axing cash payments on its bus network.

High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) could end up costing almost double the current estimate, according to a report by a think-tank.

Transport for London (TfL) has appointed Cleshar as contractor to lengthen station platforms across sections of its Overground network.

Exclusive comment from Nottingham City Council on why its controversial workplace parking levy is the right move for the city's transport.

The Labour Party has promised to tighten up regulations on rail fares after it was announced passengers face an average 4.1% price hike from January next year.

Every ticket office on the London Underground (LU) network could be closed by 2015, according to leaked documents.

Nine councils are looking to create a combined authority in South Yorkshire to streamline the decision making process in areas such as transport.

Camden LBC is calling for a ‘forensic audit and full parliamentary investigation’ into High Speed 2 (HS2) compensation payments, saying it has ‘no confidence’ in the Government’s figures.

Government action to prevent inflation-busting rail fare increases ‘will not come any time soon’, as fares could rise by up to 9% on some lines from January.

Plans to create more prosperous high streets in London by devolving transport powers have been laid out in a new report.

Crossrail 2 could bring an additional £49bn to the capital’s economy and should be extended to suburban areas, London Assembly members have said.

The Government has confirmed the members of the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) Growth Taskforce including chair Lord Deighton one of the key architects of the London Olympics, deputy chair Sir Howard Bernstein, CEO of Manchester City Council, and Sir Albert Bore, leader of Birmingham City Council.

New government figures have revealed the total number of UK transport trips across all modes has fallen by 12% since the mid-1990s - with car travel still the dominant mode.

The Court of Appeal today dismissed all four appeals brought against the Department for Transport’s (DfT) decision to progress with High Speed 2 (HS2) by an alliance of 15 local authorities, HS2Action Alliance and Heathrow Hub Limited.

Concerns have surfaced over a loss of momentum in Welsh transport after new transport minister Edwina Hart has placed many of her predecessor’s schemes under review.

The district of Woolwich in south east London will have its own Crossrail station when services start running on the line from 2018.

Ministers must develop a comprehensive transport strategy to ‘reverse the trend of declining accessibility to key services in rural areas’ a cross-party group of MPs has warned.

More than 100,000 London rail commuters were forced to stand on trains during morning rush hour last autumn, according to official figures released by the Department for Transport (DfT) today.

Plans for a decade of major transport projects across Sheffield have been put forward by the city region’s local transport body (LTB).

Transport minister Norman Baker today is due to launch new guidance on improving access to and from rail stations by bus, bike or foot.

Britain’s aging rural population is being ‘stranded at home’ new figures suggest, as 25% of people over 60 state a lack of public transport is the biggest challenge to living in the countryside.

Transport chiefs across England's regions have welcomed progress on High Speed Rail 2 (HS2), however one major county council has argued a recent environmental report was ‘deficient’.

Rail minister Simon Burns is in the dock for not using public transport more. But is he so wrong?

A Government assessment of the Crossrail Act 2008 has revealed concerns from local authorities over the costs of planning procedures and a loss of parking revenue.

The Government has launched a public consultation on the route for Phase two of its controversial High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, which would take the line from the West Midlands to Manchester and Leeds.

Traffic will grow by fifth over the next decade as England comes out of recession and greater fuel efficiencies reduce the cost of road travel.

Commuters are being held responsible for a rise in cycling to rail stations, as journeys this year reach 39 million.

The proposed HS2 route between London and the West Midlands has been safeguarded, protecting the line from conflicting developments.

Development of Crossrail remains on schedule and within budget, with around six years left before full services are launched.

Aviation and rail experts have called for a ‘Heathrow Hub’ - connecting the airport with the M25 motorway, Crossrail, the Great Western Main Line and potentially HS2 - to help tackle the South East’s shortage of airport capacity.

Councils will be given greater control over bus funding as part of major reforms to the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), ministers revealed today.

London’s Conservative mayor Boris Johnson has launched an outspoken broadside against his own party’s figures for its flagship High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, claiming the controversial scheme could cost almost twice as much as predicted.

Manchester City Council has announced plans to extend its free WiFi access on public transport as part of £11m plans to roll out superfast broadband across the city.

Councillors have voted in favour of the much-delayed Leeds Trolleybus scheme, as Leeds City Council's leader pledges to now ‘get on with it’.

Labour grandee Lord Mandelson is the latest senior political figure to attack the Government’s flagship £50bn High Speed Rail 2 project, labelling it an ‘expensive mistake’.

The cost-benefit analysis of the High Speed Rail 2 project has been revised downwards after modelling did not take into account modern technology, it has been revealed.

Former chancellor and transport secretary Alistair Darling has slammed the controversial £50bn High Speed Rail 2 project, saying there is an 'awful lot wrong'.

Local Transport Bodies (LTBs) will deliver only 40p in the £1 in actual construction work due to the bureaucratic burden placed on the project-bidding regime, it has been claimed.

Transport for London’s Oyster card celebrated its tenth birthday yesterday, with figures showing around 60 million cards have been issued over the past decade.

Poor cross-border transport links between North Wales and Cheshire are limiting access to employment, a study has found.

Transport for London (TfL) revealed strong headline results in its draft 2012-13 report released today, including record passenger numbers and service reliability on the Tube, DLR and London Overground.

Seven local authorities in the North East have agreed to establish a combined authority for the region focussing on skills, transport and inward investment., following simultaneous cabinet meetings.

Chancellor George Osborne is expected to announce a multi-billion pound six-year infrastructure investment programme in the Spending Review this Wednesday.

Londoners are allocated more money per head for transport than all other regions combined, according to new analysis from think tank IPPR North.

Bus usage in England and Wales has declined in the last 12 months, according to the latest data set from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).

A report by consultancy firm Jacobs that suggested keeping Preston bus station was not shown to councillors, according to a local paper.

Transport minister Norman Baker has praised Stratford’s new £6.9m Parkway train station, emphasising the far-reaching benefits of the development.

Cuts to Welsh bus funding will ‘unbalance’ one authority’s transport priorities leaving residents ‘stranded’ and impairing access to hospital, officers have warned.

The Department for Transport has abandoned plans to abolish the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) but a ‘restructuring’ is still on the cards, ministers revealed today.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, has unveiled major investment plans for transport infrastructure in his new 2020 Vision document outlining future challenges and spending areas for the capital.

Network Rail must make more than £2bn of savings over the next five years on top of meeting tougher regulatory targets to improve punctuality, the national rail regulator said today.

The Welsh rail network could become ‘much more responsive’ if one organisation managed both infrastructure and provision of services, according to a local authority transport consortium.

A leading transport charity has outlined measures to tackle high rail fares including scrapping above inflation annual increases, in anticipation of the findings of a Government review.

Rail privatisation has failed on all its key objectives including benefiting passengers and increasing infrastructure investment according to a new TUC-commissioned report published today.

As Homer Simpson once asked about doughnuts… public transport, is there anything it can’t do?

Coventry City Council is due to withdraw its opposition to the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project after the Labour group changed its policy on the issue.

The first annual report into the success of Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) schemes has failed to quash concerns over the evaluation process behind the fund, Transport Network can reveal.

The future of London's bus services could be under threat as the rapid population expansion in the capital is swamping the service, according to London Assembly members.

A National Assembly for Wales Committee has called for the devolution of public transport powers to the principality.

Testing is due to begin on the Luton-Dunstable busway next week, following the completion of a guided track.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced the new 'Routemaster' style buses will now serve another route in the city.

The new chief executive of Merseytravel, David Brown, has officially taken charge of the organisation.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation Development (OECD) has claimed the UK should invest more in infrastructure for growth.

Leader of Birmingham City Council, Sir Albert Bore, has delivered his plans to ensure the city has 'among the best transport system in Europe'.

Leicestershire CC is putting out to consultation plans to save £1.3m per year on discretionary school transport and concessionary travel costs.

First Glasgow has been criticised for changes to its new 'Simplicty' bus routing following the implementation of the scheme last weekend.

Transport spending priorities by Whitehall are disadvantaging young people and driving unemployment and a lack of education, according to the Campaign for Better Transport.

Bus passengers in England are set to benefit from cleaner, greener bus journeys thanks to the 4th round of the Green Bus Fund announced by Local Transport Minister Norman Baker.

Wales should be handed further powers to control regulation of buses and prioritise rail investment in order to integrate its public transport network, according to a new report.

Suppliers of transport infrastructure to London are benefiting commercially from the capital’s lack of long-term funding certainty, London Mayor Boris Johnson has complained.

The Government has announced funding for four new train stations as part of efforts to modernise the UK’s rail network.

The Ebbw Vale branch line, connecting Ebbw Vale to Newport and Cardiff in South Wales, has been awarded £14m for major upgrades by the Welsh Government and Westminster.

Rail services in Essex will continue to be provided by National Express subsidiary, c2c Rail Ltd, under the first contract of the Department for Transport's new franchising programme.

One of the UK’s leading planning institutes has called on ministers to expand community budgets into transport policy to help tackle the potential isolation of struggling families.

A £30bn investment in infrastructure would be the most effective way to boost economic growth, according to a report.

Tickets to football matches should come with local transport included, according to a new report by the Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) and Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF).

UKIP councillors at East Sussex CC have called on officers to use miles not kilometres in documentation and signage in a bid ‘to continue being English’.

Issues with the provision of transport could be costing the health service in Northern Ireland up to £2.2m a year, it has been claimed.

Major new transport infrastructure has been proposed in Cambridgeshire to prevent congestion issues in the next decade.

Public sector leaders have come together to support the role of the bus in supporting economic growth at a Passenger Transport Executive Group (Pteg) event.

The Government has again revised its plans for the proposed route of High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) after concerns it would scupper a potential strategic rail freight interchange (SRFI) in the Midlands which could create 7,000 new jobs.

The Mayor of London was in Northern Ireland today to open a manufacturing plant (May 10) that will handle his £212m order for 600 new buses.

English Heritage is set to offer a free bus service to schoolchildren to historical sites in a bid to boost visitor numbers and promote the educational value of such places.

Transport issues have dominated debate on the local election campaign trail with pledges being made across the country to boost highways maintenance programmes, protect bus services and build new roads.

The Government has failed in its legal duty to protect people from the harmful effects of air pollution, the Supreme Court has ruled.

Unite and TSSA have announced plans to form Britain and Ireland's first union for organising and representing workers across all areas of the transport industry.

More than five bidders are set for to do battle over a £1bn Crossrail services contract, which could see an international firm running the network for its first eight years.

Pressure is growing on the Government to increase rail capacity between London and the south coast, with leading rail consultants calling for major investment in the Brighton Main Line (BML) to avert ‘a crisis of capacity’.

The historic St Andrew’s Square in Edinburgh was returned to public use today after the completion of all nearby road and track works for the city’s tram project.

Justice secretary Chris Grayling has announced measures to drive out ‘meritless’ judicial reviews in a move that could prevent major transport infrastructure projects from being delayed.

Councils in the south west of England are set to lobby government to end the ‘scandalous’ state of the region’s transport links.

Transport authorities and bus operators must do more to improve communication with passengers during delays, according to new research published today by a national watchdog.

Plans to extend the Midland Metro through Wolverhampton city centre have gone on display as the region's transport authority, Centro, launches a six-week consultation on the route.

Sustrans has criticised Caerphilly CBC for relocating scores of housing staff to an office that is difficult to reach by public transport or bicycle.

The Government must regulate to make audio, visual announcements mandatory on all UK buses to support disabled passengers, a leading charity has warned.

Business secretary Vince Cable has championed City Deals paving the way for more local transport funds, while suggesting the Government’s single growth pot is unlikely to be as large as originally recommended.

The state-run East Coast main line is the most efficient rail franchise in terms of reliance on taxpayer funding, a new watchdog report has revealed.

Lord Heseltine describes a Whitehall turf war over the single local growth pot and talks to Transport Network about transport authorities bidding for the cash.

Merseytravel has announced the full roll out of its ‘Walrus’ transport smartcard will be delayed until at least next year, sparking anger among local politicians.

Transport for London’s (TfL) ‘wave and pay’ system for cashless bus journeys could become the model for a European-wide single-ticket integrated transport system, according to a senior TfL manager.

All the news from day one of Traffex,the 26th international traffic engineering, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), road safety, parking and highway maintenance exhibition.

The majority of Londoners think it is too easy for Tube workers to go on strike and almost half want to outlaw industrial action altogether, according to a new survey.

Yorkshire is set for a £1bn plus overhaul of its transport network as six of its councils prepare to vote for a ground-breaking package of new roads, railways and other key infrastructure.

Transport for London (TfL) has denied reports it plans to completely phase out cash payments on the capital’s buses this year, but a spokesman told Transport Network the situation was being monitored.

Local authorities in the West Midlands are vying to host the regional headquarters for the High Speed Rail 2 (HS2) project, Transport Network understands.

Governments have long aspired to achieve a more integrated transport system, but there are warnings that this may not be possible without integration of transport policy with other activities. Rhodri Clark reports.

Margaret Thatcher left her mark on all aspects of British political life and transport was no exception, James Evison writes.

The Treasury must confirm funding for the £90m electrification of the Gospel Oak-Barking railway line in June’s spending review or risk spiralling costs, the London Assembly has warned.

Using tax increment financing (TIF) to fund a major infrastructure project in the Battersea area has been described as ‘a hell of a risk’ by the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) chief of staff.

Transport giant FirstGroup has revealed a 2.4% rise in bus revenues and a 7.4% rise in UK rail revenues in the last financial year.

Front-line public transport services in Yorkshire will suffer as a result of further funding cuts, the chair of the Passenger Transport Executive Group (Pteg) has warned.

Changes to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) from today could damage the mobility and transport access of hundreds of thousands of disabled people, leading campaigners have warned.

The Government must act to provide ‘real transport alternatives’ a leading charity has warned following claims forecourt petrol sales have fallen by more than 20% in the last five years.

Councils in Scotland have been accused of using bus lanes as a 'cash-cow', after raking in millions of pounds in motorist fines.

Labour has slammed the Government for losing Britain thousands of train manufacturing jobs following further delays to the Thameslink rolling stock contract.

Funding for individual transport modes should be more reflective of the amount the public use them, leading cycling experts have claimed.

The national party of Wales has called for the UK government to provide a loan guarantee for the proposed £1.5bn Metro public transport system for the Cardiff city region.

Councils are struggling with the transport aspect of local plans according to the author of a new report revealing councils have been pushed into extra house building under the new system.

Two new reports have been released by TRL which should be of significant interest to Transport Network readers.

Whitehall management of major infrastructure projects, including transport schemes, has been described as ‘worryingly poor’ by a senior government adviser, following the release of a new report focusing on the issue.

London’s £15bn Crossrail project has awarded its last major contract, handing a £300m deal for fit-out work in the new tunnels to a joint venture comprising Costain Ltd, TSO and Alstom Transport.

James Evison looks at remarkable stories of anti-Beeching protest.

Britain's railways are the most improved in Europe since the 1990s, according to the most comprehensive comparison study ever published of the rail networks in all 27 EU countries.

On the 50th anniversary of the Beeching report the Department for Transport has told Transport Network the ‘tide has turned’ and many of the local lines that were closed in the wake of that explosive publication are set to be re-opened.

Chief executive of the North East LEP has claimed transport links in the area are ‘just fine’, and it is right the South East gets 80% of infrastructure spending.

The devolution of rail franchising will be considered on a ‘case by case’ basis following the Government’s publication of a franchising timetable covering the next eight years, Transport Network can reveal.

Labour’s transport experts have slammed the Government for the ‘abject failure’ of its rail franchise plans.

Plans for a £1.5bn Metro-style train system covering the Cardiff city region in south Wales demand a new arms-length delivery authority to make the project a reality, a report has warned.

The elderly are suffering social exclusion due to a lack of suitable transport options, according to a leading charity.

Wigan BC’s new transport plan – a blueprint for the borough’s strategy over the next 15 years - has been approved by the local authority’s cabinet.

Transport for London (TfL) is facing cuts of up to £80m over the next two years, described as a ‘significant challenge’ by a spokesman.

Heavy snow and rain forecasts for the next few days have local authority winter service teams on full alert, council chiefs have announced.

Road safety minister Stephen Hammond today unveiled a road safety comparison site for local authorities, together with a new research portal.

Immediate reaction to the Budget announced today (March 20) centred on the need for economic growth and criticism of the lack of cash for small-scale roads and transport projects.

Nearly 70% of Transport network readers believe today’s Budget should include increased funding for highways maintenance, with 60% calling for extra money for sustainable transport projects.

Dominic Browne talks to Tony Ciaburro about his ambitious transport and environment plans for Northamptonshire, and what steps need to be taken on a national level to improve local transport

Chancellor George Osborne today announced plans to create a single pot of local government growth funding, to drive areas including transport.

London risks losing its ‘world class’ transport system without sustained funding and restrictions on car journeys, a major report has warned.

Two major groups of local authorities have unveiled regional growth plans – with a strong emphasis on transport - building on the recommendations made by Lord Heseltine in his report to government No stone unturned.

The Department for Transport has been dragged into a row over its use of private investigators - including beleaguered firm G4S.

The chancellor will deliver his 2013 Budget on 20th March - but what will it mean for local government?

‘Big data’ analysis software - allowing public sector bodies to cross-reference a vast wealth of different information sets - is the future of local government transport, according to senior figures in the industry.

Council chief executives have warned MPs that Local Enterprise Partnerships’ (LEPs) transport strategies should cover ‘whole functional economic areas’ (FEMAs).

Local government in Wales will lose its race to implement a complex new bus funding system by 1 April without a ‘substantial increase’ in support from the Welsh Government, council officers have warned.

The Scottish Parliament today launched an inquiry into the future of community transport, analysing local travel modes outside of commercial public transport systems.

Council chiefs have called on local authorities to reduce surface transport emissions in a new report designed to embed best practice on green initiatives.

London mayor Boris Johnson has unveiled a £900m cycle plan for the capital to improve infrastructure and create a segregated route parallel to the city’s tube and bus routes.

Northamptonshire County Council has called on ministers to support a 10-point growth strategy for the region.

The Department for Transport (DfT) needs to give councils more control over refranchising local schemes, a report on Whitehall decentralisation has claimed.

Edinburgh’s controversial tram project is on route to be completed by summer 2014, after the city council took charge of a fully tested section of track.

David Crawford welcomes fresh decision-making aids for more effective ITS and transport investment.

The Government has set out its vision for how infrastructure in the UK can be delivered more efficiently.

Over £290m will be invested in 93 newly green-lit flood defence projects this year, potentially protecting an additional 64,000 homes from water damage.

London could become the world’s first ultra-low emission zone by 2020 under air quality improvement proposals from mayor Boris Johnson.

An independent assessment of major transport infrastructure across England has revealed the capital and its commuter belt far outstrips all other local authority areas for connectivity.

The Government could more than double its return on transport investments if local authorities were given more freedom to drive projects, ministers were told this week.

Welsh Government hopes of saving money through not subsidising ‘dead bus mileage’ could be dashed under operators’ plans to convert journeys from and to depots into registered public services.

The recent ‘Managing Congestion – The Green Approach’ conference showcased how local authorities and the private sector are working together to reduce emissions from the road network. Kathye Henderson outlines the role of retrofit in cutting emissions from urban public transport.

Dominic Browne looks at what City Deals mean for the future of local transport.

Leicestershire CC and distribution firm Pall-Ex created a Dragon’s Den style event for school children on 20 February to pitch ideas for active travel initiatives.

Woking BC and Surrey CC have unveiled plans to create a joint Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) to tackle air pollution in the region. The news comes after nitrogen dioxide readings at the area’s Anchor Hill site were above Government target levels

Leeds’ trolleybus scheme could actually increase congestion according to West Yorkshire passenger transport executive, Metro.

Edinburgh City Council is pushing Holyrood to accept free travel for the elderly on the new tram system, it has been claimed.

A bill has been proposed to increase regulation of the Scottish bus industry by the former leader of the Scottish Labour party.

Bristol’s new mayor has called for a new transport authority and closer working between local authorities in the city region.

Plans have been put forward by Flintshire Council to axe free bus travel for faith schools, it has been announced.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has begun a legal battle with contractor Thales over responsibility to delays on the expansion of the Metrolink system.

Leicester City Council has raised nearly £440,000 in bus lane infringement fines over the last four months after charging over 19,500 motorists.

A five year delay on plans to roll-out smartcard technology for the Welsh transport network has been announced.

Public support for 20mph zones has almost reached an outright majority, according to new research published this week.

Edinburgh’s tram scheme has moved a step closer to full testing as power has been made live between the depot and airport in the city.

A second year of cutbacks to local authority-supported bus services over the past 12 months risks isolating vulnerable members of society, according to a new report, which warns additional reductions look likely in 2013.

The vast majority of MPs (77%)are sceptical about the Government’s ability to balance economic growth alongside the development of a sustainable transport system, according to a poll published this week.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has released a monitoring and evaluation framework for the Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) – to share best practice and build up the evidence base for smarter travel interventions.

Nearly £150m has been set aside by Transport for London (TfL) for councils in the capital to undertake local transport schemes, it has been announced.

The Local Government Association (LGA) is assessing plans to pool town hall pension funds, to kick-start the country’s 500 stalled priority infrastructure projects.

What impact will the Autumn Statement have on local government funding?

Chancellor George Osborne unveiled a ‘revolution in infrastructure financing’ under the Treasury’s remodelled private finance initiative (PFI), in his Autumn Statement.

The Department for Transport (DfT) is open to bespoke ‘transport deals’ to devolve more power over local networks to individual councils, transport minister Norman Baker has revealed.

The last vestige of British Rail, due to be wound up by April, has offered a Welsh council a £300,000 dowry for taking responsibility for former railway structures.

Local transport minister Norman Baker has paid tribute to efforts underway in Sheffield to boost bus services through partnership working between operators and local transport authorities.

Councils are ‘essential’ to successful investment in transport infrastructure, the Local Government Association (LGA) claimed in a briefing released this week outlining future financing and management options for the UK road network.

Plans to introduce free travel to young unemployed people has continued to gain traction as several local authorities sign up for new schemes.

Two out of five highways in Britain require immediate work on road markings and are declining at ‘an alarming rate’, it has been claimed.

The Department for Transport must give councils ‘the freedom to fail’ when funding for major local transport schemes is devolved from 2015, the president of Adept has told Surveyor.

Councils will not benefit from a flood recovery grant scheme to repair roads and bridges following this summer’s high rainfall, it emerged this week.

European safety standards are ramping up the cost of tram projects in the UK, according to an MP who has called on ministers to follow up their work to make light rail more cost effective.

The most ‘cluttered’ route in the country and remains difficult for disabled access, a survey claims.

Plans to run bendy buses on the proposed rapid-transit routes through Bristol have been scrapped by the city’s Liberal Democrat-run authority.

Coventry City Council has launched its £6.9m Cycle Coventry project, which will upgrade existing routes and create new ones over the next three years.

A passenger watchdog says local authorities should involve bus operators when planning investment in interchanges, after Arriva withdrew from a £4m facility in Hartlepool.

The Government has announced there will be a fourth round of the green bus fund after £20m was made available by an underspend in the Department for Transport's (DfT) budget.

More regional City Deals designed to improve strategic area-based transport links, similar to the Leeds City region deal, could be on their way, according to cities minister Greg Clark.

Planning permission has been granted by Hounslow LBC’s sustainable development committee for the regeneration of Brentford lock west

The bidding process for two major funds designed to support sustainable transport projects closed today (24 February)

Free parking should be available in Wales’ towns to encourage shoppers onto struggling high streets, the Conservatives have said.

Localism, decentralisation, devolution – these words have become the motherhood and apple pie of the Coalition government.

Funding for more than 500 new low-carbon buses has been described as misplaced, during cuts to local bus services by councils across England.

Cycling in Cambridge increased by 14% last year and 21% for trips into the city from surrounding villages, according to the county council’s traffic-m

Phase one of the new Eclipse Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) busway, which connects Fareham and Gosport in Hampshire using a former railway line.

Northumberland County Council has become the 85th local authority whose roadworks data is now available to the public for free through an online porta

Compost is not only for domestic and agricultural use. WRAP’s Landscape and Regeneration programme has been applying compost with recycled materials t

The Big Society has been described as central to plans for developing a pioneering project to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by two local authorities in the UK.

New evidence has come to light suggesting small-scale public transport schemes provide high value for money, and a simplified appraisal framework could boost the priority given to such schemes.

Greenhouse gas emissions across the UK rose by 3.1% in 2010, suggesting the 8.7% fall in emissions in 2009 was caused by the recession.

Sustainable transportation is a buzz phrase that means many things to many people. Just Google the idiom and you will get at least a dozen different d

Localism has become a core element of public realm strategy, and communities are embracing the change, Surveyor has learned

Community decision-making has enabled radical streetscene changes to be put in place in Sutton LBC, it has been claimed.

Plans to be released next month relaxing rules on 20mph zones for councils, local transport minister Norman Baker reveals.

Legislation which addresses the issue of congestion around streetworks is 'tolerable' - although local authorities do not have enough information to help co-ordinate emergency works more effectively. This was the message from representatives of NJUG and JAG (UK) in reply to questions from the Commons transport select

Allowing cycling in parks and other public open spaces could improve safety and modal share for cycling, but councils considering such a step may encounter vociferous opposition from non-cyclists. Rhodri Clark reports Creating continuous cycle routes along highway infrastructure can be an expensive and complicated business. Even

Local authorities look set to face additional scrutiny of streetscene projects as an inventory is launched, mapping out the cost of different types of street furniture to help residents calculate the cost of 'unnecessary' signage, guardrails and road markings. The tool has been created by the charity, C

Supporting mobility for the growing ‘older old’ demographic is already a challenge for local authorities, and the demands are likely to increase as health and social services increasingly regard active lifestyles as preventative medicine. Rhodri Clark reports. The ‘over 65’ category still appears sometimes

The issue of cycling deaths has soared up the political agenda in recent months, especially in London where every fatality is covered extensively on regional TV news, the Evening Standard and local papers. No longer are these deaths simply accepted as an inevitable consequence of the imbalance between motor vehicles weighing several tons and the

One of the oft hoped-for legacies of the Olympics is that the successes of the athletes will translate into more physical activity in the wider population. Nowhere is this more widely anticipated than in cycling where there seems to be an expectation that there is an obvious crossover between cycling as a sport and as a means of transport.

Many of Scotland’s roads are still vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, according to Parliament’s climate change adviser. An independent report by the adaptation sub-committee of the UK Committee on Climate Change

The Stagecoach Group has announced it will invest around £60m in new greener buses for communities around the country. The transport operator has placed an initial order for 390 buses and coaches for the 2012-13 financial year and said it expects to buy more later in the year. All of the new buses will

There has been little Government support of infrastructure investment and more can be done to promote opportunities in the UK, the CBI has claimed. In its report Attracting Investment to UK Infrastructure, the CBI identified four key alterations that would encourage long-term institutional investment, especially in greenfield proj

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Localism, decentralisation, devolution – these words have become the motherhood and apple pie of the Coalition government. However, transforming these fashionable concepts into reality for transport, especially the railways, is no easy matter.

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Edinburgh’s beleaguered trams project is now ‘even more out of control’ than it was when arm’s-length company, TIE, was in charge, a group of engineers has claimed.

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Transport for South Hampshire (TfSH) is installing free wi-fi Internet on 500 buses as part of a range of improvements to local services being introduced after it was awarded £4.5m through the Better Bus Area fund.