Greater Manchester’s TravelSafe LiveChat service has reached a major milestone after recording its 1,000th passenger report just months after launching across the Bee Network. The joint initiative between Greater Manchester Police (GMP) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) allows passengers to discreetly report anti-social behaviour, suspicious activity, welfare concerns and crime in real time while travelling on public transport. Rapid growth in public use The service

Drivers using the landslide-prone A83 Rest and Be Thankful route in Argyll are set to benefit from unrestricted traffic flow for the first time in more than two years after temporary traffic controls are scheduled to be removed this week. Traffic lights and lane restrictions through Glen Croe will be lifted on Friday evening following completion of the latest phase of landslide protection works along the busy route linking central Scotland with Kintyre and wider Argyll commun

The number of children cycling to school in Scotland has reached its highest level in at least 17 years, according to new survey data, although the proportion of pupils being driven to school has also increased. The latest figures show that nearly one in 20 school journeys are now made by bicycle, reflecting gradual growth in active travel among young people despite continued reliance on cars for school transport. Walking remains most common option The annual survey, carried

Lorry parking operators are being urged to apply for funding to help improve facilities after a multi-million-pound fund announced an extension for applications today. Launched in 2023, extra funding has been made available through the Lorry Park Improvement Scheme to increase capacity, improve security and improve welfare facilities such as toilets, showers and gyms at lorry parking areas. The new grants are set to cover up to 50 per cent of capital costs - businesses are

A £20m project is underway to upgrade the overhead power lines on Scotland’s original electrified railway. The work will focus on sections of the North Clyde lines, which run from Helensburgh, Balloch and Milngavie through Glasgow’s west end and low‑level stations. It’s the busiest suburban network outside London and one of the most critical parts of Scotland’s railway. Switched on in 1960, the electrification of the North Clyde marked the beginning of modern rail travel in

HS2 Ltd has entered early-stage discussions with Hitachi Rail and Alstom over potential changes to its high-speed train order following recent alterations to the wider HS2 programme. The talks come after Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander confirmed that HS2 trains will operate at lower maximum speeds than originally planned and that the project will no longer include Automatic Train Operation (ATO), as part of wider efforts to reduce costs across the scheme. Original HS2 spe

Booth Industries has completed production of the first safety-critical cross-passage door for the HS2 project at its specialist manufacturing facility in Bolton, marking a key milestone in the delivery of systems for Britain’s high-speed railway. The company will manufacture a total of 300 tunnel cross-passage doors for the project, supporting more than 130 jobs across the North West. Specialist manufacturing facility supporting HS2 delivery Production is taking place at Boot

Millions of rail passengers across the South East and East of England will travel on publicly owned services from this weekend as Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) officially transfers into government control. The move marks one of the most significant milestones yet in the government’s rail reform programme, with GTR becoming the latest operator to join the expanding portfolio of publicly managed railway services under Great British Railways (GBR). Responsible for around one in

Regional & City Airports (RCA) has reported a sharp increase in passenger traffic across its UK airport portfolio, reflecting continued growth in regional aviation demand and ongoing investment in routes and infrastructure. The operator, which owns and manages Bournemouth, Exeter and Norwich airports, said total passenger numbers rose by 23% year-on-year during the 12 months ending 31 March 2026. Overall traffic across the three airports exceeded 2.4 million passengers, up fr

Heathrow Airport has celebrated the 80th anniversary of its first commercial flight by commissioning a large-scale poem etched into a field near the airport — a tribute designed to be seen exclusively from the air. The installation, titled Gateway To The World, was created by writer David Larbi and forms part of the airport’s wider anniversary celebrations marking eight decades since Heathrow began commercial operations. Poem designed for passengers in flight The artwork has

Efforts to reopen Manston Airport in Kent have taken another step forward as plans to revive the long-abandoned site enter a new stage of public consultation. The airport, officially known as Kent International Airport, has remained inactive since its final scheduled passenger flight departed for Amsterdam in April 2014. Since then, the site has largely been used as a temporary lorry holding area, although redevelopment plans have been progressing behind the scenes for severa

Chronological Traffic Management has highlighted the growing role of the Sign Pig ballast system in helping contractors maintain safer and more reliable temporary traffic management setups across urban and long-term infrastructure projects. The company says the product is proving particularly valuable on schemes where keeping signage secure, compliant and visible can become a persistent operational challenge. Addressing common site issues According to Chronological Traffic Ma

Mott MacDonald has been appointed to Scotland Excel’s latest Engineering and Technical Consultancy Framework, securing positions across eight service areas on the national agreement supporting local authorities and public sector organisations throughout Scotland. The renewed framework, valued at an estimated £160m, will run from 2026 to 2030 and provides all 32 Scottish councils alongside more than 90 eligible public sector bodies with access to engineering and technical cons

Great Western Railway (GWR) has unveiled what it says is the UK rail sector’s first dedicated Security Operations Centre, marking a major step forward in the use of real-time surveillance and intelligence technology across the railway network. Based at GWR’s headquarters in Swindon, the new facility has been designed to strengthen passenger and staff safety through continuous monitoring of CCTV systems and faster coordination of responses to security incidents. 24/7 monitorin

Plans to create a temporary park-and-ride facility for workers involved in a major UK energy infrastructure project in East Lothian are set to be reviewed by councillors following concerns over road safety and traffic impacts. Metlen Energy and Metals, part of the consortium delivering infrastructure linked to the Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) project, has applied for permission to build a 261-space parking facility to transport construction workers to and from the Torness conv

National Highways has announced plans for a new specialist consultancy framework to support delivery of the Lower Thames Crossing project, with the contract estimated to be worth £20m. The proposed framework will provide technical and professional services across a wide range of disciplines linked to the development and long-term delivery of the major road scheme connecting Essex and Kent beneath the River Thames. Long-term consultancy support planned According to the newly i