Tag: Department for Transport

STORY

Longest railway tunnel ever built in West Midlands will help bring £10 billion into the region’s economy over the next decade.

Passengers are closer to benefiting from faster, more comfortable travel between London and Birmingham as the first High Speed Two (HS2) rail tunnel in Birmingham is completed.

Today (9 May 2025), HS2’s tunnelling machine finalised the first excavation of the 3.5 mile Bromford tunnel, which connects Warwickshire and Birmingham.

Alongside slashing journey times and providing more seats for passengers, this major milestone will free up track space on the heavily congested West Coast Mail Line and allow more services to connect people to job opportunities that will put more money in their pockets, as outlined in the Plan for Change.

Rail Minister, Lord Hendy, who attended the breakthrough event, said:

Today marks a major milestone for the country’s biggest infrastructure project, opening up the HS2 gateway to Birmingham.

This is the longest railway tunnel ever built in the West Midlands. It’s truly a monumental feat of engineering and represents huge progress.

Creating jobs, providing opportunities and supporting economic growth are at the heart of this project. 10,000 people and 400 businesses across the West Midlands alone are delivering this project as we speak, bringing £10 billion to the region’s economy over the next decade.

There is a lot of hard work still to do to get this project back on track. But today, people in the West Midlands can start to see this government’s Plan for Change connecting people with jobs, housing and opportunity.

The Bromford Tunnel, which will soon become the longest railway tunnel in the West Midlands, starts in the Warwickshire village of Water Orton and ends in the Birmingham suburb of Washwood Heath.

The Washwood Heath site has spurred the development of a 24 hectare brownfield site, which will unlock land for commercial use and logistics space, creating opportunities for employers and the community and more than 1,000 new jobs for local people.

The tunnel boring machine, which created the Bromford Tunnel, was named Mary Ann by the local community, after the Warwickshire-born writer better known by her pen name, George Eliot.

Mary Ann excavated around one million tonnes of spoil during the tunnel drive. In line with HS2’s sustainability policy, the excavated earth is being reused to support construction of the nearby Delta Junction, a complex network of 13 viaducts that will enable high speed trains to travel between London, Interchange Station in Solihull and Birmingham Curzon Street Station. The excavated material is transported via dedicated haul roads to minimise the number of construction vehicles on public roads.

The Department for Transport is currently overseeing a fundamental reset of the HS2 programme to make sure the railway can be delivered safely and for the lowest reasonable cost.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 9 May 2025.

Direct rail link between UK and Switzerland could boost tourism and grow our economy, while offering a greener option for passengers.

Millions of passengers could benefit from quicker, greener and more convenient travel across Europe as the Transport Secretary signs a landmark agreement to progress a new direct rail link to Switzerland.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed today (9 May 2025) between the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, and Federal Councillor, Albert Rösti, will lay the groundwork for future commercial services that could boost tourism to the UK, support jobs and businesses and strengthen cross-border trade.

This landmark agreement, signed today at London St Pancras Station, signifies the government’s ambition to boost sustainable transport links across Europe and unlock the significant economic, social and environmental benefits a direct rail connection brings.

The move will help formalise cooperation between the 2 governments, building on industry efforts, to address the barriers to establishing direct rail services, in particular the need to establish border controls and meet Channel Tunnel safety rules.

It will also support the industry’s existing plans to realise long-term ambitions for enhanced rail connectivity between the UK and central Europe.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

This is an exciting and important milestone in our efforts to strengthen international rail connections and promote greener travel to Europe.

A direct rail link between the UK and Switzerland has the potential to boost tourism, grow our economy and bring people closer together – all while offering a greener option for passengers.

This is what our Plan for Change is about – breaking down international barriers and making bold, long-term decisions to better connect Britain and boost our economy.

Federal Councillor, Albert Rösti, said:

A direct rail connection between Switzerland and the United Kingdom is an ambitious goal.

With today’s memorandum of understanding, we are establishing the basis to jointly examine concrete next steps. Such a connection would send a strong signal for international public transport.

Following today’s signing, a joint working group will be established, bringing together government and industry experts from both countries to examine how best to overcome the commercial and technical barriers to launching a direct service.

This includes establishing Channel Tunnel safety requirements, new security arrangements and facilitating conversations with operators.

The new working group will hold its first meeting in the coming months to begin developing a clear action plan addressing operational, regulatory, policy and commercial requirements.

Robert Sinclair, CEO of London St. Pancras Highspeed, said:

We strongly welcome the UK and Swiss governments’ active cooperation to create a sustainable international rail border arrangement between the 2 countries.

This exciting announcement brings us one step closer to direct high-speed services between London and Switzerland, building on the preliminary work already undertaken to ensure that station access and routes are in place to make this a reality.

London St. Pancras Highspeed is enabling the growth of international high-speed rail services from London. As well as our ongoing work to expand capacity at St. Pancras International, we recently launched a new International Growth Incentive Scheme, which supports the launch of new destinations across Europe, including cities in Switzerland. We look forward to continuing our discussions with the Swiss National Railway, SBB, to help realise this fantastic opportunity.

Gwendoline Cazenave, CEO Eurostar, said:

We welcome steps to strengthen sustainable travel between the UK and Switzerland. Eurostar customers can now book their entire journey between London and Geneva, Zurich, Basel or Lausanne via Paris. This is a first step in a wider plan with our partners to grow connections in the greenest way.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 7 May 2025.

Lowering the train driver age to 18 will help future-proof our railways, support young people in fulfilling careers and boost growth across the country.

Young people will be able to take up new careers as train drivers 3 years earlier, to boost the number of drivers needed for reliable services and put more school and college leavers on track to step straight into work.

Thousands of jobs and apprenticeships will be made available to those between 18 and 20 years old as early as December 2025, offering skilled roles, valuable experience and long-term career opportunities whilst keeping our country moving, driving economic growth at the heart of our Plan for Change.

It will also help build up the rail workforce, preventing delays and cancellations caused by driver shortages, which currently account for 87% of cancellations made the night before a service runs.

The decision to lower the age will future-proof the railways, reducing the over reliance on rest day working by getting more people into the driving seat and ensuring a steady stream of drivers entering the industry.

The average train driver is 48 years old and rising, with 30% due to reach retirement age by 2029. Bringing young talent into these skilled roles now will bridge this gap, preventing any future shortages and ensuring consistent, reliable services for passengers.

In a profession that is less than 9% female and less than 12% represented by ethnic minorities, this will open professional opportunities to a much wider group of people.

This is yet another initiative to help deliver the government’s Plan for Change by unlocking skilled jobs and safeguarding reliable train services, boosting the economy and improving living standards in the process.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

We’re taking bold action to improve train services and unlock thousands of jobs.

We’re committed to getting the economy moving and a big part of that is getting young people into the workforce, putting them on track for a skilled and fulfilling career, which will boost growth across the country and help deliver our Plan for Change.

We’re future-proofing our railways against delays and cancellations caused by a shortage of drivers, ensuring that we can provide reliable, passenger focused train journeys under Great British Railways for decades to come.

This follows a consultation DfT undertook last year, which received overwhelming support from across the industry and marks a significant step forward for rail reform.

Mick Whelan, General Secretary of ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, said:

ASLEF has been campaigning for many years for the lowering of the age at which drivers can start training.

This decision – to allow people to leave school, or college, and join the railway in the driving grade at 18 rather than wait until they’re 20 – will increase diversity in the driver’s cab by encouraging more people from ethnic minority backgrounds, more LGBT+ people, and more women – as well as more young people – to drive trains on Britain’s railways.

Because, at the moment, young people who want to become train drivers leave school or college at 18, get other jobs, and we miss out as an industry, as they don’t wait around until they turn 20 to find a career.

Several other countries have already successfully and safely adopted a lower age limit, including the Netherlands, France, Germany and Switzerland, with other countries, including Japan, considering a change in law. Transport for London also successfully opened up its train driver apprenticeships to 18 year olds to drive trains on the underground network in 2007.

Everyone who takes on the role of a train driver must undergo rigorous training to ensure they are competent, qualified and fit to do so, ensuring the safe use of our railways for everyone.

Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall, said:

This government is determined to widen the opportunities of all young people.

By allowing 18 year olds to take up careers as train drivers we are literally putting them in the driving seat when it comes to finding secure, well-paid work.

This is a core part of our plan to lower the number of young people not in education, employment or training and builds on our Youth Guarantee scheme to give all 18 to 21 year olds the chance to earn or learn.

Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:

By opening up this vital sector to more young people, we’re not only creating a pathway to high-skilled careers but also addressing the skills shortages that hold back our transport network and economic growth. This is another step forward in our mission to break down barriers and create new opportunities for young people.

This is our Plan for Change in action: bringing in fresh, diverse talent, tackling skills shortages and helping to grow our economy across every part of the country.

This is just one of the ways we’re delivering improvements to the railways ahead of the creation of Great British Railways (GBR). Once set up, GBR will bring track and train together, ending years of fragmentation and waste. GBR will relentlessly focus on driving up standards for passengers and proposals for how it will run, including plans for a powerful new passenger standards watchdog, are currently being considered.

Daniel Mann, Director of Industry Operations at Rail Delivery Group, said:

Our railways have played a vital role in connecting communities and supporting economic growth for 200 years and train drivers are an important part of this.

Working as a train driver is an incredible long-term career opportunity and we want to open the doors, especially to school-leavers, to encourage a wider and more diverse pool of young people to apply, reflecting the communities we serve. These changes will not only help us to recruit the next generation of drivers, lowering the average age of the workforce, but will also help to ensure a resilient railway for the years to come.

Mark Phillips, CEO at Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) said:

To boost economic growth by running more frequent rail services, the industry needs to invest in enabling more young people to start train driver apprenticeships. Our research determined that 18 year olds are capable of safely becoming train drivers and identified opportunities to improve how the rail industry manages competence for all drivers.

Starting a train driving career could be more appealing at 18 than at 20, as young people can choose it over pursuing a degree or an office job. It is an excellent career choice, offering the opportunity to work independently in a role that carries huge responsibility.

Maggie Simpson OBE, Director General of the Rail Freight Group (RFG), said:

Rail freight thrives when the whole network has the skilled people it needs, so we welcome the decision to lower the minimum driver age to 18.

Bringing talent into the cab straight from school can widen the recruitment pool, inspire more young people to choose rail careers and let them build experience earlier  but importantly, this is a permissive change. Each freight and passenger operator will decide for itself whether and how to recruit younger drivers.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 6 May 2025.

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, visits Star Coaches in Batley and celebrates a sector that provides 42,000 jobs in the UK.

The government has reaffirmed its support for the coach sector today (6 May 2025), as Local Transport Minister Simon Lightwood visited Star Coaches in Batley ahead of National Coach Week.

In partnership with the Road Haulage Association, National Coach Week (12 to 18 May 2025) celebrates the essential role of coaches in everyday life, from transporting over half a million students to school each day, to providing vital backup when trains or planes are disrupted.

The minister met with staff and Road Haulage Association leaders to discuss the industry’s contribution to local communities, and how the government can work with operators to improve accessibility, make services greener and drive economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said:

It was a pleasure to visit Star Coaches in Batley today, ahead of National Coach Week.

From getting over half a million students to school each day, to supporting 42,000 jobs for drivers and other staff, the coach sector plays a vital role in our economy, and keeps communities connected.

That’s why we’re working hand-in-hand with the industry to unlock its full potential – which will ultimately boost local economies, and open up access to greater job opportunities across the country to drive growth as part of our Plan for Change.

During the visit, the minister discussed how Star Coaches supports the region – from transporting children on school trips, to helping older residents stay connected with their communities. The Batley based operator was founded in 1982 and operates a fleet of 16 to 70-seater coaches to serve local passengers across West Yorkshire.

Tomorrow, the minister will meet with industry leaders to share insights from the visit and discuss how the government can strengthen the sector for the future.

As part of efforts to tackle driver shortages and expand opportunities for young people, the government is currently reviewing consultation feedback on licence rules for 18-to-20-year-olds.

The government is also working with the sector to continually improve accessibility, which includes running an innovation competition with Innovate UK to develop transferable audio-visual equipment for coaches, which will award projects up to £170,000.

Richard Smith, RHA Managing Director, said:

National Coach Week is a fantastic opportunity to shine a spotlight on the vital role the coach industry plays in our society.

Coaches provide essential transport links, connect communities, and support our tourism sector. They are also a key part of the solution to reducing congestion and improving air quality.

We urge everyone to join us in celebrating this important industry and recognise the hard work and dedication of the people who make it a

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 23 April 2025.

Further action to reduce waiting times will see thousands of additional tests made available every month.

Learner drivers are set to benefit from reduced waiting times as the Transport Secretary announced new measures today (23 April 2025) to combat test-buying bots and provide thousands of additional tests every month.

The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, has instructed the DVSA to intensify its efforts to reduce waiting times and improve access to driving tests which will break down barriers to opportunity as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

To open up more tests and break down barriers to opportunity, she has announced:

• those in other DVSA roles who are qualified to examine will be asked to return to the frontline to provide practical driving tests
• doubling the number of permanent trainers to skill up new driving examiners quickly
• accelerated consultation to investigate the potential abuse of the driving test booking system and prevent bots from accessing tests
• reintroduction of overtime pay incentives for everyone delivering driving tests

Taken together, the government aims for these measures to reduce driving test waiting times to 7-weeks by summer next year.

Significant progress has already been made as part of the DVSA’s 7-point plan to reduce waiting times, with 1.95 million tests delivered last year. However, further action is required to help learners pass quickly and ensure young people can access vital training and job opportunities to help them get on in life.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander said:

We inherited an enormous backlog of learners ready to ditch their L-Plates but being forced to endure record waiting time for their tests.

We simply cannot deliver on our Plan for Change if thousands remain held back, with their aspirations on pause.

I am instructing DVSA to take further action immediately to reduce waiting times which will see thousands of additional tests made available every month. We’re acting fast to get Britain’s drivers moving.

The DVSA’s Additional Testing Award scheme will reopen for up to 18 months, allowing more examiners to deliver additional tests.

Examiner training capacity will be doubled to ensure newly recruited driving examiners can qualify as quickly as possible. An accelerated consultation will also launch in May to improve the booking system and block bots from accessing tests. This comes on top of the work DVSA is already undertaking with leading IT specialists to enhance resilience against resellers.

Additionally, the government will temporarily ask eligible staff to deploy into examining roles, increasing test availability and providing coverage for examiner sickness or leave.

These measures come following the launch of a 7-point plan to drive down the waiting times to 7 weeks.

Progress has been made in recruiting more than 100 new examiners, increasing the short notice cancellation period for candidates, and introducing tougher terms and conditions for driving instructors booking driving tests for their pupils.

DVSA Driver Services Director, Pauline Reeves said:

Since December 2024, we’ve made significant progress on implementing our plan to reduce waiting times. But we know that many learner drivers are not seeing the immediate effects of the measures.

The further action which the Secretary of State has announced today will help us to accelerate those measures, including expanding training capacity for newly recruited driving examiners so more of them can start carrying out driving tests sooner.

Rhydian Jones, motoring expert at Confused.com car insurance said:

A long wait for driving test availability has held back many learner drivers from getting their licence. That’s why it’s positive to see that the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, is enforcing more measures to improve waiting times for learners. This will bring hope to those starting to learn, or still waiting to take their test. And ultimately, it should help make what is meant to be an exciting time for them something they can look forward to without the thought of a long wait.

Emma Bush, Managing Director of AA Driving School, said:

Learner drivers have been dealing with frustratingly long waiting times to book a driving test since the easing of pandemic related restrictions several years ago. As we have highlighted, there is an urgent need for effective action to bring waiting times down to an acceptable level and, as such, we welcome today’s announcement giving further details of how the DVSA will meet its target waiting time of 7 weeks by the end of the year.

Many people, particularly young people, need to pass their driving test for their job or to access education. Unblocking the system by creating extra tests will help ensure people are not being held back due to a lack of a driving licence.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 16 April 2025.

We are tackling the real problems that drivers face by lifting miles of roadworks and cracking down on disruptive streetworks.

Drivers are set to benefit from up to £500 of savings per year and see smoother Easter getaways as 1,127 miles of roadworks are lifted, the Department for Transport (DfT) has announced today (16 April 2025).

It comes as RAC data shows hitting a pothole can cost drivers up to £460 in repairs. That’s why the government is putting £1.6 billion into the hands of local councils from this month to get fixing our roads – enough to fill 7 million extra potholes, going far above and beyond the government’s manifesto commitment.

To further protect motorists given continued cost-of-living pressures and potential fuel price volatility amid global uncertainty, the government has frozen fuel duty at current levels for another year to support hardworking families and businesses, saving the average car driver £59.

Together, this means that drivers could save up to £500 a year from the government’s measures, saving motorists money, improving living standards and getting Britain moving as part of the Plan for Change.

The government is also speeding up journeys for the 19.1 million drivers the AA estimate will make car trips on Good Friday, as National Highways lifts 1,127 miles of roadworks over the bank holiday.

Around 97.5% of major roads across England will be completely free from roadworks, speeding up millions of journeys and boosting connectivity across the country to drive growth – the key priority in the government’s plan for change.

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said:

Cutting journey times and saving drivers money every year is all part of our Plan for Change to raise living standards and put more money in people’s pockets.

We are tackling the real problems that drivers face by lifting 1,127 miles of roadworks over Easter and cracking down on disruptive streetworks to make journeys to see loved ones as smooth as possible.

This government is also saving drivers up to £500 a year, with councils soon to receive their record £1.6 billion pothole funding and the continued freeze on fuel duty.

Improving our national infrastructure and rebuilding Britain is critical to achieving growth – the top mission of the government. That’s why since entering office the government has unlocked 7 major road schemes backed by £580 million. This includes the recently approved Lower Thames Crossing which will be a key strategic route for drivers, freight and logistics – improving connectivity between the south and the midlands, linking up our ports and unlocking regional growth.

This includes £200 million for the A47 Thickthorn Junction and £290 million for M3 Junction 9, plus £90m for local road schemes like the:

• A130 Fairglen Interchange
• South-East Aylesbury Link Road
• A350 Chippenham Bypass
• A647 scheme in Leeds

This is a total of over £580 million for schemes to get Britain moving.

On top of this, the government recently announced a further £4.8 billion for National Highways to protect the country’s strategic road network, which provides critical routes and connections across the country. The funding will ensure this vital network is kept in good repair and remains fit for the future whilst delivering essential improvement schemes to unlock growth and housing development.

Many drivers are already seeing faster journeys on motorways, as over 270 miles of roadworks have recently been lifted following National Highways completing its National Emergency Area Retrofit programme last month, which saw roadworks on the M1, M3, M4, M5, M20, M25 and M27 lifted.

National Highways is reminding drivers to properly prepare for Easter travel by relaunching its ‘TRIP’ campaign, encouraging drivers to ‘Top-up, Rest, Inspect, Prepare’. The guidance aims to prevent breakdowns which can lead to delays and unexpected costs.

Significant routes to benefit from roadworks being lifted or completed in time for the Easter getaway include:

• over 130 miles of roadworks on the M25
• more than 100 miles on the M1 between London and Chesterfield
• more than 70 miles on the A27 between Polegate, East Sussex and Havant, Hampshire
• 49 miles on the A34 between Oxford and Winchester
• almost 50 miles on the M27 between Southampton and Portsmouth
• over 45 miles on the M4 between Hayes and Hungerford
• 44 miles on the M2 between Rochester and Faversham
• 37 miles on the A303 near Andover
• 31 miles on the A47 between Great Yarmouth and Peterborough

Disruptive streetworks by utility companies are also being tackled under this government’s clampdown, with doubled fines and charges of up to £10,000 per day for utility works that overrun at weekends and bank holidays. This will help make sure works finish on time, and roads can be fully reopened to traffic.

The most congested roads also see the highest charges, under lane rental schemes – meaning utility companies are charged more on the busiest roads and at the busiest times. At least 50% of the revenue raised from these will go into mending more potholes, so that even more roads can be improved. There are currently 5 lane rental schemes running across England, with applications for 8 new schemes.  This month saw East Sussex starting its own lane rental scheme, to deter disruptive utility companies and save drivers many hours off weekend car journeys.

The government is also introducing measures to implement a new digital service that will speed up roadworks, slash traffic delays and reduce accidental strikes on pipes which currently amount to 60,000 per year, costing the UK economy £2.4 billion.

With holes being dug in UK roads every 7 seconds, the National Underground Asset Register, part of the Data (Use and Access) Bill, will create a map of the country’s underground pipes and cables, allowing construction workers to instantly see their exact location – a process which currently takes 6 days.

Technology Secretary, Peter Kyle, said:

Technology must be first and foremost used to make people’s lives better, and that includes tackling the misery of traffic caused by road works.

That’s why we are creating a comprehensive digital map of underground cables and pipes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The map will mean construction workers and utility companies will know exactly what lies beneath before they dig, helping to prevent accidental damage like bursting water mains.

Our laws will not only back our mission to make British roads safer and journey times quicker, but also grow our economy by £400 million each year as part of our Plan for Change by reducing disruption to motorists and businesses.

Andrew Butterfield, National Highways Director of Operational Services, said:

We expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long Easter weekend. That’s why we are making journeys easier by removing a huge number of roadworks.

Drivers should also take time to plan ahead. Two of the top 3 causes of breakdowns are tyre issues and empty fuel tanks. You can help prevent any breakdowns by following our advice: top up your fuel, oil and screenwash, plan your journey, check your tyres and prepare for all weather conditions.

Dan Joyce, Operations Director at Kwik Fit, said:

The removal of roadworks for Easter is welcome news for drivers, so it will be even more frustrating if something else gets in the way of a smooth holiday journey.

There are many easy checks drivers can make themselves to avoid problems. Tyre pressure and tread, along with topping up fluids, are the key ones to carry out.  If anyone has any concerns about their car’s condition, they can book a free check with Kwik Fit and have one of our expert teams check it over to make sure they’re safe on the roads.

AA President, Edmund King OBE, said:

Bank holiday weekends tend to remind us of the importance of having a good road network without roadwork delays or plagues of potholes. Hence, we very much welcome the lifting of roadworks as record numbers hit the roads this weekend and the government’s efforts to address the pothole pandemic and reduce disruptive streetworks. Drivers can help by making sure their tyres are properly inflated, oil and coolant levels are correct, and that they plenty of fuel or charge if driving an EV.

Andy Turbefield, Head of Autocentres Quality, Standards and Policy at Halfords, said:

Potholes are more than just a nuisance; they’re a threat to road safety. Every day in our garages we see the damage they do to tyres and wheels, steering and suspension and exhaust systems. Addressing Britain’s pothole crisis will not only save motorists money, it could also save their lives.

RAC breakdown spokesperson, Alice Simpson, said:

With a ‘hat-trick of hold-ups’ expected on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the lifting of roadworks should help ease journeys to popular destinations like the West Country, the south coast and East Anglia. A quick check of your vehicle before leaving could avoid an expensive and unwanted breakdown.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 9 April 2025.

The South Yorkshire Mayor has announced a £30m devolved funding investment into reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, in a major economic boost for the region.

Millions of pounds of investment has been announced today by the South Yorkshire Mayor (Wednesday 9 April) to support the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA), with plans forecasted to support 5,000 jobs, boost the economy by £5bn and provide wider benefits of £2bn by 2050.

The Airport has sat idle for years despite the potential to drive growth across the north. Today’s decision by the South Yorkshire mayor, backed by this government, would see the creation of a sustainable aviation hub in South Yorkshire to turbocharge economic growth in the region.

In a major boost for regional growth and example of devolution in action, today’s announcement will enable the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) to use their devolved funding to invest in the creation of a sustainable aviation hub.

The government has confirmed it has established a working group with Doncaster Council and SYMCA to support local efforts to reopen the airport and explore how the project could unlock wider benefits in the region. The first meeting, bringing together South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, Aviation Minister Mike Kane, Doncaster Council and the government, has taken place today (Wednesday, 9 April).

Today’s boost for South Yorkshire comes as the Deputy Prime Minister agrees new shared priorities with mayors across the country focused on the opportunities and challenges to unlocking regional growth – a major step forward in the government’s pledge for each regional mayor to have their own Local Growth Plan.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said:

If we are to really grow our economy and put money into the pockets of working people, regional growth needs to be hardwired into the decisions that we make.

That’s why we have wasted no time in kick starting Local Growth Plans, owned by local leaders, and why, through our bold devolution plans, we can back our mayors and get opportunities for jobs and growth off the ground – just as they will with this thriving regional airport.

Previous governments stood by as Doncaster Sheffield Airport was closed by its owner despite the overwhelming support for it to stay open. It now sits idle despite the potential to drive jobs and growth across the north. I am delighted to work with City of Doncaster Council and the Mayor of South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard to support their efforts to recreate South Yorkshire Airport City as a thriving regional airport.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said:

This Government will stop at nothing to fuel economic growth and deliver prosperity for people up and down the country, as part of our Plan for Change.

I’m thrilled to see devolved funding for South Yorkshire being used to revitalise the airport project, and boost the region as a whole, and I look forward to the first flights taking to the sky.

Mayor for South Yorkshire Oliver Coppard said:

This significant funding package, alongside the cross-departmental government working group we have now set up, is a vital signal of our shared commitment to our airport, to growth, to creating good jobs in our communities, and to the future of Doncaster and South Yorkshire.

Since day one, we have been fighting for our airport, so we can create good jobs in the industries of the future and play our part in developing the sustainable aviation technologies of tomorrow. To now have the support of a government who don’t just understand that opportunity but truly want to help us realise it, couldn’t be more important.

The new growth priorities agreed today will support mayors by tapping into government levers that can help their ambitions for their communities. Local plans will now help turbocharge regional economies, with shared priorities including:

• Improving transport connectivity to create a green, integrated transport network in the North East
• Increasing the skills base and reducing economic inactivity in West Yorkshire
• Boosting the availability and affordability of homes in Liverpool

These plans will ensure a more strategic approach to regional growth over the long-term and align government policy better to grow and create a more future-facing economy with benefits that are felt across the country.

The shared priorities confirmed by Deputy Prime Minister today are the first stage of developing these major plans, with more work underway to shape them further. Mayors will now begin to finalise their own Local Growth Plans for publication later this year.

Further information

• The Mayor’s investment will be supported through South Yorkshire’s devolved funding, including SYMCAs Investment Fund and the new, flexible, long-term Integrated Settlement which will be implemented in SYMCA from 2026/27.
• The new working group will meet monthly and will ensure that the path to local prosperity is being driven forward by those who know the region best.

Working group members:

• South Yorkshire Mayoral Combine Authority
• Doncaster Council
• Department for Transport
• HM Treasury
• Ministry for Housing and Local Government
• Office for Investment

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 9 April 2025.

The railway network connects people across the country, fuelling business, growth and opportunity.

Passengers are more likely to take the train for leisure travel while commuters would rather take the train midweek are the key takeaways from a new research report published today (9 April 2025) by the Department for Transport (DfT).

The railway connects communities across the country, moving people to get to work, education, healthcare and leisure. It provides vital infrastructure essential for delivering growth, providing opportunity and raising living standards as part of the Plan for Change.

The government is undertaking a once in a generation overhaul of the rail network, bringing train operating companies into public ownership and setting up Great British Railways (GBR), bringing track and train together to put passengers first.

In order to better understand how passengers use the railway and deliver a network that works for their needs, DfT did an investigation into the reasons passengers take the train. The report found that:

• 54% respondents said they were travelling for leisure
• 30% were commuting for work or education
• 15% were travelling for business
• 61% said they travelled by rail for leisure at least once a month
• 41% said they used the railway for commuting at least once a week, with Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday being the most popular days

This shows a return to midweek office working, demonstrating how essential the railway is for connecting people to get to work, providing a path for opportunity and catalysing economic growth.

Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy said:

Our railway is the backbone of our economy, connecting people across the country and fuelling business, growth and opportunity, supporting the Plan for Change.

This research shows thousands of passengers choose the train for their leisure travel. To go and see family and friends, go on holiday or go to big events whether its concerts, festivals or a football match, the train is the best way to get there.

Resetting industrial relations has meant there have been no national strikes since 9 May 2024, which has protected passengers from significant disruption and delays, avoiding further impacts to the hospitality industry and wider economy. This has meant the network has been able to start getting its financial footing back, with green shoots appearing in rail revenue with an increase of 8% from the latest quarter (October to December 2024) compared to the same quarter in 2023. Public ownership will turn the page on fragmentation and mean every penny can be spent for the benefit of passengers rather than private shareholders.

A key barrier to more people taking the train is still a lack of consistency in reliable services as delays and cancellations mean people miss days of work, hospital appointments or social events. The latest passenger data shows cancellations in the latest quarter (October to December 2024) was 5.1%, with 70,000 fully cancelled trains across the network.

The government is determined to drive up performance, and the Rail Minister is meeting with all train operators to address concerns and demand immediate action. On top of this, last month the Transport Secretary announced a new era of rail accountability, making performance information available at over 1,700 stations showing the punctuality and reliability of trains visiting those stations.

This year’s rail sale was the biggest one yet, encouraging more people to take the train with over one million tickets sold and top destinations including Manchester, York and London Bridge. Great British Railways will have a relentless focus on putting passengers at the centre of every journey, encouraging more people to take the train by improving standards and driving up performance.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 8 April 2025.

Funding will make bus travel cleaner and more affordable for passengers, while helping the UK to meet its zero emissions goals.

Passengers across England will enjoy greener, smoother and quieter bus journeys thanks to a £37.8 million government investment to propel forward green transport, with 319 new zero emission buses.

Every pound of government funding is set to be topped up by at least £3 of private investment.

The funding has been allocated to 12 successful local authorities across England – following bids to expand their zero emission bus fleets – and will see 319 cleaner, more comfortable vehicles serving passengers by spring 2027.

It comes as the government made changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate yesterday, including increasing flexibility of the mandate up to 2030 and allowing hybrid vehicles to be sold until 2035, all with the aim of supporting UK electric vehicle (EV) manufacturers.

Today (8 April 2025), the Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, will visit Hull to see how the funding will bring improved journeys for passengers and discuss how highly skilled engineering and construction jobs will be created locally as electric bus infrastructure is delivered.

Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, said:

I’m thrilled to announce this £38 million investment, which will deliver 319 new zero emission buses to communities across England by 2027. This funding will not only make bus travel cleaner, greener and more comfortable, but it will deliver on our Plan for Change, creating jobs, supporting local economies and accelerating our journey towards a zero emission future.

By backing local councils and UK manufacturers, we are putting the power in the hands of communities, while helping to deliver on our vision of a sustainable, green transport network.

From Hull to Hove, there’s an electrifying future on the way for our buses.

Among the biggest winners are Nottinghamshire County Council, which will benefit from £2.6 million to launch 42 new electric buses, Hull City Council, where £3.9 million has been allocated to provide 42 vehicles and the West of England Combined Authority, which will receive nearly £20 million for 160 buses.

This funding comes on top of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area 2 (ZEBRA 2) programme, which has funded a further 995 zero emission buses.

Funding will see vital bus routes given a new lease of life, for example in Bristol, where funding will be used to expand zero emission bus services across 22 different routes through the city, connecting passengers with vital services including hospitals and universities.

Matt Cranwell, Stagecoach East Midlands Managing Director, said:

Stagecoach prides itself on the importance of putting sustainability at the core of our business strategy. We’re delighted to be working with local authorities and the government to invest in a further 78 new electric buses to play our part in improving air quality in those regions where we operate.

This new government funding, supported by significant investment by bus operators, will play a key role in Stagecoach’s transition to green bus fleets, helping us to meet our goal of having a zero emission UK bus fleet nationally, by 2035.

The government is encouraged that UK-based manufacturers are well placed to benefit from these new bus orders. 60% of buses funded by previous ZEBRA investments are being procured from domestic firms, supporting highly skilled jobs and growing regional economies to improve living standards, as per the government’s Plan for Change.

Regional leaders and leading manufacturers are also being given a voice on zero emission plans – through the UK bus manufacturing expert panel – which seeks to put local people at the heart of bus building.

The first event was hosted by the Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, in Sheffield last month and saw experts from Alexander Dennis and Wrightbus speak with Metro Mayors Oliver Coppard (South Yorkshire) and Tracy Brabin (West Yorkshire), about how local transport ambitions could link hand in hand with zero emission ambitions.

Matt Carney, CEO, Go-Ahead Bus, said:

We’re very grateful to the Department of Transport for this continued partnership. Together we’re investing in even more zero-emission buses so that customers across the UK can access cleaner, greener public transport. This funding will support new zero-emissions buses in Hull, Salisbury, Brighton and Hove, Plymouth and Isle of Wight.

The incoming Bus Services Bill will not only hand power back for local authorities to operate their own services, but also include a measure to ultimately end the use of new diesel and petrol buses across England. It is expected to progress into the House of Commons shortly.

The Local Transport Minister also visited Wrightbus’ site in Ballymena last week, to continue engagement around the green future of bus manufacturing and mark the significant milestone of their fleet passing 50 million green miles travelled.

The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 7 April 2025.

The First of a Kind competition boosts innovation on the railways, improving passenger experience through cutting-edge technology.

Delivering on its promise to put passengers first, the Department for Transport (DfT) has made £5 million funding available to winning projects as part of the First of a Kind (FOAK) competition.

Opening today (7 April 2025), in partnership with Innovate UK, the First of a Kind competition offers grant funding for innovative projects to be tested on the railway, to give them a better chance at being bought by train operators, freight companies and Network Rail. This will help to deliver better services for passengers, encouraging more people to take the train and supporting growth as part of the government’s Plan for Change.

For the first time since starting the competition, Innovate UK consulted closely with industry to identify the top challenges it faces. Given the clear direction of the Transport Secretary to put passengers at the heart of every journey, this year’s competition will be funding projects that focus on:

• passenger experience, particularly improving safety through reporting tools that could help reduce violence against women and girls and anti-social behaviour
• accessibility, including level boarding
• artificial intelligence (AI) and data collection, for example, prevention and recovery of rail bridge crash incidents
• greener railways, using AI to drive sustainability and reduce waste

Level boarding – meaning passengers who need assistance can board unaided – is one of the key issues that mean disabled people need assistance to get from street to seat. Accessibility is a core priority for this government and will be a central mission for Great British Railways and FOAK funding will help make these improvements happen.

Everyone should feel confident they will be safe when travelling by train. The government’s Plan for Change commits to cracking down on anti-social behaviour, raising standards and driving up confidence in the police. DfT is driving this forward by funding projects that will address safety on the railways, for example, tools to report anti-social behaviour, or addressing challenges that influence travel choices for example violence against women and girls stopping women from taking trains late at night.

Rail Minister, Lord Peter Hendy, said:

This competition addresses the biggest challenges facing the rail industry, taking cutting-edge technology and bringing it onto the railways by turning ideas into reality.

This funding builds a platform for boosting innovation on the railway, giving new technologies a chance to succeed, supporting economic growth as part of the Plan for Change.

We are creating a railway that works better for the people who use it and making lasting progress for passengers and freight by improving accessibility, safety and reliability to prevent disruption before it happens.

This £5 million of government funding will help to address one of the key challenges organisations with new innovative ideas face, which is securing funding and being able to demonstrate that their projects work. The First of a Kind competition, over the 8 years it has been running, has provided £58 million of funding to 179 successful projects.

For example, one successful project that’s already been widely taken up on the railways is Trains with Brains, an AI sensor onboard trains that monitors where maintenance on the tracks is needed and reports on infrastructure defects that need fixing, making the network safer, more efficient and more reliable.

Another project, One Big Circle, using AI allowing users to monitor things like track conditions and electrical faults online, won the King’s Award for Innovation.

The Secretary of State has also made strategic innovation one of the 5 areas of focus for Shadow Great British Railways, bringing together leaders of DfT, Department for Transport Operator and Network Rail. Work has already started with GBRX, an innovation body sitting under Network Rail challenging and changing the historically slow adoption of new innovations. GBRX is already convening industry and academia to collaborate more effectively and embrace new technology.

Mike Biddle, Executive Director for Net Zero at Innovate UK, said

The innovations sought through this competition will help create a more accessible, safer and efficient railway system throughout the UK.

The competition highlights the importance of collaboration with industry partners to deliver high-maturity demonstration to ensure seamless integration into the existing railway infrastructure.

Delivered by Innovate UK on behalf of the Department for Transport, the competition aims to identify and support outstanding, innovative solutions. In previous rounds, companies from across the UK have demonstrated the creativity and impact of their ideas through live demonstrations.

The competition opens today and organisations will have until 28 May to submit their projects.