Department for Transport

Expanding Heathrow airport is projected to cost thousands of jobs in other UK regions, with nearly 10,000 jobs at risk in the West Midlands alone. A Department for Transport report indicates that airports in England and Wales may lose millions of passengers if a third runway is constructed.

Conservative mayor Andy Street is a leading candidate for chair of Great British Railways, a publicly-owned company overseeing nationalized railways. The role, paying £200,000 to £300,000 annually, is part of Labour's reversal of 1990s rail privatization. The decision remains pending, with political considerations potentially delaying it until after Andy Burnham becomes prime minister.

HS2 has abandoned autonomous train operation (ATO) technology and reduced the maximum speed of its railway from 360 km/h to 320 km/h as part of a cost-saving and schedule-stabilization reset. The changes, recommended by HS2 Ltd and endorsed by the Department for Transport, aim to save £1-2.5 billion and accelerate the project's completion, though the National Audit Office (NAO) warned of uncertain savings and reduced long-term benefits.

Nearly 500 people were seriously injured in e-scooter collisions in Great Britain in 2026, with 10 fatalities, compared to six deaths in 2024. The Department for Transport reported 1,484 casualties involving electric scooters in 2026, up from 1,390 in 2024.

The UK Treasury rejected a plan to reduce VAT on public EV charging from 20% to 5%, despite the Department for Transport's support. The proposal, criticized as a 'pavement tax,' faced internal government disagreement, with charger companies indicating they would pass tax cuts to consumers if implemented.

Driving instructors are banned from booking tests on behalf of students due to brokers charging double for earlier bookings, resulting in 22-week waits for learners. This ban aims to reduce waiting times and prevent exploitation by brokers. The move affects driving students and instructors across the region.

Trains across England have stopped running due to a radio fault, causing major disruption for travellers for the rest of the day. The issue is expected to continue throughout the day, affecting various train routes. Travellers are warned to expect significant delays and disruptions.

The UK government will spend £20.5 million to develop a 'numberplate system for the skies' to track drones, and an additional £26.5 million on regulatory changes to support drone use in emergency responses and other areas. The system aims to identify and take action against unauthorized drones, following incidents at airports. The funding is part of a broader effort to integrate drones into UK airspace.