Stunning ‘Ticket to Talk’ exhibition at London Waterloo station highlights the 2,284 small talk phrases used to save lives last year Yet 52% of Brits think small talk is a thing of the past and 78% of Brits admit to trying to avoid making it Samaritans, Network Rail and British Transport Police are reminding people to practice their small talk skills as it could be a life-saving tool New data reveals that 52% of Brits think small talk is a thing of the past despite more than

Oxfordshire County Council is set to introduce a lane rental scheme (LRS) aimed at reducing the length of time roadworks occupy the county’s busiest roads. The scheme, which was approved by the government in November 2025 , will come into force on 5 May and will allow the council to charge organisations up to £2,500 per day for carrying out works on key routes during peak traffic periods. The move is designed to encourage utility companies and contractors to complete work m

Oxfordshire County Council is set to introduce a lane rental scheme (LRS) aimed at reducing the length of time roadworks occupy the county’s busiest roads. The scheme, which was approved by the government in November 2025 , will come into force on 5 May and will allow the council to charge organisations up to £2,500 per day for carrying out works on key routes during peak traffic periods. The move is designed to encourage utility companies and contractors to complete work m

Collaboration will reduce road congestion, save on costs, and minimise environmental impact as development activity increases Agreement demonstrates how major infrastructure projects can work together Co-ordinated approach welcomed by local politicians Two clean energy projects in East Suffolk have joined forces to coordinate their planned roadworks – a move that will reduce the impacts of construction in the local area. Sizewell C and ScottishPower Renewables (SPR) are takin

Early preparation work has begun in Essex and Kent ahead of construction of National Highways’ Lower Thames Crossing, with major construction and tunnelling expected to start in 2028. Initial activity is focused on protecting utilities, wildlife habitats and heritage sites along the route while carrying out surveys and ground investigations needed to finalise the scheme’s detailed design. Around 50 archaeologists are currently working near Coalhouse Fort in Essex , excavating

AtkinsRéalis Transportation UK has announced two senior appointments to its board as part of efforts to strengthen leadership across its highways and transport advisory businesses. Ian Spellacey has been appointed Market Director for Strategic & Regional Highways . He brings more than 30 years of experience in the contracting sector , having previously served as Director of Highways Services at Balfour Beatty and Managing Director at ConnectPlus Services , the consortium res

Transport for London (TfL) has appointed SSE Energy Solutions to deliver a major solar energy scheme that will supply significant parts of the London Underground network with renewable electricity. Under the agreement, TfL will receive zero-carbon electricity directly from purpose-built solar installations , bypassing the National Grid through a private wire arrangement. As London’s largest single electricity consumer, TfL said the deal represents one of the first private wir

Transport for London (TfL) has announced that its trial offering free travel on three bus routes linked to the Silvertown Tunnel has been extended by seven weeks. Passengers will now be able to travel on routes SL4, 108 and 129 free of charge until Tuesday 26 May . The trial was originally introduced by the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan , as a 12-month initiative following the opening of the Silvertown Tunnel in April 2025 . The aim was to encourage greater use of public transp

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has announced a major programme of work aimed at strengthening the capacity, resilience and reliability of the Metrolink tram network. The improvements form part of a £150 million investment programme to maintain, upgrade and improve tram infrastructure across the city region, supporting the continued development of the Bee Network . The works will begin this spring and continue through to autumn, with TfGM warning passengers that temp

Four nights of overnight closures have been scheduled on the A34 northbound near Oxford to allow emergency bridge repairs to take place following disruption earlier in the day. Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that the A34 will be closed between the Botley Interchange and the Peartree Interchange from 8pm to 6am each night , starting Wednesday 4 March and continuing until Saturday 7 March . The works are being carried out by National Highways , although the precise cause

Transport for Wales (TfW) has reported a significant increase in the use of its Passenger Assist service, with more than 73,000 passengers supported during 2024/25. A total of 73,339 journeys were completed using the service over the past year, representing a 23% increase compared with the previous year and marking the highest number recorded across the TfW network. Passenger Assist is designed to help customers travel with confidence by providing additional support through

Engineers working on the HS2 project have completed the final concrete pile that will underpin the foundations of Birmingham’s Curzon Street station, marking a major milestone in the construction of the high-speed rail terminus. More than 2,000 reinforced concrete piles have now been installed across the site, forming the structural base for the station building. The piles, which range between 6 and 24 metres deep , provide essential support for the large-scale structure tha

LNER has unveiled special “Walk of Fame”-style installations at London King’s Cross and York stations to celebrate the contributions of women in the railway industry ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March. The displays honour both historic pioneers and modern-day role models, highlighting stories that have helped shape the railway across generations. Among those recognised are Elizabeth Holman, believed to be one of the earliest women to work on Britain’s railways in t

Hitachi Rail is celebrating ten years of operations in Scotland, highlighting a decade of investment in trains, infrastructure and digital maintenance that has helped improve reliability and significantly cut carbon emissions. Since entering the Scottish rail market in 2016, the company has worked alongside ScotRail, Transport Scotland and Network Rail as part of what it calls “Team Scotland”, delivering new rolling stock, modern maintenance systems and skills investment acro

Transport for London (TfL) Commissioner Andy Lord has warned that autonomous vehicles will only be allowed on London’s roads if they do not increase congestion in the capital. Speaking at the Interchange 2026 event in Manchester, Lord said driverless technology could offer significant safety benefits but must be carefully regulated to avoid worsening traffic conditions. “Clearly, there are significant safety benefits, but also we’ve got to balance that with the risk of furthe

Roads Minister Simon Lightwood has visited National Highways’ £200 million A47 Thickthorn improvement scheme near Norwich, marking a year since funding for the major infrastructure project was announced. The upgrade focuses on the busy junction between the A47 and the A11 and aims to reduce congestion, improve connectivity and support economic growth across the region. At the centre of the scheme are two new large underpasses being constructed beneath the A47 and A11 carriage