Out now: Issue 322 of Passenger Transport

Out now: Issue 322 of Passenger Transport

Issue 322 of Passenger Transport is published on October 4. Contents include: LEAD STORY Halt ‘nonsensical’ road projects to save £10.5bn Campaign for Better Transport urges transport secretary to divert funding to public transport as CPT calls for ‘immediate decision’ on £2 bus fare cap NEWS Calls to ‘Buy British’...
Halt ‘nonsensical’ road projects to save £10.5bn

Halt ‘nonsensical’ road projects to save £10.5bn

Campaign for Better Transport urges transport secretary to divert funding to public transport as CPT calls for ‘immediate decision’ on £2 bus fare cap   Campaign for Better Transport has called for “large and unnecessary” road projects like the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing to be cancelled   Ahead of this...
Calls to ‘Buy British’ increase at conference

Calls to ‘Buy British’ increase at conference

A clear theme from the Labour Party conference was the growing demand for British bus manufacturers to be prioritised in public procurement   Alexander Dennis, one of the UK’s largest bus producers, recently announced a consultation that could threaten 160 jobs in Scotland   By Andrew Garnett Political pressure is...
Rail needs a reset - not just another sale

Rail needs a reset – not just another sale

  The transport secretary has announced a ‘Rail Sale’ for early 2025. We need to be more radical in reducing costs and raising revenue   Marketing from train operator Greater Anglia during this year’s ‘Great British Rail Sale’   In announcing the trajectory towards rail renationalisation on September 3, one...
There’s a buzz around franchising

There’s a buzz around franchising

  The new government is pushing ahead with a bus franchising revolution, but there are potential pitfalls that must be avoided   Franchising has already arrived in Greater Manchester   There’s a buzz around buses right now, and it is all about franchising. We’ve seen the first application of the...
Buses need more attention to detail

Buses need more attention to detail

  Improving bus services requires more than a fare cap or a change of ownership – it’s all also about shelters, timetables and ticketing   The Azores were beautiful – but the bus service was confusing   There is no doubt that the almost universal £2 bus fare has been...
The legacy of the pandemic

The legacy of the pandemic

Matthew Niblett and Sarah Kendall on how Covid accelerated changes in travel behaviour   The threat of another pandemic has not disappeared and it is only a matter of time before we could face another global health crisis   BY Matthew Niblett and Sarah Kendall Some four and half years...
Latest entries
‘Uneven playing field’ puts ADL jobs at risk

‘Uneven playing field’ puts ADL jobs at risk

Bus manufacturer begins consultation on Scottish bus manufacturing jobs and accuses various government policies of favouring lower-cost imports   ADL claimed it had invested significantly in its UK facilities   Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis Limited has announced a consultation process that could put 160 jobs at risk in Scotland, citing concerns over how government zero-emission...
Building a cleaner,  fairer, safer future

Building a cleaner, fairer, safer future

  Net zero must be presented as an opportunity to build a greener, more efficient transport system that drives prosperity and growth   The UK is well placed to lead on coach decarbonisation   The world is on fire. A record 15 national heat records have been broken so far this year. People are struggling...
Go-Ahead leads on decarbonisation

Go-Ahead leads on decarbonisation

Group outlines the progress it has made towards rolling out zero-emission buses and infrastructure   Go-Ahead operates over 1,100 zero-emission buses, either in service or on order   The world faces a critical climate challenge that requires immediate action. As a leading global public transport operator, Go-Ahead recognises the vital role that public transport plays...
Miles motivated to make buses better

Miles motivated to make buses better

Group chief executive Claire Miles told Young Bus Professionals how she plans to revolutionise Stagecoach’s approach to customers   Miles joined Stagecoach in October 2023 from Yell   By Andrew Garnett Stagecoach’s recent evolution is, in many ways, symptomatic of much that has gone on with the UK’s major transport groups over the last few...
Look forwards and make the most of it

Look forwards and make the most of it

  The shift towards greater public control of public transport offers opportunities, but strategic thinking and ambition are required   Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is the first example of buses outside London being returned to public control   The battle of ideas over the best way to provide public transport is effectively over. Even the...
Catching the bus with Claire Walters

Catching the bus with Claire Walters

  It’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’ so I hopped on board Superloop with someone who has been championing bus users for the past 12 years   Myself and Claire Walters during our pleasant Superloop journey   “The bus should be like a referee – you shouldn’t notice it; everything should go smoothly. It should only...
Large organisations can become agile

Large organisations can become agile

  Organisations struggle to make decisions, moving slowly and disconnecting from customers – but it doesn’t have to be like this   We’re living through a crisis in governance. Our challenges aren’t caused by a lack of technology or innovation. They’re not caused by a lack of great people. They’re not even (primarily) caused by...
Strasbourg is the ‘obvious choice’

Strasbourg is the ‘obvious choice’

Traditionally held in Paris, next month’s EuMo Expo show will take place in a new venue   11,000 visitors are expected to attend this go-to European event   In a change from its traditional venue, the eleventh edition of European Mobility Expo (EuMo Expo) will be held in Strasbourg from October 1-3 2024. 11,000 visitors...
Read our supplement: Scotland's Buses 2024

Read our supplement: Scotland’s Buses 2024

Welcome to Scotland’s Buses 2024. This special publication from Passenger Transport places the spotlight on Scotland’s bus and coach industry and its partners, celebrates their achievements and considers the challenges they face. Published in association with CPT for a seventh time, this year’s edition incorporates the official Conference Workbook for the 46th annual CPT Scotland...
Will this be Labour’s blueprint for transport?

Will this be Labour’s blueprint for transport?

‘We have a unique opportunity to reshape our transport infrastructure,’ says chair of review commissioned by the party in opposition in December   The review calls for an ambitious transport infrastructure plan to ensure a greener, more inclusive, and efficient UK transport network   A report commissioned by the Labour party while in opposition in...
Mixed messages on transport policy

Mixed messages on transport policy

  It’s not unusual to see contradictory policy positions across government when it comes to transport, but I’d hoped for better   The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, seems willing to grab at any private finance that is around for transport projects, even if this runs contrary to government policy on, for example, climate change   August...
Transport should be for everyone

Transport should be for everyone

  It’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’ and we’re asking bus operators to pick up the pace of change in making their services accessible to all   Caroline Stickland is the CEO of Transport for All   Almost 30 years on from the laws that made buses accessible in the UK, let’s mark ‘Catch the Bus...