Greater Manchester has heralded a new era in public transport after bringing all of its bus services into the Bee Network this month. Becoming the first area in England to complete the re-regulation of buses is an historic moment for Greater Manchester – and beyond. To mark the completion of...
Issue 328 of Passenger Transport is published on January 10. Contents include: LEAD STORY ‘Blazing a trail for the future of bus services’ As the snow fell on January 5, the third and final tranche of Greater Manchester’s buses joined the publicly-controlled Bee Network. A landmark moment for...
As the snow fell on January 5, the third and final tranche of Greater Manchester’s buses joined the publicly-controlled Bee Network. A landmark moment for buses in the region, and beyond Following a phased approach, all bus services in Greater Manchester – totalling 577 routes, 1,600 buses and...
Heidi Alexander suggests operators are not paying their way Alexander: ‘Open access can create pressure on the network’ Rail Partners has responded to a letter from transport secretary Heidi Alexander urging the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to adopt stricter criteria for approving new open access rail...
Consultation is the first step that could see the first bus services in the West Midlands under public control by 2027. Andrew Garnett reports Richard Parker launched the consultation in Coventry West Midlands mayor Richard Parker has launched a consultation on plans to franchise the region’s bus network....
I have identified three negative influences that have held transport back, or led it in the wrong direction, through the decades HS2’s River Tame West Viaduct. The entire HS2 project has been subject to regular chopping and changing The turn of the year is a good time...
Will rail price itself out of existence? Will England’s bus users bulk at £3 fares? Will small businesses be squeezed out? We will see Commemorative rail coin 1825-2025 (credit: The Royal Mint) UK Rail, 1825-2025 2025 is the 200th anniversary of the railway in the UK, but...
Public transport is back on the political agenda – but the financial ammunition to make bus services better remains in short supply Transport secretary Heidi Alexander visited Greater Manchester’s Bee Network this week. Those who take back control of buses will face the same pressure to balance the...
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham hails a landmark moment for buses in his city region Bringing all buses in Greater Manchester under local control is a huge milestone – but it’s not a case of ‘job done’ Last week Greater Manchester became the first place in the country to take its bus...
The journey to bus franchising in Greater Manchester. Andrew Garnett reports Franchising allowed Transport for Greater Manchester to ensure better coordination with other transport modes The decision to franchise buses in Greater Manchester was not isolated but developed over decades of policy debate and legislative change. It emerged as a powerful tool for...
Vernon Everett, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, answers our questions about the city’s Bee Network With over 40 years’ experience, Vernon advises the Mayor of Greater Manchester on developing an integrated public transport network alongside more active travel facilities What enticed you to take on this role? Greater Manchester is an exciting and...
Ticketer has been small but critical cog in a complex change process, and is ready to help others Jason Mann, Ticketer director of product, and Tom Wilsher, Ticketer head of product management, overseeing the tranche one rollout Establishing a successful bus franchising solution involves multiple components, but the cornerstone of its success undoubtedly...
Wrightbus is helping places like Greater Manchester on their transition to sustainable transport Wrightbus delivered an average of 22 buses a week to operators throughout 2024 With more than 160 new Wrightbus vehicles going into service across the Bee Network at the start of this year, we understand the importance of keeping...
Rob Jones, managing director of Stagecoach Manchester, reflects on a 25-year record of connecting communities Stagecoach hosted a special lineup of heritage livery buses ahead of the changeover to the Bee Network For over 25 years, Stagecoach Manchester has been at the heart of the city’s transport network, playing an essential role...
The UK Bus Awards 2024 presentation ceremony took place in London in November, and you can read all about the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners in this official Souvenir Brochure. Click on the image below to view The Big Book of Big Winners 2024. If you are viewing the site on a tablet or...
Transport for Wales has been instructed to develop an approach that attracts a range of bus operators and retains a role for smaller operators Skates: ‘We’ll offer various types of franchising contracts’ Small and medium-sized bus operators will continue to play a role in providing local bus services in Wales once franchising has...
The Scottish Government’s draft budget includes a new Bus Infrastructure Fund, but the value of this fund is unquantified The launch of the £500m Bus Partnership Fund in 2019. Only £26.9m was spent BY Rhodri Clark The Scottish Government’s draft budget for 2025/26 restores capital funding for Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and heralds...
Louise Haigh targeted ‘hobbyists who really, really love trains’ when our main problem is politicians who are addicted to bluster Louise Haigh’s ‘can do’ mentality felt like the dose the rail industry needed to emancipate it from its seemingly interminable stupor Well, the moral of the story of the past fortnight is...
As the end of the year approaches, let’s celebrate and champion the progress being made in some key policy areas of transport Louise Haigh was photographed with seven English metro mayors at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool in September On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me…...
NSAR’s 2024 Workforce Survey reveals the urgency of addressing the skills shortage in UK rail – and the sector’s image problem Women now represent 17.4% of the UK rail workforce UK rail plays a central role in holding the country’s social fabric together. Not only is it of critical importance economically –...
Let’s put railways before rhetoric