Out now: Issue 227 of Passenger Transport
Issue 227 of Passenger Transport is published on February 21. Contents include: LEAD STORY HS2 and £5bn for ‘local transport revolution’ £1bn-a-year boost for buses and cycling over five years will give towns and cities ‘the modern, joined up network needed to fire up economic growth’ NEWS: Plea to put congestion at...
Bus franchising now mayor’s ‘leading option’
Steve Rotheram says Liverpool’s year-long ‘Big Bus Debate’ has influenced his thinking on franchising and ‘doing nothing is simply not an option’ Go-Ahead Group will recruit a record-breaking 1,200 apprentices this year Steve Rotheram, the mayor of Liverpool City Region, says that he now considers a London-style franchised bus service as the “leading...
‘We’ve nationalised the wrong train operator’
Northern Powerhouse Partnership director attacks TransPennine FirstGroup’s TransPennine franchise began in April 2016 A representative of major business interests in the North of England has criticised FirstGroup over its “absolutely shocking” stewardship of the TransPennine Express franchise. The attack came from a director of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership think-tank, which is chaired by...
Street launches £15bn West Midlands rail plan
Mayoral hopeful plans 20-year programme of rail improvements West Midlands metro mayor Andy Street has launched his bid for re-election in May with an ambitious £15bn, 20-year plan to significantly ugrade public transport in the region. The former John Lewis boss envisages opening eight new light rail lines as part of the West...
Network Planner – Hertfordshire County Council
Network Planner Location: Main Base: Hertford Salary range: £31,371 – £33,799 pa Hours: 37 Contract: Permanent An opportunity has arisen for a new Network Planner within the Passenger Transport Unit. The role will support the Network and Travel Planning team to implement the county council’s Local Transport Plan 4. Forecasts predict that by 2050,...
North of England Transport Summit Review 2020
Welcome to the North of England Transport Summit Review 2020, a publication devoted to transport in the North of England. This publication has been produced by Passenger Transport, in association with Transport Times Events, to coincide with the fourth annual North of England Transport Summit. This event will be held in Manchester on February 12...
Transport groups scale up apprentice intakes
Stagecoach and Go-Ahead used National Apprenticeship Week in England to reveal that they will recruit an extra 800 apprentices in 2020 Go-Ahead Group will recruit a record-breaking 1,200 apprentices this year Transport groups Stagecoach and Go-Ahead used National Apprenticeship Week in England (February 3-9) to announce plans to scale up their recruitment of...
Bus use falling, but new markets emerging
New report reveals that traditional bus markets are declining but new ones, such as ‘Millennial Bus Man’, offer a fresh long-term focus for revival The report finds that while traditional bus markets are in decline, new ones are emerging among millennials A new report by the Independent Transport Commission uncovers major changes in...
‘Taking back control’ could bite Shapps
The transport secretary appears to have developed an enthusiasm for bringing franchises back under public control – but will it help? Grant Shapps It was interesting for me as an amateur Kremlinologist with a ministerial background to listen to transport secretary Grant Shapps addressing the annual parliamentary reception for the Campaign for...
Could you have done a better job at Northern?
Grant Shapps has stripped Arriva of the Northern franchise, blaming the management. But I think that responsibility for its problems lies elsewhere – writes Alex Warner Chris Burchell Grant Shapps got what he wanted, so too did Andy Burnham, the trade unions and the media – because Arriva being stripped of the Northern...
Head of Network Transformation – Transport for West Midlands
Head of Network Transformation Salary range: Circa £75,000 per annum Hours: 36.5 Contract: Permanent Are you ready to take on an exciting new challenge and play a significant role in transforming the public transport system in the West Midlands? About the role The Head of Network Transformation is an exciting new role which...
Comfort or ‘capitalist realism’?