Grayling – ‘He’s King Midas In Reverse’
Chris Grayling has shamelessly blamed others and he is always reacting to events, not leading them. It’s time he was moved on Chris Grayling was made transport secretary in July 2016 I have always liked that old 1967 Hollies song, King Midas In Reverse. Here’s a couple of verses: It’s plain to...
Public transport can’t be complacent
A trip to San Francisco, a global showcase of mobility innovation, demonstrated that ‘classic’ public transport needs to raise its game San Francisco seems to be at the epicentre of every new transport innovation being discussed on a global scale Disruption continues in the world of mobility. Opportunities are leading to new...
In celebration of celebrating diversity
It’s amazing that public transport providers openly support gay events in their localities. Love is all around. But it wasn’t always It’s a credit to our industry that public transport providers openly support gay events in their localities Quite rightly, we hear an awful lot about diversity and celebrating diversity in public transport....
Corbyn wrong to cry ‘Take back control!’
The grievances of rail users may be well grounded, but the Labour leader’s leap to renationalisation is not. It is a knee-jerk reaction The world has moved on, but Jeremy Corbyn has not Goodbye Lenin was a wonderfully endearing and funny film. Released in 2003, it tells the story of a staunch supporter...
Stormy weather looms over transport
Big shifts are going on – crises for bus and rail, ‘big tech’ reined in and an active travel revolution underway in Greater Manchester Whilst the summer weather has been day after day of serene blue skies, politics has been anything but. The arcane detail of rival concepts of Brexit (or no Brexit...
A vision for the future of ‘Rail Cities’
The crisis on Northern and Thameslink shows how important rail is for cities – and opens up a space for some bigger thinking The Tyne & Wear Metro The recent meltdowns on Northern and Thameslink not only left many passengers beside themselves with frustration about not being able to get to work on...
Buses need long term investment strategy
As we celebrate Catch the Bus Week, a new report warns that buses are in crisis. With more cuts on the horizon, action is needed Buses minister Nusrat Ghani and Transport Select Committee chair Lilian Greenwood joined Greener Journeys in Westminister on July 2 to launch this year’s annual Catch the Bus Week ...
Our Brexit journey will be a rough ride
Two years on from the Brexit referendum, where have we got to? I revisit my eight initial predictions and offer some new ones There have been plenty of transport metaphors to be found in the articles on Brexit that are now a regular feature of our daily newspapers, and none of them positive....
Safer transport and automation
‘Safety & Security’ was the theme of last month’s International Transport Forum Summit in Leipzig. I was one of 1,200 visitors A panel session during the International Transport Forum’s 2018 Summit The Paris-based International Transport Forum, which is an associated agency of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and based in...
So what’s this franchising for?
Franchising is a ‘half-way house’ model that combines the public and private sector. But roles and risks must be carefully considered The East Coast franchise tells us that the infinite suppressed demand actually isn’t there It was the high-watermark of the Thatcher government that brought deregulation and privatisation into common usage – terms...
In the silence of my lonely room
The government wants to tackle loneliness. Is this an opportunity for public transport to be part of the solution to another problem? Gothenburg’s Vasttrafik makes its point, and says: ‘Thank you for travelling together!’ Follow social media and you follow corporations and government departments beating an infographic-rich path towards a series of worthwhile...
Orange revolution held at red signal