We’re in for some really turbulent times ahead
Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT When the chancellor of the exchequer has the courage to admit that we are going to experience a recession “the like of which we have never seen before” you can bet your...
Post-pandemic passenger transport – a new world
When we enter the ‘new normal’, our passenger transport services could be very different Both the secretary of state for transport and the prime minister have told the travelling public not to use passenger transport There is much speculation about the impact of coronavirus on passenger transport services. Currently, everyone is being...
Is the era of privatised public transport over?
Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT First the train operators get bailed out by being put on management contracts – renationalisation in all but name. Then the bus operators get a bailout of some £400m on top of...
Re-assurance crucial as lockdown loosens
‘Understanding behaviours and perceptions is now crucial. Only by doing that can the necessary re-assurances be given’ As potential changes to lockdown restrictions and travel are contemplated re-assurance seems key. Any transport users who need to travel are going to need re-assurance about what services are running and open and what they...
Beyond the lockdown – steering the right course
It’s time to start thinking big about how to respond to the long run implications of the coronavirus crisis At some stage we will need to meet the additional demand for public transport that release from lockdown entails, whilst continuing to ensure that staff and passengers are protected As we enter week...
Will we retain some of our new greener habits?
Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT Parliament’s back from recess and watching proceedings during Prime Minister’s Questions last week – not something that I normally bother with – was a surreal experience. Just 50 MPs allowed in the...
The new world facing transport
The scenario after Coronavirus will not be the same as before Perhaps the traditional peak period will become history in the interests of avoiding higher fares, congestion and each other I have lost count of the number of times that ‘unprecedented’ has been used recently. Lockdown has provided space to consider how...
Idle trains attract criticism
Thousands of carriages are lying unused across the country despite many areas needing more capacity The huge number of new Elizabeth line trains lined up in sidings next to the Great Western Main Line because the opening of the Elizabeth line has been put back represent a vast sum of money Channel...
Looking out from the lockdown
Since the lockdown began, Transport Focus has concentrated on ensuring that those that need to travel can do so when they need to in safety. Sharon Hedges explains how, like others in the transport sector, the watchdog is now beginning to think about what the future holds Dispersed across Great Britain, Transport Focus...
Decarbonising transport after Covid-19
The conclusions of a recent Transport Knowledge Hub workshop provide key insights to help inform policy makers navigating the challenges of decarbonising transport Electric buses in Harrogate What impact will Covid-19 have on efforts to tackle climate change? The delay to COP26 makes sense, but the priority for the next UN climate...
Transport world faces ‘critical disruption’
The transport sector will have to find new ways of working in a post-Covid-19 world Covid will place significantly new expectations on how “clean” public transport services should be The world has, in a few weeks, entered an existence that many thought couldn’t possibly occur. It is the world of science fiction where an...
The baseline bus network – a new beginning?