Stockton-Jones – ‘I am incredibly optimistic’
In her first interview since becoming Stagecoach’s UK managing director Carla Stockton-Jones explains why she remains positive about the future Carla Stockton-Jones Passenger numbers are about half what they were pre-Covid and the industry is dependent on life support government funding, but the boss of Britain’s biggest bus, coach and tram operator remains...
‘I’m spending money like water’ – minister
Baroness Vere remarks on ‘incredible’ scale of emergency funding and says national bus strategy will target non-users as well as existing ones Baroness Vere (centre), pictured during a visit to York in September Transport minister Baroness Vere offered an insight into her current thinking at an online event organised by Transport Focus this...
Go North East celebrates planners and schedulers
‘It’s only right that we praise the hard work of our scheduling team on Transport Planning Day’ Left to right: Graham Hill and Christopher Strong Today is Transport Planning Day and bus operator Go North East is celebrating the hard work that goes on behind the scenes from its network planning and scheduling...
CPT seeks £500m for 2021/22 Covid recovery
‘Recovery Partnerships’ touted for England, but Urban Transport Group wants new model for an industry that is ‘now reliant on public funding’ Positive news about a vaccine has led many to dream of a post-pandemic world, but there are opposing views on the best funding model for England’s bus industry as it seeks...
Concerns over bus ‘funding gulf’ in Wales
The Welsh rail industry has received £167m in emergency support, ahead of the extra £45m the bus industry has received. Rhodri Clark reports Buses account for approximately four times more passenger journeys in Wales than trains The Welsh Government has decided to give 3.7 times more Covid-19 emergency funding to rail services than...
‘Public transport is Covid-safe’ – UITP
UITP says growing number of international studies are finding that transmission risk is ‘very low’ Reacting and evolving: More than 200 UV light sanitising devices are being installed on 110 escalators on the London Underground network. A successful trial found that they improve sanitisation levels on escalator handrails by at least 50% “There...
Second wave threatens bus and rail recovery
As further restrictions are imposed across different parts of the UK, the steady upward trend in public transport use looks set to flatten or decline Stagecoach revealed that commercial revenues from its bus operations outside London had returned to 50-60% pre-Covid levels Public transport operators are already seeing the steady recovery of passenger...
Hendy – we must all be proud of our response
As we return to print after a pause of six months, we join Sir Peter Hendy in paying tribute to the dedication of passenger transport professionals Facing up to the challenge: Govia Thameslink Railway’s St Albans station manger It has been six long months since Passenger Transport was last published. We took the...
How can the railway overcome fear factor?
Government’s strong ‘avoid public transport’ message has created the impression that it was ‘fundamentally unsafe’ and will be hard to reverse Fundamentally unsafe? Strong warnings to avoid public transport in the UK have created a culture of fear that will be difficult to reverse. This issue was discussed by speakers at last month’s...
GTR announce £55m fleet modernisation
270 Southern, Gatwick Express and Great Northern trains to be updated Govia Thameslink Railway and rolling stock lessor Porterbrook have announced a five-year, £55m programme to modernise the Southern, Gatwick Express and Great Northern ‘Electrostar’ fleets, 270 trains in all. Enhancements range from real-time passenger information screens and USB/power points to high-tech on-board...
Nexus reveals new colour scheme for Metro
New livery harks back to classic Metro livery Nexus has revealed a vibrant new yellow colour scheme for the Tyne & Wear Metro’s £362m new train fleet and has also announced a major public consultation on the interior design of the new fleet. The transport executive has chosen a modern and eye-catching yellow...
UTG calls for post-pandemic investment
Empower urban transport authorities to build back better, urges report Transport authorities can play their part in shaping a positive legacy of COVID-19 for the UK’s city regions, provided they are given both the funding and powers they need to respond to the challenges that lie ahead, according to the Urban Transport Group...
