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...
The government has bought itself breathing space over the past six months. It’s time for big decisions that will shape the future The planned National Bus Strategy is also now more relevant than ever If a week is a long time in politics, then the last six months have been a lifetime....
Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT So we’ve put in place new Emergency Recovery Management Agreements (ERMAs) for the train operators to replace the initial Emergency Management Agreements (EMAs). Do we have a secret committee tasked with dreaming...
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...
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...
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...
Follow-up order follows 2019 deliveries One of the 30 new coaches on the Sunsundegui production line Translink, Northern Ireland’s state-owned has ordered a further 30 coaches from Spanish manufacturer Sunsundegui. Production of the vehicles is now underway and it follows delivery of 30 14.3-metre Volvo B11R triaxle coaches in 2019. The high specification...
Poor air quality is recognised as a widespread problem but attempts to deal it with are failing The air we breathe in many places is unacceptably polluted. We live with it because we have to but there is increasing recognition of the harmful effects of poor air quality. There have been huge...
Module helps operators submit BDOS data Transdev Blazefield is using the new system Omnibus is launching a new module to help clients to provide seamless, compliant timetable data for the Bus Open Data Service (BODS). From its launch in the Autumn, clients will be able to produce TransXChange 2.4 files in accordance with...
Patronage improvements accelerating at UK bus division FirstGroup has reported an “encouraging acceleration” in the rate of patronage recovery in recent weeks at its UK bus division. In an update to the City this morning, the Aberdeen-based group says passenger volumes across the division have increased from around 10% of pre-pandemic levels at...
Open access operator scraps plans as a result of pandemic Grand Central had acquired Class 90 locomotives and former LNER rolling stock to operate the new service Grand Central will not launch its planned North West route train service between Blackpool and London after Covid-19 rendered plans ‘unfeasible’. The open access train operator...
Janette Bell named as successor Janette Bell will join FirstGroup from P&O Ferries in October Giles Fearnley, managing director of FirstGroup’s UK bus division, has announced his retirement. He will be succeeded by Janette Bell who joins the group in October. Fearnley has been MD of First Bus since February 2011. Since then,...
Will we build back better – or worse?