Out now: The latest issue of Passenger Transport
What’s inside the latest edition of Passenger Transport: LEAD STORY A budget to ‘rebalance transport costs’ Public transport sector welcomes the end of the fuel duty cut in due course, a new distance-based electric vehicle charge and a rail fares freeze NEWS EXTRA First Bus to quit Cornwall Group to withdraw from...
A budget to ‘rebalance transport costs’
Public transport sector welcomes the end of the fuel duty cut in due course, a new distance-based electric vehicle charge and a rail fares freeze Rachel Reeves outside Number 11 ahead of the budget Chancellor Rachel Reeves tilted the scales in favour of public transport in her budget this week by freezing rail...
First Bus to quit Cornwall
Group to withdraw from Cornwall after years of retrenchment. Andrew Garnett reports Be my Valentine? First Kernow will close on February 14 First Bus has announced plans to cease all operations in Cornwall by mid-February 2026, bringing to an end more than a decade of significant investment, restructuring and ultimately contraction in a market the...
Blackpool wins Bus Operator of the Year
Council-owned bus company won the best operator prize and Go-Ahead Group headed the medal table at this week’s UK Bus Awards in London The winner’s at this week’s UK Bus Awards Blackpool Transport was named UK Bus Operator at this week’s UK Bus Awards in London. The council-owned company was named the winner of the...
Britain’s railway reformation
The government has published its Railway Bill – what’s proposed, and what needs to be addressed? Paul Cooper reports CILT (UK)supports the creation of GBR and the goal of a more integrated network that brings track and train operations under unified leadership The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport has closely monitored rail...
Levelling up starts with connecting up
The North must go further and faster on rail connectivity. Expanding open access can unlock the region’s full potential, says Lumo and Hull Trains managing director Stuart Jones When Hull Trains launched in 2000, there was just one direct train a day between Hull and London When I think about the North’s future...
Improved integration offers ‘huge’ benefits
Centre for Cities report says improved transport integration in six English cities can offer easy access to city centres to an additional 1.2 million people Increasing public transport use would boost national economic output by an estimated £17.4bn per year Delivering more integrated transport networks in six of England’s big cities will give...
Wrightbus launches next gen EV buses
The Generation 2 Electroliner offers dramatic improvements to range, charging speed, battery life, systems and warranty Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales with the new Electroliner StreetDeck By Robert Jack “We have regained our crown,” Jean-Marc Gales declared at a briefing of the trade press in Ballymena this week. The Wrightbus CEO was speaking at...
Which direction will GBR take us?
Great British Railways is emerging – but details are still in short supply. Despite some of my misgivings, I’m cautiously optimistic Last week’s heinous stabbing incident on the LNER train from Doncaster to London and the derailment at Shap on the Avanti service two days later showcased, in adversity, the very best of...
The right way to take back control
Bus networks across the country will transition to public control over the coming years. What’s the best way to make that journey? Greater Manchester’s Bee Network has proved the doubters wrong on every point It was tough getting the powers to franchise. Well worth the struggle though. The success of public control...
Franchising needs data at every stage
Data guides franchising decisions, but local knowledge brings them to life, says CitySwift CEO and co-founder Brian O’Rourke Greater Manchester was the first area in the UK to introduce bus franchising Across the UK, the conversation around bus franchising has shifted from if to when. Greater Manchester has led the way, with other...
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