Author Archive
Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Issue 339 of Passenger Transport is published on June 13. Contents include:     LEAD STORY £15bn package is ‘huge vote of confidence’ Chancellor announces £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, £2.3bn for other areas and extends £3 bus fare cap   NEWS Bus franchising ‘may not meet expectations’ Louise...
£15bn package is ‘huge vote of confidence’

£15bn package is ‘huge vote of confidence’

Chancellor announces £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, £2.3bn for other areas and extends £3 bus fare cap   Rachel Reeves during her visit to Mellor   This month’s Comprehensive Spending Review contained positive outcomes for the public transport sector. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding by 2031-32 for...
Bus franchising ‘may not meet expectations’

Bus franchising ‘may not meet expectations’

Louise Cheeseman, former TfL director of buses, warns of lack of expertise while others say public expectation levels are high for franchising schemes   Cheeseman: ‘My worry for bus reform going forward is lack of expertise’   Governments may have raised public expectations too high in their messaging on franchising and new municipal bus operators,...
Do we have our fingers on the pulse?

Do we have our fingers on the pulse?

  How well does public transport understand its existing and potential customers, and the societal trends that influence them?   There has been a greater post-Covid recovery in women travelling by bus than men   “Time is the most precious resource any of us has,” Marc Winsland remarked in his excellent article in the last...
Bee Network offers blueprint for Britain

Bee Network offers blueprint for Britain

  As I bid farewell to the Bee Network and its striking yellow buses, I do so with immense pride. It’s a model that others can follow   The Bee Network   Bus franchising is a transformative approach to public transport management, granting local authorities the ability to regulate service quality, fares, and network integration....
Putting rail’s jigsaw puzzle together

Putting rail’s jigsaw puzzle together

  We might not have all the pieces, but we have enough to make a very good start. Let’s begin transforming the UK rail industry   If you’re the sort of person who plunges into a jigsaw puzzle without consulting the picture on the box first, you’ll know how hard it can be. You tip...
Smarter data, better buses

Smarter data, better buses

  Collaboration with CitySwift has been a win for passengers, operators and Transport for London   London’s buses carry around 1.8 billion passenger journeys each year London’s bus network is one of the largest and most mature in the world, with nearly 9,000 vehicles operating across over 600 routes. These buses collectively carry around 1.8...
£2.1bn Network North Wales plan announced

£2.1bn Network North Wales plan announced

Unveiled at last week’s Welsh Public Transport Summit, the plan includes rail infrastructure projects, extra services and Pay as You Go ticketing   Network North Wales forms an ambitious plan to upgrade transport in North Wales   Ambitious rail proposals for North Wales for the next decade and beyond were announced by Ken Skates, Welsh...
Industry pays tribute to Go South Coast boss

Industry pays tribute to Go South Coast boss

Andrew Wickham, the managing director of Poole-based bus operator Go South Coast, passed away last weekend after a long battle with cancer   Andrew Wickham: 1966-2025   BY Andrew Garnett The bus industry has reacted with shock to the news that Go South Coast managing director Andrew Wickham passed away last weekend after a long...
The missing buses of Britain

The missing buses of Britain

  Passenger numbers have returned faster than bus services in the period since Covid. Are bus operators getting the balance right?   Our industry has been put through the wringer once or twice in the AD era.   2025 is my 10th year working in the bus industry. It also marks five years since the...
From Istanbul to London by train

From Istanbul to London by train

  I experienced trains, trams and trolleybuses on a recent journey across Europe – and spied some interesting contrasts with Britain   A tram in Budapest   I have just completed my longest train journey ever, and no, it wasn’t one marred by rail replacement buses, driver shortages and signal failures on the West Coast...
Bus franchising is  not a silver bullet

Bus franchising is not a silver bullet

We share the Welsh Government’s goals for buses – but to achieve those goals, reform must build on what already works   Buses are the most used and most accessible form of public transport in Wales   By Martin Gibbon Bus franchising has a part to play in delivering service improvements across South Wales, but...