Author Archive
Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Inside the latest issue of Passenger Transport

Issue 341 of Passenger Transport is published on July 11. Contents include:     LEAD STORY Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford? Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge   NEWS NAO calls for DfT lead on...
Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge   Broad coalition of organisations are backing the proposal   Making Oxford’s park and ride buses free to use could become a reality if plans for a temporary congestion charge in the...
NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

Despite significant bus investment in recent years, a new report by the National Audit Office calls for better strategy and targeted funding   Report noted that bus franchising is complex and costly   The Department for Transport must deliver clearer strategic direction and cohesive funding if local transport authorities in England are to reverse the...
French ambition contrasts with UK

French ambition contrasts with UK

  In the 1980s, France’s TGV high speed train revolution left the UK well behind. Is the same now happening on local transport?   Orléans is an example of what a public transport system can do in a small city   Paris in the springtime but today we have given the conventional attractions of the...
Social media  - it’s all or nothing

Social media – it’s all or nothing

  If you put the right level of resource behind social media, it can be game-changing, but if you get it wrong it’s best not to bother   As part of my role, I do social media training for transport companies and detailed reviews of their approach and strategy   Public transport is in the...
UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

  Germany’s second largest city is a showcase for innovation in transport policy, with ambitious targets to grow public transport   Hamburg has an extensive U-Bahn network of four lines with 93 station   The UITP Summit was held in Hamburg, Germany in mid-June 2025. Hamburg held the very first UITP Summit in 1891. This...
Does more choice mean cheaper fares?

Does more choice mean cheaper fares?

  The evidence suggests that open access competition has resulted in cheaper fares and grown the overall market for rail travel, says Andy Comfort   Hull Trains will celebrate its 25th birthday later this year   At 0614 on the morning of Sunday May 25, the first train to be nationalised by the Labour government...
Assistant Operations Manager - Reading Buses

Assistant Operations Manager – Reading Buses

  Assistant Operations Manager Reports to: Operations Manager Department: Operations Reading buses is an award-winning public transport operator, serving Reading and the surrounding areas. We are one of Reading’s largest employers with over 580 employees and 175 buses, delivering over 70,000 passenger journeys each day. We are committed to delivering a safe and reliable low...
Joint working group to save Scottish ADL jobs

Joint working group to save Scottish ADL jobs

UK Government and Scottish Government are working jointly to explore options to prevent the loss of 400 bus manufacturing jobs in Scotland   ADL: This is a challenging time, and we are grateful for the active engagement from the Scottish and UK Governments   A joint working group has been established by the UK Government...
Public transport must be a ‘climate priority’

Public transport must be a ‘climate priority’

More than 10,000 public transport professionals gathered in Hamburg last week for the UITP Summit – an event which is set to become annual   UITP president Renée Amilcar in Hamburg last week   “Public transport is not just a mobility solution in our cities – it’s a climate solution.” That was the message from...
SMEs to have focus in Welsh franchising plan

SMEs to have focus in Welsh franchising plan

Transport for Wales confirms contracts will be structures in a way that protects and encourages greater involvement from the SME sector   TfW envisages a ‘different playing fields’ approach to bus franchising   Bus franchising contracts in Wales could be as small as two vehicles to ensure accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the...
Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report

Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report

  What’s been going well in public transport in 2025 and where is greater attention required? It’s time for my half-term report   Over the last month, I’ve made twice-weekly trips with Avanti and each time the service just gets better and better   It’s hard to believe midsummer’s night has been and gone and...