20 years of championing women in transport
This year will see 20th anniversary of Women in Transport. It will undoubtedly be a moment to reflect on the past and what has been achieved, but it will also serve as a springboard for future action I was proud to receive an OBE in 2024 BY Sonya Byers This summer, Women in...
Fueling our determination
It’s certainly a different world – but that just makes the D&I Bus Group’s work even more important Go-Ahead is serious about gender diversity BY Chloe Leach-O’Connell As we mark International Women’s Day 2025, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on where we’re at as an industry, and what’s next...
The Period Positive Workplace campaign
Women in Bus and Coach’s Period Positive Workplace campaign is an important step in creating a more inclusive transport industry A Period Positive Workplace is one where menstruation is acknowledged as a natural part of life BY Louise Cheeseman The transport sector has long been a male-dominated industry, and while progress has...
‘We can do anything, any role’
Nearly 500 talented women are working hard at bus operator Metroline to keep London moving Laura Darbon recently completed her engineering apprenticeship with Metroline Women have always played an important role in the bus industry, and that is especially true at leading bus operator Metroline, where nearly 500 talented women work hard...
The power of mentoring
Mentoring can help women develop skills, expand their networks and gain access to opportunities My mentor: Louise Cheeseman BY Kerry Turner The transport industry, a cornerstone of the global economy, plays a critical role in connecting people, goods, and services worldwide. Despite its significance, this sector has historically been male-dominated, with women...
New rail watchdog to hold railway to account
The government has launched an eight-week consultation into its Bill to reform Britain’s railways, which include a powerful new passenger voice Alexander: ‘This landmark reform will sweep away decades of failure’ The government unveiled plans for the long-awaited bill to reform Britain’s railways this week. They include setting up a powerful passenger watchdog...
Public purse provides 50% of bus revenues
New analysis by Chris Cheek’s Public Transport Monitor reveals extent of increased dependence of England’s bus industry on government money Direct revenue support, via either the Department for Transport or local government, has doubled from 15% of total income in 2018/19 to 31.3% last year Public spending on bus services and their passengers...
Bus route keeps Milton Keynes in The Loop
Arriva has taken data from a DRT network in Milton Keynes to launch a new orbital bus service that plugs gaps in the commercial local bus network The Loop launched in early January and has carried over 10,000 passengers in its first four weeks By Andrew Garnett Back in the 1960s, Milton Keynes...
Beware the allure of capping single fares
Fare caps are an easy way to grab attention, but what happens after they end and could funding be better invested elsewhere? England’s £2 bus fare cap morphed into a three-year experiment – into which the government will have ploughed £630m by the time it expires at the end of this year ...
Buses must embrace unorthodox thinking
To navigate this make-or-break period of major upheaval successfully, the bus sector needs bold leadership and open minds A more diverse range of voices – whether in terms of gender, ethnicity, professional experience – can only strengthen decision-making With major changes to how services are planned, funded and delivered, the UK bus...
‘I just said, I’d love to do that’
Lord Hendy tells ‘Lunch with Leon’ podcast why he was keen to accept mission to reform the railway Lord Hendy (left) with Leon Daniels Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill was sitting at his desk on a sunny afternoon when the phone rang. It was the Number 10 switchboard informing him that the...
Call out corruption and don’t cover it up