Go-Ahead swoops as Arriva announces cuts
Group plots return to High Wycombe 24 years after sale Go-Ahead’s Carousel Buses operation will step in on most of the routes Arriva is proposing to withdraw Go-Ahead looks set to benefit from a rival operator’s retrenchment following the news that Arriva is consulting on proposals to close its depots in Aylesbury and...
Revenue raising ruses to rescue rail
We keep hearing that the railway is short of money, but have we made the most of the commercial opportunities in front of us? Are we making the most of our amazing station infrastructure? I’m getting a little tired of hearing that the UK rail industry has big financial issues, particularly post...
Private TOCs on borrowed time
Labour’s plan for Britain’s railways confirms intention to bring all franchised operations in-house Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh, pictured on a visit to Hitachi When the new South West Trains and Great Western franchises commenced on February 4, 1996, they became the first private sector-operated rail franchises...
Partnership at heart of new era for industry
Headwinds see bus industry entering a defining new phase Martin Dean According to Martin Dean, Go-Ahead’s managing director of UK regional bus, Britain’s bus networks are moving into a new and potentially unsettling era. Speaking at last week’s ALBUM Conference in Cheshire, Dean hypothesised that bus deregulation had gone through three phases since...
The plan arriving at platform one…
Labour has hailed its new plan for Britain’s railway as ‘the biggest overhaul to our railways in a generation’ – but can it deliver? Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow transport secretary Louise Haigh You wait ages for a transport policy from Labour then two come along at once. Hard on...
Private sector TOCs reach end of the line
Labour has promised to phase out all of Britain’s much maligned – often unfairly in my view – franchised train operators Labour is planning to nationalise the railway The headline that Labour is planning to nationalise the railway if they get into power didn’t really arouse me as it would have in...
Read our supplement: The ALBUM Report 2024
Welcome to The ALBUM Report 2024, a publication from Passenger Transport devoted to Britain’s independent and municipal bus companies. Returning for an eighth year, this year’s report also incorporates the Conference Workbook for the ALBUM Conference 2024, hosted by Warrington’s Own Buses at Carden Park Hotel on April 23-24. We hope you find it an...
Labour vows to fast-track bus franchising
Party says that its plan will allow 250 million more bus passenger journeys a year, but ‘it will require no additional central government spending’ Labour launched its plans in the West Midlands. Left to right: Angela Rayner, Richard Parker and Louise Haigh Labour has promised to help local authorities to introduce bus franchising...
West Mids frontrunner pledges bus franchising
Polls suggest Labour’s Richard Parker will win mayoral election Labour’s launch event was hosted by National Express West Midlands Labour’s candidate in next month’s West Midlands mayoral election has pledged to bring bus services back under public control if he wins power on May 2. The Labour Party chose the West Midlands as...
Elizabeth Line order could plug Derby gap
Order for 10 new trains could solve Alstom order desert Harper (right) met Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge this week Rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has confirmed that it is in “intense discussions” with transport secretary Mark Harper about the future of its Derby plant and a potential order for additional rolling stock for the...
Happy campers are potential bus users
You won’t persuade me to join you on a camping holiday, but many others enjoy it – and bus companies should make a pitch for them A West Coast Motors bus photographed by the editor on a detour into Port Ban Holiday Park, Argyll and Bute I was so unhappy I cried myself...
The look and feel of public transport