Buses 2.0 – reinventing bus travel
Welcome to the Buses 2.0 – reinventing bus travel The bus sector faces enormous challenges but it’s not standing still. This new publication focuses on how the workhorse of our public transport networks is being reinvented for the 21st century with new technologies and new ideas. Click on the image below to view the supplement....
Scottish Transport Awards 2022 Book of Winners
October saw the return of the Scottish Transport Awards and you can read all about the winners in this official Souvenir Brochure. Click on the image below to view Scottish Transport Awards Book of Winners 2022. If you are viewing the site on a tablet or mobile device, tap here to view.
Anxiety as DfT asked to find spending cuts
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt warns that ‘decisions of eye-watering difficulty’ lie ahead with all government departments required to identify spending cuts Transport secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said she would fight to retain the £2 fare cap across England from January to March The public transport sector is braced for deep spending cuts after all government...
Could SQRs squash true customer care?
I initially lauded the railway’s new Service Quality Regime but I now fear it is too rigid and will constrain innovative thinking LNER’s new Family Room at Kings Cross is an example of pro-active and innovative customer service The Service Quality Regime (SQR) which was established by the Department for Transport to...
Let’s actually listen to each other
Black History Month is a time to champion the black community. Join in and use this opportunity to make a difference to our sector Thameslink’s Siggy Cragwell, pictured in June at the unveiling of the National Windrush Monument at Waterloo Station BY Nafisa Nathani Throughout October many of us have celebrated Black History...
Scotland braced for bus cuts after funding ends
Emergency support ended on October 9, despite warnings As October 9 approached, transport minister Jenny Gilruth made clear that the government would not provide a further tranche of temporary support Widespread cuts to bus services are predicted after the Scottish Government’s emergency support for the sector to recover from the pandemic came to...
Better seat utilisation is key to the future
Transformation of the industry’s approach to seat utilisation could benefit both the TOCs and passengers TOCs have three options to ensure seats are utilised in a more efficient way BY Matthew Flynn Despite promising figures from the Department for Transport (DfT) showing that rail services have returned to 95% of their pre-pandemic sales, train operators...
Nine bidders in line for first GM bus franchises
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham announces 50-bus order as bids from nine operators are evaluated ahead of award of first franchises Bee Network will launch on September 17, 2023 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has announced an order for 50 new double deck electric buses and revealed the Bee Network brand that will...
Lessons from Germany’s 9 Euro ticket
Germany’s 2.5bn Euro public transport pricing experiment has ended. What have we learnt from it? Germany’s 9 Euro Ticket offered unlimited travel on local and regional public transport for just nine euros a month during June, July and August BY Marc Bichtemann It’s been dubbed a huge success all round, and as...
Pay-as-you-drive could be popular
We must replace fuel duty as we transition to electric cars but politicians are afraid to support road pricing. They shouldn’t be At present, people generally will fill up their tanks and not then think too closely about how far they are travelling Last week saw the release of a ground-breaking report...
Rail is trapped in a state of paralysis
Perennial political uncertainty is used as an excuse to do nothing while civil servants gleefully shut the door on entreprenuers They often say the best time to invest in shares is when the market has crashed and is at rock bottom. This was broadly my sentiment when, on Friday, just after having...
Lessons from the Covid experience