Bus Rapid Transit can help with the recovery
Covid has changed the way we travel. BRT can do the same, by providing reliable, frequent, direct and cost-effective transport. Join the conversation! By James Freeman Covid has done funny things to people’s habits – it’s going to take a long time to recover the patronage levels we used to have. I remember...
Mobility professionals will gather in Paris
European Mobility Expo expected to attract 11,000 visitors The tenth edition of European Mobility Expo will be held from June 7-9 at the Paris Porte de Versailles exhibition centre; over 170 exhibitors will welcome some 11,000 visitors. This three-day event is devoted to mobility professionals, giving them an opportunity to meet, discuss, and...
Make bus travel normal again – ministers urged
Confederation of Passenger Transport wants the Department for Transport to reverse powerful ‘avoid public transport’ message to rebuild patronage There is concern in the bus industry that the robust ‘avoid public transport’ message from government during the pandemic is still influencing travel behaviour Department for Transport ministers are being urged to be seen...
Are weekends key to patronage recovery?
Some Transdev routes exceeding 2019 patronage figures Transdev’s ‘Hotline’ has reported patronage better than 2019 New figures from the Department for Transport suggest public transport patronage is slowly recovering from Covid-19 in Great Britain, but patronage at weekends is exceeding that of weekdays in many cases. The latest daily figures from late April...
Don’t neglect your older customers
If your concessionary travellers have not returned since Covid, ask yourself this… what have you done to make them feel valued? My dad is a proud bus user! Have you ever been to an ALBUM (Association of Local Bus Managers) Conference? I was at their annual shindig last week, which was in...
Read our supplement: The ALBUM Report 2022
Welcome to the ALBUM Report 2022, a publication from Passenger Transport devoted to Britain’s independent and municipal bus companies. Returning for a sixth year, this year’s report also incorporates the official Conference Workbook for the 2022 ALBUM Conference, hosted by Blackpool Transport on April 26-27. We hope you find it an interesting read and we...
SME bus operators are optimistic about future
Britain’s small and medium-sized bus operators face huge challenges but there is positivity ahead of next week’s ALBUM Conference in Blackpool Bus use is back to 75% of pre-Covid levels in Blackpool While acknowledging the huge challenges their sector faces, there is optimism among Britain’s small and medium-sized bus companies ahead of next...
What’s the future for ticket offices?
My former boss, ‘Sir’ Michael Holden, recently caused a stir by suggesting they could be closed. A rethink is certainly required Ticket offices aren’t always as bright and appealing as this one That Workplace Reform discussion, which I wrote in the last issue won’t go away. My first-rate, former gaffer, Michael Holden...
Stagecoach boss planning revolution
Stagecoach UK managing director Carla Stockton-Jones told the Young Bus Managers Network about her strategy for the future. Andrew Garnett reports Carla Stockton-Jones joined Stagecoach from Sky in 2020 It has been something of a baptism of fire for Carla Stockton-Jones since her appointment as Stagecoach’s UK managing director in October 2020. The...
Cornwall launches bus fares revolution
Pioneering trial backed by £23.5m from the UK Government will see bus fares slashed for an initial four-year period across Cornwall’s bus network Left to right: Linda Taylor, Simon Goff and Richard Stevens launch the bus fares pilot Cornwall Council is promising a revolution in its bus services after the launch on April...
Wales moves to take control of bus services
The Welsh Government is bringing forward legislation for bus franchising to create an ‘easy to use’ bus network that can challenge car dependency Lee Waters wants to turn the tide in favour of buses “For more than 70 years we have made it easy to travel by car and harder to travel by...
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