Gilligan: NPR ‘makes HS2 look sensible’
Advisor calls for Elizabeth Line-style fix for the north’s railways Rumours suggest the NPR scheme could be revived within weeks Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR), the high-speed project designed to link Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, has come under fierce criticism from former Downing Street transport adviser Andrew Gilligan. Rumours suggest the scheme could be revived...
Transdev completes Ticketer upgrade
Operator moves to TK300 consoles and Tap On/Tap Off tech Transdev has replaced its older TK200 units Transdev Blazefield has completed the deployment of Ticketer’s Tap On/Tap Off (TOTO) contactless technology across its 472-strong Yorkshire bus fleet, alongside a fleetwide upgrade to the supplier’s TK300 driver consoles. The move marks a significant step in...
The view from the (UK Bus) Summit
Last week the bus sector gathering in my home city of Manchester led me to reflect on how far we have come, and where we’re going Last week’s UK Bus Summit in Manchester Notwithstanding the wet and thundery weather, something that the city region is famous for, hosting the Transport Times UK Bus...
A sector failing to move with the times
A week of sub-standard public transport experiences exposed areas where the public transport sector has failed to evolve The industry is in denial if it thinks, as some do, that Uber isn’t more attractive and represents far better value for money As regular readers of this column will attest, I frequently extol...
‘We’ve put our money where our mouth is’
In the wake of calls for the government to show more ambition on buses in England, local transport minister Simon Lightwood talked up progress Lightwood: “stellar result” Ahead of next week’s UK Bus Summit in Manchester, local transport minister Simon Lightwood has defended the government’s record on buses. It comes after the Transport...
Anyone I spoke to said: ‘You’re absolutely mad’
FlixBus UK boss Andreas Schorling reflects on his company’s entry into the UK market, the exciting potential of AI and attracting new customers Andreas Schorling: ‘We are able to attract a new demographic’ Since launching in the UK in 2021, express coach operator FlixBus has served over five million passengers. This summer, the global...
Location-based digital ticketing trials begin
Trainline, ECR/Hopon, Tracsis and Fairtiq solutions involved in the Rail Delivery Group’s digital pay-as-you-go trials, testing ‘long overdue’ upgrade Northern is running trials on services to Harrogate, Leeds, Sheffield, Doncaster and Barnsley Passengers across the East Midlands can now benefit from more straightforward and flexible tickets, with the launch of the Rail Delivery Group’s...
Summer is over – plan for the next one!
Do you run bus services that cater for the seasonal leisure travel? Have a short break, take stock and start your planning early As summer comes to an end, it’s time for transport operators to assess their leisure service performance Well, that went quickly. Summer is over, the schools are back, nights...
We’ve made great progress
Supporting the bus sector’s ambitions for growth remains one of this government’s top priorities Simon Lightwood during a visit to NCT last year BY Simon Lightwood While for many of us, new pencil cases and fresh exercise books are a distant memory, September still stirs a familiar feeling. With excitement and anticipation...
Bee Network can be a blueprint
Franchising has brought a new era for buses in Greater Manchester and we’re sharing our lessons Andy Burnham: Bus journeys have increased by 14% year-on-year in the first franchising areas BY Andy Burnham When we launched the Bee Network, our vision was clear: to create a fully integrated, London-style public transport system that...
Making franchising a success
If you think franchising is just about transport experience alone, you’re wrong. It’s about a change The Bee Network has seen growth in patronage BY Anne Marie Purcell Three months ago, I stepped away from my role at Transport for Greater Manchester, having led the successful delivery of the Bee Network and...
Going for growth, but lacking vision