Next stop, Net Zero – COP26 offers showcase
The passenger transport sector is selling itself as part of the solution to climate change ahead of COP26, but the government is being urged to do more to encourage modal shift With global leaders preparing to gather in Glasgow next week for the COP26 climate summit, the UK passenger transport sector has been...
‘Give us a road map for zero emission buses’
Treasury announces additional £355m of funding for zero emission buses, but the bus industry says pledge to deliver 4,000 vehicles is still at risk Tom Randall, Conservative MP for Gelding (left) and Buta Atwal, CEO of Wrightbus The bus industry welcomed news of additional funding for transport schemes in this week’s Autumn Budget,...
£7bn transport funding bonanza for city regions
Ahead of this week’s spending review, chancellor Rishi Sunak announced the seven ‘metro mayor’ city regions will share £7bn over five years Greater Manchester metro mayor Andy Burnham hailed the funding announcement as a demonstration that regional leaders and Whitehall were at last now more aligned in their thinking Ahead of this week’s...
Concerns mount over growing driver shortage
The bus industry is short of 4,000 drivers and there are fears this could do untold damage to the future commercial viability of the sector The Confederation of Passenger Transport estimates there is a national shortage of 4,000 bus drivers BY ANDREW GARNETT There are deepening concerns in the bus industry about the...
New autonomous mass transit system launches
World’s first operational system will open in 2025 at the National Railway Museum in Shildon, but UK-based firm plans global transport revolution A visualisation of ‘floc®’ technology A driverless, zero-emission mass transit technology – comprising autonomous electric “pods” capable of traveling on both road and rail – launched this week by UK-start up...
Party conferences and a crunch-point
The big issues were debated at this year’s lively party conferences, but there are huge questions to be answered on transport policy A vision of Greater Manchester’s fully integrated network, championed by mayor Andy Burnham It felt like the fallow Covid period has reinvigorated party conferences as institutions that previously felt like...
The final nail in the franchising coffin?
Govia being stripped of Southeastern should bring the curtain down on franchising and hasten the introduction of concessions A Southeastern 465 Unit at Gravesend Shall we just knock it on the head now? I mean, franchising. With the demise of Southeastern, it’s tempting just to expedite the move towards National Rail Concessions...
NEG/Stagecoach merger talks: The end of an era
Stagecoach and National Express are in merger talks. The new combined group would operate one third of Britain’s buses outside of London Stagecoach is synonymous with Britain’s privatised public transport sector. But with that industry now evolving into one where the public sector will play a much greater role, the group looks set...
We need radical actions, not hot air
Lurid warnings and distant targets won’t avert climate change. Transport is a key battleground and we desperately need a plan Boris Johnson last week told the assembly of world leaders at the United Nations in New York that COP26 had to be a “turning point for humanity” I don’t know about you,...
Branding must not suffer during hiatus
GB Railways may be two or three years away but it’s coming so many TOCs have given up on their brand. This should worry us all The BR logo would appear to resonate with Joe and Joanna Public I’ve been living the dream this last month and have travelled on every TOC...
Scheduler of the Year Award judges named
Four-strong judging panel, including previous winner, will decide winner of the 2021 Joe Wood Scheduler of the Year, sponsored by CitySwift Richard Sherratt: Joe Wood Scheduler of the Year 2020 The winner of last year’s inaugural Joe Wood Scheduler of the Year Award is among the judges for the 2021 prize. Trentbarton’s Richard...
Travel by train? The price isn’t right