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25 years in transport - what I’ve learned

25 years in transport – what I’ve learned

  I have attempted to collate everything I’ve seen, learned, read or heard during my time in the transport sector into 10 thoughts   The 25th anniversary of my starting to work in and around transport passed me by earlier this year. I joined the Central Rail Users Consultative Committee (not a snappy title, I...
Rail needs a reset - not just another sale

Rail needs a reset – not just another sale

  The transport secretary has announced a ‘Rail Sale’ for early 2025. We need to be more radical in reducing costs and raising revenue   Marketing from train operator Greater Anglia during this year’s ‘Great British Rail Sale’   In announcing the trajectory towards rail renationalisation on September 3, one footnote towards the end of...
There’s a buzz around franchising

There’s a buzz around franchising

  The new government is pushing ahead with a bus franchising revolution, but there are potential pitfalls that must be avoided   Franchising has already arrived in Greater Manchester   There’s a buzz around buses right now, and it is all about franchising. We’ve seen the first application of the franchising legislation used in Greater...
Buses need more attention to detail

Buses need more attention to detail

  Improving bus services requires more than a fare cap or a change of ownership – it’s all also about shelters, timetables and ticketing   The Azores were beautiful – but the bus service was confusing   There is no doubt that the almost universal £2 bus fare has been a great success in England...
The legacy of the pandemic

The legacy of the pandemic

Matthew Niblett and Sarah Kendall on how Covid accelerated changes in travel behaviour   The threat of another pandemic has not disappeared and it is only a matter of time before we could face another global health crisis   BY Matthew Niblett and Sarah Kendall Some four and half years have passed since the world...
Building a cleaner,  fairer, safer future

Building a cleaner, fairer, safer future

  Net zero must be presented as an opportunity to build a greener, more efficient transport system that drives prosperity and growth   The UK is well placed to lead on coach decarbonisation   The world is on fire. A record 15 national heat records have been broken so far this year. People are struggling...
Look forwards and make the most of it

Look forwards and make the most of it

  The shift towards greater public control of public transport offers opportunities, but strategic thinking and ambition are required   Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is the first example of buses outside London being returned to public control   The battle of ideas over the best way to provide public transport is effectively over. Even the...
Catching the bus with Claire Walters

Catching the bus with Claire Walters

  It’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’ so I hopped on board Superloop with someone who has been championing bus users for the past 12 years   Myself and Claire Walters during our pleasant Superloop journey   “The bus should be like a referee – you shouldn’t notice it; everything should go smoothly. It should only...
Large organisations can become agile

Large organisations can become agile

  Organisations struggle to make decisions, moving slowly and disconnecting from customers – but it doesn’t have to be like this   We’re living through a crisis in governance. Our challenges aren’t caused by a lack of technology or innovation. They’re not caused by a lack of great people. They’re not even (primarily) caused by...
Mixed messages on transport policy

Mixed messages on transport policy

  It’s not unusual to see contradictory policy positions across government when it comes to transport, but I’d hoped for better   The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, seems willing to grab at any private finance that is around for transport projects, even if this runs contrary to government policy on, for example, climate change   August...
Transport should be for everyone

Transport should be for everyone

  It’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’ and we’re asking bus operators to pick up the pace of change in making their services accessible to all   Caroline Stickland is the CEO of Transport for All   Almost 30 years on from the laws that made buses accessible in the UK, let’s mark ‘Catch the Bus...
10 reasons why I love travelling by bus

10 reasons why I love travelling by bus

  September is ‘Catch the Bus Month’ – and I believe that there are many reasons why we all should, from the rational to the romantic   Catch the Bus Month: I’m on board!   September is here and as the leaves turn brown and gold, the nights draw in and the county cricket season...