Inter-Faith week: Leading with humanity
The month of November marks Inter-Faith week, a time to take stock, pause for a moment, strengthen ties between communities of different faiths and celebrate the UK’s religious diversity By Nafisa Nathani The month of November marks Inter-Faith week, a time to take stock, pause for a moment, strengthen ties between communities of...
Reform fares before ticket office changes
Pushing forward plans to close ticket offices before addressing hugely inconsistent rail fares was putting the cart before the horse Campaign for Better Transport this week published its detailed review of fares and ticketing The grand old DfT. They marched them up to the top of the hill and they marched them...
Leadership is key to raising poor morale
Morale may never have been this low, but has the industry got the leadership skills and conviction to do anything about it? ‘Morale has never been so low’ remarked an on-train employee as I travelled on his service last week. It’s an old cliché and one which folk used to levy at me...
Forget Hs2 and focus on local investments
The transport community needs to recognise the country has big problems to solve and concentrate on where we can really help HS2 will no longer reach north of Birmingham. The government decided that there were greater priorities I know it might seem odd for me, of all people to say this, but...
Transport needs clarity and certainty
Some of the real positives from the government’s Network North announcements have got lost in the malaise. Details are required Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is an example of what can be achieved I am writing this on what feels like the first proper day of Autumn and just over 100 days from...
Either we all win, or we all lose
How do we prevent short-term thinking and political expediency from driving critical decisions on tackling climate change? The Prime Minister’s Net Zero press conference in Downing Street last month Like so many, I could scarcely believe what I was hearing when prime minister Rishi Sunak made his Net Zero speech at Downing...
Short term thinking at its very worst
Rishi Sunak’s new ‘Plan for Motorists’ and his decision to cancel Phase 2 of HS2 are not ‘long-term decisions for a brighter future’ Rishi Sunak at his ‘Net Zero’ press conference last month In my last column for Passenger Transport, I observed that it never helps when No 10 or No 11...
A transport debate with a difference
Last week’s Great Transport Debate in Manchester brought together all modes of transport, and more. But what did we learn? A quirky venue (underneath a Concorde aircraft) and a quirky host (yours truly) I’m not going to lie but I make it my place to avoid corporate and social events. I am...
We need effective, inclusive leadership
October marks Black History Month, an opportunity to build understanding and bridge divides The theme of year’s Black History Month is ‘saluting our sisters’ By Nafisa Nathani October marks Black History Month. The theme this year is ‘saluting our sisters’ – recognising the important role Black British women have played in modern Britain...
A disastrous mistake that must be fixed
It’s mind-boggling that the UK got rid of every urban tram system (except one). Let’s not take longer than we need to remedy that Like they never went away: Edinburgh’s tram extension to Newhaven Riding the tram as it rolled urbanely down Leith Walk a few weeks back, on the new extension...
Like transport staff, TBF plays vital role
The Transport Benevolent Fund has celebrated its 100th birthday. Like frontline staff, it should not be seen as a relic of of the past A train has been named ‘Transport Benevolent Fund CIO’ With the ludicrous proposals to close ticket offices and the obsession with de-staffing across transport, it’s unnerving to imagine...
We’ve saved them, now let’s revive them