Labour vows to fast-track bus franchising
Party says that its plan will allow 250 million more bus passenger journeys a year, but ‘it will require no additional central government spending’ Labour launched its plans in the West Midlands. Left to right: Angela Rayner, Richard Parker and Louise Haigh Labour has promised to help local authorities to introduce bus franchising...
West Mids frontrunner pledges bus franchising
Polls suggest Labour’s Richard Parker will win mayoral election Labour’s launch event was hosted by National Express West Midlands Labour’s candidate in next month’s West Midlands mayoral election has pledged to bring bus services back under public control if he wins power on May 2. The Labour Party chose the West Midlands as...
Elizabeth Line order could plug Derby gap
Order for 10 new trains could solve Alstom order desert Harper (right) met Alstom CEO Henri Poupart-Lafarge this week Rolling stock manufacturer Alstom has confirmed that it is in “intense discussions” with transport secretary Mark Harper about the future of its Derby plant and a potential order for additional rolling stock for the...
Metroline wins £422m Bee Network growth
London subsidiary of Singapore-based ComfortDelGro has won four Tranche 3 bus franchises in Greater Manchester, boosting its size by 30% Metroline’s contracts are worth £422m and comprise a total of 232 services, 420 buses and over 1,350 employees Metroline has been revealed as the big winner in the third and final round of...
Rail re-nationalisation is ‘tragedy’ – Whitehorn
Former Virgin executive Will Whitehorn tells Lunch with Leon podcast why he believes that Britain’s railway is ‘back in a mode of managed decline’ Whitehorn says there is no doubt that Virgin’s tenure of the West Coast route was a success Will Whitehorn, a close colleague of Sir Richard Branson throughout the nineties and much...
Government u-turn on bus lane restrictions
The National Bus Strategy says bus lanes ‘should be full time’ but new guidance from DfT says they should ‘only operate when it makes sense’ The National Bus Strategy for England declared ‘bus lanes should be full-time’ In the week that marked the third anniversary of the publication of Bus Back Better, its...
SPT says franchising is the only game in town
A new report by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has concluded that bus franchising is the only option to stem long-term network decline BY Andrew Garnett Strathclyde could become the first region in Scotland to franchise its bus network after Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) members approved plans for a consultation about the...
Speculation mounts over Tranche 3 winners
Stagecoach could face major upset in final franchising phase Bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis is in the process of delivering 67 Enviro200 buses to Rotala subsidiary Diamond Bus for use on Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 services of Greater Manchester’s franchised Bee Network As Greater Manchester’s franchised Bee Network prepares to launch its second...
North-south divide in bus network recovery
DfT figures show bus use recovering fastest in the South East and East of England – contrasting with weaker growth, and even decline, in the North The National Bus Strategy for England stated: “As we build back from the pandemic, better buses will be one of our major acts of levelling-up.” Analysis of...
Bee Network users asked to be patient
Vernon Everitt asks passengers to ‘bear with us’ ahead of launch Bee Network’s next phase launches on March 24 Greater Manchester transport commissioner Vernon Everitt has urged bus users to remain patient as the second phase of the franchised Bee Network is set to launch on March 24. This phase will cover Oldham,...
‘Tap-in, tap-out’ train travel trial for 2025
Over 90 rail stations in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will be included in ‘pay as you go’ schemes, moving towards a London-style system Stations across the West Midlands and selected routes in Greater Manchester are to participate in the trial Rail users in the West Midlands and Greater Manchester will benefit...
Labour must extend ‘face up’ to HS2 – Steer
Government has axed ‘the most critical section of the route’ Concerns raised country will be left with a £67bn white elephant A key proponent of HS2 says that if Labour forms the next government it must extend the project to Crewe and Manchester or the country will be left with a £67bn white...
