Public transport’s ‘global family gathering’

Public transport’s ‘global family gathering’

Dubai will host the UITP Summit on April 21-23. We spoke to UITP’s secretary general, Mohamed Mezghani, about the event and what visitors can look forward to   Mohamed Mezghani: “For me, the Summit is about people”   Mohamed, the UITP Summit is heading to Dubai in April, less than...
Out now: The latest issue of Passenger Transport

Out now: The latest issue of Passenger Transport

What’s inside the latest edition of Passenger Transport:     LEAD STORY NPR rail improvements ‘will actually happen’ More than a decade after the Northern Powerhouse Rail project was first proposed, the government has unveiled a three-phase plan for its delivery   NEWS Cornwall probes bus regulation options Market engagement...
NPR rail improvements  ‘will actually happen’

NPR rail improvements ‘will actually happen’

More than a decade after the Northern Powerhouse Rail project was first proposed, the government has unveiled a three-phase plan for its delivery   The plans would see Manchester Piccadilly expanded   A three-phase plan for the long-promised Northern Powerhouse Rail project was unveiled by the government this week. The...
100 more bus routes in Wales and £2 fare cap?

100 more bus routes in Wales and £2 fare cap?

Labour has pledged an enhanced bus offer for Wales if it wins this May’s Senedd election, but will this be matched funding? Rhodri Clark reports   Welsh bus fares for adults aged 22 to 59 would be capped at £2   Labour has pledged 100 more bus routes in Wales...
Let’s get on and fix rail replacement

Let’s get on and fix rail replacement

  A new report by CMAC has shed light on an often overlooked but frequent aspect of the railway’s customer service proposition   2026 has already brought two major shocks. FA Cup holders, my beloved, Crystal Palace, being knocked out of this year’s tournament by non-league Macclesfield, 117 places below...
Putting customers front and centre

Putting customers front and centre

  Those taking decisions should always put themselves in the shoes of the passenger and ask whether what they will think reasonable   Average bus speeds in central London are now down to 7.4mph (picture: Shutterstock)   It was interesting to see the latest figures for bus passenger numbers (PT351)....
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An environment to flourish and learn

An environment to flourish and learn

  With its own bespoke academy, ‘if you want to be an apprentice engineer within the bus industry, First Bus is the place to be’   New First Bus engineering apprentice cohort 2024   First Bus is proud to offer engineering apprenticeships as our commitment to developing future talent and bridging the skills gap in...
Trailblazing apprenticeships  - and stotties

Trailblazing apprenticeships – and stotties

  Open access rail companies are proving the industry isn’t one-size-fits-all. Ahead of National Apprenticeship Week, Karl Holbrook explores how Lumo and Hull Trains are breaking down barriers, boosting diversity, and bringing fresh perspectives to rail…   Apprenticeship success stories: Sam Bentley (left) and Mark Rudd The rail industry has often been seen as a...
Green technology, green skills

Green technology, green skills

  Fast-growing Wrightbus employs more than 70 apprentices, and is aiming to recruit a further 60   Wrightbus chief executive Jean-Marc Gales (left) with apprentice recruits   Apprentices are part of the lifeblood of Wrightbus – the innovative Northern Ireland-based manufacturer that is one of the leading names in zero-emission transport technology. Wrightbus is one...
Celebrating apprenticeships

Celebrating apprenticeships

  The passenger transport sector is showcasing success in delivering apprenticeships ahead of National Apprenticeship Week 2025   LNER apprentice train driver Aleena Phull   Key players in the passenger transport sector will use National Apprenticeship Week 2025 (February 10-16) to showcase the work they are doing to attract new talent and develop their skills....
Great British Railways to unite TOC retailing

Great British Railways to unite TOC retailing

Once GBR is established by legislation, individual train operator websites will be replaced, but the private sector ‘will continue to play a key role’   Government will rollout a single online retail platform for rail ticketing   Individual train operator websites across England, Scotland and Wales will be replaced by a single online retail platform...
Wrightbus reports a strong start to 2025

Wrightbus reports a strong start to 2025

Ballymena-based firm delivers 200 buses in first month of 2025   1,200 buses expected to leave production lines this year   Wrightbus, the Ballymena-based bus manufacturer, has announced its strongest start to a year, with nearly 200 buses entering service across the UK and Europe in January alone. The company expects 2025 to be a...
South Yorkshire eyes modal shift measures

South Yorkshire eyes modal shift measures

CPT welcomes recognition of need to change travel habits   Route 120 bus in Sheffield   South Yorkshire is considering bold measures to encourage motorists out of their cars and onto public transport.  Road user charging, workplace parking levies and reallocating road space away from private cars to buses are among the ideas put forward...
An agonisingly slow tram renaissance

An agonisingly slow tram renaissance

  Over the past three decades trams have been returning to the UK streets – but the process is a protracted and expensive one   Trams in the French city of Dijon. Across the channel the return of light rail has been much more rapid   In 1992, Manchester’s city centre once again reverberated to...
Tackling the scourge of crime on buses

Tackling the scourge of crime on buses

  Bus-related violence seems to be getting worse. A concerted effort by transport and crime prevention authorities is urgently required   Safety officers on patrol to tackle anti-social behaviour on the buses in the West Midlands   Eight days into 2025 and there were two murders on the UK bus network. On January 7, 14-year-old...
Realising the Bee Network Vision

Realising the Bee Network Vision

Greater Manchester has heralded a new era in public transport after bringing all of its bus services into the Bee Network this month. Becoming the first area in England to complete the re-regulation of buses is an historic moment for Greater Manchester – and beyond. To mark the completion of this complex transition – which...
‘Blazing a trail for the future of bus services’

‘Blazing a trail for the future of bus services’

As the snow fell on January 5, the third and final tranche of Greater Manchester’s buses joined the publicly-controlled Bee Network. A landmark moment for buses in the region, and beyond     Following a phased approach, all bus services in Greater Manchester – totalling 577 routes, 1,600 buses and accounting for more than 160...
Concerns raised over impact of open access

Concerns raised over impact of open access

Heidi Alexander suggests operators are not paying their way   Alexander: ‘Open access can create pressure on the network’   Rail Partners has responded to a letter from transport secretary Heidi Alexander urging the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) to adopt stricter criteria for approving new open access rail applications. Alexander’s letter to ORR...