LCR selects Stagecoach and Go-Ahead

LCR selects Stagecoach and Go-Ahead

Stagecoach has been selected to operate the franchised bus network based in St Helens while Go-Ahead will operates services in Wirral   Mayor Steve Rotheram: buses aren’t a ‘nice to have’ – they’re a lifeline   Stagecoach and Go-Ahead Group have been selected as the first operators to run the...
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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North-south divide in bus network recovery

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...
Our industry boasts a wealth of talent

Our industry boasts a wealth of talent

  This edition features LOST Group’s ‘Ones to Watch 2024’. It was exhausting to put this list together – but the end result is inspiring   Hooray! A good news story! For all the doom and gloom in the industry, it was a real antidote to the January blues to be part of the judging...
Bee Network users asked to be patient

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,...
Passenger aims to solve the bus fares mystery

Passenger aims to solve the bus fares mystery

Technology firm has worked closely with bus operators to launch a new fares finder in its ‘white-label’ mobile app product used by 35 companies   Passenger hosted workshop events with bus operator partners to develop the new service   Bus fare information, or the lack of it, has always been perceived by many within the...
MaaS is the future of ticketing

MaaS is the future of ticketing

More and more places are seeking Mobility as a Service and Conduent Transportation is ready to help     Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a concept that has been around for years but has so far failed to fulfil its potential. However, Conduent Transportation believes that its time may have now come and that...
Customer first ethos continues

Customer first ethos continues

Ticketer has built a reputation on placing customers at its heart and that continues with Next Gen ETM and Bee Network rollout     Ticketer is well recognised for offering flexible cloud-based and on-bus solutions that aim to keep things simple for operators. It has been a busy few months for the company with the...
‘Tap-in, tap-out’ train travel trial for 2025

‘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

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...
Ukrzaliznytsia and its ‘iron people’

Ukrzaliznytsia and its ‘iron people’

On a recent visit to Ukraine I was inspired to meet so many brave, committed and talented people, who believe in the power of rail   This shell-damaged wagon was carrying civilian evacuees   BY David Brown I recently had the honour of visiting Ukraine as part of an international delegation working with the Global...
Building a more diverse team

Building a more diverse team

At First Bus we are helping to futureproof the industry with a diverse apprenticeship programme   Maddi Simmons joined First Bus’s engineering programme after her daily bus commute to and from college sparked an interest in the sector   From the granite streets of Aberdeen right down to the Cornish coast, First Bus is proud...
Why AI isn’t a silver bullet for buses

Why AI isn’t a silver bullet for buses

The true measure of success of the latest transport technologies lies in the hands of the people who know the industry best   Bus systems are influenced by a myriad of real-world factors   BY Brian O’Rourke From self-driving cars to artificial intelligence (AI) – we’ve been through the tech hype cycles that were big...
Let’s have some detail from Labour

Let’s have some detail from Labour

  While Labour’s intention to repeal the minimum service levels legislation is clear, not much else is. We’ve heard little of substance   Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, the duopoly at the top of Labour   I see that Germany has been hit by a wave of strikes by 90,000 transport workers affecting rail, bus...