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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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)....
Landmark depot decision by regulator puts Virgin on track to launch a new international rail service Virgin plans to launch services in 2030 Virgin is one step closer to making a return to the rail sector after the Office of Rail and Road this week confirmed that it can move ahead with plans to...
As Scotland heads into an election year, bus operators and local authorities used this week’s CPT Scotland Conference in Edinburgh to call for change Fairlie was press by operators on the need for more spending on bus priority measure There was an air of frustration at this week’s CPT Scotland Conference in Edinburgh, with...
CitySwift’s new Headway Simulation feature is helping bus operators and authorities move from reactive fixes to proactive network planning. We spoke to Alan Farrelly, CitySwift’s co-founder and chief commercial officer CitySwift aims to allow operators to make better decisions for passengers (Picture: Shutterstock) Bus network planning has always been a balancing act between...
Ministers understand the science, but they have been cowed by the attacks on net zero. The budget is an opportunity for change The chancellor during a visit to Gatwick Airport last month (picture: Simon Walker / HM Treasury) If you are old enough, you might remember the very effective TV advert for...
Train operators transferring into public ownership have haughtily been told ‘earn the right’ to carry a brand hasn’t delivered anything “Operators must meet rigorous, bespoke standards to earn the right to be called Great British Railways, so we can rebuild a world-class public service”. What? You’re having a laugh, surely? Yes, in the...
Welcome to Scotland’s Buses 2025. This special publication from Passenger Transport places the spotlight on Scotland’s bus and coach industry and its partners, celebrates their achievements and considers the challenges they face. Published in association with CPT for an eighth time, this year’s edition incorporates the official Conference Workbook for the 47th annual CPT Scotland...
Scotland’s minister for connectivity says the bus and coach sector will play a key role in delivering the first minister’s four priorities for government Fairlie: ‘The climate emergency is our single greatest challenge’ Buses are a vital tool for achieving the Scottish Government’s priorities, according to the country’s minister for connectivity. In an article...
TfL makes formal application to run Northern City Line TfL’s proposals cover services between Moorgate in the City of London, Stevenage and Welwyn Garden City Transport for London has formally applied to the Department for Transport to take over services on the Northern City Line between Moorgate and Hertfordshire, which are currently operated by...
Major groups and SMEs line up to bid for contracts as West Yorkshire Combined Authority presses ahead with plans for bus franchising Weaver Network to launch in 2027 The West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA) has confirmed the list of operators that have registered to compete for contracts under its forthcoming Weaver Network bus franchising...
We might not have all the pieces, but we have enough to make a very good start. Let’s begin transforming the UK rail industry On 15th September 1830, a journey between two neighbouring cities took place and changed the world. The opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, though marred by the tragic...
The Hatfield disaster – which took place 25 years ago – is a telling history lesson, particularly during this period of structural change It’s not difficult to think that the rail industry is caught in a ‘rinse and repeat’ cycle, like the children’s TV show The Magic Roundabout, particularly as it lurches through...
Weekly earnings for bus and coach drivers, including overtime, rose by 29.4% between 2021 and 2024, outstripping increases for other workers Bus driver earnings exceeded that of other shift workers such as police officers Bus and coach drivers across the UK have received a typical pay rise of nearly 30% over the last three...
Climate crisis, what crisis?