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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RIDE2RAIL boosts multi-modal travel

RIDE2RAIL boosts multi-modal travel

UITP-led project has brought together public transport and ride-sharing to improve seamless multi-modal travel across Europe     When talking about fighting private car ownership, integrated and multi-modal travel – or Mobility as a Service (MaaS) – can’t be missing from the discussion. The integration of different transport services into one single mobility offer in...
UK Bus Awards 2023 open for nominations

UK Bus Awards 2023 open for nominations

Nominations now open until late July for 23 awards recognising outstanding skills in planning, promoting, and delivering exceptional bus services   The 2023 winners will be announced at Troxy, London in November   The UK Bus Awards 2023 has officially launched, opening its doors for entries until late July. Nominations are now invited to compete...
£500m of new support for England’s buses

£500m of new support for England’s buses

In response to warnings that up to 15% of the bus network could be at risk, the government has extended recovery funding and the £2 bus fare cap   Prime minister Rishi Sunak: Buses play a vital role in growing the economy   The government this week announced £500m of additional funding to support local...
Cost of preventing bus service cuts is ‘tiny’

Cost of preventing bus service cuts is ‘tiny’

Go-Ahead’s Martin Dean tells parliamentarians that £260m a year to keep networks at pre-pandemic levels is ‘barely enough to build a mile of HS2’   Martin Dean   Bus services need continued post-Covid support and in terms of the Department for Transport’s £3bn annual budget the amount of money required to maintain a comprehensive network...
Fares are firmly on the political agenda

Fares are firmly on the political agenda

  Fares are no longer just about balancing public transport’s books. The sector must recognise this shift and become more proactive   Vienna’s annual ticket for one euro a day is an example of a cheap, flat and simple fare offer   That sound you hear is the sound of one of the core constructs...
We’ve lost our way with transport maps

We’ve lost our way with transport maps

  Maps are in decline and where they do exist they are hidden or diluted in value, but they are a great way to communicate our offer   Maps like this one, created by Best Impressions, open up our eyes to opportunities   Try as I might, I struggle to find a sector where companies...
Rethinking mental health support

Rethinking mental health support

We need to change our models of mental health support to be more accommodating to the needs of a diverse workforce   Delivering a high quality railway service depends on a workforce that feels supported, cared for and appreciated   By Nafisa Nathani Mental health is of real concern in the rail industry due to...
Simulations will be a ‘game changer’

Simulations will be a ‘game changer’

The addition of simulations to CitySwift’s Evolve module allows bus operators to analyse the predicted impact of various runtimes   Operators can compare the trade-offs for different sets of runtimes in a risk-free, digital environment   Imagine being able to find the optimal outcome for your bus network, balancing trade-offs like cost and punctuality, with...
Labour would presume in favour of franchising

Labour would presume in favour of franchising

Take Back Control Act would streamline path to greater bus powers with a presumption in favour of franchising for all local transport authorities     The Labour Party has announced plans to take significant steps to reform bus services in England if it wins the next general election, claiming that “decades of failed deregulation have...
FlixBus launches major network expansion

FlixBus launches major network expansion

‘We are here to build the largest intercity coach network’   McGill’s has added 18 high specification Volvo 9700 coaches to its FlixBus services, in addition to the existing seven vehicles   FlixBus launched its expanded Scottish network last week with celebrations and free cake at Edinburgh bus station. The move comes not long after...
Buses are in reverse - but who has a plan?

Buses are in reverse – but who has a plan?

  Labour’s recent announcement on buses was about who controls the levers. There was no mention of money or other support     Last week’s policy announcement from the Labour party on buses means both main parties are now devoting time and space to this key method of public transport. This is very welcome, not...
Making the most of our open top buses

Making the most of our open top buses

  My rough estimate is that open toppers are worth £30m a year. The bus industry does them well – but what more can be done?   East Yorkshire’s open top Beachcomber buses returned on April 1, running up to every 20 minutes between Scarborough’s North and South bays   Never mind the weather being...