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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Bold leadership for bus’s big moment

Bold leadership for bus’s big moment

  The competing demands on bus sector management are daunting, but it’s also a moment ripe with possibility for courageous leaders   ‘When it comes to leadership the industry values a blend of deep sector knowledge and fresh, transferable thinking’   Speak to anyone running a bus network today, and you’ll hear the same refrain:...
Treadmill accelerates for bus franchising

Treadmill accelerates for bus franchising

Bidding teams for bus franchises in Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region and West Yorkshire have a busy schedule as key dates approach   Procurement of two small Bee Network franchise lots kicks off later this year   Companies chasing contracts to operate bus franchises in some of England’s biggest cities have a busy summer ahead...
No mention of Glider in draft NI strategy

No mention of Glider in draft NI strategy

Belfast’s ground-breaking Bus Rapid Transit scheme is not mentioned in Northern Ireland’s draft Transport Strategy. Rhodri Clark reports   A Glider vehicle in service   Northern Ireland’s draft Transport Strategy to 2035 does not mention Glider or Belfast Rapid Transit, or include a photo of one of the iconic Glider buses. The Department for Infrastructure...
Seizing momentum to boost bus services

Seizing momentum to boost bus services

With the Buses Bill advancing and the multi-year funding deal, there is a real opportunity to fully unlock the potential of bus   An Arriva bus in Leicester   BY Alistair Hands, Arriva UK Bus The latest National Transport Survey from the Department for Transport has shown that the number of people travelling by bus...
Powering up revenue protection

Powering up revenue protection

  Fraudulent travel poses a huge and complex challenge to the rails sector. If we unite and show real commitment, we can tackle it   Revenue protection should be treated as a specialism   Last week, in my role as chair of the West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration, I co-hosted, with my colleague Lucy Wootton,...
Getting it right  for rural areas

Getting it right for rural areas

  Rural bus services face the twin challenges of lower patronage and longer mileage, but it’s not doom and gloom everywhere   Bus patronage has increased in Cornwall (Image: Shutterstock)   As I write this, I’m travelling to Hatfield for the first Quality Rural Bus Conference. By the time you read this, the event will...
Scottish Transport Awards 2025

Scottish Transport Awards 2025

The Scottish Transport Awards took place on June 19 in Glasgow and you can read all about the winners in this official Souvenir Brochure. Click on the image below to view Scottish Transport Awards Book of Winners 2025.     If you are viewing the site on a tablet or mobile device, tap here to...
Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Free buses in return for c-charge in Oxford?

Key transport organisations across the city have united in support of Oxfordshire County Council’s proposed £5 daily congestion charge £5 daily congestion charge   Broad coalition of organisations are backing the proposal   Making Oxford’s park and ride buses free to use could become a reality if plans for a temporary congestion charge in the...
NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

NAO calls for DfT lead on bus improvements

Despite significant bus investment in recent years, a new report by the National Audit Office calls for better strategy and targeted funding   Report noted that bus franchising is complex and costly   The Department for Transport must deliver clearer strategic direction and cohesive funding if local transport authorities in England are to reverse the...
French ambition contrasts with UK

French ambition contrasts with UK

  In the 1980s, France’s TGV high speed train revolution left the UK well behind. Is the same now happening on local transport?   Orléans is an example of what a public transport system can do in a small city   Paris in the springtime but today we have given the conventional attractions of the...
Social media  - it’s all or nothing

Social media – it’s all or nothing

  If you put the right level of resource behind social media, it can be game-changing, but if you get it wrong it’s best not to bother   As part of my role, I do social media training for transport companies and detailed reviews of their approach and strategy   Public transport is in the...
UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

UITP Summit puts Hamburg on show

  Germany’s second largest city is a showcase for innovation in transport policy, with ambitious targets to grow public transport   Hamburg has an extensive U-Bahn network of four lines with 93 station   The UITP Summit was held in Hamburg, Germany in mid-June 2025. Hamburg held the very first UITP Summit in 1891. This...