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)....
The evidence suggests that open access competition has resulted in cheaper fares and grown the overall market for rail travel, says Andy Comfort Hull Trains will celebrate its 25th birthday later this year At 0614 on the morning of Sunday May 25, the first train to be nationalised by the Labour government...
UK Government and Scottish Government are working jointly to explore options to prevent the loss of 400 bus manufacturing jobs in Scotland ADL: This is a challenging time, and we are grateful for the active engagement from the Scottish and UK Governments A joint working group has been established by the UK Government...
More than 10,000 public transport professionals gathered in Hamburg last week for the UITP Summit – an event which is set to become annual UITP president Renée Amilcar in Hamburg last week “Public transport is not just a mobility solution in our cities – it’s a climate solution.” That was the message from...
Transport for Wales confirms contracts will be structures in a way that protects and encourages greater involvement from the SME sector TfW envisages a ‘different playing fields’ approach to bus franchising Bus franchising contracts in Wales could be as small as two vehicles to ensure accessibility for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), the...
What’s been going well in public transport in 2025 and where is greater attention required? It’s time for my half-term report Over the last month, I’ve made twice-weekly trips with Avanti and each time the service just gets better and better It’s hard to believe midsummer’s night has been and gone and...
Sing Alleluia and let the word go forth: white smoke has billowed from the chimney atop Number 11 – we have a Spending Review The chancellor at Taff’s Well Rail Depot (image: Kirsty O’Connor / Treasury) Among the bountiful gifts bestowed by the Chancellor are a four-year funding settlement to underpin England’s...
Why do so many of our public sector projects end up massively expensive, heavily over budget, late to be delivered, and faulty? HS2 will not be a particularly attractive journey, as most of the line will be in tunnels or cuttings How much does a door cost? Well if it’s replacement one...
Chancellor announces £15.6bn of funding for local transport projects in England’s city regions, £2.3bn for other areas and extends £3 bus fare cap Rachel Reeves during her visit to Mellor This month’s Comprehensive Spending Review contained positive outcomes for the public transport sector. Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced £15.6bn of funding by 2031-32 for...
Louise Cheeseman, former TfL director of buses, warns of lack of expertise while others say public expectation levels are high for franchising schemes Cheeseman: ‘My worry for bus reform going forward is lack of expertise’ Governments may have raised public expectations too high in their messaging on franchising and new municipal bus operators,...
How well does public transport understand its existing and potential customers, and the societal trends that influence them? There has been a greater post-Covid recovery in women travelling by bus than men “Time is the most precious resource any of us has,” Marc Winsland remarked in his excellent article in the last...
As I bid farewell to the Bee Network and its striking yellow buses, I do so with immense pride. It’s a model that others can follow The Bee Network Bus franchising is a transformative approach to public transport management, granting local authorities the ability to regulate service quality, fares, and network integration....
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 If you’re the sort of person who plunges into a jigsaw puzzle without consulting the picture on the box first, you’ll know how hard it can be. You tip...
Avanti and ALBUM shine in my report