INSIGHT

21 FEB 2020

WHAT FUTURE DO WE WANT?

We were told decades ago to expect this. Ciara, and in quick succession Dennis, have wreaked havoc and devastation to thousands of homes and livelihoods. Tragically the death toll from these extreme weather events continues to rise, and we are

20 FEB 2020

MIDLANDS TRANSPORT SUMMIT RETURNS FOR A SECOND YEAR

We're delighted to announce that following the success of the inagural Midlands Transport Summit in 2019, the event will return to Birmingham in July 2020.

14 FEB 2020

DEVELOPING A MEANINGFUL NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY

Buses are Britain's most frequently used form of public transport, with the latest Government data indicating that 59% of all public transport trips in Great Britain were made by bus in 2017-18...

13 FEB 2020

HIGH SPEED 2: FAILED ECONOMICS

The Prime Minister has announced the Government's decision to go ahead with High Speed 2 (HS2), the new rail route from London to the cities of the Midlands and the North, despite the dramatic escalation in construction costs, from £37.5bn

10 FEB 2020

WHAT WILL COME FROM THE CITIZENS’ ASSEMBLY ON NET ZERO CARBON?

It will be fascinating to see what comes out of the citizens' assembly convened to discuss how...

7 FEB 2020

THE PM MUST PUT THE FORTHCOMING NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY AT THE HEART OF HIS CLIMATE STRATEGY

In launching the COP26 UN climate summit earlier this week the Prime Minister made it clear that he personally intends to keep the UK in the vanguard on this agenda.

5 FEB 2020

WHAT’S THE ROLE OF THE BUS IN ACHIEVING CLEAN GROWTH AND NET ZERO?

Tomorrow's UK Bus Summit is the premier bus event covering all parts of the UK. This year there will be particular focus about the wider social, economic and environmental benefits of bus. Gareth Powell will speak on a panel in

3 FEB 2020

IT'S THE WAY WE USE NEW INFRASTRUCTURE THAT DETERMINES ITS GREEN CREDENTIALS

The Infrastructure Commission for Scotland last month called for "a presumption in favour of enhancing, re-purposing, or maintaining existing infrastructure over developing options for new infrastructure".

28 JAN 2020

THE ROLE OF BUSES IN ACHIEVING ZERO EMISSION AND CLEAN GROWTH

Next week's UK Bus Summit is the premier bus event covering all parts of the UK...

22 JAN 2020

A NEW APPROACH TO BUS IS NEEDED

Next month's UK Bus Summit is the premier bus event covering all parts of the UK. This year there will be particular focus about the wider social, economic and environmental benefits of bus. Anthony Smith will chair our first session

20 JAN 2020

BEGIN WITH THE END IN MIND

There is a lot riding on COP26. The last decade was the hottest on record. Global greenhouse gas emissions need to fall by 7.6% every year to 2030, but there is no sign even of emissions peaking in the next

16 JAN 2020

4TH ANNUAL SCOTTISH TRANSPORT SUMMIT

The Scottish Transport Summit returns to Glasgow for 4th consecutive year. 

8 JAN 2020

PUTTING THE BUS IN BUSINESS: IT’S TIME TO REALISE THE POTENTIAL OF BUSES TO TRANSFORM COMMUTING FOR THE BETTER

Bus services account for around half of all journeys on public transport but get little attention from policymakers and politicians.

18 DEC 2019

NEVER MIND BREXIT. WITH THE WILLIAMS REVIEW DUE TO CONCLUDE, BRITAIN'S RAILWAYS MAY PROVE TO BE ONE AREA WHERE GOVERNMENT POLICY IS "OVEN-READY"

Having achieved a healthy majority, now it is the perfect time for the Government to demonstrate that it can move past Brexit and prioritise the tackling of every-day issues. Rail policy is a key area where Boris Johnson should be

17 DEC 2019

LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS 2020- SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Shortlist for the 2020 London Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

11 DEC 2019

BOLDER ACTION IS NEEDED TO CUT TRANSPORT EMISSIONS

The point of no return on climate change is in sight and hurtling towards us. "Do we really want to be remembered as the generation that buried its head in the sand, that fiddled while the planet burned?" asked the

9 DEC 2019

CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES: MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR CITIZENS

In less than two years, trials for self-driving vehicles for the public, are due to begin in the UK...

5 DEC 2019

PROCEED WITH CAUTION

As I write this column, with the general election only a matter of days away, we have seen the election manifestos which will inform our choices on 12 December.

2 DEC 2019

RE-CONNECTING LEFT BEHIND TOWNS

In mid-November, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced a "£500m Beeching Reversal Fund" to start "re-opening rail lines axed under Harold Wilson's Government". Writing in the Daily Telegraph, he suggested this would start in the North.

28 NOV 2019

CREATING A HUBBUB

Shared transport has mostly been approached as a service.

27 NOV 2019

SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR 2020 SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS

The entry process for the 2020 Scottish Transport Awards is now open. Now in its 18th year, the prestigious Scottish Transport Awards brings together the transport community to recognise and celebrate industry achievements across Scotland.

26 NOV 2019

WHAT'S NEXT FOR UK RAIL?

Transport Times is delighted to announce that the UK Rail Summit will return to London on 24th March 2020. It will once again take place at KPMG in Canary Wharf.

22 NOV 2019

NET-ZERO TRANSPORT STARTS WITH PEOPLE AND PLACES

In November 2020 Glasgow will host what promises to be an influential UN Climate Change Summit, the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 26). With a year to prepare for COP26 Glasgow City Council leader Councillor Susan

20 NOV 2019

CAA SHOULD SUPPORT AIRPORT GROWTH

Expanding aviation capacity in the South East will be good for consumers. It will mean more destinations for holidaymakers. More opportunities for exporters. An end to the delays that come with the routine "stacking" of incoming flights in holding patterns.

11 NOV 2019

LABOUR’S TRANSPORT ELECTION TO LOSE

Whilst there is no guaranteeing that Labour will win the General Election, they do appear to be winning the battle for ideas across the transport sector.

8 NOV 2019

DECARBONISING TRANSPORT

Pressure to deliver a credible plan for net zero will weigh heavily on whoever is in Number 10 on the 13th December. Heightened levels of public concern about climate change will be in even sharper focus next year when the

5 NOV 2019

RAIL FREIGHT OPERATORS AND ROLLING STOCK LESSORS ARE FACING BIG POLICY CHANGES, AND THEY HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH RAILWAYS.

The recent sale of UK operator GB Railfreight to infrastructure fund InfraCapital highlights investors' increasing confidence in the predictability of the European rail freight market after 15 years of progressive liberalisation – much of it forced on unwilling national governments

1 NOV 2019

19TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS REWARD INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT PROJECTS ACROSS THE NATION

The best of the Nation's transport industry were honoured last night at the 19th Annual National Transport Awards at the Westminster Park Plaza in London. Hosted by stand-up comedian, host, and comedy writer Jo Caulfield, the awards attracted over 600

30 OCT 2019

NORTH OF ENGLAND TRANSPORT SUMMIT - RESCHEDULED

The North of England Transport Summit due to take place on 26th November is being rescheduled due to pre-election purdah.

The event will now take place on Wednesday 12 February 2020

29 OCT 2019

REVOLUTION FOR REGULATORS ANYONE?

The National Infrastructure Commission says substantial investment will be required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure communities...

25 OCT 2019

NATIONAL ROAD PRICING: BACK ON THE AGENDA?

The announcement by the Transport Select Committee of an inquiry into national road pricing could not have come at a more opportune time.

17 OCT 2019

A SUSTAINABLE ROUTE TO GROWTH FOR THE SOUTH EAST

Transport for the South East's thirty-year transport strategy sets out a bold and compelling vision for our region's future – and a framework to get us there.

16 OCT 2019

DO PICTURES OF THE PAST OFFER FUTURE INSIGHT?

For reasons I shan't go into here I've recently had cause to sift through my Mother's photograph collection.

11 OCT 2019

WHAT DID THE PARTY CONFERENCES TELL US ABOUT TRANSPORT ?

Reflecting on the party conference season, Jo Field analyses transport policy announcements and insights from the Lib Dem, Labour and Conservative party conferences.

10 OCT 2019

THE OAKERVEE REVIEW SHOULD FOCUS ON DELIVERING HS2

Doug Oakervee's review of HS2 comes a nearly decade on from the High-Speed Rail White Paper.

7 OCT 2019

BUS SERVICES IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND– THE CASE FOR A LONG TERM INVESTMENT STRATEGY

Here in the Liverpool City Region we're doing a lot right with bus.

4 OCT 2019

FUELING COMMERCIAL VEHICLES OF THE FUTURE

With commercial vehicle operators under more pressure than ever, they are faced with the day-to-day task of maximising profits, while ensuring they comply with current and future emission regulations.

30 SEP 2019

PUTTING UP THE €S TO GET TO NET ZERO CARBON, THE GERMAN WAY

Two weeks ago, Germany's coalition government decided on a course of action unimaginable until very recently. Short haul aviation taxes are to be doubled, and a minimum air ticket price has been introduced.

27 SEP 2019

TRANSPORT CAN BE YOUNG PEOPLE’S TICKET TO A HEALTHY FUTURE

Young people are often forgotten about when it comes to policy and transport is no different.

25 SEP 2019

DRIVING INVESTMENT IN THE UK BUS SECTOR

Martyn Bellis, Sales Manager, Transportation, Siemens Financial Services in the UK explains how in the low point of an investment cycle, flexible finance can maximise capability to future proof bus fleets.

23 SEP 2019

UK BUS SUMMIT 2020: THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL BUS STRATEGY

Transport Times is delighted to announce that the 6th annual UK Bus Summit will return to the QEII Conference Centre in Westminster, London on 6th February 2020. 

11 SEP 2019

WHAT FUTURE FOR THE CAR?

A number of new transport technologies have entered the market recently or are under development.

6 SEP 2019

LTAS 2020 JUDGING PANEL REVEALED

Entries are now being accepted for the 2020 London Transport Awards with the deadline fast approaching on 18 October. We are delighted to announce this year's judges, who will decide the shortlist and

5 SEP 2019

WHY NOT 'GIVE BUS A GO'?

It is rather strange that bus use is declining in many parts of the country. Yet, those who use bus like it. Indeed, Transport Focus's most recent Bus Passenger Survey showed that nearly nine out of ten passengers liked their

4 SEP 2019

THE NORTH NEEDS BOTH HS2 AND NORTHERN POWERHOUSE RAIL

You could be forgiven for losing count of the broken promises from Westminster politicians about Northern Transport.

30 AUG 2019

TACKLING THE DEMOCRATIC DEFICIT IN TRANSPORT DELIVERY

There is an intriguing chapter about transport governance in the draft national transport strategy for Scotland published in July. The draft strategy proposes immediate action in three key areas: increasing accountability; strengthening evidence; and managing demand.

28 AUG 2019

REVIEW FOR HS2

HS2 looks like it's going over budget, so let's review whether it's still worthwhile. Really? As if most of our major projects come in on time and budget? And think about it: a review itself means delay, in this case,

27 AUG 2019

SHOULD THE PM EVEN CONTEMPLATE CUTTING FUEL DUTY?

The UK has committed to a target of net zero emissions by 2050. However, speculation of an early general election in the weekend's papers was accompanied by speculation that fuel duty would be cut in an emergency budget next month.

22 AUG 2019

MOBILITY AS A SERVICE: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR CAR USERS?

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is about creating a seamless travel experience, integrating different transport types into a single mobile app;

15 AUG 2019

SOLUTIONS, NOT TAXES, HOLD THE KEY TO CLEANER AIR

Barely a day goes by without a climate- or pollution-related story being on the front page of the UK's newspapers.

14 AUG 2019

PASSENGERS DESERVE A LOT BETTER, AND SOON

Rail fares should be based on the official measure of inflation and trials of new formats cannot arrive too soon, says Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of Transport Focus

7 AUG 2019

FACILITATING THE SECOND AVIATION REVOLUTION

Emerging high-tech aviation solutions, including flying taxis and drone delivery services, will require fundamentally different airspace infrastructure and regulation than traditional rotary and fixed wing aircraft. 'Integration' - merging these disruptive concepts in existing airspace - infers an attempt to

6 AUG 2019

SUBMISSIONS OPEN FOR 2020 LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS

The entry process for the 2020 London Transport Awards is now open.

5 AUG 2019

INFRASTRUCTURE FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES

London has a problem with air pollution. Over two million people live in areas with unacceptably high levels of air pollution and the poorest suffer the most.

2 AUG 2019

"WE DON’T DO BUSES"

'We don't do buses'. Former Transport Secretary Chris Grayling's parting shot to the Transport Select Committee may have come both as some relief, and no surprise, to long-suffering bus passengers across the country.

1 AUG 2019

WHEN WORLDS (DON'T) COLLIDE

I am intrigued to learn what comes of my chum Glenn Lyons's "Driverless Cars Emulsion" initiative.

25 JUL 2019

MEMO FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

Firstly, may we congratulate you on your appointment. We are encouraged to hear that you asked for this role. Whilst transport may not be the most sought-after brief in Government, for those in the know it is one of the

22 JUL 2019

MAKE DELAY PAY – CLAIM COMPENSATION

The last time your train was late, did you claim compensation?

19 JUL 2019

2019 NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Shortlist for the 2019 National Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

11 JUL 2019

CLEAN AIR ZONES

In the UK, air pollution is the highest environmental risk to human health, with road transport being the biggest contributor...

10 JUL 2019

HOW TRANSPORT IS GOING TO DRIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE NORTH

Transport Times is delighted to announce that 4th annual North of England Transport Summit will return to Manchester on 26th November 2019. It will once again take place at etc Venues (Minshull Street, Manchester).

9 JUL 2019

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF ISABEL COMAN

As Project Director for the HS2 Main Works Construction Contracts S1/S2, for the Skanska Costain Strabag Joint Venture, I am responsible for the team currently developing the design, schedule and estimate, who will go on to deliver the 26km section...

8 JUL 2019

KEY TRANSPORT INDIVIDUALS RECOGNISED FOR THEIR WORK IN THE MIDLANDS

Last Thursday, Transport Times organised the inaugural The Midlands Transport Summit, welcoming over 130 delegates to KPMG's Snowhill offices in Birmingham. With delegates attending from across the region, the one day conference brought key industry figures together to discuss the

5 JUL 2019

MATCHING FINE WORDS WITH ACTIONS

Last week Parliament passed legislation to commit the UK to net zero emissions by 2050. For those of us who have been campaigning for Government to make climate change a much higher priority this was a big step forward. Whilst

4 JUL 2019

THE MIDLANDS IS TIRED OF BEING IGNORED. IT'S TIME TO RUFFLE SOME FEATHERS

Making progress and moving forward is all about building momentum. In the literal sense, momentum gets us from A to B. In the figurative sense, momentum can be the difference between success and failure.

1 JUL 2019

PUTTING THE SPARK BACK INTO TRANSPORT SYSTEMS

The switch to cleaner energy solutions has never been more pertinent. Over the past few months, we've seen a huge push from the public for decisive action on climate change, with movements like the extinction rebellion in London and the

28 JUN 2019

WHY WE NEED TO GET THE BUS AND TALK MORE

Last week was Loneliness Awareness Week. What did we learn from it? That loneliness is now endemic and action needs to come not just from the individual but also, most importantly, from the community they live in...

27 JUN 2019

RAIL PASSENGER SATISFACTION BUOYED BY BETTER RELIABILITY AND NEW TRAINS

Over 30,000 rail passengers told us about their last rail journey in the period from February to mid-April this year. The latest wave of the 20 year old National Rail Passenger Survey – the largest published representative survey of rail

26 JUN 2019

WHY I'M BACKING THE MIDLANDS RAIL HUB

Today marks an exciting new chapter in the future of the Midlands' railway network. An opportunity for us to right some of the wrongs that hold our society back, to bring the east and west of our region closer together

21 JUN 2019

IMPROVING RAIL LINKS WILL BE CRUCIAL TO THE UK'S AVIATION STRATEGY

Getting the UK's aviation strategy right over the coming decades will be critical for the economic prospects of London and the UK. As the Government's consultation "Aviation 2050 – the future of UK aviation" closes for submissions today, it is

20 JUN 2019

HELMUK: LORRY PLATOONING TRIALS

What if there was a technology, already well developed and relatively inexpensive that could make fuel savings of up to 10%, reduce vehicle emissions and at the same time help to reduce congestion and increase road capacity

18 JUN 2019

TRUST AND REPRESENTATION – UPHOLDING THE PASSENGER VOICE IN ANY RAIL REFORM

Despite considerable investment in infrastructure projects and new trains, public trust in the railway is fragile. Repairing trust will require a careful balance of doing what is supposed to be done, showing care for customers and demonstrating a human sense

17 JUN 2019

HOW OPENING UP THE ENHANCEMENTS MARKET CAN CUT COSTS AND HELP DEVOLUTION DELIVER

As the Williams Review moves into its second stage, it is striking how many of the objectives it has set for the railway surround what I think should be one of our most fundamental goals - getting the cost of

14 JUN 2019

EXCEPTIONAL TRANSPORT PROJECTS AND INDIVIDUALS COMMENDED AT THE 2019 SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson MSP welcomed 450 industry professionals at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Glasgow, last night, to celebrate the people and organisations that make a real difference to transport across Scotland. Hosted by

11 JUN 2019

HOW TO CHANGE RAILWAY CULTURE TO A FOCUS ON CUSTOMERS

Thinking about Keith Williams' challenges in chairing his Rail Review, I confess to a recurring fear that the mantra of 'aligning incentives' across a fragmented industry might emerge as a key reform measure.

10 JUN 2019

BETTER BUSINESS CASES ARE NEEDED FOR BOOSTING CONNECTIVITY

How is the quality of connectivity defined? Which connections need investment? High speed global electronic connections must be complemented with viable investment in transport to support competitive locations and enabled people.

5 JUN 2019

A PEEP BEHIND THE SEAMLESS ROBE OF STATE

And so we line up to say our welcome to Michael Ellis, the new roads minister at the Department for Transport.

3 JUN 2019

PROPERTY VALUE UPLIFT MISSES THE POINT

A month ago, the Institute for Fiscal Studies released a new product developed for the National Infrastructure Commission. Under the heading Estimating the benefits of transport investment, the new web-based software tool estimates how land values respond to transport changes. 

29 MAY 2019

COUNTDOWN TO THE 2019 SCOTTISH TRANSPORT SUMMIT

There's not long left for you to secure your places at the third annual Scottish Transport Summit, which is being held on 13 June in Glasgow. With only 14 days to go you won't want to miss out!

17 MAY 2019

TRANSPORT PLANNERS – THIS IS YOUR MOMENT!

If ever there has been a moment in time for transport planners to step up, step in and save the planet, then this is surely it. Recent events in the UK have converged to produce the opportunity of a lifetime,

15 MAY 2019

BUILDING MORE INCLUSIVE AND SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES

If we're serious about achieving net zero every aspect of how we do things is going to have to change. And nowhere is this more the case than in how we tackle our housing crisis. The decisions we make now

14 MAY 2019

INTER-URBAN AND INTERNATIONAL TRANSPORT NETWORKS - MAXIMISING THE VALUE TO SCOTLAND

It's widely accepted that a city or region with strong connectivity can expect to enjoy increased levels of trade and tourism.

14 MAY 2019

DAISY NARAYANAN JOINS SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS JUDGING PANEL FOR 2020

We are very pleased to announce that Daisy Narayanan will join the Scottish Transport Awards judging panel for the 2020 awards.

13 MAY 2019

BOOSTING THE ROAD USER VOICE

It's now a full four years since Highways England came into being and Transport Focus convened its Road User Panel to ensure that it could keep abreast of views across all users of England's motorways and major 'A' Roads.

10 MAY 2019

ENTRIES DEADLINE EXTENDED FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019

The entry process for the National Transport Awards 2019 is still open. Entries will now be accepted online until Friday 24th May 2019.

8 MAY 2019

I WILL IF YOU WILL

Who can fail to be affected by the school strikes and climate change activism of Extinction Rebellion? Whilst some have criticised their tactics, few disagree with their objectives.

7 MAY 2019

TRANSPORT EQUITY: HARNESSING THE 'MOBILITY REVOLUTION'

The relationship between the availability and accessibility of transport and the prosperity and inclusivity of cities is widely recognised.

3 MAY 2019

WHAT DOES THE NEXT GENERATION OF ROAD USER CHARGING LOOK LIKE?

London has always been a leader in transport innovation and design. But the way we charge drivers for using London's roads is stuck in the past. With only Singapore at the helm, for a long time London was ahead of

1 MAY 2019

MAKING THE MOST FROM INVESTMENT IN NEW HOUSING

Housing is one of our greatest infrastructure challenges. It is widely recognised that the UK is going to need to build 300,000 new homes every year for the foreseeable future.

30 APR 2019

REDUCE CARBON AND INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY

What an astonishing impact Greta Thunberg has had. And what an advantage Europe has in enabling her to travel from Stockholm to Strasbourg, Rome and London and back to Stockholm in some comfort by train, rather than...

29 APR 2019

CONNECTING GLASGOW - PHASE 2: RESHAPING OUR STRATEGIC ROAD AND RAIL NETWORKS

For Scotland's economy to reach its potential, Glasgow needs to be firing on all cylinders. Fixing the city's long-term strategic transport challenges shouldn't be seen a local concern – it is an urgent national priority.

26 APR 2019

ROAD USER CHARGING – WHAT NEXT FOR LONDON?

Whether it's targeting emissions in London, or congestion in New York, user charging is back in the news.

25 APR 2019

VIRGIN TRAINS - STILL STANDING?

Competition is generally good for consumers, forcing standards to rise and prices to fall. In rail, there is some competition...

24 APR 2019

CLIMATE CHANGE – LET'S GEAR UP FOR A ZERO-CARBON FUTURE

Change is an integral part of the transport industry - it's what drives us to do things differently.

17 APR 2019

RETHINKING THE URBAN EXPERIENCE: TRANSPORT MODES AND GOVERNANCE

First, a disclaimer. The views set out here are my own and not those of my employer, the City of Edinburgh Council. Dull, I know, but important to be clear. In local government (or any government for that matter), formal

15 APR 2019

A TRANSPORT NETWORK TO HARNESS THE ECONOMIC POTENTIAL OF ALL OF SCOTLAND

Our transport networks are the economic arteries on which our economy depends. Wherever in the country you live we all rely on the ability to get people and goods to where they're needed.

10 APR 2019

FAREWELL, PENELOPE PITSTOP

In March, I went for it and splashed out on the bright red Mazda MX-5 RF which is now allowing me to finally unleash my inner Penelope Pitstop! The only thing tempering my delight with this new 'girl's toy' is

8 APR 2019

TACKLING THE WEAKNESSES IN THE SOCIAL DESIGN OF PARKING TAXES

With budgets in transport authorities under increasing pressure, the option of introducing workplace parking levies (WPL) has been increasingly in the news, such as the BBC's story "Motorists who drive to work could have to pay hundreds of pounds a

2 APR 2019

ROAD PRICING

For reasons I needn't go into there is much attention being paid, as I write, to a certain parliamentary petition which has attracted several million signatures.

1 APR 2019

ELECTRIC MOTORWAY

As you will know, central to any attempt to meet national carbon reduction targets is the need to curtail emissions from the problem sector: transport. Accounting for a third of all our carbon emissions, transport has proved the one 'sticky'

29 MAR 2019

SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019 - SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The shortlist for the 2019 Scottish Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

26 MAR 2019

DEVOLVED RAIL: STRATEGIES ACROSS THE UK

Devolved railways and the rail strategies across the UK was focused on in our final session. David Fowler reports on the this session. 

Transport for the North, England's first subnational transport body, was focused on the economy and transport working together,

25 MAR 2019

DELIVERING SMART TICKETING ON RAIL ACROSS REGIONAL AND URBAN AREAS

2018 was "a game changer" for smart ticketing on rail, said Steve Montgomery, First Group managing director of UK Rail, because the DfT had decided to invest via the £80m Smart Ticketing on National Rail programme, announced in October 2017.

22 MAR 2019

HS2: A KEY ELEMENT OF THE UK'S TRANSPORT STRATEGY

HS2 will be like a tree, with its roots in London, its trunk running to the West Midlands, and its two principal branches connecting the Manchester and Leeds. This initial network will connect eight of the UK's 10 biggest city

19 MAR 2019

IMPROVING RAIL PERFORMANCE

"The railway has been asleep at the wheel," Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines admitted, at last week's UK Rail Summit. Opening the first session, on Improving rail performance: working partnerships between operators, industry partners and Network Rail, he noted

18 MAR 2019

EASIER RAIL FARES

Since December 2017, the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), with support from KPMG, has been investigating how our system of rail fares can be brought into the 21st century. The complexity of UK rail fares has long been seen as undermining

14 MAR 2019

BUS TRAVEL: WHAT DO PASSENGERS THINK?

How do passengers rate their journey on local bus service?

Almost 50,000 bus passengers in England and Scotland have had their say in Transport Focus's annual Bus Passenger Survey. Almost nine in 10 passengers using buses were satisfied with their last

13 MAR 2019

IT'S TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF RAIL FREIGHT

In the transport industry, certain issues capture the public's attention, while others fail to, time and time again. In pubs up and down the country, debate rages about the UK's innovative new high speed rail network, season ticket fares and

13 MAR 2019

UK RAIL SUMMIT: MINISTER'S KEYNOTE SPEECH

Since being reappointed to the Department for Transport in November last year, Rail Minister Andrew Jones MP had spent time travelling around the country meeting people working on the railway at all levels....

12 MAR 2019

2019 AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES READINESS INDEX REVEALS UK'S POLICY SUCCESSES AND AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT

World over, the buzz around driverless cars is growing. As science fiction evolves into fact, the question on the minds of policymakers, industry leaders, journalists, and citizens is – will policy, innovation culture, infrastructure, and consumer willingness keep pace with

11 MAR 2019

ENTRIES OPEN FOR NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019

The entry process for the National Transport Awards 2019 is open. Entries will be accepted online until Friday 17th May 2019.

11 MAR 2019

WE MUST BE BOLD IN OUR COMMITMENT TO UK RAIL INVESTMENT

I am very much looking forward to taking part in one of the panel sessions at the Transport Times Rail Summit on 13 March. There I will be able to give the Hitachi/Bombardier Joint Venture (JV) perspective on why there

7 MAR 2019

INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT PROJECTS HONOURED IN 2019 LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS CEREMONY

The best of the Capital's transport industry were recognised on Thursday 7th March at the 16th annual London Transport Awards. 400 industry professionals were in attendance to celebrate the achievements of those who work hard to make a real difference

5 MAR 2019

IMPROVING NETWORK RAIL PERFORMANCE

I took this job last summer because I'm passionate about what the railway can do for people, the economy and society. Coming back into this industry after 10 years away, I have been reminded of the thousands of dedicated employees

4 MAR 2019

WHAT DO PASSENGERS WANT FROM THE RAIL REVIEW?

It is good to hear that Keith Williams will be speaking at the upcoming Rail Summit where David Sidebottom, Transport Focus director and I will both be chairing sessions.

26 FEB 2019

UNITING ARCHAEOLOGY AND ENGINEERING ON HS2

Whenever I tell people what I do for a living I'm always surprised by how many people respond by saying it's their dream job.

25 FEB 2019

THE DRIVERS OF TRANSPORT POLICY DIFFER REGION BY REGION

While the rest of us are in various states of stasis with just 32 days to go to Brexit day, others are quietly planning for the longer term.

22 FEB 2019

3 TRENDS DRIVING CHANGE IN THE UK BUS SECTOR

At this month's UK Bus Summit, hosted by Transport Times, attendees were in agreement that the bus sector has to change if it is to serve the needs of modern society.

21 FEB 2019

EXCITING ADDITION TO THE UK RAIL SUMMIT AGENDA

We are delighted to announce that Keith Williams (Independent Chair, Williams Rail Review) has been added to the agenda for the UK Rail Summit

19 FEB 2019

PUTTING BUSES AT THE HEART OF AIR QUALITY

"Putting buses at the heart of air quality" was the theme of the fourth and final session of the UK Bus Summit earlier this month. David Fowler reports on this. 

18 FEB 2019

REMOVING THE BARRIERS

"Getting passengers on board buses" was the theme of the third session of the UK Bus Summit earlier this month. David Fowler reports on this. 

15 FEB 2019

AT THE CENTRE OF MOBILITY

"Why buses are central to the future of mobility" was the theme of the second session of the UK Bus Summit. David Fowler reports on this. 

14 FEB 2019

MORE QUESTIONS THAN ANSWERS

My mother learned to drive fairly late in life. Until I was in my teens she was happy to leave the driving to my father. But after she passed her test she said something that stuck with me: "up to

12 FEB 2019

MAKING BUSES BETTER WITH OPEN DATA

Taking the bus can have its stresses. Every passenger has stood in the rain worrying that their late bus isn't coming at all and asked: "why didn't I take the other option?"

11 FEB 2019

BUSES: LESSONS FROM ACROSS THE UK

Last week industry leaders came together for the fifth UK Bus Summit. In five years the annual conference has established itself a key date in the bus industry calendar.

8 FEB 2019

ENGAGING YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE BUS SECTOR

The rise of social media has resulted in the explosive growth in volume and influence of the younger generation. As the bus industry gathered for the UK Bus Summit this week so too should they take heed.

6 FEB 2019

MINISTER ANNOUNCES £48M FOR LOW EMISSION BUSES

Communities across the UK will benefit from over 260 new low emission buses, thanks to £48m funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, transport minister Nusrat Ghani revealed today. She was speaking at the fifth annual UK Bus Summit,

5 FEB 2019

YOUNG PEOPLE ARE THE FUTURE OF BUS TRAVEL

Young people are the future of bus travel so it made absolute sense for us, as part of the Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance – a formal partnership between Merseytravel and the area's two largest bus operators, Arriva and Stagecoach-

4 FEB 2019

WILLIAMS RAIL REVIEW

Over the past 20 years, there has been considerable investment in infrastructure and rolling stock, and more emphasis has been placed on customer service ... yet too many people still do not get the service they deserve. Passenger satisfaction scores

1 FEB 2019

WHY BETTER PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT ON TRANSPORT SCHEMES CREATES CHEERLEADERS AND IMPROVES WORKFORCE DIVERSITY

Like me, I'm sure many of you are ambassadors for the fantastic careers and opportunities the transport sector has to offer. We all know that transport plays an essential role in our everyday lives. From our daily commute, or to

30 JAN 2019

BUSES ARE THE ANSWER - BUT WE NEED TO PROVE IT

We all know how important buses are. With nearly 4.5bn bus journeys every year, it is the most commonly used form of public transport.

The problem is, it's the best kept secret. We need to change that.

29 JAN 2019

RAIL PASSENGER SATISFACTION – HOW IS YOUR TRAIN COMPANY DOING?

In the latest results from our National Rail Passenger Survey published this morning, overall satisfaction with passengers last journeys fell to 79 per cent, its lowest level since 2008.

28 JAN 2019

MORE MAJOR ROAD CAPACITY?

A key part of our national highway network is the Major Roads Network, rightly identified in a study by David Quarmby and Phil Carey for the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund in 2016 as being neglected territory and in need of

25 JAN 2019

LTAS 2019 - BUS OPERATOR AND RAIL OPERATOR OF THE YEAR SHORTLISTS ANNOUNCED

The Shortlist for the Bus Operator of the Year and Rail Operator of the Year at the 2019 London Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

24 JAN 2019

QUESTIONING HS2? REMEMBER TO ASK WHY

It's billed as the defining infrastructure project of a generation, the most ambitious scheme in Europe, and has always drawn cross-party support in parliament. How is it then, less than two years after Phase One secured Royal Assent, some claim

21 JAN 2019

HIGH SPEED RAIL

There is little new under the sun.

Recently, I read a post on LinkedIn by the CEO of a US affinity marketing agency in which he promoted the 'new' concept of issuing a memo setting out the issues prior to the

16 JAN 2019

BUSES FOR A STRONGER SOCIETY

The past few years have been a challenging time for the bus industry.

Against a background of declining passenger numbers, much of our energy has been engaged in debates around the nature of regulation, and what form of relationship we as

15 JAN 2019

SCOTTISH TRANSPORT SUMMIT RETURNS FOR 3RD CONSECUTIVE YEAR

Join us at the Grand Central Hotel on 13th June for the 3rd annual Scottish Transport Summit.

14 JAN 2019

HOW TO GET MORE, HAPPIER BUS PASSENGERS? CATCH THE DEBATE AT BUS SUMMIT 2019!

The Transport Focus national Bus Passenger Survey 2018 will be published in March and will include results for Scotland. It's expected to show broadly good levels of satisfaction (with some very good!) but it's a survey of those who are

11 JAN 2019

EFFECTIVE REGULATION AND MARKET GROWTH GO HAND IN HAND

Can the chaos at London airports from drone sightings be used as a prompt to encourage action on the long-debated topic of drone regulation? The July 2018 Flying High report by UK innovation champion Nesta, showed that the UK was

2 JAN 2019

JAMES BOND’S FUTURE TRANSPORT MISSION

As the last of the Christmas turkey is cleared away and we slump in front of the TV to while away the afternoon watching the traditional 007 film, we find ourselves daydreaming about James Bond's future transport ...

24 DEC 2018

EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY

It's that time of year, when we look ahead and try to predict what the future will hold. 2018 marks the 50th anniversary of SYSTRA in the UK, across the company we've been thinking about the future and what it

20 DEC 2018

LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019 - SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Shortlist for the 2019 London Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

18 DEC 2018

ENTRIES OPEN FOR SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019

The entry process for the Scottish Transport Awards 2019 is now open. Entries will be accepted online until Friday 15th February 2019.

17 DEC 2018

CHANGING FUTURES: THE FUTURE OF CUSTOMER-CENTRIC TRANSPORTATION

Across all sectors, we have seen customer expectations increase dramatically over the past few years. Indeed, areas of service that once delighted customers and gave them a 'wow' moment, are often now seen as the bare minimum service offer with

11 DEC 2018

THE FUTURE OF HYPERLOOP IN THE UK: CUTTING THROUGH THE HYPE

TRL, the Transport Research Laboratory, has completed an independent analysis into Hyperloop...

10 DEC 2018

THE ROAD TO INVESTMENT – LEVERAGING THE POTENTIAL OF OUR ECONOMIC CORRIDORS

For centuries, some of the world's most successful settlements have been built around critical linear infrastructure – rivers, canals, roads and railway lines. 

6 DEC 2018

UK RAIL SUMMIT: RETHINKING RAIL DELIVERY: COORDINATION, STRATEGIC DIRECTION AND CAPACITY GROWTH

Transport Times is delighted to announce that The UK Rail Summit will take place in association with KPMG on 13th March 2019. It will be held at the KPMG offices in Canary Wharf, London.

4 DEC 2018

AN OYSTER SPREAD SOUNDS NICE

As Mike Brown says, TfL expects to be no longer accept paper-based travel cards within 5-10 years and see Oyster card usage decline as more people switch to paying with bankcards or mobile phones

29 NOV 2018

MAKING MAJOR ROADS MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR DISABLED ROAD USERS

Today we published new research that shines a much-needed light upon the experience of disabled road users, explains how much can be done to make the road system more inclusive, and widens the discussion on making transport accessible beyond the

27 NOV 2018

A CHRISTMAS GIFT: NORTHERN POWERHOUSE RAIL

Is it too early to start talking about Christmas? I only ask because the Chancellor – not someone usually confused with Santa Claus – has just announced in his Autumn budget statement a £37m boost for development of Northern Powerhouse

21 NOV 2018

TRANSPORT FOR NEW HOMES - ARE WE BUILDING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OR MINI-AMERICA?

In the 1970s whilst still at school, I became interested in what made for a successful suburb. We lived in North West London in the heart of Metroland and I travelled to school by London Transport.

19 NOV 2018

THE FUTURE OF ASSET MANAGEMENT

Advances in technology, data and analytics have paved the way for smarter, faster and more robust decisions, but are asset-intensive organisations in the transport industry ready for digital transformation?

12 NOV 2018

HOW PLANNING AS A PARENT HELPS ME PLAN LONDON’S TRANSPORT

Having worked as a transport planner in variety of positions at Transport for London (TfL) for the past eight years, I have experience in different fields, from road safety and transport management to survey design and data analysis.

8 NOV 2018

INVESTMENT IN TRANSPORT INVOLVES MUCH MORE THAN PUBLIC SPENDING

In mid-October the Institution' of Civil Engineers launched their 2018 state of the nation report on infrastructure funding. This report came a few days after the Department for Transport closed their current consultation on their transport appraisal methods to inform

6 NOV 2018

DOES HIGHWAYS ENGLAND DELIVER FOR ITS FREIGHT AND COACH CUSTOMERS?

Look around you. Virtually everything you can see has been delivered on a truck. The efficient distribution of freight becomes more important by the day as online shopping booms.

5 NOV 2018

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT: THE KEY TO UNLOCKING THE BENEFITS OF NEW HOUSING

There is widespread consensus that as a country we need to build significantly more homes if we are going to address the national housing crisis; to the tune of some 300,000 per year. At the same time, the role of

2 NOV 2018

BUSES – NOW HERE’S THE GOOD NEWS

To the extent that there is any media coverage of buses, it tends to be bad news. The stories are about cuts in services leaving people isolated, declining use and fares increases. I've helped contribute to this over time –

31 OCT 2018

A NEW GUIDING MIND FOR RAIL

The organisational structure of the UK's railways is no longer working. Passengers have endured 18 months of turmoil, culminating in the May timetable chaos. Secretary of State Chris Grayling has ordered a "root and branch" review.

30 OCT 2018

REACTION TO TRANSPORT IN 2018 BUDGET

Key figures from the Transport Industry respond to the 2018 Budget

29 OCT 2018

TECHNOLOGY

What do we all know about new technology? It was a question I found myself musing on whilst at the recent Transport Technology Forum gathering in sunny Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

26 OCT 2018

TFL IS PLANNING SIGNIFICANT CUTS IN BUS SERVICES AND NOW ACKNOWLEDGES CYCLING AS A CAUSE OF LONDON RIDERSHIP DECLINE

Bus use in London has now fallen c 8-10% from its quarterly peak in Q1 January-March 2014 to the latest data covering the period until June 2018.

24 OCT 2018

GETTING ON THE FRONT FOOT: HOW THE TRANSPORT AND LOGISTICS INDUSTRY CAN PREPARE FOR BREXIT

Developments over the last few days highlight the complexities of agreeing the terms of the UK's exit from the European Union, never mind establishing our future political and economic relationships. The chances of a "No Deal", or an acceptable deal

22 OCT 2018

A MISBEGOTTEN MOTORWAY?

The battle of Otmoor raged in 1980 and resulted in the M40 taking a swerve around it. It is a Nature Reserve managed by RSPB, and lies astride the 'east of Oxford' options for the planned Oxford-Cambridge Expressway (a motorway

19 OCT 2018

LIFETIME CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSPORT AWARD GOES TO STEPHEN JOSEPH OBE

Last Thursday the transport industry gathered to recognise and celebrate the organisations and people who have made a real difference in the past 12 months.

The judges nominated a number of individual winners including Stephen Joseph OBE who took away the

17 OCT 2018

CORNWALL COUNCIL'S NIGEL BLACKLER SCOOPS 'OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL TRANSPORT AWARD' 

In his role as Service Director for Transport and Infrastructure Nigel has led the successful application for a 4 year Public Service Obligation to support the Newquay to London air service, and the Cornwall Rail Improvements Package.

15 OCT 2018

TRANSPORT SCOTLAND'S ROY BRANNEN AWARDED 'OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO TRANSPORT AWARD' 

The 'Outstanding Contribution to National Transport' honour was awarded to Transport Scotland's Chief Executive Roy Brannen.

Roy took over as Chief Executive in November 2015 after having held several different positions in the Scottish Government since joining in 1999. He is

12 OCT 2018

CELEBRATING THE BEST IN TRANSPORT AT 18TH ANNUAL NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS

The best of the Nation's transport industry were honoured last night at the 18th Annual National Transport Awards at the Westminster Park Plaza in London. Hosted by former Broadcaster and Presenter Jeremy Vine, the awards attracted over 600 senior transport

10 OCT 2018

FIVE KEY STEPS TO STARTING A MAAS MOVEMENT

It doesn't take governments, city authorities or academics to tell us our cities are getting increasingly congested and, consequently, trickier to navigate. We are all witness to gridlocked roads, inefficient train timetabling, overcrowded subway systems and backed up buses. And

3 OCT 2018

EASY RIDE FOR RAIL INDUSTRY ON COMPENSATION CLAIMS

The email pinged into my inbox. The money pinged into my account. Virgin trains compensation for the delay to my train to Manchester, really easy just the way it should be. Of course, this type of automatic compensation only works

27 SEP 2018

RENATIONALISATION MAY BE EASIER THAN PEOPLE THINK

The stock response to Labour's ongoing left turn is to cite "a return to the failed policies of the 1970s" and to calculate the enormous costs of acquiring the equity of the companies targeted. This kind of commentary then goes

26 SEP 2018

OPERATING COST REDUCTION: DELIVERING MORE FOR LESS

The UK is a market leader in maximising the intensity with which our transport assets are utilised. Over recent decades we have worked to squeeze ever more capacity out of our transport infrastructure – whether it be London's Underground system,

24 SEP 2018

ARISE METROPOLITAN BRITAIN

Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy fans know the answer is usually 42, but this year's National Infrastructure Assessment goes one better. It wants £43bn spent on transport in regional cities to improve productivity, reduce congestion and underpin growth in housing

21 SEP 2018

A MISSION FOR THE FUTURE OF MOBILITY

The pace of change in the UK's mobility landscape is arguably at its fastest ever. New forms of transport are emerging, and customer expectations are continually being redefined by experiences that would once have been unimaginable.

19 SEP 2018

FIXING A BROKEN RAILWAY AND CONNECTING HEATHROW – WINDSOR LINK RAILWAY

The British railway network is littered with bad planning decisions. For all the vim and technical precocity of the Victorian era's market-led approach to railway construction, Britain's rail network has remained a series of unconnected lines and branches leaving a

17 SEP 2018

WHY CAN'T UK RAIL BE MORE LIKE JOHN LEWIS & PARTNERS?

John Lewis is an imperfect but interesting template for the UK Rail industry

John Lewis has long been one of Britain's most admired companies. Like much of Britain's middle class I sleep on John Lewis sheets, eat Waitrose food and look

12 SEP 2018

TORY RAIL REVIEW 3.0 - GRAYLING MUST EITHER CONFRONT THE RAILWAY ‘BLOB’, OR SETTLE FOR MORE OF THE SAME

The announcement that the DfT is considering yet another "fundamental review" of the UK's rail architecture was, perhaps, an inevitable response to a summer of timetable problems amidst the populist appeal of Labour demands for full-scale renationalisation of the sector.

5 SEP 2018

LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS 2019 - ENTRIES OPEN!

The entry process for the London Transport Awards 2019 is now open. Entries will be accepted online until Friday 19th October 2018.

Now in their 16th year, the London Transport Awards are supported by Transport for London, London councils, London TravelWatch

30 AUG 2018

IMAGINABLE

One of my favourite films is the Player (less than a fiver on Amazon – a bargain) a darkly humorous look at what it takes to get on in the film industry; working in production rather than as an actor.

28 AUG 2018

DAY IN THE LIFE OF A TRANSPORT PLANNER - HARRIET GLEN

What was your path into transport planning?

My first taste of transport planning was through joining the transport planning graduate scheme at Transport for London in 2013, shortly after graduating in Geography from Durham University. It wasn't hard to motivate myself

24 AUG 2018

HOW TO MAKE A SUCCESS OF A MAJOR TIMETABLE CHANGE

Soon enough, we will get an official report from the ORR on what went wrong with the major timetabling changes made in May this year.

22 AUG 2018

SAFELY DOES IT - INCREASING THE SPEED LIMIT THROUGH ROADWORKS

There's a certain amount of risk that comes with roads; driving 1.5 tonnes of metal at 70mph is an activity we should never take lightly.

We and our supply chain work in and around this environment and all understand the care

20 AUG 2018

TAKING STOCK: THE IMPACT OF TRANSFORMATION IN THE UK ROLLING STOCK MARKET

Of all parts of the GB rail supply chain, it is arguably the rolling st.ock leasing and supply market that...

14 AUG 2018

SOCIAL MOBILITY IN THE TRANSPORT SECTOR, AN INTERVIEW WITH TFL

There is an assumption that if you work for Transport for London (TfL), then you must be a Tube driver, Ticket Inspector or a Customer Services Assistant. To some extent, this is unsurprising – these are the jobs at TfL

8 AUG 2018

HOW TO BECOME A TRANSPORT PLANNER: HARD HATS, HI-VIS AND HOUMOUS

There are many transport planners who end up in the profession and wonder how they got there. But there are also transport planners who chose the profession deliberately.

6 AUG 2018

CAN WE FIND A PLACE FOR E-SCOOTERS?

Having swept through the USA, and now available on a dockless hire basis in Paris and in at least four German cities, e-scooters have much to offer. In the States, they are seen as a solution to the 'last mile

2 AUG 2018

MAKING BRITAIN THE BEST CONNECTED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD

The UK's transport infrastructure is holding us back...

31 JUL 2018

TIMETABLE MELTDOWN

How has the rail industry managed to turn a good news story into the #timetablecrisis? The current chaos on Thameslink, Great Northern and Northern is deeply frustrating for passengers. Passengers need a stable timetable – one they can rely to

27 JUL 2018

THE JAPANESE TRANSPORT EXPERIENCE

Japan is famed for its high speed Shinkansen bullet trains, but it is not so well-known for the consistent high quality of all its transport, from conventional trains, through tramways and buses to taxis.

25 JUL 2018

2018 NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The Shortlist for the 2018 National Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

23 JUL 2018

LEADING THE WAY FOR WOMEN

Women in construction are a minority, making up around 14 per cent of construction industry professionals. However, Kimberly is leading the way for women in construction through an apprenticeship with Transport for London (TfL). After completing her Level 3 in

10 JUL 2018

THE ROLE OF TICKETING TECHNOLOGY IN THE RISE OF MOBILITY-AS-A-SERVICE

Mobility as a Service (MaaS) is a new mobility model that relies on digital platforms to integrate end-to-end trip planning, booking, electronic ticketing, and payment services across all modes of transportation in an urban setting. It is a marked departure

5 JUL 2018

MANAGING RISKS AND REWARDS FOR BETTER TRANSPORT

How is the risk of transport failure managed? From a bus breaking down to a major bridge failure, the resilience of transport systems depends on clear allocation of responsibilities for coping with each contingency. As the final statements are made

27 JUN 2018

WHERE ARE ALL THE FEMALE TRANSPORT PLANNERS?

I began writing this piece thinking romantically of the Waterloo Bridge (my favourite of all the London Bridges). I had been told from an early age (by parents who told me and my two siblings that whatever your gender you

25 JUN 2018

DEFINED ZONES WHERE AIR-QUALITY-RELATED RESTRICTIONS

I have, on occasion, been accused of being cynical. Sometimes I have felt this to be unduly harsh criticism, but other times it is a badge I wear with honour - so long as we are talking about 'cynical' defined

18 JUN 2018

REAFFIRMING OUR COMMITMENT TO RAIL PASSENGERS AND BUSINESSES IN THE NORTH

On Tuesday 12 June 2018, members of the Transport for the North partnership board met in Manchester to discuss the issues regarding rail service disruption across the network operated by Northern.

15 JUN 2018

OUTSTANDING TRANSPORT PROJECTS AND INDIVIDUALS CELEBRATED AT THE 2018 SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS

The people and organisations that make a real difference to transport across Scotland were recognised at the 2018 Scottish Transport Awards last night. Attended by over 450 industry professionals, the ceremony was hosted by comedian and radio presenter Fred MacAulay

11 JUN 2018

SIX OF THE BEST – HOW TO IMPROVE THE OUTLOOK FOR BUS PASSENGERS.

It is clear that the bus sector is facing some very strong challenges as a result of changing societal trends and continued growth in car ownership outside London. These trends are likely to continue to create a drag on bus

6 JUN 2018

CONNECTED, LIVEABLE CITY REGIONS

The final session at the UK Transport Infrastructure Summit considered the question of how to pay for properly connected, liveable cities...

4 JUN 2018

THEMES FOR TRANSPORT IN THE NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT

The whole of session three was devoted to the National Infrastructure Commission, which used the opportunity to survey delegates' opinions on three key questions to feed into the forthcoming National Infrastructure Assessment.

1 JUN 2018

THE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF FREEZING FUEL DUTY

Increasing costs for road users is politically difficult. This is one of the reasons why we have had seven years and eight consecutive budgets where fuel duty has been frozen at a time of historically low oil prices and

31 MAY 2018

HOW SMART TRANSPORT CAN REDUCE INFRASTRUCTURE PRESSURES

In the second session at the UK Transport Infrastructure Summit, last week, speakers focused on digital technology and how smart transport can reduce infrastructure.

David Fowler reports on the session below...

29 MAY 2018

MAJOR INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS

Last week's UK Transport Infrastructure Summit offered key delivery organisations the opportunity to communicate what they see as their priorities for major infrastructure projects within the UK.

David Fowler breaks down our first session below

23 MAY 2018

NATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE ASSESSMENT WILL BE “GROUND-BREAKING”

In a few weeks time the National Infrastructure Commission will publish its first National Infrastructure Assessment.
"It will be truly ground-breaking, offering an analysis of the UK's long-term needs, assessing national policy and looking across several key sectors," promised commission

22 MAY 2018

BRITAIN’S PLACE IN EUROPEAN TRANSPORT

With the current UK political scene dominated by discussion of Brexit and the implications that this will have on building a Britain fit for the future, it is easy to forget that in the transport sector, there are things that

17 MAY 2018

BLOCKCHAIN IS THE IDEAL SYSTEM TO UNDERPIN THE UK’S DIGITAL RAILWAY STRATEGY

Away from the volatile spotlight of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies is the distributed ledger system that allows these digital economies to function. Blockchain is about trust and transparency – and features prominently as an important technology and innovation trend that

8 MAY 2018

BRITAIN IS READY

Good transport infrastructure underpins economic growth. That's why this conference is so timely.

Britain has never needed direct connections to the growing economies of the world more than it does today. In coming weeks the UK Parliament is expected to

1 MAY 2018

WHEN A LOT OF SALT IS GOOD FOR YOU

I'm not a health expert so I'm not qualified to talk about the benefits of salt intake in the body. As director of Operations at Highways England, however, I can tell you about the challenges we faced during the winter,

30 APR 2018

BETTER FUNDED TRANSPORT DEPENDS ON BUILDING RESILIENT CONNECTIONS

In an uncertain and fast changing world, resilience has never been more important for the transport system. Recent events show that transport systems are far from being fail safe and that much more could be done to make the case

24 APR 2018

ELECTRIC VEHICLES - THE FOUR 'R'S

I like electric vehicles – cars and motorcycles. I've driven and ridden quite a few over the last decade or more. And here I'm simply speaking about the driving experience, rather than extolling their environmental qualities. Smooth and quiet for

23 APR 2018

GLASGOW LOW EMISSION ZONE - A SCOTTISH TRANSPORT SUMMIT BLOG

Glasgow City Council's Convener for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction, Cllr Anna Richardson will be speaking in the Scottish Transport Summit. Below she gives an insight into what might be discussed.

16 APR 2018

PRIVATELY FINANCING RAIL ENHANCEMENTS: GOVERNMENT’S LATEST PUSH

Following its reclassification to the Government Balance Sheet, the days of Network Rail delivering billions of pounds worth of investment each year, financed by borrowing against its regulatory asset base are gone. Indeed, whilst DfT has allocated £10bn of funds

10 APR 2018

BENEATH THE CAUTION RADICALISM LURKS

When I was at the DfT a decade ago, the main activity late on a Friday afternoon was a call from the likes of the Sunday Times demanding comment on the latest transport controversy. This would invariable spark a search

21 MAR 2018

SCOTTISH TRANSPORT AWARDS 2018 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

The shortlist for the 2018 Scottish Transport Awards has been announced and is available for download here.

13 MAR 2018

INTERURBAN BUSES AGAIN

You wait a long time for an article on interurban bus, dear reader, and then three turn up in just a few weeks.

At a time when bus use elsewhere is declining and services are being cut back, the interurban segment

12 MAR 2018

DRIVING UK LEADERSHIP IN CONNECTED AND AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES

Not a day goes by without further news of new trials and technology advancements in respect of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV) and the associated potential for platooning and ride sharing. And yet, for the average person, the advent of

8 MAR 2018

ENHANCED DATA ABOUT NETWORKS COULD ENABLE BROADER TRANSPORT BENEFITS

In the latest Scottish Transport Statistics published in February there is an interesting analysis of the patronage at railway stations opened since 1970. The context in 1970 was of a railway network that had seen decades of falling patronage. In

5 MAR 2018

INTERURBAN BUSES - REALITY RATHER THAN HOPE

Jim Steer makes a strong case for the Interurban bus but in reality the situation in the UK is far from ideal. For every high quality, frequent service like the 36 from Leeds to Harrogate and Ripon there are dozens

2 MAR 2018

15TH ANNUAL LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS RECOGNISES THE INNOVATIVE TRANSPORT PROJECTS ACROSS THE CAPITAL

The most inspiring projects and organisations across London's transport industry were honoured last night at the London Transport Awards with 350 industry professionals in attendance. The night marked the 15 year anniversary of the ceremony and was hosted by Leon

28 FEB 2018

SHAPING POLICY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP: LOW EMISSION BUS WORKSHOP GLASGOW

The LowCVP is hosting a Low Emission Bus Workshop in Glasgow on the 8th March in collaboration with Glasgow City Council and Transport Scotland. The free event is aimed at local authorities and bus operators wishing to learn more about

26 FEB 2018

IS IT WISE TO BE SAYING: “DIESEL POWER? NO THANKS” ?

It is a great pity that the world is not a more straightforward place. Complexity is the bane of the soundbite era. It confounds the politicians and the policy-makers for whom the holy grail is a simple, single, ideally affordable,

23 FEB 2018

BE A LIFE CHANGER, BE AN ENGINEER

Good engineering changes people's lives for the better. Almost every product and service we use in life has an engineering content to some extent. Fundamentally, it is at the core of what we do at Highways England.

22 FEB 2018

LAND VALUE CAPTURE: A ‘WIN-WIN’ FOR TRANSPORT INVESTMENT?

Last month on this blog, my KPMG colleague Ian Clarke alluded to the role of Land Value Capture (LVC) in supporting investment in urban transport infrastructure to boost productivity and re-balance the economy. He pointed to the windfall gains on

21 FEB 2018

INTERURBANS SURVIVE AND PROSPER

Not all bus services are in decline. Quality scheduled buses operating between major towns and some cities – call them interurban – are doing well. And their role, especially in providing connectivity for smaller and more remote places, is overlooked.

19 FEB 2018

IDENTIFYING AND CAPTURING THE WIDER BENEFITS OF NEW TRANSPORT SCHEMES

The critical role of transport infrastructure in supporting economic growth is widely recognised by politicians and policymakers alike. Yet we still face significant challenges in both funding new projects and in persuading decision makers that the full benefits of transport

15 FEB 2018

WHAT IMPACT WILL DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY HAVE ON THE BUS SECTOR?

David Fowler reports on the fourth session at last week's UK Bus Summit -  'What impact will disruptive technology have on the bus sector?', chaired by Anthony Smith, Chief Executive, Transport Focus.

13 FEB 2018

WHY BUSES ARE CENTRAL TO CITY ECONOMIES

David Fowler reports on the third session at last week's UK Bus Summit -  'Why buses are central to city economies', chaired by Professor David Begg.

10 FEB 2018

THE ROAD MAP TO ZERO EMISSIONS

David Fowler reports on the second session 'The road map to zero emissions', chaired by Anthony Smith of Transport Focus, at yesterday's UK Bus Summit 2018.

9 FEB 2018

THE ROLE OF THE BUS IN REDUCING EMISSIONS

Yesterday's UK Bus Summit gave key industry professionals the time to examine why buses are an integral part of the solution to Clean Air Zones (CAZs) rather than the problem. The event gave speakers and delegates the opportunity to disseminate

8 FEB 2018

20 COUNCILS TO SHARE £40M BUS RETROFIT FUND

In her first formal speech since joining the DfT, new transport minister Nusrat Ghani announced £40m of funding to allow 20 local authorities to retrofit buses with clean technology. Speaking at the UK Bus Summit at London's QEII Centre today,

2 FEB 2018

BUILDING TRUST BY MATCHING THE DETAIL OF DELIVERY WITH THE PROMISE TO CUSTOMERS

What would transport systems look like if they were designed by users? From the Carillion collapse to controversy about bus and rail fare rises, the public discourse in 2018 has been more about who should deliver transport infrastructure and services,

1 FEB 2018

THE BUS IS SUCH AN IMPORTANT PART OF EVERY COMMUNITY..

UK BUS SUMMIT 2018 | 8TH FEBRUARY | LONDON
David Brown, Chief Executive, Go-Ahead: The bus is such an important part of every community

David Brown will be speaking at the event next month, in a session on the the role

29 JAN 2018

WE MUST SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY ON AIR QUALITY

UK BUS SUMMIT 2018 | 8TH FEBRUARY | LONDON
Giles Fearnley, Managing Director, First Bus: We must seize the opportunity on air quality

Giles Fearnley will be speaking in a session entitled 'The road map to emissions' and below he discusses

26 JAN 2018

SUCCESSFUL BUS SERVICES ALCHEMY? - BUS SUMMIT TO STIR THE POT!

UK BUS SUMMIT 2018 | 8TH FEBRUARY | LONDON

Anthony Smith will be chairing two of the sessions at the UK Bus Summit next month. Below, in his blog he discusses the relationship between local authorities and bus companies in order

24 JAN 2018

THE PARTNERSHIP RAILWAY IN ACTION – DELIVERING PROJECTS ON TIME AND ON BUDGET

It was very exciting to be present at the reopening of the new London Bridge station a few weeks ago. Not only is it a widely-acclaimed piece of architecture, it is part of the railway's long-term plan for change that

22 JAN 2018

MAJOR CITIES NATIONWIDE ARE KEY TO BOOSTING PRODUCTIVITY AND RE-BALANCING THE ECONOMY

Many of the most productive jobs are in our major cities, so the 'north – south' question is framed too crudely. The debate should be about how we make all of our major cities as productive as they can be...

19 JAN 2018

SHOULD CARS GET SPECIAL TREATMENT WHEN BUSES ARE DRIVING A CLEANER FUTURE?

UK BUS SUMMIT 2018 | 8TH FEBRUARY | LONDON

Claire Haigh will be speaking at the event next month, in a session on the role of the bus in reducing emissions. Below, in her blog she gives a brief foresight into

16 JAN 2018

HEATHROW PLANS TO TAKE-OFF?

Starting the New Year with a bang, Heathrow are set to kick-off a public consultation on plans for its expansion. Supporters and opponents will be watching carefully. The battle is now start in earnest.

On 17th January, Heathrow Airport Limited will,

15 JAN 2018

MAKING FARES FAIR AGAIN

Understandably, most rail sector people are anxious about the consequences of major re-organisation under a Labour Government committed to a "fully integrated railway in public ownership".

But the party's rail policy adviser, Ian Taylor, argues that fragmentation has been damaging and

12 JAN 2018

BUSES AND DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY

UK BUS SUMMIT 2018 | 8TH FEBRUARY | LONDON

Paul Buchanan will be speaking at the event next month, in a session on the impact disruptive technology may have on the bus sector. Below, in his blog he gives a brief

3 JAN 2018

SETTING OUR DIRECTION FOR THE FUTURE

Since Highways England became a Government Company in 2015 we have completed 18 schemes on or ahead of schedule and have a further 15 major projects currently in construction.

Within the £15bn Road Investment Strategy we have some specific designated funds.

20 DEC 2017

TURNING TRAVEL DATA INTO HARD CASH

The value of data has been growing, but so have the costs of managing it. To be competitive in 2018 transport operators will need to be increasingly smart in the way they use data and the UK Data Protection Bill

18 DEC 2017

LONDON TRANSPORT AWARDS 2018 SHORTLIST REVEALED

The Shortlist for the 2018 London Transport Awards has been announced.

The winners will be announced at the 15th Annual London Transport Awards on 1st March at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel.

The event will be hosted by Leon Daniels, who retires

15 DEC 2017

TRANSPORT INVESTMENT UNDER UNCERTAINTY

The world is on the cusp of a transport and societal revolution which, over the next 10 to 15 years, "will drive change on the scale of the Industrial Revolution".

So said KPMG global head of public transport and UK head

13 DEC 2017

SECRETARY OF STATE ACTS TO SHORE-UP FRANCHISE MODEL WITH HINTS OF DEEPER REFORM TO COME

The successes of Britain's rail franchising system are well established. A doubling of passenger numbers since privatisation, steady increases in punctuality and passenger satisfaction between 2001 and 2013 and a rail system with the best safety record in Europe are

11 DEC 2017

GETTING TO THE ROOT CAUSES OF ROAD CRASHES

The news that yet another person has died in a road crash makes for grim but depressingly-frequent reading in the press.

We are reassured that our national road safety record stands up well to global comparison. In international terms we have

4 DEC 2017

THE END OF THE LINE

Recent announcements suggest policy-makers get the significance of transport in meeting wider economic and social aims. As Stuart Thomson put it recently when writing for Transport Times about the Government's newly published Industrial Strategy, 'Transport

30 NOV 2017

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT & INNOVATION REWARDED AT THE 2017 NORTH OF ENGLAND TRANSPORT AWARDS CEREMONY

The best of Northern England's transport industry were honour on Thursday 30th November at the 2nd Annual North of England Transport Awards, with 300 senior industry professionals in attendance. Hosted by BBC Breakfast Presenter Steph McGovern, the ceremony was held

28 NOV 2017

THE FUTURE IS TRANSPORT

The Industrial Strategy White Paper is one of the most important documents this Government will release. Not only is the Strategy trying to overcome our persistent productivity issue but it also shows what our post-Brexit economy could look like. Transport

27 NOV 2017

PASSENGERS OF THE FUTURE – HOW TO GET YOUNG PEOPLE USING THE BUS

A few comments from younger bus passengers taken from our forthcoming work on 14-19 year olds and bus services:

• "Display bus fares at the bus stop, with the timetable. Advertise any discounts more. They could have child, teen

23 NOV 2017

SAFETY DOES IT

On many occasions, when I'm out in my car, I see examples of very good driving, but occasionally of really dangerous driving too.

I care a great deal about road safety and for Highways England it's our number one imperative.

People working

22 NOV 2017

REACTION TO TRANSPORT IN AUTUMN STATEMENT 2017

(Image Source: Getty)

Key industry figures comment on transport within the Autumn budget 2017

20 NOV 2017

WHAT BREXIT CAN LEARN FROM TRANSPORT

'Brand UK' is characterised internationally as representing a stable open trading nation, but in a fast-changing world the role of nation states is changing. Transport is perhaps the most tribal of all economic sectors with many 'ists' and 'isms' applying

17 NOV 2017

WHY THE EURO VI BUS IS ESSENTIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF CLEAN AIR ZONES

Prior to carrying out research on vehicle emissions earlier this year I subscribed to the view that all diesel vehicles should be banned from Clean Air Zones. I now see the latest Euro VI Diesel bus as a crucial part

16 NOV 2017

LIVERPOOL CITY REGION BUS ALLIANCE: 12 MONTHS ON

In Merseyside we've just celebrated 12 months of the Liverpool City Region Bus Alliance – a formal partnership between Merseytravel, Arriva and Stagecoach, who together make up around 80 per cent of our commercial bus market.

And what a 12 months

9 NOV 2017

A REAL PARTNERSHIP IS NEEDED FOR GROWTH: THE RAILWAY IS NO EXCEPTION

Partnerships are strongest when the parties involved respond to change together. In families, in teams, in organisations and as a nation, we grow stronger when we confront change with a shared sense of purpose.

Delivering the improved railway that Britain's commuters

6 NOV 2017

NATIONAL ROAD AND RAIL BUDGETS GO THEIR SEPARATE WAYS

As the National Infrastructure Commission says in its current assessment, now out to consultation:

"It will be crucial to get more out of existing infrastructure, and technology, pricing and demand management will all have a role to play. But while these

3 NOV 2017

AVIATION INDUSTRY NEEDS URGENT CLARITY FROM THE GOVERNMENT ON EXPANSION AND BREXIT

A strong aviation industry is crucial to the UK's status as a global, outward looking nation; it is particularly important following our decision to leave the European Union. The British aviation industry is the largest in the EU and the

30 OCT 2017

MOTORWAY SERVICES ARE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF A LONG JOURNEY

Motorway services are an essential part of a long journey. Whether you are a family heading off on holiday or a lorry driver travelling hundreds of miles every day they offer the chance to rest and refresh. People's needs are

27 OCT 2017

A STEP CHANGE FOR AIR QUALITY

This week the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, took the biggest step towards improving London's air quality since the introduction of the congestion charge 14 years ago.

The capital's air quality has frequently breached EU limits in recent years but the

26 OCT 2017

BRIDGE STRIKES ARE A LOCAL ISSUE BUT NEED A NATIONWIDE APPROACH

One of the railway's most frequent and expensive safety issues begins on the road network. Every year in Britain there are about 2,000 bridge strikes, where road vehicles hit railway bridges and viaducts – that's an average of more than

13 OCT 2017

INSPIRING TRANSPORT PROJECTS REWARDED AT NATIONAL TRANSPORT AWARDS CEREMONY

The people making a real difference to transport across the UK were recognised at the prestigious National Transport Awards at the Westminster Park Plaza in London last night. Hosted by former Labour Communications Director Alastair Campbell the awards attracted over

9 OCT 2017

TRANS-PENNINE REALITIES

When Secretary of State Chris Grayling spoke in Manchester on September 22nd of the need to consider Digital Railway technologies in the north as well as the south of the country, few would disagree. And he was right to point

4 OCT 2017

IMPROVING PUBLIC TRANSPORT ACCESS TO LONDON'S AIRPORTS

In a growing and congested city, and to make best use of aviation capacity, it is really important that passengers can easily access airports by public transport.

However, our research has shown major shortcomings in surface access for each of London's

2 OCT 2017

FUTURE-PROOFING THE EV REVOLUTION

In a bid to encourage the use of electric cars, the UK government recently announced a controversial plan to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040. As traditional petrol

29 SEP 2017

UBER AND TFL ARE NOT AS DIFFERENT AS THEY SEEM

TfL's decision to ban Uber may have come as a surprise to trendy Londonists, and Hoxton's artisanal cupcake bakers, but to economic historians, the drama highlights the extraordinary policy continuity of what we used to call "London Transport"...

27 SEP 2017

TIME FOR A CAPITAL REGION TRANSPORT BODY?

This is a time of change for transport planning, with a move to breaking down the artificial barriers created by local authority boundaries. The creation of bodies such as Transport for the North has generated impetus to improve transport links

25 SEP 2017

DRIVING FORWARD THE TRANSPORT KNOWLEDGE HUB

Local Growth Fund resources of over £7bn have been channeled through Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) since 2014 to fund projects up to 2020/21. The Transport Knowledge Hub has been established to ensure that LEPs have the right tools and knowledge

21 SEP 2017

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES!

Last year's party conference season saw the Conservatives riding what many believed to be an insurmountable lead with a new Prime Minister in the form of Theresa May and a new mission to take the UK out of the European

20 SEP 2017

WE MUSTN'T MAKE TRANSPORT INVESTMENT INTO A LONDON V THE NORTH BATTLE

The recent criticism of the Government for not giving sufficient priority to the North of England on transport investment does not stand up to scrutiny either historically or on a regional basis.

It is has been a common occurrence for envious

18 SEP 2017

HOW DID PASSENGERS GET ON DURING THE WATERLOO UPGRADE WORK?

How bad can the disruption be for passengers, when one of Britain's busiest railway stations is closed for more than three weeks?

Investment in Waterloo Station is welcome. But this major engineering work was a considerable challenge, particularly as the franchise

15 SEP 2017

HS1 ADDS £72 MILLION TO KENT ECONOMY IN 2016 AS LEISURE JOURNEYS INCREASE NINE-FOLD

Over half (54%) of tourism businesses in Kent believe that HS1 has specifically benefitted their own business. For every HS1 leisure journey made to Kent in 2016, £81 was added to Kent's local economy.

Almost 6,000 tourism sector jobs in Kent

14 SEP 2017

IS FRANCHISING WORKING?

Speaking in the first session of yesterday's UK Rail Summit, entitled Is Franchising Working, FirstGroup chief executive Tim O'Toole said: "I represent the status quo. " Defending the current environment, he said its record on a range of statistics from

14 SEP 2017

CHALLENGES FOR NETWORK RAIL

Network Rail chair Sir Peter Hendy opened the second session, on "The Challenges Facing Network Rail" by welcoming the secretary of state's remarks about better integration of track and train and said the organisation had been actively pursuing this aim.

"Under

14 SEP 2017

PRIORITIES FOR RAIL IN THE UK

London Transport Commissioner Mike Brown talked about priorities identified in the Mayor's Business Plan, covering five years, and Transport Strategy, looking 25 years ahead.

Improving suburban rail services would play a key part, he said. Concerning the argument for TfL taking

13 SEP 2017

CHRIS GRAYLING HAILS A RAIL RENAISSANCE

Britain's railways have been in a constant state of flux since World War II, Secretary of State for Transport Chris Grayling told today's Transport Times UK Rail Summit.

Nationalisation had been followed by a succession of reorganisations, all attempts by the

11 SEP 2017

TIME FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT TO TAKE PRIORITY

The Scottish media has been dominated by one story in recent weeks: The Queensferry Crossing. Whilst undoubtedly an amazing engineering feat, the bridge represents a worrying trend in Scottish transport of increasing priority for private cars ahead of public transport.

Public