Passenger Transport: September 6, 2024

Will this be Labour’s blueprint for transport?

‘We have a unique opportunity to reshape our transport infrastructure,’ says chair of review commissioned by the party in opposition in December

A report commissioned by the Labour party while in opposition in December 2023 has called for a paradigm shift to create a more connected, affordable, and high-capacity transport network.

Published last month, the Rail and Urban Transport Review provides recommendations on how to accelerate the huge benefits that rail and urban transport infrastructure unlocks.

Chaired by former Siemens CEO Juergen Maier and guided by industry experts, the review calls for an ambitious transport infrastructure plan to ensure a greener, more inclusive, and efficient UK transport networkfit not just for the next five years,

NEEDLES BREEZER IS TOP OPEN TOP

Isle of Wight service wins UK-wide competition

Southern Vectis’ Needles Breezer has won the Great Scenic Journeys UK Open Top Bus Cup 2024, sponsored by Blink. Great Scenic Journeys CEO Alex Warner said the service, which runs between Yarmouth and the iconic Needles on the Isle of Wight has “amazing views, fantastic commentary and top notch customer service”.

but the next 50. It also urges the development of an infrastructure investment playbook to facilitate and leverage private investment.

“This is a pivotal moment for the UK’s transport sector,” said Maier.

“We have a unique opportunity to reshape our transport infrastructure to be greener, more inclusive, and future-ready. Our recommendations provide a clear

“[This review] will help inform this new government’s thinking”

Louise Haigh

roadmap for the new government to seize this moment and drive significant economic, social, and environmental benefits.

“Until now, the ‘chop and change’ approach to transport policy has created significant ambiguity in the sector, raised costs, and held back investment. We must set the UK on a new course.”

Transport secretary Louise Haigh commented: “This independent expert-led review provides a comprehensive assessment of the challenges and opportunities we face in delivering transport infrastructure in Britain, and will help inform this new government’s thinking.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

A shiftparadigm for transport in the UK?

Robert Jack Managing Editor

Beyond extending public control of public transport, the Labour Party hasn’t offered up any strong transport policies. The party was tight-lipped while in opposition but last December it commissioned a review that might offer us some clues about its intended direction of travel. The results of that review were published this week - and it calls for a major paradigm shift over the coming decades.

Those who responded to the review lamented that the transformative effect of public transport is underestimated and there is no long-term plan - but there is a strong desire and willingness within the sector to do significantly better.

The review, chaired by former Siemens CEO Juergen Maier, says this is a crucial moment for the sector, “a tipping point”. While there is a willingness from the sector to invest and goodwill remains high, the review also heard evidence that some parts of the supply chain are looking at opportunities elsewhere in the world. If the new government don’t act very soon, the review warns that there is a significant risk that confidence will not return, and skills and competence will be lost at many levels in government and supply chains, making it difficult for the country to deliver plans for greener, faster and cheaper transport.

“I know that we are all very excited about the opportunities ahead,” says Maier, “if we are brave enough to seize them.”

HAVE YOUR SAY Contact us with your news, views and opinion at: editorial@passengertransport.co.uk

editorial@passengertransport.co.uk forename.surname@ passengertransport.co.uk

Telephone: 020 3950 8000

Managing

Robert

Deputy

Contributing

Directors

IN THIS ISSUE

ORGANISATION

9

Hove Buses

and

14 VENTURE TO HELP CORPORATES MOVE FAST

Former Transport for London strategy and innovation director Thomas Ableman is launching a new business designed to enable corporates to learn the lessons of agility and innovation honed in smaller organisations.

22 H OW DO WE TACKLE THE ISSUE OF PRIORITY?

The Bus Service Improvement Plan process in England is intended to promote more bus priority, but will it actually happen?“If bus priority is to be meaningful, it has to be prominent and effective to a point where people in cars notice it,” says Nick Richardson.

24 C URBING THE CARBON IMPACT OF CONCERTS

Putting on a concert consumes a lot of energy in lighting, transport and merchandise, but efforts are being made to reduce it. “Live music across all venues in the UK generates 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases,” reveals James Spencer

25

STARMER SAYS THINGS CAN ONLY GET.. WORSE

Great Minster Grumbles: Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT. The concern now is that, in contrast to Labour’s election victory in 1997, things look like they can only get worse.

Haigh promises reform with shadow launch

Transport secretary Louise Haigh has initiated major reforms to the UK’s rail network with the launch of Shadow Great British Railways

GREAT BRITISH RAILWAYS

Transport secretary Louise Haigh has initiated a significant overhaul of the UK’s rail network, launching Shadow Great British Railways (Shadow GBR), the precursor to a new unified body aimed at transforming the way the railways are managed.

The establishment of Shadow GBR comes as the Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill nears its final stages in the House of Commons. It is the first piece of legislation to do so since the new Labour administration came into power earlier in the summer.

The new body will oversee the rail network’s return to public ownership and manage both services and infrastructure.

Shadow GBR will bring together leaders from the Department for Transport, Network Rail, and publicly-owned operators, laying the groundwork for the eventual launch of Great British Railways.

“Today, I am firing the starting gun on the biggest reforms to our railways in a generation,” said Haigh. “I am determined to end the chaos, delay, and disruption faced by people on train journeys every day.

“Establishing Shadow GBR marks a significant step towards delivering a unified railway with

passengers at its heart by bringing together track and train, and by progressing the Passenger Railways Services Bill we’re one step closer to public ownership which will help put our railways back on track.”

In addition to the structural changes, Haigh announced several initiatives to enhance the passenger experience. They include a new ‘Rail Sale’, offering up to 50% off train tickets. It will launch early next year to coincide with the 200th anniversary of Britain’s passenger railway.

“Labour seems to believe the sector needs new leadership with a stronger focus on the passenger”Mark Hopwood

Meanwhile, £27m in government funding has been allocated to extend tap-in tap-out technology to 45 more stations in 2024. This follows 47 stations previously announced across the South East that are set to benefit from the technology in September.

However, the government’s plans have not been without criticism. Andy Bagnall, chief executive of Rail Partners, questioned the move toward nationalisation, arguing that it could cost taxpayers up to £1bn per year by the end of the current parliament.

He continued: “Train companies have been calling for the establishment of Great British Railways for many years but rushing to ban the use of contracted operators, before working out the details of this wider reform, is a political decision that offers few practical benefits for passengers.

Despite the criticisms, Haigh remains committed to her vision: “This government will direct every penny into creating a stronger, more reliable rail network that works for everyone. This is about making the railways work for the people that use them - putting passengers first and driving up performance.”

No official decision has been made regarding the leadership of Shadow GBR. However, following the recent general election, Mark Hopwood, managing director of train operator Great Western Railway, speculated in a post on LinkedIn that new leadership might be on the horizon.

“Expect new names, maybe from outside the sector or certainly not people entwined in recent rail industry activities,” Hopwood wrote. “Labour seems to believe the sector needs new leadership with a stronger focus on the passenger.”

Haigh: I am determined to end the chaos, delay, and disruption faced by people on train journeys every day

Arriva seeks long-term deal for Grand Central

Group seeks to extend rights and mulls new rolling stock order

OPEN ACCESS

Grand Central, Arriva’s open access train operator in the UK, has announced plans to extend its services for the next 15 years, aiming to secure its track access rights until 2038.

Arriva said the application signalled the group’s “long-term commitment to UK rail”.

Operating on the East Coast Main Line since 2007, Grand Central connects key destinations in Yorkshire and the North East with London King’s Cross. The company said the application to extend its access rights aligns with a recent proposal to expand its service offerings.

Grand Central has applied

QUESTIONS OVER ENGINEER SACKING

Hendy asked for rail engineer to be disciplined

SAFETY

Rail minister Lord Hendy is under pressure to address his involvement in the dismissal of rail engineer Gareth Dennis from consultancy SYSTRA.

Allegations have emerged that while serving as chair of Network Rail, Hendy played a key role in Dennis’s suspension and eventual dismissal after the rail engineer and prolific social media user publicly raised safety concerns about London’s Euston station.

On May 14, Hendy sent a letter to SYSTRA expressing his displeasure over Dennis’s comments in an article

to the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) for permission to add two additional daily return services between Bradford and London, increasing the total to six trips per day. This expansion includes a new early morning service from York to London King’s Cross, with a potential launch in May 2025, pending approval.

Arriva has also announced plans to invest in a new fleet of bi-mode trains for Grand Central, replacing the operator’s current aging diesel Class 180 and Class 221 units. The new trains would increase seating capacity by

“Grand Central

plays an important role within Arriva”

David Brown

published by TheIndependent. Dennis described Euston station in the article as “not just unpleasant, but unsafe”. Hendy’s letter, addressed to SYSTRA UK chief executive Nick Salt, suggested that the engineer’s remarks could jeopardise the company’s future contracts with Network Rail.

Hendy also enquired within Network Rail whether Dennis was engaged by SYSTRA on Network Rail projects. Meanwhile, he urged SYSTRA to take disciplinary action and requested that TheIndependent be contacted to retract Dennis’s statements abut Euston.

Six days after Hendy’s correspondence, SYSTRA suspended Dennis pending an investigation, citing Hendy’s letter in the suspension notice. Although SYSTRA

approximately 20% and the group said the new rolling stock would provide a more comfortable travel experience. It added that the shift to bi-mode technology reflects Grand Central’s strategy to futureproof its operations.

David Brown, managing director of Arriva UK Trains, commented: “Grand Central plays an important role within Arriva Group’s rail portfolio and securing long-term access will allow us to invest and grow, supporting the government’s ambitions for Britain’s railways to thrive.

“Grand Central provides reliable and efficient journeys to passengers who would otherwise not have access to services and therefore plays an essential role in economic growth by connecting communities across the north of England.”

initially apologised to Network Rail for any concerns raised by the article, Hendy remained unsatisfied, stating in a May 19 email that he would be “happy to take it up with your head office and shareholders” if necessary.

Following the investigation, SYSTRA offered Dennis a financial settlement linked to his signing a non-disclosure agreement. However,

IN BRIEF

NEW SCOTTISH FLEET

The Scottish Government is advancing its plans to purchase new trains for ScotRail’s InterCity services. ScotRail, acting on behalf of Transport Scotland, will spearhead the procurement process to replace the High Speed Train fleet currently serving routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Inverness.

CROSSCOUNTRY REFURB

Alstom has signed a contract to refurbish CrossCountry’s Voyager trains. The contract, valued at around £60m, will see the trains receive an interior refresh, including new seats and tables, while their exteriors will be repainted in CrossCountry’s new livery. The work will be carried out at the Litchurch Lane facility in Derby and comprises 136 Class 220 Voyager and 176 Class 221 Super Voyager vehicles respectively.

Dennis declined the offer and was dismissed by the consultancy on July 8.

The controversy has drawn the attention of shadow transport secretary Helen Whately. She criticised Hendy’s actions, stating on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, that “threatening their employer and getting them sacked is the last thing a government minister should do”.

In a statement, Network Rail said: “The rail regulator’s concerns raised in September 2023 about passenger congestion at Euston station were addressed and put to bed in December 2023, months before The Independent piece was published. “Decisions on how employee conduct is handled is a matter for employers - in this case, SYSTRA.”

Lord

Dennis was sacked by SYSTRA in July

Huge economic impact of bus services revealed

Research commissioned by Confederation of Passenger Transport shows bus sector provides £11bn boost to the British economy - and much more

ADVOCACY

Independent research on the scale and breadth of economic benefits delivered by local bus services to the British economy highlights how investment in them by government offers excellent value for money.

The Economic Impact of Local Bus Services, commissioned by the Confederation of Passenger Transport, shows:

Bus operators directly employ 105,000 people and support employment of a further 53,000 in the sector’s supply chain - which provides an £11bn boost to the British economy.

Bus services deliver far more economic benefits than this, with passengers spending £1 in every £10 spent on the High Street - contributing a total of almost £40bn every year to local economies.

IS THIS LABOUR’S TRANSPORT PLAN?

Continued from Page 1

Haigh continued: “We are clear that we will deliver value for the taxpayer while turbocharging delivery of transport projects. That’s how you grow the economy in every corner of the country, and deliver the transport network that modern Britain needs.”

Jason Prince, director of the Urban Transport Group, commented: “Good urban transport plays a vital part in creating a stronger, greener, and

Bus commuters earn £72bn a year and pay taxes of £15bn.

Alongside health and environmental benefits, a typical package of public investment to improve infrastructure for buses and support better services, can generate returns of £4.55 for every £1 invested.

The research also shows that buses deliver a host of wider benefits for both passengers and local communities - including access to jobs, education and training worth £8.7bn, health benefits worth £2.8bn, support

for volunteer work valued at over £1bn, and a reduction in congestion worth £600m per year.

Launching the results of the research in Derby this week, Graham Vidler, CEO at the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: “[This new research] highlights how buses support every aspect of our lives, boosting local economies, connecting communities, improving health, and protecting our environment. It also shows that investing in better bus services is exceptional value formoney and offers a speedy,

“We know how important buses are to communities as an affordable, green travel choice”

Simon Lightwood, local transport minister

fairer economy.

“This review - which received more than 100 evidence submissions - and its final recommendations, are testament to the collective will and ambition of the sector to deliver better transport services for passengers on our railways and in our urban areas.”

The expert panel included Allan Cook (former chair of HS2;), Emma Porter (MD of Story Plant Limited), Laurent Troger (former CEO of Bombardier Transportation), Nicola Smith (head of economics at the Trades Union Congress), Will

flexible way to support green growth across the whole country.”

CPT commissioned the research to provide an upto-date appraisal of the scale and contribution buses makes economically and socially to push national and regional level decision-makers for investment in better services and infrastructure.

Speaking about the research, local transport minister Simon Lightwood said: “We know how important buses are to communities as an affordable, green travel choice which help grow our economy and provide access to jobs too.

“Our Buses Bill will help local councils transform their bus networks to deliver better value for money and more reliable services for passengers.”

Claire Ward, who was elected as the first mayor of the East Midlands last May, commented: “This report confirms what we already know: buses are not just a mode of transport but a cornerstone of our local economy. ... By working closely with operators, we can deliver a network that truly benefits everyone in the East Midlands.”

Wilson (former leader of rolling stock manufacturer Siemens), Tai Chong Chew (director and global rail leader, Arup), Bob Morris (urban transport industry expert), Henri Murison (chief executive, Northern Powerhouse Partnership), and Anne Shaw (transport executive director and urban transport industry expert).

KEY POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS

Establishing an ambitious transport infrastructure plan to ensure a greener, more inclusive, and efficient UK transport network

T he creation of a Transport Strategy for England, encompassing skills, land use and housing objectives to align with regional and local strategies. Reduce project delivery costs by 20% and timelines by 25%.

Developing an infrastructure investment playbook to facilitate and leverage private investment for substantial improvements.

Ensuring the voices of transport users and the workforce are central.

‘Bus is best!’ - but no mention of £500m fund

Minister talks up role of buses, as CPT seeks action on journey times

POLICY

Scotland’s minister for connectivity offered a strong endorsement of buses ahead of next week’s CPT Scotland Conference in Glasgow.

In an article in Scotland’s Buses 2024, which accompanies this edition of Passenger Transport, Jim Fairlie writes: “We know we’re living in a global climate emergency. We know that here in Scotland transport remains our largest carbon emitting sector - but we know too that we already have the tools to tackle some of our most complex problems. Whether it’s reducing emissions, tackling congestion, challenging transport poverty, improving air quality - the answer is simple. Bus is best!”

Fairlie highlighted the investment that the Scottish Government has made in zero emission buses, support to the bus sector during and after Covid and the introduction of free travel for those aged under the age of 22, and remarked that “the future of the industry here in Scotland is incredibly bright”.

However, the minister made no mention of the £500m Bus Partnership Fund (BPF), which has been paused with only £26.9m awarded to date. When it was launched in in November 2020, the fund was hailed as a “landmark long-term capital investment” for bus priority measures”.

Also writing in Scotland’s Buses 2024, Fiona Doherty, chair of CPT Scotland and managing director of Stagecoach West Scotland,

revealed her intention to address the pausing of the BPF when she participates in the upcoming conference’s panel discussion on prioritising partnerships.

“The BPF’s aim was to improve bus priority infrastructure and promote collaborative work,” writes Doherty. “However, the Fund has been put on hold, and only a minimal portion of the £500m budget has been allocated. Considering this, what are some effective strategies to sustain building valuable partnerships?”

She added: “There is a pressing need to reduce travel times through bus priority infrastructure and address consistency issues to improve the customer experience further. Our customer surveys

indicate that journey times and service reliability are among the primary concerns of our passengers. While we strive to address these concerns, infrastructure improvements and complementary policies at both local and national levels are crucial to achieving optimal results. Thus, we urge our government partners to work with us to improve buses and grow usage to see the subsequent benefits in critical areas such as air quality and accessibility.”

Meanwhile, Scotland’s Buses 2024 also contains a strongly-worded article by Ralph Roberts, chair of McGill’s Bus Group, about bus franchising.

Roberts writes: “If the recent Transport Focus passenger survey

“Whether it’s reducing emissions, tackling congestion, challenging transport poverty, improving air quality - the answer is simple. Bus is best! Jim Fairlie, minister for connectivity

results are anything to go by, buses in Strathclyde are in good shape. How does this information tally with the claims that “the bus network [in Glasgow] is broken” and that “franchising is the only game in town”? To me, it all sounds rather like electioneering or dodgy ideology... at best. Most sensible people agree that it is a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

“There is absolutely no doubt that politicking is at the heart of the current effort to confiscate private bus operators of their years of investment. From local authority meetings where there is an unnatural focus on bus operators rather than bus users and the system as a whole, to prolific politicians such as Andy Burnham or Paul Sweeney, with their one-size-fits-all dogma. If it really is one-size-fits-all then I’m sure that SPT would welcome a doubling of their budget to get to Transport for Greater Manchester levels - and have it back dated for 20 years for good measure!”

Instead of seeking to reform the regulatory regime for buses, Roberts says that politicians should should challenge the “car is king” mindset that has eroded the appeal and viability of local bus services in Scotland.

He writes: “This mindset is fundamental, regardless of the regulatory regime. Franchising would fail if the hitherto lack of investment in roads infrastructure continues ... In short, for franchising to work, we need to spend the money needed to sort out the road infrastructure that would have made the status quo so much better than it is today. This fact alone should be causing the architects of the current franchising attempt to pause for thought. Buses have windows and bus users know what the problems are - so who really wants franchising?”

Jim Fairlie: the future of the industry in Scotland is incredibly bright

Norris confirms plans for bus franchise probe

West of England mayor confirms plans to explore franchising

FRANCHISING

West of England mayor Dan Norris has addressed calls from local transport activists for a formal investigation into bus franchising, stating in an open letter that he is “actively considering bus reform.”

Norris’s letter was a response to one from the West of England Shared Transport and Active Travel Network, which included many councillors as co-signatories. They suggested that they would support the West of England Combined Authority (WECA) gaining precepting powers for transport. Councillors believe that such a move would provide stable funding for bus

A NEW LOOK FOR STAGECOACH?

Group refuses to be drawn on new livery suggestions

BRANDING

Stagecoach has declined to comment on rumours suggesting it may be considering abandoning the groupwide bus livery introduced in early 2020. The livery, which featured three variations - blue, green, and yellow - was designed to simplify bus identification based on feedback. That 2020 scheme included a blue, green, and yellow version for local buses, a green-based livery for specialist services like sightseeing routes, and a yellow-based design for express services. However, it has drawn criticism from industry commentators, while many

services without affecting other essential local budgets.

Norris acknowledged the concerns raised about the current partnership-based approach with local bus operators, which he agreed was not meeting the needs of local residents. However, he highlighted recent efforts to improve services, such as introducing a £2 cap on adult single tickets , which came into force earlier than the national scheme, and the ‘Birthday Bus’ which offered West of England residents free bus travel for the whole of their birthday month.

“I can also advise that we are actively considering bus reform at the moment,” revealed Norris.

“I have engaged with local leaders and I am hopeful that a full public report will be published as part of the [West of England Combined

Stagecoach subsidiaries have opted for their own branding strategies, particularly for tourist services.

However, recent sightings of a small number of Stagecoach vehicles in the north of England displaying a navy blue livery with a prominent Stagecoach ‘beachball’ logo at the rear have sparked intense speculation that the 2020 livery could be about to be ditched.

A spokesperson for the Perthbased group confirmed to Passenger Transport that these vehicles are part of a trial livery to gather feedback from small focus groups.

“We are always looking to get feedback on how we are presenting ourselves to the communities that engage with our services,” they said. “The image circulating is that of a trial livery and is not a confirmed

Authority (WECA)] September Committee. However, I should caution that franchising is not a silver bullet, and critically, it is also not ‘public ownership’ per se.”

Norris added that the West of England has a “unique set of circumstances”. He pointed to “the lack of a passenger transport executive in our area, like Transport for London, that brings together powers in one body”.

He continued: “There has not historically been a comparable organisation in the West, and this makes taking action more complex and challenging. It is something I would like to set up. As a result of this complex picture, I make no apology of taking the utmost care when considering the strengths and weaknesses of any new model for how we run buses.”

new Stagecoach livery. Any intended livery changes would be announced through our official channels.”

Meanwhile, last month Stagecoach applied to register a new trademark with the Intellectual Property Office featuring the tagline ‘We’ve got you’ on a navy background. However, the implications for its branding plans remain unclear.

SCOTTISH FREE TRAVEL MILESTONE

150 million free bus trips by children and young people

CONCESSIONARY TRAVEL

The Scottish Government has announced more than 150 million free bus journeys have been made by children and young people in Scotland since the introduction of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme in January 2022.

The scheme, which provides free travel for those under 22 on all registered bus services, including long-distance coach routes, was designed to promote sustainable travel and address transport poverty. It also aims to encourage early adoption of bus travel, broaden access to education, employment and leisure opportunities, and reduce travel costs.

Scottish transport secretary Fiona Hyslop highlighted the broader impact of the scheme: “It’s not just about the number of journeys, it’s about what these journeys mean. It’s opening doors to new opportunities, keeping people connected, and making sustainable transport more affordable - giving Scotland’s children and young people the very best chance to succeed in life.”.

COPPARD HAILS STEP FORWARD NETWORKS

South Yorks improvements ‘step towards better buses’

South Yorkshire mayor Oliver Coppard has welcomed a number of bus improvements introduced last weekend, many of them funded by the combined authority.

“While these changes will not solve all the public transport challenges we face; they are a step towards us getting better buses and getting back the world class bus system we once had,” he said.

Carousel expands High Wycombe bus network

Go-Ahead subsidiary reports patronage up after Arriva withdrawal

NETWORKS

Just weeks after taking over the majority of Arriva’s bus network in High Wycombe, Carousel Buses has already announced its intention to expand services in the area.

The Go-Ahead subsidiary, which replaced the bulk of Arriva’s operations following the closure of the latter’s depots in Aylesbury and Wycombe at the end of July, introduced a series of service enhancements last weekend. Key improvements include doubling weekday frequencies on Routes 36 and 37 between High Wycombe and Bourne End and restoring the 15-minute service intervals in place before

GO-AHEAD BUYS COACH OPERATOR

Regency Coaches to form part of Brighton & Hove

ACQUISITIONS

The Go-Ahead Group has acquired Regency Coaches, a coach operator based in Lewes, East Sussex.

The purchase marks the group’s third major coach operator purchase in recent years, following its acquisitions of Pulhams Coaches and several companies across North and West Yorkshire and the North East. Go-Ahead states that adding Regency Coaches to the group makes it “one of the largest coach operators in the UK”.

Regency Coaches will be managed by Go-Ahead’s Brighton & Hove subsidiary, which already operates a

the pandemic. Additionally, a new Sunday service on Route 37 will connect Wycombe with Maidenhead, while Route 104 will offer a new Sunday service between Beaconsfield, the Chalfonts, and Uxbridge. This route will also see more frequent services during weekday mornings.

Carousel Buses has also increased Sunday service frequencies on Routes 103/X103, which connect High Wycombe, Beaconsfield, and Slough, and Flightline 102, which links Wycombe to Heathrow Airport. The Flightline 102 service will now run the same timetable every day of the week. For those travelling between Wycombe and Reading, the Route 850 service now operates three buses per hour on weekdays, serving Marlow, Henley, and Twyford.

small coaching division called Spirit of Sussex. Founded in 2002, Regency primarily offers school and private hire services, which will continue under the new ownership.

The acquisition of the business includes 16 vehicles, and 14 employees will transfer to Go-Ahead as part of the deal.

“As a company we’re committed to connecting communities, so providing coach services across the country for schools, groups, small business and local authority partners is an important transport mode for our communities,” said Matt Carney, chief executive of Go-Ahead’s bus operations. “This is an exciting expansion of our coach operation to provide all customers across the South Coast with even more choice.”

Brighton & Hove managing

Luke Marion, managing director of Go-Ahead’s bus operations in the Chilterns and Oxfordshire, confirmed that Carousel had “had a great response from the travelling public” since it launched its replacement network in High Wycombe and that the operator was steadily building patronage.

“We’re pleased to begin the rollout of our first round of enhancements only five weeks after taking over from Arriva’s former services,” he said.

“Ensuring that passengers affected by Arriva’s depot closures experienced minimal disruption to their journeys has been a key priority for our team. We’ve committed to significant investments to create the infrastructure required to expand our existing network.”

director Ed Wills added: “We are delighted to offer a greater variety of coaching vehicles and services as part of our business. I would also like to welcome on board all drivers from Regency Coaches to the company. With a larger fleet in the local area, we look forward to growing the business, working with new and existing customers.”

16 vehicles are included in the purchase

IN BRIEF

PORTSMOUTH FREE BUSES

Bus travel within Portsmouth will be free at weekends throughout September as part of the city’s Bus Service Improvement Plan. The initiative includes all First Solent and Stagecoach South services, except park-and-ride, and applies to weekend journeys until September29.

LANCASHIRE BUS BOOST

Lancashire County Council launched a number of bus improvements last weekend as a result of Bus Service Improvement Plan 3 funding. The enhancements include more frequent daytime services in Chorley, South Ribble, West Lancashire, and Wyre, as well as improved Sunday services between Lancaster and Morecambe, and evening journeys in Lancaster and the Lune Valley.

WARRINGTON BSIP PLANS

Warrington Borough Council has submitted an updated Bus Service Improvement Plan to the government. It outlines plans to deliver several improvements to 2025 and beyond, including new bus priority measures, continued bus fare support, multi-operator ticketing and expanded real-time information services. The council reports bus patronage in the town grew by 10% in 2023.

BETTER BUSES FOR HULL

The Hull Bus Alliance has introduced a number of service improvements as a result of Bus Service Improvement Plan 3 funding. It has seen frequencies improved on services operated by Go-Ahead subsidiary East Yorkshire and Stagecoach. The changes aim to support passenger growth and counter growing traffic congestion.

Council pleads guilty in busway deaths case

Cambridgeshire admits to historic health and safety fails

LEGAL NEWS

Cambridgeshire County Council has publicly admitted that it “fell far short” of meeting required health and safety standards in relation to the operation of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. The admission follows a series of tragic incidents that resulted in the loss of three lives. The council’s acknowledgement comes as it faces legal proceedings initiated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The charges against the council stem from the deaths of Jennifer Taylor, Steven Moir, and Kathleen Pitts, as well as several other incidents where individuals were injured while accessing the busway. In a statement by Dr. Stephen Moir, the council’s chief executive, the authority extended its “deepest condolences” to the

NON-FRANCHISED ROUTES REVEALED

CPCA reveals Cambridge route to be excluded

NETWORKS

The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) has officially launched a public consultation on a proposed bus franchising scheme. The consultation documents reveal that if the franchising plan is implemented, most bus routes within the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough area would come under the control of the CPCA. However, the consultation document

families and friends affected by the tragedies.

“We fully recognise and accept that during the historic operation of the Guided Busway, when these incidents occurred, that we fell far short of meeting these standards,” said Dr Moir. “For that we are truly sorry.”

In a significant move, Cambridgeshire County Council has decided to plead guilty to

reveals that several key routes, primarily those that cross regional borders, will be excluded from the planned franchising scheme.

While most of the excluded services are operated by independent operators, there are also a few routes operated by First Bus and Stagecoach subsidiaries. Routes that will remain outside the proposed framework include:

X4 Peterborough - Northampton (operated by Stagecoach Midlands);

XL Peterborough - Norwich (operated by Stagecoach Midlands);

37 Peterborough - Spalding (operated by First Eastern Counties);

101 Peterborough - Bourne

the two charges brought against it by the HSE. This decision reflects the council’s acceptance of “serious historic failings” and its commitment to addressing the issues that led to the deaths.

The council added that it is taking steps to ensure the safety of those using the busway, with ongoing reviews and updates to its management practices. However, the council declined to make any further comment on the case.

Jennifer Taylor, 81, died after she was hit by a bus as she crossed the busway on foot at Fen Drayton on November 17, 2015. Steve Moir, 50, a cyclist, died after colliding with a bus on the section of the busway between Cambridge railway station and Long Road on September 13, 2018.

Kathleen Pitts, 52, who was on foot, died after being hit by a bus on the section of the busway also between Cambridge railway station and Long Road on October 26, 2021.

(operated by Delaine Buses);

102 Peterborough - Market Deeping (operated by Delaine Buses);

201/202 PeterboroughStamford - Bourne (operated by Delaine Buses);

Call Connect services in the Stamford & Peterborough area, contracted by Lincolnshire County Council;

R4 Uppingham - Peterborough (operated by Central Connect);

180 Yarwell - Casterton College (operated by Blands);

46 Kings Lynn - Wisbech (operated by Lynx and Stagecoach East);

60 Three Holes - Wisbech (operated by Lynx);

‘TURN-UP AND GO’ BUSWAY LAUNCH

Stagecoach’s frequent services on Cambs Busway

NETWORKS

Stagecoach East has implemented several changes to bus services in the East of England to increase capacity and frequency on the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway. The most notable change is frequency improvements with a bus every 10 minutes during peak times on the busway between St Ives Park and Ride and Cambridge city centre. With financial support from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), the improvements also include extending Busway A and B services to Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Cambridge Biomedical Campus during morning and evening peaks. Meanwhile, the H and R services have been withdrawn and replaced by increased A and B service busway journeys. Additional adjustments include more frequent Trumpington Park and Ride (PR3) services. On weekdays, the route’s daytime frequency will remain 10 minutes until 7pm before shifting to a 20-minute service in the evenings.

189/190 Biggleswade - Sandy (operated by Grant Palmer);

16 Newmarket - Bury St Edmunds (operated by Stephensons); 444 Barley - Saffron Walden (operated by Stephensons); and 319 Audley End - Haverhill (operated by Stephensons)

One notable exception within the Cambridge area is the Universalbranded U1 and U2 routes, operated by Whippet in collaboration with the University of Cambridge. CPCA has said it is intended this service would remain outside the scope of the planned franchising scheme. The consultation is open until November 20, 2024.

Case centres on three deaths between 2015 and 2021

New bus route aims to combat antisemitism

TfL working with Jewish community with trial bus route

NETWORKS

Transport for London has launched a new bus route connecting Golders Green and Stamford Hill in North London, aiming to enhance safety for members of the Jewish community amid claims of growing antisemitism.

The new Route 310 has been introduced on a trial basis, following longstanding requests from the Jewish community for a direct service between the two neighbourhoods. Over the next 12 months, TfL will conduct a public consultation to gauge

ARRIVA AT TOP OF LONDON LEAGUE

Performance woes but Arriva London South is best

PERFORMANCE

Bus performance in London remained below expectations in the first quarter of 2024/25, according to Transport for London figures.

Arriva London South emerged as the top performer, with an Excess Waiting Time (EWT) variance of 0.20 minutes, surpassing its target of 1.05 minutes. RATP Dev’s London operations also performed well, with all three of its divisions achieving EWT variances better than the Network Result.

However, Sullivan Buses, which recently exited its TfL contracts, was the worst performer, recording an EWT variance of -1.87 minutes, a decline from the previous variance of -1.51 minutes (PT317).

response to the service, working closely with local communities to promote the route and gather feedback.

The new service complements the existing Route 253 between Stamford Hill and Finsbury Park station, and Route 210 between Finsbury Park station and

Source: TfL (12 weeks to June 21, 2024)

Golders Green. It avoids the need for passengers to change buses at Finsbury Park.

London mayor Sadiq Khan noted that the introduction of Route 310 fulfills a manifesto commitment to ensure safer travel for the Jewish community.

“I was struck by the conversations I’ve had in recent months with the Jewish community,” said Khan. “They were frightened because of a massive increase of antisemitism since October 7 last year. I was told stories by families who, where they changed buses from Stamford Hill to Golders Green at Finsbury Park, they were frightened about the abuse they had received.”

METROLINE WINS TENDERS FOR 77

North London operator wins seven TfL routes

CONTRACTS

Transport for London has recently announced a wave of bus contract awards, with Metroline a major winner. The company retained key routes, including Route 274 (Lancaster Gate to Islington), Route 460 (North Finchley to Willesden), Route 139 (Golders Green to Waterloo), Route 263/N263 (Barnet Hospital to Highbury Barn), and Route 331 (Ruislip to Uxbridge). Metroline also secured Routes 327 (Waltham Cross Circular) and W9 (Chase Farm Hospital to Southgate), previously operated by Sullivan Buses. The combined Peak Vehicle Requirement (PVR) for these routes totals 77. Arriva London retained Route 335 (Kidbrooke to North Greenwich), which will continue to operate with seven existing hybrid double deckers. Go-Ahead London held on to Route 171/N171 (Bellingham to Elephant & Castle) and will introduce 15 new electric double deckers.

RATP Dev Transit London also had a strong showing, retaining Route 125 (Winchmore Hill to Colindale) with 18 existing electric double deckers, and Route 18/N18 (Sudbury to Euston), which will operate with new double deckers. It also captured Route 31/N31 (White City to Camden Town) from Metroline, with plans to introduce 15 new electric double deckers.

Transport UK London Bus retained Route 270 (Mitcham to Putney Bridge) and Route 45 (Clapham Park to Elephant & Castle) with a mix of new electric and existing hybrid double deckers. It also won Route G1 (Streatham High Road to Shaftesbury Estate) from Go-Ahead London, which will be served by 11 new electric single deck buses.

Route launched on trial basis

Ministers signal closer UK-Wales cooperation

Welsh minister pleased by commitment to rail infrastructure

INFRASTRUCTURE

Ministers signalled a new era of cooperation between the UK and Welsh governments on a visit last week to North Wales, where several rail enhancements are overdue.

Ken Skates, Welsh cabinet secretary for the economy, transport and North Wales, told Passenger Transport he was frustrated that a new hourly LiverpoolLlandudno service, announced in 2018 for December 2022, had not yet commenced and was now deferred until 2026. The deferral is a result of changes needed to level crossings but not yet delivered.

“I’ve been incredibly impressed since July at how UK Government ministers have committed to deliver at pace,” said Skates,

NEW INTERCHANGE BOOSTS DEMAND FOR TIMETABLES

Large increase follows opening of Cardiff facility

INTERCHANGES

The opening of Cardiff’s new bus interchange in June has brought an unexpected early benefit - a large increase in demand for printed timetable information. Cardiff Bus has more than doubled its departures from the interchange this week, following a bedding-in period. Some passenger transport operators have reduced or ended production of timetable leaflets and booklets in the last few years, in the

Labour MS for Clwyd South.

“I’ve met with Peter Hendy [the recently appointed UK rail minister] on numerous occasions this year. It’s really heartening to see somebody who knows the subject like nobody else and is genuinely passionate about rail services and rail infrastructure.”

Accompanying Skates was Jo Stevens, secretary of state for Wales and Labour MP for Cardiff East. She said: “Working alongside the Welsh Government we are determined to make major improvements to rail services

“It’s really heartening to see somebody who knows the subject like nobody else” Ken Skates

expectation that digital channels will be sufficient. Cardiff Bus has continued to produce printed timetables but lost its main outlet for them when the previous Cardiff Central bus station closed in 2015.

With all buses departing from stops on various streets, there were no secure places for leaflet dispensers beside the departure points. Cardiff Bus distributed printed information through facilities such as local libraries.

After years of delays, a smaller replacement bus station opened at the end of June. Both entrances to the concourse feature prominent Cardiff Bus timetable stands.

Cardiff Bus commercial director Gareth Stevens told Passenger

right across Wales. The unlocking of increased rail capacity in North Wales is just the beginning and we will continue to work together to transform services for passengers for generations to come.”

The ministers visited Flint station to view work in progress on a footbridge with lifts. The work was funded for delivery in Control Period 6 (CP6), along with several other Wales & Borders station accessibility schemes which Network Rail did not deliver by the time CP6 ended in March 2024. Most of the schemes are being delivered this year but that for Shotton, Flintshire, has been deferred by both governments to align it with broader transport interchange proposals. Early feasibility development work is now being done.

Skates spoke of his excitement that the Liverpool-Llandudno service would enhance journeys

Transport there had been a large increase in the numbers of leaflets taken, and Transport for Wales staff at the interchange were constantly replenishing stocks on the stands.

The leaflets cover all of the operator’s services, not just the ones which depart from the interchange.

Initially Cardiff Bus had 20 departures from the interchange per hour in the main part of the day. Stagecoach also moved two of its routes to the interchange from on-street terminating points. From this week, Cardiff Bus has up to 45 departures per hour.

Stevens said the lower number of routes using the interchange in the initial period had enabled the operator to understand how the

between North Wales and Merseyside, including John Lennon Airport. However, there are safety concerns at four level crossings along the North Wales coast, and Network Rail aims to replace the crossings with two footbridges. Initially, temporary footbridges are expected to enable the additional service to commence in 2026, thereby increasing the number of TfW services west of Chester by 50%.

The governments are reviewing the funding strategy for the temporary and permanent bridges. Skates said the Wales Rail Board - representing both governments, Network Rail and TfW - would consider the funding strategy in the autumn, along with proposals for enhancements at Chester station and along the Wrexham-Bidston line.

The previous UK Government rejected a bid for £30m from the Levelling Up Fund for relatively small changes to signalling and track between Wrexham and Bidston to support more intensive passenger services alongside freight access to a cement works.

new facility works, particularly its junctions with the general road network. Commenting on the bus interchange, Cardiff Bus managing director Craig Hampton-Stone said: “It’s a wholly positive experience so far. It’s meeting people’s expectations. We’ve had good collaboration with TfW.”

PassengerTransport understands that Cardiff’s other bus operators were invited to use the interchange but opted to continue using on-street stops. The exception was Stagecoach, which diverted two services into the interchange but continues to use Greyfriars Road, north of the city centre, for the flagship TrawsCymru T4 service to Brecon and Newtown.

NET ZERO

First Bus has three Net Zero emission depots

Operator has gone beyond eliminating fleet tailpipe emissions

EMISSIONS REDUCTION

Following the full electrification of its commercial bus fleets in York, Leicester and Norwich, First Bus has announced that these three sites are now verified Net Zero depots and are amongst the first in the country to achieve this milestone.

The depots have built on the progress of their fully electric commercial bus fleets by investing in the necessary additional carbon reduction requirements to claim Net Zero status.

Reaching this goal has meant going beyond eliminating fleet tailpipe emissions by accounting for other direct operational emissions associated with each site. This includes the energy used to power depots and ancillary vehicles.

Net Zero was achieved by

DUBLIN EXPRESS DITCHES DIESEL

Operator now runs coaches on vegetable oil

SUSTAINABLE FUELS

Dublin Express has become the first passenger transport operator in Ireland to transition its fleet of coaches from diesel to Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). The initiative was launched at Dublin Airport by transport minister James Lawless. The landmark initiative marks a significant step in decarbonising travel between its Dublin city centre routes and Dublin Airport, which will see the Mobico subsidiary replace

reducing Scope 1 and 2 emissions by more than 90% compared to a baseline (FY20), and residual emissions (less than 10%) have been offset through supporting Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) carbon removal projects.

Carbon Footprint Ltd, a leading environmental consultancy, has reviewed and verified these Net Zero claims.

Following bus fleet

electrification at the three sites, First Bus continued its journey to Net Zero at each of its depots. For example, replacing the depot gas heating systems with electric heating and the symbolic removal of the on-site diesel refuelling tank at York. Other investments include installing solar panels on depot roofs and adopting energy efficiency measures in each building. In addition, First

over 80,000 litres of diesel each month.

Derived from used cooking oil, HVO reduces CO2 emissions by 90% compared to diesel coaches. One coach running on diesel produces the same emissions as 12 coaches operating on HVO.

According to Certa Ireland Ltd, which provides the new HVO fuel to 21-vehicle Dublin Express 20,000 litres of diesel per week emits approximately 50,241 kg of CO2. The switch to HVO will now save a massive 2,351 tonnes of CO2 a year (45,217 kg of CO2 per week) which is the equivalent of taking 1,340 average size fossil fuel cars off the

Bus buys 100% REGO-certified renewable electricity.

This Net Zero blueprint will be used across the First Bus estate to achieve the wider business commitment of Net Zero emissions by 2050 or earlier.

Isabel McAllister, chief sustainability and compliance officer for First Bus, said:

“We’re so proud that three of our depots are now verified as Net Zero-emission operations. This is a huge step for First Bus as we continue to lead the way in this space within the bus industry.

“We take our Net Zeroemission strategy incredibly seriously and look forward to continuing the electrification of our fleets, whilst ensuring we keep delivering on our sustainability promises to the benefit of our people and our customers.”

“We take our Net Zero-emission strategy incredibly seriously”

Isabel McAllister, First Bus

road annually.

Rory Fitzgerald, general manager of Dublin Express, said: “The shift to HVO is a real game-changer for Dublin Express, putting the wheels in motion for the decarbonisation of mass passenger transport. We’re proud to be one of the first coach operators in Ireland to be leading the way in reducing carbon emissions and doing our bit for the environment.

“Dublin Express is on track to carry over two million passengers between its Dublin City routes and Dublin Airport this year, so the environmental benefits of HVO are profound.”

An event at First York to mark Net Zeroemission status

New ventures to help corporates move faster

Former TfL director

Thomas Ableman promotes innovation STRATEGY

Former Transport for London strategy and innovation director Thomas Ableman is launching a new business designed to enable corporations to learn the lessons of agility and innovation honed in smaller organisations.

The venture, Freewheeling, will run programmes of organisational development designed to help firms tailor their leadership, management and strategy to become more innovative and customer-focused.

“I’ve worked in huge organisations and startups in both the public and private sectors”, Ableman explained, “and I’ve realised that there are certain characteristics of innovative and customer-focused organisations that can be learned.”

MULTIQ

BECOMES

JOURNEO

Expanded expertise will benefit customers in UK

STRATEGY

Following the acquisition of MultiQ by Journeo plc in 2023, MultiQ Denmark A/S is now called Journeo A/S. The change represents increased investment in the region by Journeo, and creates a platform for the growth of the group’s end-toend solutions that connect millions of journeys, in real-time, every day. Journeo, a UK-based intelligent transport systems provider, has meanwhile appointed Marcello Gregorovic as business development

Ableman says that Freewheeling will support companies that want to grow faster, reconnect with their customers and - ultimatelyget better results. He says that it won’t be a conventional consulting business as the goal is to upskill and develop the organisation as opposed to undertake individual consulting projects.

He explained: “Think of me as being like a personal trainer for the corporation. Most firms

manager for the region.

Russ Singleton, CEO at Journeo plc, said: “This makes perfect sense. The skills and reputation of MultiQ are a strong fit for Journeo. I expect to see Journeo customers in the UK benefit from our expanded expertise in accessible on-bus information and sustainable passenger information displays. Likewise, customers in the Nordic region can now access a wider pool of experience in delivering transformative transport technology projects.”

From buses and trains to major transport hubs and rural bus stops, there are more than 22,000 transport assets connected to Journeo’s cloud platforms.

want to deliver better results than they are currently able to attain. Their people have the skills but something is slowing them down. They need help to unlock all that latent potential in their people.”

Interventions range from a structured programme over many months through to motivational speaking at events and management conferences.

“My role is to leave your organisation feeling more

“My role is to leave your organisation feeling more confident about doing things in a faster, more agile way”

Thomas Ableman

SOLAR POWERED BUS STOPS FOR THE BORDERS

Displays improve the passenger experience

BUS STOP DISPLAYS

Journeo is working with Scottish Borders Council to bring scheduled and live real time passenger information to remote communities, with fifteen sustainable bus stop displays now installed across south east Scotland. The solar powered displays significantly lower the cost of installation, with no expensive civil works, and remove the ongoing costs of powering the units from the grid.

confident about doing things in a faster, more agile way”, he said.

Ableman was previously commercial director of Chiltern Railways during which period it was the fastest growing rail franchise in the UK and then founder of Sn-ap, the innovative digital start-up in the coach sector. He started his career working on digital projects and strategy at National Express, having completed the group’s graduate training programme.

Former Chiltern Railways managing director and Network Rail board director Rob Brighouse commented: “Having worked with Thomas both in Chiltern and start-up Sn-ap, which we co-founded, Thomas has an uncanny ability to identify customer needs and energise people to meet these needs in an innovative, timely and costeffective manner.”

Ableman left Transport for London on July 15 and will launch Freewheeling on September 9. He will also be bringing back his popular blog (www.freewheeling.info) and podcast on the same date.

Live real time passenger information for remote communities

COMMENT

NORMAN BAKER

Mixed messages on transport policy

It’s not unusual to see contradictory policy positions across government when it comes to transport, but I’d hoped for better

August is traditionally regarded as the silly season in politics, a time when MPs are away on their breaks, when nothing much happens, and when the papers are full of banal and slightly absurd stories that would never make the cut the rest of the year.

This August, however, was quite busy, to a large extent as the consequences of the general election taking place in July, the first July election since 1945.

We had the rapid settlement between the government and ASLEF, one where the train companies were entirely shunted into the sidings, it seems. I congratulate Mick Whelan, the union’s general secretary. He is an intelligent and canny operator who impressed me when I met him. Not only did he secure a sizeable increase for his members, but did so without giving any ground on the case to update often past-their-sell-by-date terms and conditions. A sweeping victory for ASLEF.

The government argued that it was vital to get the trains running again strike-free, and so it was, but at what cost? The ink was barely dry on the rail equivalent of the Treaty of Versailles when a series of strikes was announced on state-run LNER, and the RMT, who had settled with the last government, started making noises about parity with ASLEF. It all made the new government look rather naïve and foolish.

Happily, the proposed LNER strikes have now been suspended and it would be interesting to know what back room deal was

agreed to achieve that.

Over the summer, I used LNER to get from London to Aberdeen and back. I was impressed by the service, everything from the new Azuma rolling stock to the food, from the staff to the timekeeping. We arrived in Aberdeen only a few minutes late, largely due to an unexplained extended stop at Inverkeithing where I had the chance to examine at length a not very interesting platform. The return trip was on time.

Talking of punctuality, I note the recent reports in the media that taking the yardstick of PPM (allowing a train to be “on time” if actually less than five minutes late, or 10 minutes for an intercity train), punctuality has taken a nosedive since late 2013, coincidentally no doubt at the point when I stopped being rail minister. In 2013 it was over 90% while PPM compliance under Rishi Sunak was down to 85.5%.

In fact, I was always keener to use “right time”, arrival within 59 seconds of the published arrival time, which of course gives an even less flattering outcome. When a minister, I wanted right time to replace PPM, a suggestion that was strongly opposed by the industry and which

“A joined-up government should ensure its policy interventions all point the same way”

my fellow rail minister Theresa Villiers was nervous about. I was not in the mood to give up, however, and aware that the information was held by the publicly accountable Office of Rail & Road, I asked a friend to submit an FoI request to them. A little while later, my slightly flustered civil servants came to inform me of this request and suggested we should release the information ourselves ahead of the FoI being answered so as to appear to be in control of events. I gravely agreed.

Much of the deterioration in punctuality can be laid at the door of Network Rail whose chair, Peter Hendy, has now of course become the rail minister. A useful piece of research from the Lib Dems revealed that since 2018/19, passengers suffered a loss of 988,419 minutes (or 686 days) due to 37,000 signal failures on the network, generating nearly 15,000 cancellations. Is anyone doing anything about this?

Meanwhile I make no apologies for pointing out yet again the contradictory policy positions adopted across government when it comes to transport. The fact that this is not new is of little comfort, but I had hoped for better from the new administration.

On the most basic level, they maintain they want growth, indeed that growth is the only way to lift us out of the morass left by the last lot. Yet the prime minister and chancellor seem determined to take decisions that inhibit that growth.

The government is desperate for new investment and ought to be looking to see how we can again access funds from the European Investment Bank that bankrolled many projects before we left the EU.

Even Eurosceptics will now quietly concede that Brexit has been a disaster, losing us about 4% of GDP, creating mountains of red tape for business, and weakening significantly our pull in the world. Yet Starmer will not even contemplate reopening the door for our young people to work and study in EU countries, the softest of agreements to reach. Instead he talks about refining Brexit - in Yes, Minister terms, that’s every possible assistance short of actual help.

He should look again at rejoining the customs union and the single market, championed, let us remember, by Margaret Thatcher. And while a narrow 52-48 margin voted for Brexit, many who did so wanted us to stay in the single market. Only a minority

“His chancellor is busy cancelling infrastructure projects that would create jobs”

wanted the hard Brexit we ended up with. His chancellor is busy cancelling infrastructure projects that would create jobs. Previous Labour chancellors, including Gordon Brown, saw the logic in borrowing to invest. That should include taking HS2 to both Crewe and Euston, notwithstanding the catastrophic mismanagement of the project to date. I note, incidentally, that £20m has been spent on tunnelling equipment to take the line to Euston and this is in danger of sitting underground unused if the line to Euston is not built, a lasting monument to incompetence and political dithering.

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, instead seems to be following in the footsteps of George Osborne when it comes to Treasury penny-pinching. She also seems willing to grab at any private finance that is around for transport projects, even if this runs contrary to government policy on, for example, climate change.

“We’re in a climate crisis,” said the transport secretary Louise Haigh, as she set out her plans to increase walking and cycling. Nobody seems to have told the chancellor, however, who is casting around for private money to build the carbon-busting £9bn Lower Thames Crossing, the idea being that the private sector would be allowed to impose tolls to recoup its investment. If it goes ahead, the carbon generated by this scheme will dwarf anything saved by Louise Haigh’s active travel plans. Apart from the undesirability of creating more road space, someone at the Treasury needs to draw Reeves’s attention to the Humber Bridge or the M6 toll road. In essence, set the charges too high and drivers will not use the road and you will never get your money back. Set them too low and you will never get your money back. As a minister, I ended the fiction, some 55 years on, that the Humber Bridge was ever going to recoup its investment through tolls.

August also saw Angela Rayner showing eagerness to accept private investment irrespective of its wider consequences for government policy. She overruled the Labour council in Newham to allow an increase in flights from London City airport. This is despite the fact that 54% of existing journeys from the airport could be accomplished in less than six hours by train. It is perhaps all too predictable that Stewart Wingate, the

boss of Gatwick Airport, sees a window of opportunity to get approval for a second runway.

July saw a record 7.98 million passengers using Heathrow, but then the growth in numbers there and elsewhere at UK airports is hardly surprising with the last government’s cut in Air Passenger Duty nudging people onto planes. I see the Advertising Standards Authority has banned a Virgin Atlantic ad for making misleading claims about the environmental impact of so-called sustainable aviation fuels. So much for Jet Zero.

The government should be concerned by the growth in aviation numbers, not welcoming and facilitating it.

Perhaps some good can come from Rachel Reeves’s penny-pinching if her first budget reverses that APD (Air Passenger Duty) cut, and ends the nonsense of a freeze on fuel duty. What the “tough choices” in the budget should not include is a yet further hike in rail

fares - a link to July’s inflation figure would produce a fare increase across the board of 3.6%.

Nor should the budget abandon the £2 bus fare which has been so successful, not least because of its simplicity. As things stand, the scheme is due to end in December.

A joined-up government should ensure its policy interventions all point the same way. At the moment, they look like cancelling each other out. When the question is not ‘what is the government’s transport policy?’, but ‘what is the Department for Transport’s policy, what is No 11’s policy, and what is No 10’s policy?’, then there is a problem.

THE AUTHOR Norman Baker served as transport minister from May 2010 until October 2013. He was Lib Dem MP for Lewes between 1997 and 2015.

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, seems willing to grab at any private finance that is around for transport projects, even if this runs contrary to government policy on, for example, climate change

ABOUT

COMMENT

ALEX WARNER

10 reasons why I love travelling by bus

September is ‘Catch the Bus Month’ - and I believe that there are many reasons why we all should, from the rational to the romantic

September is here and as the leaves turn brown and gold, the nights draw in and the county cricket season meanders to a close, we do, at least, have something to cheer. Yes, of course, it’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’a celebration of all things great about this wonderful mode of transport! Accordingly, I thought I’d do my bit, by giving you 10 reasons why I absolutely love travelling by bus….

1. Simplicity supreme

In this world of relentless complexity, frenzied activity and ‘dog eat dog’ behaviours, I crave simplicity. The concept of a vehicle that trundles down a road, picks up people and takes them where they would like to go, for as little as a couple of quid (and sometimes less), with the opportunity to gaze from the window whilst someone else carries the burden of driving you, is a blissful retreat to a bygone era of simple, uncomplicated pleasures.

As I’ve said before, I can think of few more enjoyable experiences than switching off my wretched phone, supping a can of coke, sucking on a packet of sweets and enjoying a ride on a bus. Last week, I heard a stat that 40% of elderly customers make a journey just to chat to people on-board the bus. Whilst that’s yet another great positive that buses bring, I also love being alone on a bus - I’m delighted I don’t actually have a bus buddy who travels around with me. A trip on a bus is, for me, my special time of reflection and contemplation, like no other.

2. Communities

unveiled

A unique selling point of travelling by bus is not just the view it provides of stunning scenery, but also the more ordinary, everyday landscape - the housing estates, crescents, boarded up High Streets, medical centres, bog-standard recreation grounds and much more - the kind of fabric that constitutes the lives of all of us. The bus penetrates the heart of communities. Yes, a car can find its way round these places, but the reality is that of your own volition, you won’t, unless there is a specific reason to do so, travel to the many places served by a bus. The bus makes seemingly trivial cul-de-sacs and side-streets important, those routine, run-of-the-mill places that become lynchpins on a transport network, well known to all, by

becoming key points on a bus route. In the same way that a railway station, representing a town, village and entire community, a key bus stop can lodge in the public’s consciousness by dint of its presence on map. It’s a great sight, looking at a big, brilliantly branded bus, sitting at some non-descript turning point, deep in an anonymous residential area, waiting to enter service. It looks as if it feels almost privileged to be allowed to be there, in the heart of a community, with kids playing in front gardens, folk mowing their lawns, and neighbours leaning over fences to gossip to each other. Yet these small turning points, laybys and street corners are, in totality, areas of strategic and tactical importance for the commercial and operational plans of each transport company.

The beauty of bus travel is also that it is so instructive. Hand on heart, I genuinely believe that my grip on the intricate socio-economic and demographic nuances of different parts of the UK is stronger than most other folk, simply because I am so well-travelled on buses. I see not only the view from the window, but observe life going on around me whilst waiting at bus stops or looking round the bus itself. You don’t get it in this unique, granular way whilst travelling by train and if you’re thinking of studying sociology, my advice would be not to bother with a textbook or the internet, but just get on a bus for a few days - you’ll find out everything you’ll need to know, and some.

3. A spectator sport for cats

I’m a massive lover of cats and if there’s one thing that reinforces the simple pleasures of bus travel and everyday life, it’s the sight of cats. So many trips are made more enjoyable by sightings of cats gawping smugly at the bus from their snug beds in lounge or bedroom windows, or sitting all regal-like on top of garage rooftops, or protecting their territory beside the front garden gate. Every bus route feels like it is under the watchful eye of a cat, checking on punctuality and reliability, a traffic commissioner’s feline friend. It’s a grounding reminder that for all the machinations, stresses and strains of modern-day business life or all the travails of society played out on social media, of riots, recessions, politics and wars, our nonchalant cats just get on as if nothing is happening. They are like buses; they just keep going, whatever pandemonium is ensuing elsewhere.

Catch the Bus Month: I’m on board!

“A trip on a bus is for me, my special time, of reflection and contemplation, like no other”

4. Real-life diversity

In the modern-day world, there’s often a somewhat stilted effort made by companies and organisations to try and contrive a sense of diversity. It may be a policy, mission statement or box ticking exercise. But, on a bus, diversity really happens, and it comes together naturally and brilliantly. A typical bus journey is an eclectic, wonderfully diverse juxtaposition of gender, ethnicity, beliefs, sexual orientation and cultures, like nothing else, side-by-side. It’s not staged, it’s Britain at its best.

5. The enemy of automation

For generations, officialdom across government and business has more and more squeezed the number of frontline folk in customer-interfacing positions. Technology has taken over, cost efficiencies are seen as virtuous by those in charge: from park-keepers to police, to High Street banks shutting down and telephone helplines being taken over by voice automation. Yet, with bus drivers still in the ascendancy (indeed, we need more and more of them), this is one of the areas of modern life where there is still a down-to-earth, normal person to welcome us. It’s such a reassuring feeling being met by a human being that there’s a sense of feeling at peace with the world when it happens.

6.

Quirks and loveable eccentricity

Again, in the ‘mean machine’ of an overly efficient world, of pre-rehearsed scripts and behaviours, the bus driver is often eccentric. But that fits in with a bus proposition that is wonderfully quirky per se. In Southend today, a bus driver told me how customers were magnetically drawn to Ensign’s open top seafront services during pouring rain because it was a quirky, atmospheric and fun experience that was being provided. Last week, I caught a bus that was delayed in the New Forest whilst it patiently waited for two separate groups of ponies to decamp from the main shopping street in a village and out of the way of the bus. My now adult offspring still remind me that the most haunting experience of their childhood was on the Southern Vectis Ghost Bus tour when ghosts and ghouls (actors) drove in cars in the dark, and jumped out every so often to glare through the windows. It’s nuts really - I mean, what other mode of transport provides such mesmerizingly quirky theatre?

7. A career for all

Not only does the bus sector have an entrepreneurial, ‘can do’ mentality, but it also provides so many great experiences across such a diverse range of skillsets and it’s not overly obsessed with academia as a precursor to being able to join the family. This fantastic industry gives amazing opportunities for school leavers to complete apprenticeships in engineering that can realistically put them on a path that leads to the boardroom, and it takes 16-year-olds on as social media protagonists, developing them into brand marketing experts. Hungry sales folk can do B2B business deals, whilst those who are fascinated by communities can be involved in stakeholder engagement roles and there are opportunities aplenty for those who are fascinated by schedules and networks, both on an operational and commercial basis. Meanwhile, leaders are made in bus depots, where all the necessary skills are spawned in often challenging, fast paced environments. This is a sector where there is a place for anyone and where, best of all, the culture is friendly and welcoming for newcomers.

8. Unforgettable ordinariness

Whilst I like looking at buses, I don’t find them instantly attractive, like I do trainsweird though this might sound. I don’t really know the difference between a Plaxton or a Scania vehicle, but what I do find compelling is in old pictures online or in books of yesteryear and the sight of a bus. I’m certainly not the only one. Very often, for instance, ‘normal folk’ (i.e., not transport weirdos like you and I), look at a picture of my old stomping ground in south east London in the 1980s, and remark affectionately about the 61 bus in the classic Metrobus blue and yellow livery, approaching the former Commodore Cinema in Orpington High Street, or a Routemaster going past Woolworths in Petts Wood as a 94-numbered route, before it became a ‘208’. They’re more interested in this than any of the now defunct shop brands in the background or naff fashions adorning passers-by, captured by the photographer.

Buses instantly evoke feelings of nostalgia among us. Hark back to your childhood and memories of travelling to school or play on the bus always endure, they never fade, however mundane they might seem.

9. Unbelievable all-round value

With the current £2 fares cap in England, buses have never been such great value. £2 to travel all the way from York to Whitby, a total of 72.4 miles - is one of several humongous, long journeys. 72.4 miles, let that sink in. Even without the fares cap, travelling by bus is one of the few products that offer great value and it’s not just the distance. Buses are warm, and have, in many cases, leather seats and lots of legroom. They had free Wi-Fi and charging points long before other comparable service amenities did and they are always ‘staffed’, thus providing a sense of security. And they connect with a bigger network, enabling folk to travel much further too.

10. Fancy dans prohibited

Okay, as with all industries, there are some rogues, scallies and rotters within the bus industry - but the sector is oozing not only with talent but also decent, likeable, down-to-earth people. So too, is rail, but there are fewer jumped-up showboaters in bus businesses, partly because resources are so stretched, no one has the time to not get their hands dirty at the sharp end, work harder, take accountability, make decisions and not be pampered. There’s also a real love and passion for buses among those in charge and frontline folk - a desire to work unstintingly for the good of the sector and its customers. Every year, I make new mates in the bus industry, maybe through a new project or just stumbling across someone. I continually wonder how I ever lived my life all these years without knowing these people, from sharing a glass of coke or Wimpy meal with them, late night gossip on WhatsApp or just bouncing back observations around the demographics in different towns and how bums could be enticed onto seats.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Alex Warner has over 30 years’ experience in the transport sector, having held senior roles on a multi-modal basis across the sector. He is co-founder of transport technology business Lost Group and transport consultancy AJW Experience Group (which includes Great Scenic Journeys). He is also chair of West Midlands Grand Rail Collaboration.

COMMENT

CAROLINE STICKLAND Transport should be for everyone

It’s ‘Catch the Bus Month’ and we’re asking bus operators to pick up the pace of change in making their services accessessible to all

Almost 30 years on from the laws that made buses accessible in the UK, let’s mark ‘Catch the Bus Month’ with a look at the past, present, and future of accessible transport.

Imagine it’s 1990…

It might seem like little has changed. The UK is still struggling financially. The England men’s football team has just gone out of another tournament.

But there’s one big difference - back in 1990, public buildings and public transport were inaccessible. No wheelchair user could get on a bus, and disabled people had no legal right to equality.

Politicians weren’t listening and after years of frustration, incredible disabled campaigners chained themselves to the very buses they couldn’t board. They held up traffic in cities across the UK, and held up placards demanding rights and access.

Finally politics paid attention. By 1995, the Disability Discrimination Act had been passed, and the first buses with ramps rolled into London.

Are we living the future dream?

Fast forward to today, and the 16 million disabled people in the UK use buses more than our non-disabled counterparts. Yet disabled people still make 38% fewer journeys each year than non-disabled people. The bus industry can, and must, take action to help close that gap.

Equality laws, and the Public Service

Vehicle Accessibility Regulations (PSVAR) introduced in 2000, have led to improved bus accessibility. However, even today, exemptions are still granted and regulations only apply to larger buses.

A review of the regulations which started in 2023 appears to have stalled. This means they still use outdated measurements that don’t reflect today’s sophisticated wheelchairs. Operators who fail to consult disabled passengers before buying buses have bought

Barriers disabled people experience on buses (Transport for All’s National Accessible Transport Survey 2023). In the last year:

Issues with priority space/seating (not enough, already in use, not clearly defined) Driver attitudes and behaviour

unsuitable vehicles. As a result some companies refuse to let disabled passengers travel if they consider their modern wheelchair too big or heavy. Some companies leave eligibility unclear, meaning disabled passengers must call to check to see if they are allowed to use the bus.

Almost all operators restrict access for people using mobility scooters. Some require scooter users to pass a size and driving assessment for their mobility aid - you don’t see pushchairs and wheelie suitcases subjected to that!

The outdated bus accessibility rules don’t apply to smaller vehicles, commonly used on hyper local or rural routes - or increasingly for Demand Responsive bus services.

People who need buses most, because they can’t get to the main routes, might not be able to board their local bus.

For some, their bus no longer exists - around one in 10 local bus services were cut in 2022. In areas with reduced services, overcrowding on buses is preventing many disabled people travelling.

Vehicle design and information are only part of the picture. Bus drivers need Disability Equality Training, designed and delivered by disabled people. This means they can transport disabled passengers safely and respectfully. Bus Users UK found 89% of drivers have received disability awareness training, but there is no data on the quality or effectiveness of the training.

The pioneers

With the publication of the 2017 Bus Services Act, and the National Bus Strategy for England in 2021, some bus companies are forging ahead.

More and more operators are working in collaboration with disabled people during planning, vehicle purchase, and monitoring.

Negative attitudes/antisocial behaviour/ hate crime from other passengers

Bus stop is too far away/not close enough to my home/not close

Issues with ramp (broken/too steep, deployed incorrectly, no ramp)

In Northern Ireland, Translink worked with a Disabled Person’s Organisation (DPO) on the launch of the Glider service. They involved disabled people in the bus design, ticketing and testing. After the buses launched there was a 25% increase in the number of disabled passengers using the route.

In Harrogate, Transport for All members recently reviewed buses with two wheelchair spaces. For the first time, local wheelchair users can catch the bus together - nobody should have to wait 40 minutes for separate buses to nip to the pub for a pint!

Yet, despite these areas of progress, the

“In the worst cases, drivers have abused disabled people asking for help”

percentage of bus complaints that relate to accessibility increased between 2016/17 and 2021/2022, and barriers remain.

The road still ahead

Audio-visual displays will become a legal requirement in October 2026, but outside of London, over 70% of buses still don’t have them . Without them there can be disastrous consequences. One participant in our research (Are We There Yet?, 2023) offered an example: “The driver had shouted out if anyone needed the next stop, which as I am profoundly deaf, I didn’t hear and as a result it was not until a few stops later where I had no idea where I was that I realised something must have happened. The driver started shouting at me for not saying anything and left me at a bus stop where I had no idea how to get home. It made me feel angry, scared and excluded.” Similarly, since 2017 bus drivers have had a duty to ask passengers to move shopping, luggage, and buggies out of wheelchair spaces, if a wheelchair user needs to get on the busand to act if that request is not followed.

Despite this, Transport for All’s latest research found over half of disabled people have been prevented from travelling because other passengers block the wheelchair space, or there are not enough priority seats.

In the worst cases, drivers have abused disabled people asking for help. Another participant in our Are We There Yet? research remarked: “My worst experience recently was when a bus pulled up with a buggy already on board. I went to the front of the bus to speak to the driver and to calmly remind him that wheelchairs have priority and to ask him to ask the person with the buggy to move.

“The driver became extremely angry and aggressive, and got out of his booth and stood up to yell down at me. He shouted in my face that I don’t have any right, and that ‘we are all equal’ so I don’t take priority. He then sped off. It was very frightening and made me cry, and damaged my confidence.”

Asking for a seat on a bus should never lead to abuse by a public official, and operators who fail to address abuse like this are liable to face legal action.

We’re still waiting for the bus Transport for All is working constructively with the bus sector to ensure disabled people’s experiences are truly influencing decisions - from the boardroom to the driver’s seat.

Every year, our disability equality training and consultancy help hundreds of transport staff make sure everyone is on board.

We’re asking bus operators to pick up the pace of change, and work in partnership with disabled people to create bus travel that’s safe and accessible for us all.

And if you can’t manage that? The 90’s are back in fashion, and we still have the handcuffs to chain ourselves to your bus!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Caroline Stickland is the CEO of Transport for All, the disabled-led charity transforming the transport system so disabled people can travel with freedom, dignity, ease and confidence. www.transportforall.org.uk

The 16 million disabled people in the UK use buses more than our non-disabled counterparts

COMMENT

NICK RICHARDSON

How do we tackle the issue of priority?

The Bus Service Improvement Plan process in England is intended to promote more bus priority, but will it actually happen?

Over the past few years, UK government guidance has pushed bus priority measures as a key element of Bus Service Improvement Plans to support punctual services and improve bus journey times. The initial emphasis was strong if somewhat undermined by the previous government’s appeasement of car users. However, both that government and the secretary of state are no longer in place and the new regime is likely to make sure that established guidance regarding bus services is followed. This means effective priority measures even if it displaces car users.

Following the guidance

In the past, bus lanes and other priority measures have been introduced where they are easy (and least needed) or after protracted arguments. Anything that was considered to curtail the rights of motorists was bound to create debate and highway authorities were slow to enact their own policies regarding buses. This was because their elected representatives feared a backlash from their constituents, although this was usually a selected vocal minority making more noise than those who would benefit.

In some places it has all been rather halfhearted, except for large urban authorities where more decisive action has been taken with clear benefits all round, usually squeezing car users to the edges. Even where this has been achieved, politics requires revisiting of the approach despite the evidence. Measures

such as bus-based park and ride have also generated huge debate because clearing car traffic out of constrained urban centres has proved to be more controversial than might be expected. Improving air quality - a legislative requirement - and enabling people and buses to move around unimpeded can be a hard pill to swallow for people who are used to swanning around by car regardless of the impacts on everyone else. In Merseyside, some bus lanes were removed which in retrospect didn’t make a lot of difference because they were not in the optimal locations but it was a political act rather than inspired by traffic management, now likely to be reversed with the reinstatement of those bus lanes.

Government guidance lauded the virtues

of bus priority, arguably naively given that the local transport authorities entrusted with creating more of them are very familiar with the arguments against. Some opted for the invisible priority afforded by traffic signals that recognize when buses approach and change accordingly. Usually the impacts are small but collectively could be worthwhile, assuming that there are not too many buses competing for priority at junctions.

Of note is an experimental scheme that was undertaken in Luton in around 1993 in which buses were fitted with transponders to influence signal settings; although the technology has improved, the same principles still apply. Where authorities become unstuck is where on-street parking takes up the space that would be better used for buses. The outcry is predictable because individuals think they have a right to park outside their property. Compromise in the form of limited hours bus lanes simply adds confusion and the myth of passing trade emerges on a regular basis. Hence those bus lanes that could work will be on the various lists of intended schemes but are likely to go no further, whatever government guidance says. Perhaps the guidance should be even stronger. It repeatedly talks of transformative actions and is full of enthusiasm which has yet to hit the streets. To be transformational will take rather more political will.

Missed opportunities

An example is Hereford, the main focus for activity and traffic in Herefordshire with several main roads converging. To date it has

In Merseyside, some bus lanes were removed

Tel: 01536 740100

@ciltuk

one bus priority measure in the form of a bus lane, 15 metres long - that’s it. Worse still, the city has recently seen some big traffic schemes but with a total absence of any bus priority despite lots of bus services, over fifty routes, being available with a variety of operators. As a result, buses sit in the traffic along with everything else. Sadly, there is space to do better or at least there was until the recent schemes were introduced. One of the Department for Transport’s ongoing wishes is for evaluation of schemes, that is to see once in place if they have produced the outcomes that were intended. It isn’t clear what the outcomes might be in this instance but I suspect that the concept was presented as being rather more beneficial than what has materialized on the ground.

In central Hereford, there are speed restrictions that no-one takes any notice of despite the speed tables that simply make bus users uncomfortable as they bump over them, traffic signals that don’t work in favour of buses and a lot of wasted space. Sadly the schemes don’t work for anyone walking or cycling either, with wide junctions and a lack of clarity. In front of the railway station, the new but heavily scraped kerb indicates that it isn’t in the right place and there is nowhere for terminating buses to drop off passengers. Outside the station itself, there is room for only one bus at the bus stop because the designated walking route is in the way even though it doesn’t link visually with the station entrance. On leaving the station, the buses wait at the signals with no priority and the junction isn’t wide enough for them to turn. There are plenty of ways of testing such things at the design stage so why is it so bad?

Then there is another signal junction on the way to the country bus station (there is also a city bus station) which is uncoordinated with the previous junction. Filtered turning movements that accommodate more than one movement at a time are missing from the signal phasing, there is a profusion of hideous and pointless railings (widely ignored), some landscaping and the missed opportunity to include any bus priority lanes. With space for several traffic lanes and some planting, there should be room for something that supports bus movements that Herefordshire’s BSIP and Local Transport Plan suggest are needed. Then there is another set of lights but on exiting the

If bus priority is to be meaningful, it has to be prominent

bus station, there are two more sets of lights which hold up buses and are not synchronized. Here the marked cycle lanes are useless because all the buses need the space to get out to the main road. Then the next wide street doesn’t have a bus priority lane to the signals which would still leave two others.

The next set of bus stops which are well located for the shops have an exit signal with another a few metres further on and another set a few metres beyond that. Needless to say there is no priority for buses to join the traffic stream and as soon as one signal turns green, the next goes red. This is a busy thoroughfare which for some reason has trees planted in the centre which will be hit by every passing bus or anything else larger than a car and what appear to be cycle stands in the middle of the road that will never be used. A level pedestrian crossing (more signals but this time unfenced and kerbless) seems to lead people directly into the traffic flow, particularly if their sight is limited in some way.

All this illustrates the problem - road space is constrained but where there is room, much

of it is wasted. It also shows that whatever was intended by the Hereford schemes, there is a total failure to accommodate buses or to help anyone crossing the road at big and confusing junctions. No doubt the improvements were sold on the basis of traffic movement but in every respect they fail to comply with national or local policy and represent a huge wasted opportunity. I use this example because such things happen all the time in numerous places. If bus priority is to be meaningful, it has to be prominent and effective to a point where people in cars notice. Space may be available and when decisions are made about new arrangements, buses should be a core element rather than something to be ignored. We might then make some progress.

Nick Richardson is chair of CILT’s Bus and Coach Policy Group and is a former chair of the Transport Planning Society. In addition, he has held a PCV licence for over 36 years.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

COMMENT

ENERGY MARKET REPORT

PORTLAND FUEL ANALYTICS - SEPTEMBER 2024

Curbing the carbon impact of concerts

Putting on a stadium concert consumes a lot of energy in lighting, transport and merchandise, but efforts are being made to reduce it

What would summer be without rock stars strutting their stuff at giant entertainment venues around the world?!

This summer we have seen the likes of Coldplay, Ed Sheeran and Green Day embarking on huge world tours, plus of course as every Swiftie knows, Tay-Tay ended the European leg of her epic Eras tour this month at Wembley Stadium. The sheer scale of these rock extravaganzas is often staggering and it goes without saying that putting on a stadium concert consumes a lot of energy and generates a fairly hefty carbon footprint.

Power generation is the first major energy consideration when putting on a concert, accounting for about 35% of total emissions. Live music across all venues in the UK generates 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases every year and if you breakdown the figures for single events such as a Taylor Swift concert, it is easy to see how. On each performing day of her Eras tour, Sparks (certainly) Fly with circa 10,000 kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity consumed for lighting, sound amplification and general site operations. In total, the UK leg of the Eras tour used circa 300,000 kWh of electricity - enough to power 200 houses for an entire year.

On top of direct generation, there is indirect power generation in the lead-up to events. So for example, when Taylor Swift tickets went

on sale for her Paris concerts, EDF (Électricité de France) reported energy surges, as over 900,000 hopeful punters logged on to the ticketing site simultaneously! Then there is merchandise to consider. The production process of one standard cotton t-shirt emits 5.2 kgCO2e, so if we assume that 25% of an 80,000 audience purchases a t-shirt (Swiftie “merch” sales were $200m in 2023), then those sales would generate 104 tonnes CO2e per concert. With 150 shows to consider, we conservatively estimate that the Eras tour generated 16,000 tonnes CO2e on T-shirt sales alone! As for Tay-Tay’s own clothing, we don’t have any corresponding stats for energy and carbon, but the artist does get through 12 costumes per show. As she might say herself, she certainly has Style…!

The global nature of music tours predictably means inordinate amounts of travel. Coldplay’s current Music of the Spheres World Tour (nine million tickets sold) will put on 177 concerts in 20 different countries, whilst Green Day’s Saviors Tour is only 31 concerts, but still takes in four different continents. The Eras tour comprised 152 shows in 54 cities and relies on around 75 articulated trucks to transport the entire set from city to city, consuming around

“Live music generates 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases”

500,000 litres of diesel per month.

But the real constant of globe-spanning musical tours is endless air-travel and Taylor Swift is America’s biggest user of private jets (ahead of second placed Floyd Mayweather and Jay-Z). This still only accounts for a fraction of the total air miles associated with music tours, because fans frequently travel to concerts by plane. It is estimated that up to 20% of fans have flown to attend Taylor Swift concerts and at this month’s Wembley events, around 12% of the ticket holders were international visitors, mainly from the USA, Canada, France and Spain. When the Eras tour hit the antipodes, Air New Zealand added 2,000 additional seats to cover demand, whilst Qantas added 16 flights and 4,800 extra tickets.

All of this tells us that mega music events are not particularly environmentally friendly and to counter this situation, some bands are doing their bit with mitigation efforts. Coldplay led the way back in 2019, when they declared that they would not tour again until they could create a more sustainable global touring model. At the time this was dismissed as nothing more than a Rush of Blood to the Head, but the band’s latest tour suggests this was not the case. In fact, significant efforts have been made regarding sustainability that extend beyond mere greenwash. Stage production is now almost entirely powered by renewable energy contracts, whilst at each outdoor venue, solar photovoltaic panel arrays are installed for localised power generation. This is topped up by kinetic dance floors(!) and power-bikes, all of which generate an incremental 17 kWH of electricity per showenough to fully power one of the smaller stage areas. All logistical support for the Coldplay tour is powered by renewable diesel (diesel from waste) wherever it is available (so Europe basically), whilst to date, five million trees have been planted with the intention of planting a further four million to represent every concert-goer for the overall tour.

The world is not going to stop loving concerts because of associated carbon footprints and with the huge economic benefits stemming from global music tours, the last thing that any music venue is going to say to the likes of Taylor Swift is We are never ever getting back together. On that basis, Coldplay’s Viva la Vida approach looks to be the model to follow for environmentally conscious bands.

James Spencer Portland

GREAT MINSTER GRUMBLES

Starmer says things can only get.. worse

Our Whitehall insider imagines what’s going on inside the minds of the mandarins at Great Minster House, home of the DfT

There’s a certain irony that it’s the East Coast Main Line operator, LNER, that has been in the railway headlines in recent times, with the threat of industrial action by ASLEF over a row with management over working conditions, and the news that Tanni GreyThompson had to crawl off an LNER train because nobody turned up to help her off in her wheelchair. When LNER was taken back under public sector control it was soon held up as the exemplar of rail passenger services, providing proof-positive that rail services performed best in the public sector. The halo has slipped, it seems. Poor working conditions - in a publicly run railway, let’s be clear - caused ASLEF to call the strike action, although fortunately this has now been called off. Strikes on public sector-run LNER when the rest of the private sector operators were functioning just fine would have been politically embarrassing, would it not? Indeed, it would have been doubly embarrassing for ministers to have to take the Railway Passenger Services (Public Ownership) Bill through its Commons Committee Stage, and its Commons Report and Third Reading, on September 3 when strike action on a publicly-run passenger service was looming. The Conservative frontbench transport team could have had a field day. I can’t help wondering how much pressure was put on ASLEF behind the scenes to call off the strike.

All of this reminds us that the

performance of passenger services largely has nothing to do with whether the operations are run in the public or private sectors. So as more and more franchise contracts are brought back under state control I will watch with interest to see whether passenger service performance improves. A couple of weeks ago I was on a train run by a private operator and services were badly disrupted due to a line-side fire and a signal failure. The train was rammed and services were understandably badly delayed. A couple sitting next to me were bemoaning the poor performance of the railways and commenting that Labour’s plans to bring all passenger services back under state control couldn’t happen soon enough. I couldn’t help myself, so I quietly pointed out that the causes of the delays were not down to the operator but, in the case of the signal failure, to Network Rail which was a nationalised industry. The couple in question looked suitably bemused!

But never mind. Our newly elected prime minister has happily told us that things are going to get a lot worse before they get any better. He has cheerily told us the budget on October 30 is going to be very painful.

Normally newly elected prime ministers can’t wait to tell us that they are going to lead us to sunny uplands, to a new promised land of milk and honey. But not Sir Keir Starmer who tells us that “things can only get.. worse”! What a contrast to the Labour Party’s theme song for the 1997 general election campaign that “things can only get better” - although back then Labour’s economic inherence was a lot better than it is today.

It’s an obvious and understandable political tactic: we’re going to raise taxes and cut public spending, but it’s all the fault of those horrible, useless Tories. But it’s surely also high risk. What if things don’t get better, and only get worse and worse? Inflation was expected to rise by the end of the year before Rishi Sunak called the election, and with the public sector pay increases that have been agreed, the electricity price cap set to rise in October, fuel duty expected to go back up for the first time in 14 years, all fuelling inflation, it doesn’t feel like the sunny uplands will be within reach of many of us anytime soon. The prime minister has talked about the need for a 10-year programme of renewal to restore our country’s finances, to “fix the foundations”. I wonder if the electorate has the patience for that. Honeymoon periods for newly elected governments don’t last that long, and electorates quickly tire of the political tactic of blaming all the country’s problems on the previous administration. Already opinion polls are showing that Keir Starmer’s personal popularity rating is dropping like a stone.

I’m no politician, but the prime minister’s No 10 ‘Rose Garden’ speech struck me as an unnecessary political risk. The speech itself was devoid of any serious content and only warned us of bad times to come. We all already knew that tax rises were coming in the October budget, so why make the speech at all? I wonder if it was Sue Gray’s idea? She’s been in the news too much, for my money. I wonder how long she will last.

“What a contrast to the Labour Party’s theme song for the 1997 general election campaign that ‘things can only get better’”

Freeman’s 50th year on buses

Former senior manager still passionate about the industry in new role as part-time bus driver

James Freeman celebrated his 50th year working in the bus industry on September 1. He began his bus industry career on September 1, 1974, as a conductor with National Bus Company (NBC) subsidiary Hants & Dorset in Winchester at age 18. By 1978, he was selected for the NBC’s senior management training scheme and earned his PCV driving license in 1979. In 1984, at 28, James became the youngest managing director of an NBC company, leading

Winchester, now driving buses for Stagecoach, the successor to Hants & Dorset, part-time. Despite the industry’s changes, he remains passionate.

“I enjoy being part of the team,” he said. “Winchester drivers are great ‘wavers’ out on the road and it’s very good to be acknowledged in this way. We work together, which is great.”

“Over the years of my career, I have shared with countless hundreds of new starters my advice that the best way to have a good day out on the road is to smile at every boarding passenger and say hello. To my relief, I have found that this simple approach works every time. After all, if somebody smiles at you, it really is hard not to smile back!”

EBUSCO Electric bus manufacturer Ebusco has announced the appointment of former Go-Ahead Group chief executive Christian Schreyer as its new CEO.

Schreyer (pictured) succeeds Ebusco co-chief executives Peter Bijvelds and Michiel Peters, who stepped down from their roles on September 2. He has been tasked with turning around the Netherlands-based firm.

GRANT THORNTON

Shamrock & Rambler Coaches in Bournemouth. He later went on to hold senior director roles at Stagecoach from 2001 to 2007.

As chief executive of councilowned bus operator Reading Buses from 2007 to 2014, he led significant growth and improved the company’s reputation. He then served as managing director at First in the West of England from 2014 to 2021.

After the upheaval of the Covid-19 pandemic, Freeman partially retired and returned to

Freeman added that driving through the city and the beautiful Hampshire countryside is a privilege. While the city network still connects places like Romsey and Fareham as it did in the 1970s, bus usage in surrounding villages has almost disappeared.

“Traffic congestion was bad then and is even worse now - always, then and now, affected by any problems on the bypass (now the M3, which wasn’t built then),” he added. “Then, as now, there is still a tightly knit team of good people delivering services to local people, though they are generally not proud of what they do - and they should be!”

Grant Thornton UK has bolstered its public services transport advisory team with the appointment of Charlie Hamilton as a partner. Hamilton (pictured) joins the firm with over 15 years of experience in the transport sector, having held senior roles with bus and coach operators. He also currently serves as a trustee for Campaign for Better Transport and as independent vice-chair of the North-East Bus Partnership Board.

SOUTH YORKSHIRE MAYORAL COMBINED AUTHORITY

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority has announced the appointment of Matt Goggins as director of bus reform. Goggins (pictured) joins the combined authority from Liverpool City Region where he was head of bus and then assistant director for bus at the combined authority. He previously held a number of roles with National Express Group.

James Freeman has a new role as a Stagecoach bus driver

Freeman and his sisterin-law, niece, and nephew at Winchester bus station in January 1975

DIVERSIONS

Thomas is officially the best bus driver

East Coast Buses driver bags prestigious prize

Lothian Buses’ sister company, East Coast Buses, can now proudly claim to have Britain’s best bus driver.

Thomas Gilhooley was crowned UK Bus Driver of the Year at the national finals in Blackpool last weekend. Thomas, who placed second in last year’s competition, took home several prestigious awards, including the Coventry Trophy, the ROSCO Award, the Unite Trophy, and the John Boxall

Round and round we go!

NOT A ‘PIECE OF LAZY DESIGN’?

Maxwell Roberts, the designer behind the popular ‘Circular Map’ of the Tube, has released an updated version after a decade. Originally created as a light-

Medallion, along with £4,600 in prize money. He was also recognised as the top competitor from an ALBUM member and the highest-placed driver from a Scottish depot. Runner-up Raz Viswanathan of

Go-Ahead London received the BDoY Trophy and £3,800, while third place went to Brian Mackie of Stagecoach East Scotland. Danny Bayley of National Express Coventry took fourth, and Clive Sutton of First North & West Yorkshire secured fifth.

“We are thrilled that Thomas has been named the overall winner of the UK Bus Driver of the Year event,” said Lothian operations director Willie Hamilton.

“The standard across the weekend was extremely high and our representatives once again displayed the skill and professionalism our drivers are known for.”

Nathaniel with lead driver manager Steve Whitehead

hearted project in 2013, Roberts decided to refresh the map after seeing Transport for London use a similar circular design for mobile phone advertising.

The updated map, which uses circles and spokes to represent the 11 London Underground lines and the capital’s other rail routes with colour-coded lines, has quickly gained traction on social media, accumulating nearly two million engagements since its August 14 launch. The new version features additional London Overground stations and now includes the full

Elizabeth Line route.

But why did Roberts create the map? Well it seems he’s not a fan of TfL’s famous Tube map.

“It has poor balance, simplicity, coherence and topographical accuracy,” he said. “It fails by any criterion of effectiveness you can imagine and has been in a neglected state of decline for years.”

“I caused a stir a few years ago calling it a ‘garbage piece of lazy design’ and nothing has happened since to change my mind.”

Don’t hold back!

‘TOOTING THE HORN’ AT TPE

A young train enthusiast from Huddersfield had an unforgettable day after a chance encounter with TransPennine Express’s managing director. Nathaniel Briggs, who has Autism and ADHD, is captivated by trains and frequently travels with his father, Anthony. During one of their trips, they spotted TPE boss Chris Jackson onboard and introduced themselves. Upon learning about Nathaniel’s passion for trains, Chris extended an exclusive invitation for him to ride in a TPE driver’s cab.

And what was the best bit about the trip? “I liked tooting the horn,” revealed Nathaniel.

SEEN SOMETHING QUIRKY? Why not drop us a line at editorial@passengertransport.co.uk

Top of the pops!