Buses, Power, and People: Minister Simon Lightwood joins Highways Voices to champion public transport and inclusion
The Local Transport Minister pays tribute to the bus, and those who drive them, on today’s Highways Voices as he discusses making services so good people will choose them over driving their own cars. Simon Lightwood (pictured, left with podcast host Paul Hutton) is one of our guests on this week’s podcast recorded at a […]
West Midlands: 75% back Mayor Parker’s plan for public control of bus network
The proposal by Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands to take back control of the region’s bus network has been overwhelmingly backed in a a wide-ranging consultation. More than 3,600 responses from residents, businesses and organisations were collected over three-months. Of those who gave a preference, 75% were in favour of putting services under […]
£4m plan to improve Blackpool’s bus services
More than £4m of funding is set to be spent on improving bus services in Blackpool including upgrading shelters. It will go towards implementing Blackpool’s Bus Service Improvement Plan which sets out a number of priorities including bus lanes on Talbot Road, replacing worn out bus shelters and deep cleaning, says the BBC. The funding […]
‘Licence for Greater Manchester’ launched for Bee Network bus drivers
Greater Manchester has launched a new scheme to make becoming a Bee Network bus driver a more attractive long-term and flexible career. The Licence for Greater Manchester (LfGM) will ensure drivers do not have to go on the starter rate of pay when changing between operators – as has traditionally been the case – in […]
Transport Committee to examine ways to run bus services
Two areas of the country, London and Manchester, have adopted the ‘franchising’ model for running bus services, so could it work elsewhere? In an Evidence Session on Wednesday 26 March at 09:15 in the Thatcher Room, Portcullis House, Westminster, the House of Commons Transport Committee will question regional transport leaders and experts to explore the pros […]
ITS UK tells Parliament’s Transport Committee: Sustainable funding and changes to regulations needed for DRT
Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, has appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee to give evidence for their Buses Connecting Communities inquiry. Speaking on the use of demand responsive transport (DRT) systems, Sugarman urged the Committee to consider: The session also covered a variety of topics around buses, with ITS UK urging a more […]
Highland Council proposes £6m investment in bus expansion projects
As part of The Highland Council’s proposed three-year Medium Term Financial Plan, £14 million has been allocated for expansion of bus company operations across the Highlands and shared investment in renewable energy opportunities. £6 million is proposed to be allocated for an ‘Investment in Community Transport’ programme to build on the success of the Council’s in-house […]
Confederation of Passenger Transport calls for bold investment in bus services to drive economic growth
The Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has today submitted proposals to the Government’s Spending Review, emphasising that better buses are key to achieving economic growth and improving quality of life for communities across Britain. At the CPT’s conference last month, the Minister for Local Transport Simon Lightwood identified buses as a vital tool to advance […]
Transport Committee publishes raft of written evidence for its ‘Buses’ and ‘Street works’ inquiries
The House of Commons Transport Committee has published written evidence submissions for two of its ongoing inquiries: Buses connecting communities and Managing the impact of street works. The submissions include detailed responses to the terms of reference that the Committee set out for each inquiry. Among the organisations that provided over 120 evidence submissions to […]
Minister for Local Transport pledges to end ‘cycle of decline’ in bus travel
Buses and coaches are central to the Government’s mission of kickstarting economic growth according to a keynote address to the CPT Conference by the Minister for Local Transport. Addressing more than 150 representatives of the bus and coach industry in London today, Simon Lightwood MP pledged to reverse a long-term decline in the number of […]