latest news

News update 3 March

1. Nearly 80 per cent of customers use digital tickets on East Midlands Railway (EMR) services.

2. Buses across Greater Manchester will see contactless 'tap and go' payments introduced on March 23, ensuring passengers pay the best price for their journey. Already available on Metrolink, tap and go will expand to buses, enabling bus passengers to benefit from the scheme by simply tapping on a bus without needing a ticket. Fares will be capped automatically to ensure passengers pay the best value fare up to the daily or weekly cap. For bus-only journeys that is £2 for a single hopper journey, £5 for the day or £20 over a week no matter how many buses you take.

3. FlixBus is expanding its UK network and will travel between Birmingham, Heathrow Airport terminals, and Gatwick Airport terminals, ten times a day each way from April 10. The route will start on March 13, with half a dozen direct services.

4. The government is starting procurement for suppliers to run the technology for trials on a new contactless ticketing format across the East Midlands and Yorkshire, later this year. Successful bidders will work alongside Northern and East Midlands Railways to deliver the trials. Unlike pay as you go, these trials will use GPS based technology to track passenger location on a train journey, ensuring the best fare for the journey is paid. For ticket inspections and to go through ticket barriers, a unique bar code will pop up in the app to be scanned.
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/trials-for-contactless-ticketing-in-the-north-and-midlands-takes-another-step-closer 

5. The first of six fully refurbished cycle travel trains has launched on the Heart of Wales line. By summer 2025, customers will be able to bring up to 12 bicycles and e-bikes onboard the service that runs between Swansea and Shrewsbury.

6. Merseyside SME operator Huyton Travel has been bought by Kelsian Group subsidiary Tower Transit. The deal brings over 30 buses and gives the buyer an entrance to the Liverpool City Region bus market ahead of the rollout of franchising there.

7. The ORR has written to Network Rail voicing significant concerns over the backlog of many structure assessments and advising Network Rail that if it does not get a grip of the backlog and provide assurance to the ORR that it is achieving compliance with its own standards, then enforcement action could follow. 

8. Results from the second year of the Transport Focus Your Bus Journey survey will be published on 25 March 2025. The survey gives detailed insight into 48,000 journeys across England, Scotland, and for the first time Wales.  

News update 24 February

1. East Midlands Railway (EMR) says it has seen more than 130,000 regional customers take advantage of Advance Purchase tickets since it introduces them on two key routes.

2. The Government has announced a consultation on the policies to be included in the forthcoming Railways Bill, which will enable the establishment of Great British Railways (GBR). The overall aim of these proposed reforms is to provide a railway that works better for both passengers and taxpayers across Great Britain. They also include the establishment of a new passenger watchdog; reform of fares and online retail of tickets; a new statutory role for devolved leaders in governing, managing, planning and developing the rail network; streamlining processes and reducing regulatory burdens to empower GBR to to deliver the best service for railway users; and ensuring the private sector continues to play a key role, including a statutory duty for GBR to promote rail freight. The consultation closes on 15 April 2025.
Ref: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67b30e36b56d8b0856c2fd49/a-railway-fit-for-britains-future.pdf 

3. The UK’s Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood has launched a series of regional roadshows to gather insights on how to improve bus services across the country. This initiative aims to inform the development of a new Integrated National Transport Strategy, which seeks to create seamless, well-connected transport networks tailored to local needs. The 11 roadshows will include discussions with local councils, businesses, and passenger groups in cities such as Newcastle, Bristol, and Brighton, as well as rural areas like Cornwall. The goal is to ensure that bus services are designed to meet the needs of the communities they serve, with improved reliability, accessibility, and affordability.

4. TransPennine Express has revealed that it will be fitting live-saving defibrillators on one of its fleets over the next two months. The train operator has started work to install the life-saving units on 51 of its 185 trains by the end of March. 

5. The Local Transport Minister has announced the appointment of 13 new members to the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC). Those appointed to DPTAC serve terms of 2 to 3 years.
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-members-appointed-to-disabled-persons-transport-advisory-committee

6. The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport UK (CILT UK) is urging the government to simplify the current complex and difficult railways ticketing system by introducing a new and easy to understand scheme and have published a report  ‘Rail fares and ticketing – a blue print for action’. The report details how and why reforms are needed – as well as urging Government and industry to come together to tackle challenges and introduce a universal system.

7. Regional Transport Plans will focus on introducing a more strategic approach to improving transport in each region of Wales to make it more accessible, sustainable, and efficient for communities. Passengers will have the opportunity to voice opinions on regional transport spending, which will empower local leaders to take greater control over transport investments in the area. A number of Welsh Government transport grants will be devolved from financial year 2026/27 onwards to support this.

8. Bus services were deregulated in 1986 and since then, routes have been cut, fares have increased, and buses are less reliable. Across Scotland, free bus travel is available to under 22s, over 60s, and people with disabilities.

9. SPT (Strathclyde Partnership for Transport) seek to develop franchising across Greater Glasgow to make services more frequent, reliable, affordable, and easier to use. Implementation is expected to take between five and seven years and cost around £15m.

10. Public spending on bus services and their passengers accounted for 49.8% of bus industry revenues in England outside London in 2023/24. Analysis reveals this figure has increased by 12 percentage points since 2018/19. In London, the proportion of revenue coming from public funds fell from 43.6% to 41.6%, but this remains above the 39.5% seen in 2018/19.

11. Industry bodies have welcomed the Welsh Government’s plans for a scheme offering £1 single bus fares and £3 day tickets to under-22s in Wales. The year-long pilot for 16-21-year-olds is due to start in September. £15 million has been allocated to cover its implementation up until the end of the next financial year. Every pound invested in bus services brings £4.55 of benefits to the environment, the health of the nation and to communities.   

News update 17 February

1. Regulated rail fares will increase in Wales from 2 March by 4.6%. This is in line with the increase already announced for fares controlled by the UK Government. However, Transport for Wales will be applying different increases to each regulated product. Anytime Day Single fares will increase by 3%, 7-Day Season ticket fares will increase by 3.5% and Anytime Day Return fares and Off-Peak Return fares will both increase by 6%.

2. Plans to franchise local bus services and control various routes, in the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), have been signed off. The CPCA will have more power to set timetables, routes and fares. The first publicly-run routes could begin in late 2027.

3. The House of Commons Transport Committee has published written evidence submissions for two of its ongoing inquiries: Buses connecting communities (https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8619/buses-connecting-communities/publications/written-evidence/ )and Managing the impact of street works (https://committees.parliament.uk/work/8705/managing-the-impact-of-street-works/publications/written-evidence/ The submissions include detailed responses to the terms of reference that the Committee set out for each inquiry.

4. Alstom, global leader in smart and sustainable mobility, has signed a £24.5 million variation contract with passenger operator Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) to help reactivate a fleet of 30 Class 379 trains. The Class 379 trains are also be the first GTR fleet to utilise Alstom’s HealthHub web-based platform that analyses and displays all the data captured by the train. 

5. Northern announced that 71.45% of all journeys between 5 January and 1 February were made using digital tickets. Northern invested in digital ticket infrastructure in recent years, making it easier to buy a ticket via its app, website or one of more than 600 ticket vending machines across the network.

6. Rail Minister Lord Peter Hendy and the West of England Mayor have agreed plans to reopen the line between Bristol and Portishead. Closed in 1964, it is hoped the line will reopen by the end of 2027 and reduce travel times by 50%; reduce car commuting by 5.5% and unlock an estimated £43 million in economic growth each year.

7. Improvements to rail services should be at the heart of the government’s push to boost economic growth, address regional inequalities and reduce transport emissions, according to new research published by think tank Green Alliance.
Ref: https://green-alliance.org.uk/publication/next-stop-better-rail-growing-uk-train-travel/ 

8. ScotRail has launched an exclusive £17 Flat Fare offer for Club 50 members. The limited-time deal, which runs until Friday, 21 March, is available for travel between any two stations in Scotland. Club 50 membership is available for just £15 per year, giving over 50s access to a range of benefits, including a 20 per cent discount on Advance and Off-Peak fares all year-round.

9. DfT Evaluation of the first 10 months of the £2 fare cap suggests there has been a positive impact on bus patronage and the cost of living by reducing travel costs, with a relatively greater impact on leisure trips compared to those for education and employment. There is also evidence of modal shift to the bus away from cars and ticket substitution to single journey tickets.
Ref: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67a5f58af425d97ff6c49893/evaluation-of-the-first-10-months-of-the-2-bus-fare-cap.pdf 

News update 10 February

1. Plans for a new transport hub at Bristol Temple Meads, called the “Southern Gateway”, will see the creation of a new pedestrian access into Temple Meads station, a bespoke new cycle hub, and a new multi-storey car park.

2. Nexus has outlined how the Tyne and Wear Metro’s new £362m fleet of trains will be brought into customer service over the next two years. Half of the 46 new trains which are on order from Stadler are scheduled to be in service by the end of 2025.

3. Transport Focus have produced a report Fare Evasion and Revenue Protection – What passengers think? Of 1600 people surveyed, only 56 % passengers say it is easy to find the right ticket, & only 45% agree that it is easy to find the best value ticket. Passengers agree that deliberate fare evasion merits punishment but high prices & poor service, undermine confidence in the railway so passengers tend not to see mistakes in which there is no revenue loss for the railway as fare evasion. Passengers think the following should be implemented to reduced fare evasion: simplify fares, simplify buying tickets, more staff to help customers, keep barriers closed at stations and provide an improved, better value railway.
Ref: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publication/fare-evasion-and-revenue-protection-what-do-passengers-think/ 

4. Transport Focus asked 3000 patients how they travel to NHS appointments and why. To access hospital appointments, 34% drive themselves, 16% are driven by someone else, 32% choose the bus and 13% other public transport. To visit their GP 63% walk or cycle, 38% drive and 14% are driven. Convenience is the main reason for those choices.
Ref: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/news/transport-user-voice-february-2025-travelling-to-hospitals-and-gp-surgeries/ 

5. Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) signed off £34m for improvements to rail stations across the city region ahead of eight lines being brought into the Bee Network by 2028, including accessibility improvements at Levenshulme and detailed designs for step-free access at Davenport (Stockport), Hall i’th Wood (Bolton), Moorside (Oldham) and Woodsmoor (Stockport), using funding from the government's City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement and Department for Transport's Access for All scheme. Upgrades will result in 63% of stations becoming fully accessible by the goal date of 2028.

6. The introduction of electric buses into Cambridgeshire has reduced carbon emissions by an impressive 4,585kg per week. Of the 280 buses operated by Stagecoach, 32 are now electric, including 22 dedicated to serving Cambridge’s five Park and Ride sites.

7. Heathrow Southern Railway Limited (HSRL) aims to link the west end of Terminal 5 station, with the railway lines coming out of London Waterloo through a new railway line. This would enable trains to operate between Heathrow and London Waterloo via Clapham Junction, Putney, Hounslow, Twickenham, Richmond & Staines, and between Heathrow, Woking, Guildford, Farnborough and Basingstoke. Direct trains could also operate from the south coast.

8. A £3m package of bus infrastructure improvements is set to be introduced to improve services between Rotherham and Wath upon Dearne. The plans include the creation of a 0.5-mile (900m) bus lane along the A633 Warren Vale in Rawmarsh.

9. A new series of bus routes are due to launch in Bristol as part of changes to the bus network in April. Three new services will be introduced, to be run by FirstBus, including a service long campaigned for in south Bristol. The bus services will be funded by income raised by the Clean Air Zone and £4.7 million has been set aside to fund the services until 2028.

10. An on-demand bookable bus service has been expanded to a new town, plugging the last major gap on the service. Gloucestershire County Council's The Robin will start to serve Newent and the surrounding area from April.

News update 3 February

1. Results of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) public consultation into franchising local bus services came out largely in favour of the move. 1,468 respondents indicated their support or opposition to the bus franchising proposals. A total of 42% of responses strongly supported franchising, with a further 21% tending to support, meaning that 63% of participants were largely in favour of the new model.

2. East Midlands Railway (EMR) has launched a range of new wristbands to promote inclusivity and understanding for customers with specific communication needs. The TALK Wristbands come in five distinct designs, each tailored to help individuals communicate their needs more confidently and conveniently.

3. Contactless pay as you go is now available on Transport for Wales (TfW) and Cross-Country services across the South Wales Metro network. Daily & weekly price caps ensure best fares for passengers. With passengers making 50,000 PAYG journeys since launch, TfW now wants to expand its contactless ticketing system to other modes of transport.
Ref: https://tfw.wales/ways-to-travel/rail/ticket-types/pay-as-you-go 

4. Stagecoach South has introduced a £1 single fare on main Andover town bus routes thanks to funding from Hampshire County Council’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), as Andover was identified as an area with potential for bus patronage growth.

5. The Government has confirmed that 117 new lower and zero-emission buses will be introduced into Greater Manchester as part of a £86m scheme to improve air quality. 100 electric buses have been in operation since mid-2023.

6. East West Railway Company welcomed record numbers of attendees to its latest consultation, on delivering a new railway line to connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford, and Cambridge. More than 5,200 people visited 16 in-person events which took place in communities along the entire route and provided more details about the new scheme.

7. Barnsley Council has announced that following discussions with the Department for Transport and Network Rail, the proposed scheme to reopen the disused Royston railway line for passenger services will no longer go ahead. The feasibility study outcome was submitted to the Department for Transport and Network Rail, who evaluated the proposals and stated that they could not support the scheme or any further funding.

8. All closed-door home-to-school services should be exempt from requirements of the Bus Open Data Service (BODS) in England, the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT) has told the government, saying that current in-scope position for many closed-door home-to-school services places “an unnecessary burden on operators of these… leading to increased costs, administrative complexity, and potential safety concerns.” DfT BODS team, has stated that closed-door home-to-school services that are required to be registered must comply with the Service. 

9. A ‘bridge to franchising’ approach to supported bus services in mid-Wales will be rolled out to test plans for country-wide reregulation of services potentially to commence during 2027. The Welsh Government’s intends to franchise all bus services in the country, beginning in South West Wales as the first of four franchising areas, completing with mid-Wales in 2030.

10. Campaign for Better Transport is calling on Government to cap long-distance, on the day fares as its latest ‘Fix Fares For Good’ research finds 44% of people are put off travelling by train due to the cost. They urge the Government to place tackling unaffordable and complex fares at the centre of its plans for railway reform, as 71% of people say cheaper fares would make them more likely to travel by train.
Ref: https://bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/fix-fares-for-good/ 

11. A £2 bus fare pilot has been agreed as part of a deal struck between the Greens, the Lib Dems and the SNP in exchange for backing the Scottish Budget.

12. Brighton & Hove City Council is using BSIP money to extend the £1 short journey fare until the end of March 2025 

13. Franchising, challenges for rural services, recent government policy, multimodal integration, alternative transport models and Enhanced Partnerships (EPs) were addressed by Bus Users UK as part of its response to the government’s “Buses Connecting Communities” inquiry. The Transport Committee’s call for evidence, which closed on 17 January, invited feedback on connecting rural communities with neighbouring towns and suburban areas, and solutions for rural services.

14. Scotrail is introducing a new Tap&Pay app in the Strathclyde area and routes between Strathclyde and Edinburgh. If successful, ScotRail could roll the app out more widely across the network.

15. The Western Gateway Rail Deal, developed with local authorities, businesses, Transport for Wales, Great Western Railway and others, provides a step by step plan for targeting investment to deliver new railway stations and halve journey times for the 5 million people who live across South Wales and Western England.

16. DfT Rail statistics 2023-24: Passenger journeys grew 16.4% from 1,385m to 1,612m; punctuality (trains arriving within 59 seconds of scheduled arrival) dropped 0.2pp from 67.8 – 67.6% in the same period.
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/rail-factsheet-2024/rail-factsheet-2024