latest news

News update 4 November

1. Chancellor confirmed the Government had committed to a range of rail projects: Transpennine Route Upgrade; East West Rail; increased capacity at Manchester Victoria station; upgrades to Bradford Forster Square station; line electrification between Wigan & Bolton; extending HS2 from Old Oak Common to Euston. 

2. Local transport authorities (LTAs) in England outside London will get £640 million of funding to support and improve bus services in FY2025/26 via a continuation of the current Bus Service Improvement Plan approach.

3. Maghull station has been named as Britain's best railway station in a competition organised by the Rail Delivery Group with 48 entrants and over 100,000 votes cast. Kings Lynn and Dorridge were also finalists.

4. The Government has announced that the single bus fare cap in England, which was due to expire at the end of December 2024, will be raised from £2 to £3. The new cap will cover most journeys in England, will be in place until the end of December 2025 and will cost the Government £151 million. DfT confirmed further £925 million to improve bus services in 2025-26.
Ref: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/over-1-billion-to-boost-bus-services-across-the-country-as-bus-fares-capped-at-3 

5. Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP)-funded timetable improvements in Lincolnshire have seen ridership on affected routes grow by up to 118% and delivered a net rise in passenger numbers across the county of 150,000. 

6. Improvements to the Castle Line rail corridor in the East Midlands would boost economic growth in tourism and hospitality sectors, according to the latest research. A recent report titled ‘Tourism on Track’ explores how improved connections to the East Midlands would expand the visitor bases of these hotspots, shift the demographic groups attracted to the area and reduce car use.
Ref: https://www.midlandsconnect.uk/media/0r0hoxri/d1e8ac0bafc3fed3f005ea5d9a40180927b77f0d6d9394e50fe765c03c12.pdf 

7. LibertyBus, the current operator of bus services in Jersey, owned by Tower Transit, has been awarded a ten year contract to continue running services on the island.

8. First Group has acquired Lakeside Coaches based in Shropshire and Cheshire operating a fleet of around 145 buses and coaches.

9. Megabus is reducing services across England and Wales, while maintaining all services in Scotland and all cross-border routes involving Scotland, England and Wales. The Falcon route between Bristol and Plymouth will also continue unchanged. All other operations in England and Wales will cease.

10. A scheme offering one months' worth of free travel for bus passengers in West of England & North Somerset will run for a second year, but with two months’ worth of free travel for under 21s.

11. Network Rail and its train operating partners are introducing a trial of earlier boarding of Avanti West Coast and London Northwestern Railway train services to improve passengers’ experience at Euston station.

12. Lumo and Hull Trains have released an impact report ‘Breaking Down Barriers in Rail’, in partnership with The Purpose Coalition. The report outlines how the two open access operators are driving social mobility and economic growth, and championing environmental sustainability through their innovative services.
Ref: https://www.lumo.co.uk/who-we-are/lumonews/lumo-and-hull-trains-breaking-barriers-in-rail-for-a-better-future 

13. Greater Manchester’s mayor, Andy Burnham, has confirmed that single bus fares in the region will remain capped at £2 through 2025. 

14. ScotRail has announced that it will implement changes to some ticket office opening hours to deliver more visible customer support at stations, reflecting changing travel and ticket purchasing patterns. 16% of sales are via ticket offices and 90% of those sales are from just 20 stations; 20% of sales are via ticket vending machines (TVMs) at stations; and 43% of tickets are online, through the website or the app. 12 ticket offices will see opening hours increase, 54 ticket offices will see opening hours reduce and there will be no change to the opening hours at the remaining 77 staffed stations. 

News update 28 October

1. Timetable changes have been announced across Stagecoach's bus network across Devon in a bid to tackle increasing traffic congestion and planned roadworks. Night buses are also making a return in North Devon and Torbay to provide more travel options.

2. Derbyshire Community Transport, registered in 1996, which provides vital transport to hospitals, care homes and isolated rural villages for the disabled and elderly is set to cease trading after nearly 30 years, putting more than 60 jobs at risk.

3. Transport for Wales recorded the largest rise in passenger numbers out of all the UK’s train operators this spring, up 27% on the previous year. Newly published data shows that, between April and June this year, 7.6 million journeys were made on TfW services compared to 6 million in the same period the previous year.

4. Greater Anglia (GA) has announced the formation of a new Community Rail Partnership (CRP) for the Ipswich to Cambridge rail route. The new Ipswich to Cambridge CRP aims to raise the profile of rail services and support improvements to stations, trains, and timetables, as well as build stronger links with local communities, focusing on the communities served by trains along the line.

5. Network Rail is to build a third platform at Salford Crescent Station on the Manchester Preston line. The new, extra platform will improve passenger flow and reduce train delays by allowing more flexibility for trains travelling through central Manchester and across the country.

6. The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner is funding a night bus service in Torquay, which will run from 2 November until 21 December, run by Stagecoach and costing £2 per single.

7. Stagecoach South West has introduced 12 brand-new single-deck Optare ‘Solo’ buses, reflecting an investment of over £1.5m. These buses will replace older vehicles and serve key routes from Barnstaple, including newly awarded services to Lynton, Lynmouth and Woolacombe.

8. Free all-day travel has been approved for concessionary bus pass holders in a bid to increase connectivity and offer greater flexibility for passengers. Cambridgeshire and Peterborough-issued concessionary bus passes currently permit free travel during off-peak hours only, from 09:30 on weekdays. The new scheme will come into effect in May.

9. A key milestone for “Connection Stage One” of the East West Rail project was reached on 21 October after a test train successfully completed its first run between Oxford and Milton Keynes.

10. Pulhams Coaches has announced that it will receive 15 electric buses as part of parent company Go-Ahead’s order supported by the second-round of the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas scheme (ZEBRA 2).

11. Abbey Line train tickets will now be accepted on some bus routes when trains are not running. The six-and-a-half mile line connects Watford Junction with St Albans Abbey and is a popular route between the town and the city. Hertfordshire County Council has reached an agreement with train operating companies that will see tickets accepted on specific bus routes, including  the 721, 724 and 725 bus routes,  when the line is not running.

12. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) is calling on Network Rail to work with the industry as a whole to improve train punctuality and reliability for passengers and freight across its Eastern region. Delays in the region attributed to Network Rail have risen significantly from 2.4 million to 3.3 million minutes per year over the last 2 years. Punctuality and reliability of services has continued to decline and the region is forecasting further worsening, compared to its targets.
Ref: https://www.orr.gov.uk/search-news/regulator-calls-network-rail-improve-performance-passengers-across-eastern-region 

News update 21 October

1. Care leavers age 18 – 21 in Liverpool City Region are to receive free travel passes for use across the Merseyrail network, both peak and off-peak, and on buses, ferries and trains run by other operators within the Liverpool City Region.

2. Free bus travel for passengers on Saturdays from 19 October until 30 November. The Free Fares Scheme will be administered by the Leicestershire Enhanced Bus Partnership funded through BSIP grant funding.

3. From Sunday 2 December LNER is improving the Sunday service providing 1800 more seats. 

4. East Midlands Railway is installing free WiFi at 97 stations across its region.

5. Network Rail and ScotRail have signed a strengthened Alliance Agreement that commits both companies to greater integration to deliver a safe, reliable, and green railway. 

6. Dorset council is pursuing the idea of acquiring its own bus, and asking people who have some time to spare if they are willing to become volunteer drivers.

7. The Fastrack bus rapid transit route in Dover will start on 17 November, operated by Stagecoach South East and serve Dover Priory railway station, Dover town centre, and the Whitfield area.

8. Southeastern has announced that it will boost its timetable again from Sunday 15 December, introducing an additional 44 services each weekday – a total of 220 per week. In addition to increasing capacity for stations along the routes, they improve access to the Elizabeth Line at Abbey Wood and link the Sidcup route to New Cross and Cannon Street.

9. Chiltern Railways has announced 12 projects the operator will be supporting with £145k of funding as part of its Community Investment Fund. The projects will seek to deliver social, economic and environmental benefits in Birmingham, Warwickshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and London.

10. The Secretary of State for Transport approved a Transport and Works Act Order (TWAO) for the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), which will grant the programme permission to deliver a number of major upgrades to the railway between Leeds and Micklefield.

11. A temporary exemption from the technical requirements of the accessible information regulations for prescribed operators operating rail replacement coaches has been added to the Public Service Vehicles (Accessible Information) Regulations 2023.

12. A heavy focus of Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) phase one money in England on shorter-term revenue schemes is frustrating some bus operators that believe it would be better put to priority measures for long-term benefit, an interim report has noted. Evaluation of BSIP Phase 1 Interventions was commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) and published in late September, based on interviews carried out in spring 2024. Ref: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66f317c1215423f1e07640fa/evaluation-of-bus-service-improvement-plan-bsip-phase-1-interventions.pdf 

13. Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is extending the free use of a smartphone app, designed to enhance accessibility for blind and partially sighted passengers, to all 236 of its Great Northern, Southern, and Thameslink-managed stations.

14. The High Speed Rail Group (HSRG) has released its latest report, Driving Investment in Rail Infrastructure, which outlines critical steps needed to develop a comprehensive long-term rail infrastructure strategy.
Ref: https://www.rail-leaders.com/wp-content/uploads/Driving-Investment-in-Rail-Infrastructure.pdf  

News update 14 October 

1. Edinburgh’s public transport operators, Edinburgh Trams and Lothian Buses, won their respective operator of the year categories at the Annual National Transport Awards.

2. Nottingham City Council has allocated £304,000 of BSIP funding to offer a 20% public transport discount to commuters, with 12 month season tickets purchased by employer salary sacrifice schemes. 

3. A monthly bus pass for children has been reintroduced in Cornwall following passenger feedback, costing £65.

4. Lancashire County Council is rolling out an Any Bus Smart Card scheme to enable passengers to travel with any operator to complete a journey without needing to buy separate tickets, to be introduced 23 March.

5. Greater Manchester is introducing a Tap-in Tap-out system for commuters travelling on the Bee Network in March 2025. Passengers will be able to use bank cards and smart devices to take advantage of daily or weekly capped fares, with maximum multimodal fare of £9.50 daily, £7.80 off peak.

6. 34 hydrogen powered buses, operated by Metrobus, will run on routes in Surrey covering Salfords, Horley, Gatwick Airport, Crawley, Merstham, Redhill, Reigate, Woodhatch and East Surrey Hospital, in addition to 20 introduced in 2023. Surrey County Council invested £16m in the buses, along with £6.3m in zero and ultra-low community transport buses, £9m in bus priority measures and £1.4m on improving passenger information at bus stops. 

7. Network Rail & DfT unveiled a 5-point plan to deliver a better passenger experience at Euston Station, including creating more space, providing better passenger information and improving reliability of the West Coast Mainline services.

8. The Office of Rail and Road statistics show an 8% increase in year-on-year rail revenue for April to June 2024. Revenue from business travel increased by 21%.
Ref: https://news.railbusinessdaily.com/business-travel-by-rail-grows-21-per-cent-year-on-year/ 

9. Go Ahead is investing £500m UK built electric buses in partnership with Wrightbus. 1200 zero emission buses will be manufactured over 3 years.

10. ORR data shows Transport for Wales made the biggest improvement in punctuality and reliability of any train company in April to June 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Punctuality improved 8.1%, cancellations reduced by 3.2%. Transport Focus figures show overall customer satisfaction at 88%, a 16% increase in 12 months.

11. Lancashire County Council is proposing to end the discretionary element which allows disabled person’s NoWcard holders to travel for £1 before 09:30.

12. Chiltern Railway’s Class168 fleet is being refurbished to include WiFi, USB charging and an overhaul of the heating and cooling systems to improve passenger comfort. Reliability improvements are also being fitted.

13. Sausage company, Heck Food, has purchased a minibus to provide a demand responsive service in the Kirklington area of North Yorkshire. Heck have also offered to pay for fuel from their community fund.

14. Franchising of bus services in South Yorkshire is going to consultation, which opens on 23 October and closes on 25 January.

15. Stagecoach has launched a marketing campaign aimed at commuters, entitled Sometimes it’s time for the Bus. 

16. Transport Focus Rail User Survey showed c2c were top for overall customer satisfaction
Ref: https://d3cez36w5wymxj.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/26114108/Rail-User-Survey-train-operator-results.pdf  

17. Leicestershire County Council is holding roadshows on improving bus services in Melton Mowbray to highlight plans for public transport, cycling, wheeling and walking.

18. A passenger shelter installed in Dunstable in Central Bedfordshire offers wireless phone charging, bike racks, wide entrances for wheelchair users and a roof with plants growing to improve air quality and reduced rainwater run-off, and is used by 13 bus services from 5 different operators. The timetable display has an audio option for people with visual impairments.

19. 60% of employment growth in London between 2015 and 2022 was within one kilometre of an Elizabeth line station.

20. First Group has taken over Grand Union Trains Stirling London open access service and holds five year track access rights proposed to start in June 2025.  

News update 7 October

1. The Value of Community Rail, produced by the Community Rail Network, showcases the work of 75 Community Rail Partnerships covering 35% of the rail network and nearly 1300 station groups, shows a social return of £17.89 per pound spent.
Ref: https://communityrail.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/VoCR-report-24-FINAL-FOR-WEB.pdf  

2. Following an investigation into train performance in Wales and Western England, the Office of Rail and Road has accepted an improved train reliability plan from Network Rail.

3. Stagecoach is to introduce 715 electric buses into 22 depots across the country equating to 15% of the fleet with funding from the Zero Emission Bus Regional Areas Scheme and the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund. 

4. Northern and TransPennine Express have reduced return fares by 20% with single tickets no more than 60% of the return between Hull and Scarborough and Hull and Selby in order to boost patronage.

5. Scotrail has restored the full timetable from 7 October. A temporary timetable has been in operation since 10 July.

6. Northern plans to introduce British Sign Language announcements on all trains.

7. The introduction of 104 electric buses by Go Ahead owned Oxford Bus Company is now complete. 

8. Conway Street garage in Hove is to receive 16 new electric buses delivered to Brighton and Hove Bus Company.

9. Transport Secretary has appointed Laura Shoaf, WMCA Chief Executive, as Chair of Shadow Great British Railways.

10. A new rail manufacturing plant opened in Goole on 3 October. Initially it will produce new Piccadilly Line trains, but will be the manufacturing site of all future Siemens trains including the verve battery train.

News update 30 September

1. A report by the Centre for Social Justice concludes the decline in bus routes is a key cause of loneliness in older people particularly in rural areas. Major issues are also caused where there are no seats or shelter at bus stops.
Ref: https://www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CSJ-Lonely_Nation_part-2.pdf 

2. Centrebus has compared passenger numbers in July 2022 and July 2024 and the impact of the £2 fare. With the same number of buses in these two years at Buxton Grantham Leicester and Luton garages patronage has risen between 27% and 52%.

3. Arriva Group has published Accelerating the Government's Ambition to Fix Britain's Railways, a five step plan for reform which includes more effective use of the existing network, train fleets and other assets, making timetabling more flexible and responsive, and empowering train operating companies to make timetable decisions.
Ref: https://news.arriva.co.uk/news/arriva-group-publishes-proposals-to-uk-government-to-help-fix-britains-railways#:~:text=Arriva's%20proposals%20build%20on%20the,services%20launched%20across%20the%20country. 

4. Twelve months since the introduction of the Bee Network in Greater Manchester passenger numbers have grown 5% to 162.3m.

5. 170 battery electric buses ordered for Stagecoach Manchester at Stockport are to be reallocated to other Greater Manchester garages due to delays in the construction of an all new electric garage because of site availability. 

6. First Bus is to operate 74 electric buses from Hengrove garage in Bristol and 24 from Weston Super Mare.

7. Greater Manchester plans to meet legal air quality targets have been delayed a year due to delays in the introduction of more electric buses. 

8. Ashley Down rail station in Bristol opened on 28 September. 

9. First Bus is to operate 30 electric double deck buses in Taunton, Burnham on Sea, Wellington and Minehead.

10. A £96m funding package has been agreed to build Liverpool Baltic station on the Northern line of Merseyrail.

11. Fifty rail stations in the north of England are to get parcel delivery lockers.

12. Liverpool City Region is to purchase 50 electric double deck buses taking the total to 108. 

13. Merseytravel is to become Transport for the Liverpool City Region.

14. A proposed working place parking levy in Bristol to fund bus services is to move to scheme development and outline business case stage.

15. Heathrow Express has introduced a £10 advance single ticket.

16. Transfer of class 707 trains from South Western Railway to Southeastern is now complete. 

News update 23 September 

1. ARUP have produced a report Opportunity Through Connectivity,  Catalysing Growth through a Midlands - North West Rail Link, setting out the case for a new rail line between Birmingham and Greater Manchester.  
Ref: 

2. The Government has permanently ended funding for bus retrofit technology.

3. The Bus Service Improvement Plan of Derbyshire County Council is funding eleven local visitor attractions in a scheme to allow people either a discount or gift on presentation of a bus ticket that has taken them to the venue.

4. Barnstaple bus station has been refurbished as part of the Devon County Council Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

5. Stagecoach has gained an initial five year contact from April 2025 to operate 20 local bus and 24 home to school routes on Guernsey, replacing CT Plus. 

6. Free Sunday bus travel was offered on most bus routes in Devon on Sunday 22 September, delivered through the Devon Bus Partnership.

7. Coaches on rail replacement work can be granted a temporary exemption from complying with the Accessible Information Regulations until July 2026 to meet specific rules over audio and visual announcements. 

8. From 3 November Swindon Bus Company, owned by Go Ahead is withdrawing its travelcard, passengers can tap on tap off or use the mobile app to buy tickets.

9. Plans have been approved for an £18m rail station Balgray near Barrhead in Glasgow.

Plans have been published for a tramway between Cardiff Central rail station and Cardiff Bay with a consultation until 27 October.

  

News update 16 September

1. Legislation laid before Parliament on 9 September grants new powers to all Local Transport Authorities in England to design bus services that best suit the needs of the region. The Government also launched a consultation on new draft guidance to support local leaders in taking control of bus services. A Buses Bill will follow the initial statutory instrument and will end the ban on setting up new publicly owned bus companies, provide greater flexibility over bus funding and support those that choose not to pursue public control by improving the overall quality of bus services.

2. Research by KPMG commissioned by the Confederation of Passenger Transport shows funding for better infrastructure and improved services generates at least £4.55 for each pound invested. Bus companies directly employ 105,000 people, £1 in every £10 spent on the High Street is by bus passengers, boosting the retail economy by £40bn a year. The report analyses the economic impact of buses in each area of England.
Ref: https://www.cpt-uk.org/media/couiyy5y/240902-economic-impact-of-bus-final.pdf 

3. The Department for Transport has published accounts for 2023-24 which show the impact of Government decisions including changes to HS2.
Ref: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/66a7690649b9c0597fdb0617/dft-annual-report-23-24-print.pdf 

4. A public consultation is being undertaken from 16 September until 25 October on the Transpennine route upgrade between Stalybridge and Diggle which includes upgrading Greenfield station and relocating Mossley Station. 

5. It is now possible to buy and store weekly, monthly and annual rail season tickets on smartphones using the app of Great Northern, Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express.

6. Transport for Greater Manchester is working with Greater Manchester Credit Unions to enable people to purchase an unlimited travel ticket on Bee Network buses for a year paying £800 (£15.38 a week).

7. The Bus Service Improvement Plan of Cheshire West and Chester Council sets out objectives for the next ten years which includes short term fares support initiatives and longer term schemes such as an A55 express bus service, a new park and ride site at Hoole and multi operator ticketing.

8. The Customer and Community Improvement Fund of train operator Northern has provided £100k of funding for eleven projects that improve social  mobility in deprived areas of the North of England.

9. A bus lane installed on Gosforth High Street Newcastle is to remain in place after an 18 month trial.

10. Mortons Travel of Basingstoke has been sold to the Rambler Group by  National Express.   

News update 9 September

1. The number of  bus trips across the UK outside London increased by 8.7% in 2023 compared to 2022, according to the Department for Transport National Travel Survey. The average number of trips per person was 25; 23 in 2022 but 32 in 2019 pre pandemic. In London bus use stayed at 14 compared to 18 in 2019.

2. South Eastern is the first train operator to create a WhatsApp channel for travel updates. The channel enables customers to send questions directly to the control team.

3. Passengers can now book Transport for Wales Advance rail tickets up to eight weeks before travelling.

4. Diamond Bus North West and Go North West will operate the home to school services for 37 schools that are part of the third and final tranche of franchising in Greater Manchester beginning on 5 January.

5. Cheshire East Council has introduced a £12:a week unlimited bus travel ticket valid on four operators covering Macclesfield and the surrounding area.

6. 150 million bus journeys have been recorded in Scotland since the introduction of free travel for those age under 22 on 31 January 2022.

7. Open access train operator Grand Central is seeking to extend its existing track access rights until 2038. It has operated on the East Coast mainline since 2007 and seeks to procure bi mode trains.

8. The Go Ahead Group has continued its acquisition of independent coach operators with the purchase of Regency Coaches of Lewes in East Sussex.  

News update 2 September

1. Rail and Urban Transport Review is a report setting out a vision and plan for the future of UK rail and urban transport infrastructure emphasising the need for a shift to create a more connected, affordable and high capacity transport network. It was commissioned by the Labour Party whilst in opposition in December 2023 and has been published by the Urban Transport Group.
Ref: https://urbantransportgroup.org/rail-and-urban-transport-review 

2. Transport Scotland has published the analysis of the ScotRail peak fare removal pilot for a period of twelve months at a cost of £40m. There was a limited increase in the number of passengers but modal shift from car was not achieved.
Ref: https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/scotrail-peak-fare-removal-pilot-report-published/ 

3. Bus Users UK has published a report Why are we waiting? Disabled people's experiences of travelling by bus. Key findings relate to issues with infrastructure,  bus design, information, drivers, and other passengers.
Ref: https://bususers.org/resource/why-are-we-waiting-disabled-peoples-experiences-of-travelling-by-bus/ 

4. Network Rail and Transport for Wales are undertaking a consultation to close four level crossings on the North Wales mainline in order to increase rail capacity and service frequency with the introduction of new trains and removing a speed restriction

5. From 1st September, Lancashire County Council working in partnership with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackpool Council and local bus operators, is utilising BSIP Phase 3 funding to enhance frequencies on five interurban corridors, convert a school service in the Blackpool and Wyre area to run all day, and introduce evening services in Lancaster and the Lune Valley.

6. Stagecoach East has reported a 15.5% increase in passengers so far in 2024 compared to the same period last year.

7. Fylde operator Archway Travel has taken delivery of ten single deck buses to start local service operation on Lancashire County Council supported services  between Fleetwood and Preston. 

8. Devon County Council proposes to enhance a bus lane on Braunton Road Barnstaple at a cost of £939k as part of its Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

9. Buses in Portsmouth operated by First Solent and Stagecoach South are free during weekends in September as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

10. York garage of FirstBus now has a complete fleet of 86 electric buses.

11. First Leicester is progressively withdrawing its hourly AirCoach service between Leicester and Birmingham Airport introduced in September 2023 as patronage has not reached a viable level.

12. A further 47 rail stations in the South East of England will accept contactless cash or devices to pay for a rail journey from 22 September. 

13. Hitachi Rail's intercity battery train is to be trialled on routes between York and Manchester Airport and  between Leeds and Liverpool. 

14. Coach industry investor REL Capital has purchased two Essex based coach operators to add to previous purchases earlier in the year in south east England.

15. Northern has agreed to work with The Purpose Coalition, a nationwide scheme committed to advancing social mobility and equal opportunities.

Network Rail is offering no track access charges for six months to attract new business particularly freight.    

News update 27 August

1. Greater Anglia is launching a Customer and Community Improvement Fund to support local, community focused rail improvements across the network. £350k a year is available, with a maximum of £50k per project, most projects are expected to be in the range £500 to £20,000.

2. Northern Advance Purchase rail tickets are now available twelve weeks in advance of travel. 

3. Passengers planning train journeys with Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern can now check on line route maps for planned engineering work up to six weeks in advance of the day of travel.

4. A £1 fare introduced by London North Western Railway with the reintroduction of the full timetable between Bedford and Bletchley is being extended until 16 November due to its popularity with over 40,000 passengers travelling since  introduction.

5. Delivery has started of 28 electric buses to replace diesel buses operating the Fastrack network serving Dartford and Gravesham. 5 will also be used on the Dover Fastrack.

6. Cumberland Council is to reinstate bus services between key towns, for example Silloth and Maryport, and increase frequencies on others such as between Workington and Carlisle with £2.4m of Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. 

7. A six week trial of an electric coach between London and Cambridge is being undertaken by Whippet on a Flixbus service, a 123 mile round journey.

8. The Voyager trains of Cross Country, 312 cars, are to be refurbished, including new seats, carpets and tables, and repainted externally in a new livery.

9. TransPennine Express is to test tinted windows on a class 185 train to save energy by reducing the use of air conditioning.  

News update 19 August

1. An independent bus industry survey of operating costs shows overall gross costs rose 3.1% in the twelve months to February 2024 in Great Britain outside London. A 10% increase in bus speeds has the potential to provide an extra 135 million miles of services at no extra cost. Reference CPT Cost monitor report.

2. The Transport Secretary has written to Cross Country Trains expressing concern at performance and reductions in the timetable until 9 November.

3. The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority is undertaking a 14 week consultation from 14 August for improving bus services for local communities comparing a franchising and enhanced partnership approach.

4. Stagecoach has launched a public consultation on proposed changes to some bus services in Derbyshire with changes planned for 27 October.

5. Transport Focus has published the Your Bus Journey survey for Scotland. Overall satisfaction was 86%, punctuality and waiting times are highlighted for improvement.
Ref: https://www.transportfocus.org.uk/publication/your-bus-journey-scotland-end-of-year-results-2023/ 

6. Worcestershire County Council is to expand the area served by its on demand bus service operating 7am to 7pm Monday to Saturday. Booking is made via an app, passengers are charged £2.50 for the first person in a group with additional passengers paying £1.25.

7. Network Rail and ScotRail have published their Climate Action Plan for 2024-9 setting out five priority areas - climate ready; net zero; environmental management; biodiversity; and social value.
Ref:  https://www.networkrail.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Scotlands-Railway-CP7-Climate-Ready-WRCCA-Plan.pdf 

8. The Bus Service Improvement Plan of the Tees Valley Combined Authority is funding improved services in rural parts of Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool.

9. More than 61,000 people booked the passenger assistance service of Transport for Wales in 2023-4, a 20% increase on the previous year.

10. Stagecoach and the Big Lemon have taken over the Bristol operations of Transpora Group which has ceased to trade. 

11. Transport for London has published the consultation report on plans for a  Ross river extension of Docklands Light Railway from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead via Beckton Riverside.
Ref: https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/dlr-extension   

News update 12 August

1. Figures from bus operators across Norfolk show passenger numbers increased 12% between April and June compared to the same period the previous year. An annual rise of 16% occurred in the period April 2023 to March 2024.

2. The Office of Rail and Road and Transport Focus jointly commissioned a report concerning stranded train incidents and concluded that rail industry plans for dealing with such incidents require greater focus on the safety, welfare and customer experience of the passengers involved, including those with disabilities and additional needs. During the seventy day research period, 178 trains became stranded with 20 trains needing to be evacuated.
Ref: https://www.orr.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2024-08/improving-the-passenger-experience-when-trains-become-stranded-august-2024.pdf 

3. Train journeys between Cardiff, Manchester and Holyhead are now faster due to the removal of speed restrictions in forty locations on the Marches Line.

4. West Midlands Combined Authority has agreed to progress an independent audit of franchising. A public and stakeholder consultation is to be undertaken. 

5. On board visual and audio announcements are to be introduced on Stagecoach buses in Portsmouth as part of the Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

6. Transport for Wales has published its annual report. 46 new trains with timetable improvements have helped reduce cancellations and increase rail revenue figures. Pay as you go tickets have been introduced and there has been a 30% increase in sales through the app. TrawsCymru bus service between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth has seen an increase of 65% in passenger numbers.
Ref: https://tfw.wales/about-us/transparency/publications/annual-report-and-financial-statements/2023-24 

7. Stagecoach Sherwood Arrow bus service linking Nottingham with Ollerton Worksop Retford and the County's country parks is offering free travel on August weekends funded by the Nottinghamshire Bus Service Improvement Plan. 

8. The Bee Network Committee at Transport for Greater Manchester has agreed £20m to progress key infrastructure projects including the bus corridor linking Rochdale, Oldham and Ashton.

9. Several bus routes in Peterborough are to be extended with additional journeys 

10. Wiltshire County Council demand responsive service in Pewsey Vale has carried more than 55,000 passengers during the first twelve months of operation.

11. The Cabinet of the North East Combined Authority has agreed to support the development of a bus service franchising scheme assessment.

12. A ten minute frequency is to be provided at peak times from 1 September on the guided busway between Cambridge city centre and St Ives park and ride.

13. As part of the Nottinghamshire County Council and Greater Nottingham Bus Service Improvement Plan group bus tickets are discounted by one third until 1 September. 

14. Stagecoach Yorkshire is to take over four Derbyshire County Council supported bus services in the Alfreton and Matlock areas due to performance issues by Derbyshire Community Transport.

15. Additional evening and Sunday bus services have been introduced in Northampton on a trial basis for a year by West Northamptonshire Council using Bus Service Improvement Plan funding. 

16. 20 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses in Liverpool are expected to see more use as a supply of green hydrogen has been secured.

17. A further three London Underground stations are to be made step free. More than a third of Underground stations now provide step free access.

18. Sullivan Buses ceased operating twelve routes under contract to Transport for London on 2 August.