Monthly Archives: May 2023

Learning the lessons of timetable changes

Another timetable change on rail is happening this weekend. In a previous blog I highlighted how the railway approaches timetable changes matters, especially when major changes are being considered and long-established journey patterns are evolving. It’s important to consult passengers and to explain why changes are being planned. In December, Southeastern made significant timetable changes that received some backlash as…

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Rethinking mental health support

We need to change our models of mental health support to be more accommodating to the needs of a diverse workforce  Delivering a high quality railway service depends on a workforce that feels supported, cared for and appreciated  By Nafisa Nathani Mental health is of real concern in the rail industry due to the unique challenges and risk factors within…

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We’ve lost our way with transport maps

  Maps are in decline and where they do exist they are hidden or diluted in value, but they are a great way to communicate our offer  Maps like this one, created by Best Impressions, open up our eyes to opportunities   Try as I might, I struggle to find a sector where companies don’t view the size and variety…

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Fares are firmly on the political agenda

  Fares are no longer just about balancing public transport’s books. The sector must recognise this shift and become more proactivet  Vienna’s annual ticket for one euro a day is an example of a cheap, flat and simple fare offer   That sound you hear is the sound of one of the core constructs of UK public transport policy being…

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Cost of preventing bus service cuts is ‘tiny’

Go-Ahead’s Martin Dean tells parliamentarians that £260m a year to keep networks at pre-pandemic levels is ‘barely enough to build a mile of HS2’  Martin Dean   Bus services need continued post-Covid support and in terms of the Department for Transport’s £3bn annual budget the amount of money required to maintain a comprehensive network is “tiny”. That was the message…

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£500m of new support for England’s buses

In response to warnings that up to 15% of the bus network could be at risk, the government has extended recovery funding and the £2 bus fare cap  Prime minister Rishi Sunak: Buses play a vital role in growing the economy   The government this week announced £500m of additional funding to support local bus services in England until 2025.…

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Head of Operations – Stagecoach East Scotland

  Head of Operations   At Stagecoach East Scotland we operate bus and coach services throughout Fife, Perth and Kinross, Dundee and Angus. We are one of the largest Stagecoach operating companies, carrying approximately 30 million passengers every year, with over 1200 employees. We’re looking for a Head of Operations to assist the Operations Director and wider Senior Leadership Team…

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Campeys of Selby signs deal with BEWI

Family transport firm Campeys of Selby has won its biggest contract to date thanks to its focus on pioneering sustainable distribution initiatives and robust roadmap to carbon neutrality. Headquartered in Selby, North Yorkshire, Campeys has signed a three-year deal with BEWI, a manufacturer of insulation and construction products, to become the exclusive logistics provider at its Howden site after successfully…

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Triple Tunnel Troubles (More Tunnel 1)

It Collapsed! In 2005 the near complete “Tesco Tunnel” at Gerrards Cross began to collapse. Fortunately nearby trains were approaching the station in order to make a stop or were at the platform and were able to come to a stand well short of the rubble which fell. From a distance the hole looks bad, but not atrociously bad. But…

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Crossrail – the May 2023 ‘final’ timetable

Much has already been written about the Elizabeth line 2023 timetable – the so called ‘final’ timetable signifying the completion of the Crossrail scheme with all the proposed services implemented and 24tph (trains per hour) running in the central operating section. Here we look to see whether the timetabling aims have been achieved and, now that we have seen through…

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