A passenger who types in ‘cheap train tickets’ to any search engine will get a wide range of pages offering tips and tricks to get those prices down (including our advice of course). From where and when you buy them to where you change trains, the savvy shopper can save a lot of cash on a long-distance journey. But it…
What makes a good journey for passengers? We’ll all have our own ideas and preferences. When I’m travelling by train for work I want space to get my laptop out and a good view out of the window. If I’m catching a bus into town I look for a frequent service and a good value ticket. What almost every passenger…
Last week, the Transpennine Route Upgrade entered a very busy period of work, with a nine day rail blockade at Morley Station, meaning disruption for passengers and closures of stations, routes and the use of rail replacement buses. As the rail passenger watchdog, we were out and about observing many of the temporary changes that passengers experienced. Travelling on a…
Transport Focus has been reviewing the online information available to rail passengers in the run up to this week’s strikes affecting many train companies in England. I’m glad to say that we’ve found good practice in a number of places. Overall, though, the information is frustratingly in need of ‘sharpening up’ to make it as simple as possible for passengers…
We’ve been following up to see if earlier suggestions to make rail strikes information clearer for passengers have been taken on board. There’s been action in some places, but we found there was still room for improvement: Our suggestion to use graphics more, making things easier to see ‘at a glance’ have been acted on. Since we looked ahead of…
The West Midlands bus driver strike continues. We know from our research that around half of regular bus users don’t have easy access to any other mode of transport for their journeys, so will be struggling to reach work, appointments or leisure activities. So, as the voice of transport users, how can Transport Focus help? We have no role in…
We know that lorry drivers provide a vital service to the economy and to society. The vast majority of all goods and services are transported by lorry, so the importance of looking after drivers welfare by providing decent rest stop facilities is paramount. Our research in this area shows that lorry drivers are less satisfied with their overall experience of…
Transport Focus recently welcomed the extension of the Government’s £2 bus fare cap to the end of June 2023. A much needed move to save passengers money during the cost of living crisis and a great incentive to attract people back to using the bus or trying it out for the first time. Last week we published our updated research…
The West Midlands is never far from the spotlight – from hosting the Commonwealth Games through to being the new home of everyone’s favourite mechanical bull (more of him later!). As a key part of the public transport network right in the centre of Great Britain, the West Midlands region certainly keeps Transport Focus busy. Our colleagues are regularly out…
One-day London travelcards are under threat. Transport for London is currently consulting on whether it should get rid of this type of ticket, including when sold as an ‘add-on’ to a train ticket into London. Travelcards added to a train ticket can be great value for money, although if you are only making a few short journeys once in…