Transport for the North has released a statement saying that if the Northern Rail franchise was to become “unsustainable” then they would prefer an Operator of Last Resort take over the franchise in any interim arrangement. They add that in any such arrangement they should have a “strong involvement” and “oversight” of an interim operator.
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Air Quality News reports that Manchester City Council has stated that they want 50% of all journeys in Greater Manchester to be taken by public transport, bike or on foot by 2040. The Council also wants 90% of all trips to the city centre during the morning rush hour to be made on public transport,…
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The Government has reaffirmed its pledge to create an “infrastructure revolution” which includes major investment in roads and rails. Roads Minister, Baroness Vere announced that the new dual carriageway on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon will open a year ahead of schedule this year. Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps said the commitment was part of…
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Legislation to reform how the railways are managed, and a White Paper proposing the further devolution of powers from Whitehall to mayoral combined authorities are among pledges contained in this week’s Queen’s Speech. The rail reforms will build on the final recommendations of Keith Williams’ review of the railways ordered by then transport secretary Chris…
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Brexit is the B-word that dominates political conversations right now, but those of us in the transport sector have noticed that the Prime Minister regularly utters another one – buses. This is not normal. Buses haven’t been given the attention they deserve from politicians. Some Prime Ministers have come and gone without ever mentioning them…
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Prime minister Boris Johnson announced his intention “to give the railways of the north back to the people of the north” at this month’s NP11 Convention in Rotherham. “In the combined authority or joint transport committee areas in the North East, West Yorkshire, Sheffield City Region, Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, it is time for…
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The announcement by the Chancellor of an imminent National Bus Strategy is arguably the first strategic steer for bus policy since buses were deregulated over 30 years ago. It doesn’t come a moment too soon. Buses are responsible for three in every five journeys made by public transport, carrying millions of people to school and…
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Rail is a mode of mass transport which fits perfectly into a wider concept of mobility characterised by an integration of multiple modes of transport, including public and private transport. In this context, rail could be the backbone for future mobility. Creating extra capacity on the railways can be challenging, however. Additional rail infrastructure is…
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“Oh no, not another thought-piece on the ‘Future of Mobility’” you may be thinking; why all this talk of disruption and transformation when all we want is to make the trains run on time? Or reduce congestion on our roads? Or support cycling and walking with appropriate infrastructure? Or reduce air pollution in our cities?…
Read moreTransport for the North has released a statement saying that…
Read moreAir Quality News reports that Manchester City Council has stated…
Read moreThe Government has reaffirmed its pledge to create an “infrastructure…
Read more“The Transport Knowledge Hub is a fantastic resource and I’m really excited about the opportunity to explore how we can maximise its use among transport stakeholders. In the South East Midlands, investing in local transport infrastructure has unlocked significant economic growth. The Hub offers a formal framework for sharing expertise with decision makers around the UK, as well as learning from the experience of others. This will enable more investment to be directed towards local and sustainable forms of transport.
Hilary Chipping, Deputy CEO, SEMLEP
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