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Our latest post about the transport industry and technology
Nine Out Of Ten Cats, Or Is That Bus Passengers
I am as ever deeply indebted to Anthony Smith, CEO of Transport Focus who this week published the results of the Bus Passenger survey. By far the biggest and best yet with 50,000 passengers across the length and breadth of England and Scotland, giving their verdict on...
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The Demise Of the High Street…
As ever I find myself indebted to the guru that is the one and only Mr Chris Cheek who has recently revealed that a staggering one third of bus passengers are no longer going to the shops to make their purchases. Over the last ten years the traditional high street has...
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I’m Not In Love, I’ve Got Lumbago…
So, there we were driving down the Hagley road on a wet and windy Saturday night off to enjoy a well deserved Christmas present treat. Namely going to attend a gig at the, I have to say truly impressive Symphony hall, part of the International Convention Centre,...
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Using The Bus ;What Young People Think
For the second time in a week I am indeed indebted to the excelllent crew at Transport Focus (See what I did there using the word “crew’ as I am down with the kids, quite clearly), who hosted an excellent, innovative, and inter-active survey results and discussion...
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Straight Outa Compton..Or Is That Clent…
One of the joys of having cancer is you never quite know what experience you are going to enjoy next. Don’t get me wrong some are simply ghastly. I will not go into detail but when you own a storma bag, you never quite know what is going to happen next. Nine times out...
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Transport Focus; Surface Access To Airports And Coach Use
I was deeply indebted to David Sidebottom, Director of the excellent Transport Focus who kindly invited me to what was actually a really interesting and inspiring event that was hosted at Heathrow Airports training academy. An impressive guest list was gathered to...
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National Express Results; Outstanding 2018!
It is always good to witness a Company that year on year constantly continues to grow from strength to strength. National Express have done that consistently over the last few years. To be fair, it really is a very impressive story, going back only a few short years...
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The Simple Joy Of A Bus Ride
I dont know about you, but can you remember the very first time that you went on a bus. I do not mean one of those children’s carousel rides, where they would invariably include a fun double decker bus, where the best seat in the house was naturally upstairs on the...
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Understanding Buses; A Master text
One of the eternal mysteries of life that I have often contemplated is simply this. Why, oh why in an industry that employees hundreads of thousands of employees, and that supplies the oxygen of mobility to the local communities that it serves along the length and...
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DFT, Under The Spotlight….
I was deeply indebted to my good chums at Coach and Bus Weekly who included a rather excellent article where the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Transport Minister Nusrat Ghani, MP, along with her mate Catrina Henderson, Head of Buses and Taxis at the...
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Slipping Off This Mortal Coil..
One of the things that happens when you get diagnosed with a life threatening illness like cancer, is that you quite rightly begin to question not just your own mortality, but maybe equally important what really is important in both life and beyond. Do not get me...
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Ding Dong; All Change In First Manchester
Well there had been plenty of speculation, not only in the trade press but of course social media had also been doing its bit to spread the fake/real news speculation. Indeed it is an ironic if not perverse irony that these days like it or not Facebook, Twitter,...
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All Aboard The Valentine Love Bus
A few short years ago when I was working at the Diamond Bus Company we thought that it would be a bit of a lark if we did something rather special for Valentine’s Day. So, we did, basically we customised a bus and offered our passengers the chance to add a Valentine’s...
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Transport Focus; Passenger Survey Results, Smashing!
There is an old expression that has been doing the rounds across the UK, since before Pontious was a pilot. And it is this, normally said by comedians looking for a quick, cheap gag, but also universally popular with many others. And this is it; “Typical, no bus for...
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Time For The Coach?….
I have always been an unabashed fan of the humble coach, I have grown up with it from my earliest memories it has been part of my world. In fact the truth is that I like it or not I was born into it, my dad back in the day was once the MD of National Express Coach...
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UK Bus Summit Lives Up To Expectations!
Well, I must confess that I did in truth have high hopes that the Uk Bus summit held yesterday in the Queen Elizabeth conference centre nestled literally next door to the House of Commons might just live up to my own high expectations...and it did. The keynote address...
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Roll Up, Roll Up, UK Bus Summit 2019
I cannot believe that it is 5 years since the first UK Bus summit, it only seems like yesterday, and what happy salad days of innocence and contentment they were. Back in the day, Brexit was not even a word, “Just call me Dave” Cameron was the Prime Minister, happily...
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UK Bus Industry At The Crossroads; The Good Bit-Giles Fearnley
This blog is the second part of a key question which investigates the biggest challenge facing the UK Bus industry in 2019. However, ironically it also presents the biggest opportunity that the Industry has ever had certainly in my life time. The first blog focused on...
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