By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
routeonerouteonerouteone
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Search
© 2024 routeone News. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: What does new Transport Secretary hold for coach and bus?
Share
Font ResizerAa
routeonerouteone
Font ResizerAa
Search
  • News
    • Show all
    • Awards & Events
    • Deliveries
    • Environment
    • Exhibitor News
    • Euro Bus Expo 2024
    • Features
    • Legal
    • Minibus and minicoach
    • Operators
    • Opinion
    • People
    • Suppliers
    • Vehicles
  • Vehicles
    • Find a Vehicle
    • ZEV Comparison Tool
    • Sell a Vehicle
    • Vehicle Seller Dashboard
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • Events
    • British Tourism & Travel Show
    • Euro Bus Expo
    • Innovation Challenge
    • Livery Competition
    • routeone Awards
  • Advertise
  • Contact
    • Share your news
    • Subscribe
    • Update Subscription Details
  • Latest Issue
  • SIGN UP
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd
- Advertisement -
-
routeone > Editor's Comment > What does new Transport Secretary hold for coach and bus?
Editor's Comment

What does new Transport Secretary hold for coach and bus?

Tim Deakin
Tim Deakin
Published: December 4, 2024
Share
What does new transport secretary mean for coach and bus?
SHARE

A surprise to many was the pace with which Louise Haigh came, saw, and went as Transport Secretary. While she no doubt now regrets promising during her early days in post to move fast, her fall from grace proves that today’s minister is tomorrow’s anonymous backbencher.

Equally rapid was her replacement with Heidi Alexander. Contrary to what has been said in some of the more partisan mainstream sources, Ms Alexander already has knowledge of the brief through time spent within the London political machine as Deputy Mayor for Transport.

Ms Alexander supported Andy Burnham in his previous bids to lead the Labour party, and after her appointment as Transport Secretary little time elapsed before she hosted Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram. Both of those men are staunchly in the camp of greater public control for bus services and lead the way in franchising rollout in England.

That gives a strong idea as to what will change for coach and bus from Ms Haigh’s tenure to that of Ms Alexander: Nothing. No divergence on policy, even if Ms Alexander is more from Tony Blair’s version of Labour than Ms Haigh is. Manifestos transcend personalities. In any case, Simon Lightwood retains immediate ministerial responsibility for the sector.

Whether the arrival of Ms Alexander will delay the Buses Bill in England is less clear. It is promised before the close of the year. Parliament rises for Christmas on 19 December and so pushback is not inconceivable, although sources close to the matter suggest that work continues at pace to come good on the 2024 intention.

Nevertheless, among Ms Alexander’s first tasks was deciding how rail franchises in England controlled by the Department for Transport (DfT) will return to public ownership. It is reported that she is taking a more cautious approach to that than Ms Haigh favoured, although the messaging remains the same.

Doubtless further down the ministerial list of priorities is a course of action for PSVAR. Those familiar with it note that little is said about the accessibility conundrum in routine dialogue between coach industry representatives and DfT officials.

That is a worry. A government response to the call for evidence on the review of PSVAR and publication of the next steps for accessibility is a year late already, and it is now inevitable that the current medium-term exemption structure will be pushed back beyond its mid-2026 end date.

With zero knowledge of what the PSVAR review will require of the coach industry, a ticking clock and buyers increasingly keeping their powder dry on accessibility when purchasing new vehicles pending long-term clarity, the ongoing inaction is storing up a problem.

So what of Ms Alexander? Writing in The Guardian in 2016, she decried unprofessionalism and unwillingness to make decisions, and indicated that engaging with the media is not her thing. A Transport Secretary who gets on with the day-to-day quietly and efficiently may be what is needed – but she must remember that items further down her agenda are just as important as those at the top.

Share This Article
Facebook LinkedIn Threads Email Copy Link
ByTim Deakin
Tim is Editor of routeone and has worked in both the coach and bus and haulage industries.
Previous Article Congestion and bus speeds solution imperative Congestion and bus speeds remedy urgent: Stagecoach East MD
Next Article Bus accessibility needs highlighted by Simon Lightwood Minister calls for better bus accessibility on Brighton and Hove visit
- Advertisement -

Latest News

Go-Ahead London – Managing Director
Careers Jobs
andy burnham tfgm £15.6 billion (1) The funding announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves today (4 June) has been allocated to several combined mayoral authorities to use on rail, tram, road and bus infrastructure. Transport for Greater Manchester revealed today that part of the £2.5 billion it will receive will go towards making the Bee Network fully battery-electric by 2030. An as-yet undecided portion of that will support a planned investment in 1,000 new zero-emission buses over that period, the mayoral authority said. That is part of plans to build the UK's "first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system", with trams and trains also set to benefit. Liverpool City Region's already announced BRT system is among the projects to which its £1.6 billion will be allocated. Under those plans - due for realisation by 2028 - a high-speed network will be served by articulated buses which are modelled on the 'Glider' in Belfast. It is due to link Liverpool city centre with John Lennon Airport, and Liverpool FC and Everton FC's respective stadia along three routes. Although the model of bus has not been confirmed, a Van Hool Exqui.City on loan from Belfast was last year used as a demonstrator. That 18m vehicle can accommodate around 30% more passengers than a typical bus and has three sets of double doors. The funding will also go towards buses elsewhere in the city as the region heads towards franchising services by 2027. Liverpool Mayor Steve Rotheram with a 'Glider' which was on loan from Belfast last year - an example of the sort of bus which could serve the new BRT Bus services in the East Midlands region will be boosted by the funding, thanks to the £2 billion handed to it today by the government. Some of that allocation will be used for a rapid transit network on the Trent Arc between Nottingham and Derby. Between the two cities, the Freeport, Infinity Park Investment Zone and Ratcliffe-on-Soar will also benefit from the improved bus services. South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority's newly announced commitment towards bus franchising has been boosted by £350 million in funding as part of that region's allocation. The funding for West Yorkshire will help build new bus stations in Bradford and Wakefield. Likewise, the Tees Valley Mayoral Authority will put its sum towards a new £15 million bus station in Middlesbrough. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander says: "Today marks a watershed moment on our journey to improving transport across the North and Midlands – opening up access to jobs, growing the economy and driving up quality of life as we deliver our Plan for Change. "For too long, people in the North and Midlands have been locked out of the investment they deserve. With £15.6bn of government investment, we’re giving local leaders the means to drive cities, towns and communities forward, investing in Britain’s renewal so you and your family are better off."
TfGM’s all-electric bus plan boosted by new £15.6 billion package
News
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Local Transport Minister opens First Bus electric depot in Hengrove
Bus
Contract pricing conundrum for coach and bus
Contract pricing conundrum: Unlikely to get easier any time soon
Editor's Comment
- Advertisement -
-

routeone magazine is the indispensable resource for professional UK coach, bus and minibus operators. The home of vehicle sales and the latest bus and coach job vacancies, routeone connects professional PCV operators with complete and unrivalled news coverage.

  • Terms & Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • GDPR Policy
  • Sustainability
  • Advertise
  • Latest Issue
  • Share Your News
routeonerouteone
Follow US
© 2024 routeone News | Powered by Diversified Business Communications UK Ltd