Insight Articles: Our Blog
A series of articles analysing and commenting on the passenger transport scene.
The Myth of “Affordable Fares”
Long term trends point to an unsustainable gap in bus service economics between revenue earned and costs of operation.
One of the current mantras expressed by many local transport authorities and politicians is that bus fares must be “affordable” – though nobody ever quite explains what that means.
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- By: Chris Cheek
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The Case for Faster Buses
The Role of Speed in England’s Bus Networks
An article about the nature and extent of the recently published CPT-commissioned research on bus speeds and the potential benefits of increasing them
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- By: Chris Cheek
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Patronage hits new record in golden autumn for the railways
1923 total exceeded again after six years, but revenue yields still depressed
Growth in demand for rail travel took passenger numbers up by 6.3% to a new all-time record in the rolling year in 2025, according to National Rail Trends statistics published by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The previous record, set in 2019, stood at 1,780.9m – a figure now exceeded in two successive quarters, reaching 1,812.2m during the autumn.
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- By: Chris Cheek
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Branding – a suitable case for treatment?
Imposing national liveries on bus and rail misunderstands what transport branding is about
One of the most controversial announcements in 2025 in rail was the launch in December of a proposed corporate identity for Great British Railways (GBR) by the Department for Transport. This wasn’t the only public transport rebranding of 2025, either – earlier in the year, we had new corporate identities for two of the major bus groups, First Bus and Stagecoach. Arguably, though, all three are misconceived and irrelevant.
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- By: Chris Cheek
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63 LTAs saw bus patronage growth in 24/25
Only 12 get back to Pre-Covid levels as TfGM is fifth in growth league
Some measure of bus patronage growth was achieved in 72% of local transport authorities (LTAs) in England in the last financial year, according to new Passenger Trabsort Monitor analysis of the Department for Transport’s annual bus statistics. The growth achieved ranged from 19% in Herefordshire to 0.2% in Stockton-on-Tees. Greater Manchester was fourth in the growth league, on 10.7%.
However, only 12 of the 88 extant LTAs in England had reached or exceeded their 2018/19 total by March 2025 – whilst another four had got within 1% or so of that number (see table below).
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- By: Chris Cheek
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Rail funding down by 4.8% as Network Rail grants cut
Passenger support up by 3% as bills rise in Scotland, Wales and London
Government support for the rail industry at current prices fell by 4.8% during 2024/25 and dropped below £12 billion, according to recent ORR figures. The spending was split between Network Rail, (£7,607 million, down 8.7%) and the passenger train operators, who received (£4,183m, 3% up). Another £27.5m was spent on freight grants, a 33% cash increase.
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- By: Chris Cheek
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