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Better Connected — but where are the drivers, safety, and operational reality?

The Department for Transport has published its new “Better Connected” strategy, promising a more integrated transport system with tap-and-go travel across trains, trams and buses, stronger local leadership and simpler journeys. On the face of it, that is the right direction. For years, passengers have been left to deal with fragmented ticketing, disconnected timetables, poor interchanges and a system that too often feels like separate services awkwardly stitched together. Proper integration should mean public transport works as a network, not a patchwork. But integration is not delivered by branding, ticketing technology or ministerial language alone. It is delivered by whether services actually run properly in the real world. That is where this strategy starts to look much weaker. The document talks about safer, more reliable and more accessible journeys. It refers to engagement with local leaders, advocacy groups, transport users and frontline workers. All of that is welcome. B...
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Bus safety governance: still not defined.

A recent Freedom of Information response regarding bus safety governance and transparency arrangements suggests key elements of safety oversight are not yet in place. The request asked for information on: • governance arrangements for bus safety oversight • roles and responsibilities for safety performance • safety transparency and publication frameworks • Enhanced Partnership safety monitoring • benchmarking with other authorities The response indicates that much of this information is not currently held, reflecting that formal safety governance arrangements are still being developed. This raises an important question about timing. EMCCA formally took on transport responsibilities in early 2026. However, the authority itself was established earlier, with staff in post and transition planning underway ahead of the transfer of powers. That raises a reasonable question about whether safety governance arrangements could have been developed in advance, rather than after responsib...
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Driver wellbeing isn’t just a welfare issue — it’s a safety issue. And this isn’t a new idea.

Guidance from the British Safety Council has for years highlighted that driving for work should be treated in the same way as operating potentially dangerous machinery. That means fatigue, stress, health and working conditions should all form part of structured risk management. Yet across the bus sector, the focus still tends to sit elsewhere. Vehicles are inspected. Infrastructure is assessed. Performance is measured. But the condition of the person actually driving the vehicle is often treated as secondary. The British Safety Council’s guidance on work-related driving places clear emphasis on managing driver fatigue, wellbeing and human factors as part of safety management. That includes recognising that long hours, pressure, poor facilities and fatigue can all influence concentration, decision-making and risk. For bus workers, these factors are familiar. Long duties. Tight running times. Limited access to facilities. Sedentary working. Operational pressure. All of thes...
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Public Bus Funding — But Evening Services Cut: Where Is The Money Going?

At a time when Government funding is being provided to improve local bus services, serious questions are being raised about how that money is actually being used. In Thurrock, passengers are facing reduced evening services, longer waits, and earlier last buses — despite funding being allocated through the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). For shift workers and those reliant on public transport outside peak hours, the changes represent not an improvement, but a clear deterioration. One passenger, writing to their MP, highlighted that the new timetable means if a bus is just missed, they now face a wait of up to 59 minutes. The same letter also points out that the last evening bus has been brought forward, further reducing accessibility for those travelling home late. These changes have been described locally as a “slightly reduced frequency”, yet the reality for users is a substantial reduction in evening provision. This raises an important and legitimate question: how can servic...
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Key Route Network Development: An Opportunity to Embed Bus Safety and Reliability

The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) is beginning work to define a regional Key Route Network (KRN). These networks are typically intended to identify the most important strategic corridors, supporting movement, reliability and economic activity. They can play a significant role in shaping transport priorities. However, a recent Freedom of Information response suggests the Key Route Network for the East Midlands is still at a very early stage of development. The response confirms that criteria for identifying routes, methodology for selection and supporting documentation have not yet been developed. Similarly, no timeline, governance paper or project plan is currently held. This is not necessarily a problem. Early-stage development presents an opportunity. It provides a chance to think carefully about what a Key Route Network should achieve and how it should be structured. Traditionally, Key Route Networks focus on general traffic movement, congestion management an...
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No National Guidance for Bus Collision Investigations – A Major Safety Gap

A Freedom of Information response from the National Police Chiefs’ Council has revealed a significant gap in the way bus collisions are investigated and safety lessons are identified. I asked whether any national guidance exists covering: • investigation of bus and coach collisions • reporting of safety lessons following incidents • sharing findings with regulators or government The response was clear. No information is held. This means there is currently no national guidance for police forces specifically covering the investigation of bus collisions, no structured approach to identifying systemic safety issues, and no defined process for sharing lessons learned with transport regulators or government. That raises serious questions. Bus services carry large numbers of passengers, operate in complex urban environments and interact constantly with vulnerable road users. When serious incidents occur, understanding the underlying causes and identifying lessons is critical. Yet th...
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Transport Strategy 2050: Where Does Driver Safety Fit?

The draft Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2050 sets out an ambitious vision for the future of transport through the Bee Network. It focuses on integration, reliability, accessibility, sustainability and improving safety across the transport system. These are important objectives. A safer, more reliable and integrated public transport network is something the industry should support. But reading through the strategy raises an important question. Where does driver safety fit? Transport strategies often focus on infrastructure, services, passengers and performance. Safety is usually framed in terms of reducing collisions, improving network reliability and creating safer environments for passengers and road users. These are all important. However, the condition of the driver — the person ultimately responsible for operating vehicles safely — is rarely addressed in a structured way. This creates a potential gap. Driver fatigue, stress, long hours, sedentary working and long-ter...
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