Analysis of the latest patronage figures for Britain’s rail franchise operators show that Virgin trains outperformed the onset of the economic crisis with substantial double-digit growth in passenger numbers in fiscal year 2009/10, according to the Office of Rail Regulation’s National Rail Trends Yearbook. The recession provoked fears of a major drop in rail demand [...]

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Reading Transport, the council-owned bus operator, recorded a £1.45m pre-tax loss during the year to 4 October 2009, as the impact of the recession drove turnover down by over 3%, according to its annual accounts. The directors report that revenue fell during the year by 3.3% to £26.2m, following a fall in patronage from March [...]

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It’s funny how a question asked by a colleague can set you thinking. Earlier this week, I got an e-mail from somebody whose boss had asked him a question about fuel costs in the bus industry: what had happened to fuel costs since 1986? It was interesting, because the standard response is “well, of course [...]

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Lothian Buses, the publlicly owned comany that runs the majority of the local bus network in Edinburgh and its environs, moved decisively back into the black during the year to 31 December 2009 after making a small loss last year. According to its annual accounts, revenue was 8.3% ahead at £112.2m, whilst operating costs were [...]

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I see from the trade press that transport minister Norman Baker has once again been expressing puzzlement over the fact that motoring costs have generally fallen in real terms over recent years, whilst bus fares have generally risen by more than inflation. Since this is fairly fundamental to his considerations of future policy as a [...]

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The esteemed Professor Peter Hennessy, the modern and constitutional historian, knows a thing or two about Government and public policy-making. He’s quoted in today’s Financial Times as saying that members of the political class reach the top not by evidence-based policy “but by mobilising prejudice more effectively than the competition.” As the FT’s own fascinating [...]

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It’s always rather amusing to read an article which argues with a case you have made, only to find that the person is arguing with something he thinks you said rather than what you actually said. It’s also occasionally frustrating, because it becomes quite clear that the people doing the arguing have either not read [...]

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Students of the much loved TV series “Yes, Minister” and “Yes, Prime Minister” will be familiar with many of the techniques employed by both politicians and civil servants in order to manage public opinion and to look after their own interests, if necessary at the expense of others – including their own colleagues, businesses and [...]

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Award-winning operator Brighton & Hove Bus and Coach Company saw profits fall during the year ended 27 June 2009, according to its annual accounts. Results were affected by the onset of the recession and changes in traffic patterns following the introduction of England-wide free concessionary travel in April 2008. Turnover in the business rose by [...]

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Bus operator Stagecoach Manchester saw a significant improvement in performance during the year to 30 April 2009, according to its annual accounts, recording an increase of more than 40% in operating and pre-tax profits. Strong double digit revenue growth resulting from both volume increases and acquisitions took total turnover to £92.6m, and in the process [...]

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