-
1 month ago | 
cogitamus.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
In an episode all about roads and cars, Christian and Mark Walker discuss the troubles facing electric vehicle giant Tesla as the company’s reputation becomes entwined with that of its leader, Elon Musk [1:40]. Christian interviews Transport Action Network founder and director Chris Todd on why the UK Government should cancel the vastly expensive Lower Thames Crossing road and look at public transport alternatives instead [13:00].
-
1 month ago | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
The editor has asked me to look to the future. This is to mark the fact that the railways are celebrating their 200th anniversary – actually I think 2030 is a better date given the importance of the Liverpool & Manchester rather than the ramshackle Stockton & Darlington and but we won’t go there. In reality trying to work out what the railways will be like in 200 years when our great grandchildren will all be dead is actually impossible.
-
1 month ago | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
-
1 month ago | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
The privatised train companies made a mistake by taking a hardline in relation to Labour’s plans to bring back operations into the government fold. Rail Partners, set up by a consortium of various private rail interests took a particularly aggressive line towards the plan, with its boss, Andy Bagnall, even going to Labour party conference to argue the case that the policy should be reversed.
-
2 months ago | 
cogitamus.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
Christian and Mark analyse the speech from UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP and her proposals on London Heathrow Airport, the Lower Thames Crossing and East West Railway [1:42]. Christian interviews Abi Taylor and Joe Thomas on the campaign for family-friendly trains in Great Britain [17:38] and Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of First Rail, on his company’s ambitions to run more open access services [34:35].
-
2 months ago | 
cogitamus.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
Christian interviews Alan Hyde from ‘Railway 200’ on the exciting programme of celebrations marking the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and of the industry which changed not just the UK but the whole world [1:28]. Co-presenter Mark Walker discusses with Christian the big changes underway in England’s bus industry with completion of Manchester’s franchised Bee Network and a new Bus Services Bill being introduced into Parliament [28:27].
-
2 months ago | 
railmagazine.com | Christian Wolmar
When I went to Japan in November (RAIL 1024, 1025), I was accompanied by the wonderful Rod Smith, who introduced me to various Japanese railway people and showed me round Tokyo.
Rod, a professor at Imperial College, had a long-term interest in high-speed railways, particularly the Shinkansen, not least because his wife comes from Japan.
-
2 months ago | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
For the second time this decade, we have had three transport secretaries in a year, emphasising how this is a post relating to a long term industry that suffers from short term tenures of ministers. In 2022, it was because of the insane Truss interregnium when Anne-Marie Trevelyan held the post for just seven weeks, and this time we’ve had an election and a very minor and rather odd scandal which did for Lou Haigh.
-
Jan 14, 2025 | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
This was not a good budget for transport. There was some positive aspects such as the confirmation of some long announced railway schemes and there was £100m for active travel. Oh yes, the motoring lobby may feel they have chalked up a victory by stopping the fuel duty rise – or rather preventing the Conservative cut in fuel duty from being scrapped – but even they have lost a number of key road schemes for which, frankly, good riddance.
-
Jan 14, 2025 | 
christianwolmar.co.uk | Christian Wolmar
The man who walked up the stairs was the embodiment of the cartoon image of a paedophile. Grey, thinning hair, a couple of days’ stubble and a gabardine raincoat. He had come to persuade us that the age of consent for sexual activity should be reduced to four years old ‘because that’s when children have the ability to express themselves’. The ‘us’ was the small collective who worked for Release, a charity that helped young people who had got in trouble with the law, usually over drug use.
