What three words would you use to describe your role?

Challenging, fast-paced and interesting.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My days are typically spent talking to customers about our products to identify new requirements and ways that we can add value for our clients. I also work closely with our Product Owner and CTO around the development programme and our Service Delivery Manager.

What is something most people don’t know about you?

I have a black belt in karate – well I did when I was 13 anyway!

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?

Probably Australia – I like the good weather, but my foreign language skills are not up to much!

What is the one thing you can’t live without?

Friends – I think we have all missed the opportunity to go for a beer with friends in recent months.

Do you have a favourite book?

Probably more of a guilty pleasure but I always read a John Grisham book when I am on holiday!

What music are you listening to at the moment?

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds

Do you have any hobbies?

I like going to the gym and running. Not so much my hobbies but my children are both very active, so I enjoy watching them take on a range of activities from the side-lines as well.

If you could get a new skill in 10 minutes, what would it be?

My son plays the guitar, which looks pretty cool – fortunately for him he has inherited his mother’s musicality not mine, which is non-existent.

Given a chance, who would you like to be for a day?

I recently watched the Last Dance and played lots of basketball when I was younger – so maybe Michael Jordon at his peak or any professional athlete just to experience what it would be like to be that good for a day!

How do you think the industry will change in 10 years?

The vast majority of vehicles will be zero emission as the investment that our clients have started making in alternative fuel vehicles continues. Autonomous vehicles will still be a little way off, but integrated transport networks in major towns and cities will be the norm.

What advice would you give to someone who’s just started their career?

Work hard and take on the responsibility as it is offered to you and be prepared to learn from both your successes and failures!

Read last month’s Employee Spotlight with BSOG Manager, Sarah Bayliss

17 May 2021, Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) guidance document has been published, part of the National Bus Strategy, by the Government.

BSIP submissions will need to set out a high-level vision and key interventions to deliver it, with the overarching aim will be to grow patronage.

The timetable for Local Transport Authorities to submit a BSIP :

• 30 June: Decide whether to pursue Enhanced Partnership (EP) or develop a franchising assessment
• 31 October: Publish a BSIP
• 31 March 2022: Have either an EP in place or be following the statutory process to develop a franchising assessment

Access to a share of the £3bn to be provided by the Government for buses required these deadlines to be met.

 

Download the National bus strategy: bus service improvement plans – guidance to local authorities and bus operators

Read the full Government announcement on the £3 billion bus revolution

Download the Bus Back Better: national bus strategy for England

Join EPM and Omnibus on 30^th June and 1^st July at ITT Hub 2021 – a new industry event which supports the government’s decarbonisation of transport plan – taking place at the Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre.

Exhibiting the best in road-transport innovation and technology for fleet operators, planners, and policy makers; ITT Hub combines an indoor exhibition, outdoor interactive display, and demonstration space with a high-profile Future Logistics Conference.

Visit us on stand A33 and speak to EPM’s Software Director, Nick Brookes and Product Manager, Mark Jones; Omnibus’ Managing Director, Peter Crichton and Technical Account Manager, Kieran Proctor on the latest passenger transport software to increase commercial, financial, and operational performance; from scheduling, to staff rostering, depot allocation and timetabling.

Visit the website: ITT Hub 2021

Address:

Farnborough International Exhibition and Conference Centre
Etps Rd, Farnborough
GU14 6FD

24 March 2021 – The Welsh Government has published Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy 2021 in its aim to improve transport over the next twenty years.

The strategy will see passengers benefit from a transport system that is accessible, efficient, and sustainable with a focus on reducing transport emissions.

In line with recommendations from the UK Climate Change Committee, the Welsh Government has committed to introduce legislation to achieve a net zero carbon emissions target by 2050, with plans to meet a 63% reduction by 2030 and an 89% reduction by 2040.

This will be achieved by encouraging the use of public transport and other sustainable methods such as cycling and walking over driving cars.

There are three main priorities in the strategy:

• Bring services to people in order to reduce the need to travel – which will mean an increase of local services
• Allow people and goods to move easily from door to door by accessible, sustainable, and efficient transport services and infrastructure
• Encourage people to make the change to a more sustainable transport option by making public transport more affordable and reliable

The strategy will require governments, local authorities, transport providers (both commercial and third sector) and other policy areas to work together to help ensure that transport contributes to the current and future well-being of Wales.

Read the full document: Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy 2021

Easy-to-read version: Llwybr Newydd: The Wales Transport Strategy 2021

15 March 2021, Government has announced a new bus strategy along with a £3 billion investment into the sector to encourage people to use buses over cars. The strategy is a complete overhaul to build a better bus services as we recover from the pandemic.

The strategy will see passengers across England benefiting from more frequent, more reliable, easier to use and understand, better coordinated and cheaper bus services.

The changes include:

• Simpler bus fares with daily price caps, so people can use the bus as many times a day as they need without facing mounting costs
• More services in the evenings and at the weekends
• Integrated services and ticketing across all transport modes, so people can easily move from bus to train
• All buses to accept contactless payments

Through the plans the Government is driving for the fragmented, fully commercialised market, which has operated outside London since 1986 to end. They want to see operators and local councils enter into a statutory “enhanced partnership” or franchising agreements to receive the new funding and deliver the improvements.

Read the full Government announcement on the £3 billion bus revolution

Download the Bus Back Better: national bus strategy for England