I have worked in the public transport industry for over 47 years, the last 32 as a analyst, consultant and journalist
I wear several hats, including:
- Managing director of 2FM Limited, a holding and investment company
- Managing director of Passenger Transport Intelligence Services, which publishes books and reports about transport issues in the UK
- Director of Passenger Transport Publishing, publishers of the fortnightly UK trade magazine Passenger Transport.
Consultancy
I have worked on a wide variety of consultancy projects across all modes of public transport, including bus, light rail and conventional rail. Projects have included Private Finance Initiative or franchising bids in the UK, including Croydon Tramlink, Nottingham Express Transit, Docklands Light Railway, Manchester Metrolink, Sheffield Supertram, Leeds Supertram, Merseytram and both the CERT and tram projects in Edinburgh. Similar work overseas includes Yarra Trams privatisation (Melbourne, Australia), the Brisbane Light Rail project and the Dublin LUAS project.
In addition I have worked as adviser on seven passenger rail franchise bids. I have also been involved in several projects to do with the planning and development of bus rapid transit projects in Oxford, Crawley, East Leeds, Edinburgh, East Lancashire and Greater Manchester, together with light rail schemes in Bristol, Kent, London and South Hampshire. I worked with the Department for Transport on the development of a National Bus Model and with the Commission for Integrated Transport on a parallel National Rail Model. Other projects include a major survey on bus industry fuel consumption, and advice to lenders and City institutions on acquisitions and flotations.
I have acted as a strategic adviser to several of the UK's major bus groups on a variety of issues. I was an expert witness at the Public Inquiry into the Leeds Trolley Vehicle System order in 2014 and to the QCS Board inquiry into the proposed Quality Contract Scheme for bus services in Tyne & Wear in July 2015.
I speak regularly at conferences and seminars, including the CPT Scotland conference in November 2015, the Welsh Bus Summit in Wrexham in January 2017 and Transport Scotland's Bus and Active Travel conference in October 2018. I also talk regularly at Young Bus Managers Network conferences about the latest statistical trends.
Writing and Publications
Since 1991, I have edited major research publications on public transport, including Bus Industry Monitor, Rapid Transit Monitor, Rail Industry Monitor and Concessionary Fares UK. I am now responsible for the Passenger Transport Monitor, the online subscription service that was introduced in 2009 to supplement the industry monitor publications.
In 2009, I edited the publication The Economics of the Bus Operation, and was responsible for the second edition published in December 2014. This was superseded at the beginning of 2019 by Understanding Buses, a clear, non-technical, jargon-free explanation of how the bus industry works.
Journalism
I was a regular contributor to Local Transport Today magazine from its foundation in 1989 until 1995, serving as Assistant News Editor (North) between 1991 and 1995. The next major role was to write regular business analysis columns for Transit magazine between 1996 and 2009, as well as contributing to other trade journals. In 2011 I helped to found Passenger Transport magazine and still write regularly there. I also contribute a regular column to Rail Professional magazine.
In the field of leisure travel and tourism, I helped to found Group Travel Organiser magazine in 1988 and wrote the magazine's theatre and entertainment pages between 1989 and 2008.
Awards
In 1996, I helped to found the Bus Industry Awards, a scheme designed to promote excellence and good practice in the industry, rebranded in 2005 as the UK Bus Awards. This was followed by the launch of the Passenger Transport Management Awards, run in 2008 and 2009. The UK Coach Awards came along in 2009, run annually ever since and dedicated to recognising and rewarding excellence and good practice amongst coach operators and their staff. The award schemes were a major part of my life until retiring from them in 2018.
Employment History
1972-1974: Senior Management Trainee, National Bus Company (Midland Red)
1974-1975: Area Traffic Officer, Bristol Omnibus Company
1975-1977: Depot Traffic Superintendent Belle Isle, West Riding Automobile Co, Wakefield
1977-1978: Area Traffic Superintendent, Yorkshire Woollen District Transport
1979-1980: Administrative Officer, Group Transport Department, Debenhams plc
1980-1983: Traffic Manager, Evan Evans Tours Limited (leading London sightseeing and coach touring company)
1983-1987: Business Manager, London Crusader Ltd (specialist marketing unit for coach travel in London, a subsidiary of the National Bus Company)
1987 – Present: Independent consultant and journalist. Managing Director of 2FM Limited.
Qualifications
BA (Hons) degree in History from the University of Lancaster in 1972
Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FCILT), and a member of the Chartered Institute of Management.