Leon Daniels OBE speaks to David Boden about bus and rail integration and how bus operators in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are working with local authorities
David Boden is Business Development Director at Stagecoach East and Chair of the CP (Cambridgeshire & Peterborough) Bus Alliance, an association of bus operators aimed at giving the people of the region an improved transport network. He’s a passionate supporter of transport integration, including ‘Total Transport,’ the concept that champions cross-sector approaches to passenger transport.
David and Leon, both evangelists for bus-rail integration and making public transport for the benefit of the passengers, started their conversation by discussing the lack of progress in the industry when it comes to bus-rail interchange.
DAVID: It’s a sad thing, because where bus meets rail, both grow passengers and grow revenue. You see that in Cornwall, you see that in Devon. You see the brilliant work John Lord (Director of economic consultancy Yellow Book) is doing in Scotland. That can be replicated elsewhere in the country. What we badly need, though, is for our rail cousins to come to the table, because we’re ready in bus. We understand customers want a full journey.
LEON: And in towns and cities where the bus operator and the rail operator is the same, for example in places like Bristol – where First Group is the bus operator and the rail operator – I think the public finds it very confusing that one organisation provides both services, but the two halves of the organisation don’t necessarily talk to each other.
DAVID: Yeah. What we are trying to say is: Let’s talk to each other. I’ve heard one rail integration manager saying ‘I won’t do bus integrations, the bus ticket’s too expensive.’ And I said ‘can you just talk to us please?’ Because we want to make this work. Customers have primary needs: where they need to go, the right time, the right price. And they need the right experience waiting for the bus, when they’re on there, and at the end when they’re trying to complete their journey. So, it’s in all our best interests to work together to make that full journey seamless.
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