This weekend sees a full closure of the M25 between junctions 10 and 11 near Wisley in Surrey. Clearly, closing such a busy stretch of road all weekend will cause inconvenience to many road users. If a journey cannot be avoided, it is more important than ever to plan the route in advance.  We know that accurate, helpful information is a must for road users. It needs to be clear where a road will be closed, that there’s a diversion clearly signed and how much extra time (and mileage) will be added to the trip. At the moment we’re talking to road users about their experiences when diverted ..read more

On Tuesday the Government published the long-awaited Draft Rail Reform Bill. This is an important milestone in reforming our railways. At its heart is the creation of a new rail organisation, Great British Railway. Passengers could be forgiven for wondering why this matters and what difference it will make for them. During the rail review consultation process we asked passengers what they wanted from reform. They were quite clear – they wanted it to be clear who is in charge of the railway, with someone taking overall responsibility for planning and running services and who was accountable for ..read more

The UK reached a new milestone in January, selling its millionth electric car. The number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road continues to rise – up 21 per cent from January 2023. Interestingly this growth is largely down to the fleet market, demand from private buyers has declined (as it has for petrol and diesel vehicles) according to recent registration data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Among private buyers EV sales were down 25 per cent and petrol and diesel down 15 per cent. Is consumer confidence in EVs waning or are there other factors at play? What ca ..read more

How can the industry entice people back onto the bus? We saw from the £2 fare cap that value for money is a key factor to help get bus passengers back on board. Cornwall was one of the few authorities where the number of people using the bus was rising prior to Covid, and while it took a hit during the pandemic it is now almost back to pre-Covid levels. Cornwall participated actively over many years in our Bus Passenger Survey. Although bus passenger satisfaction scored well above the national average, passenger satisfaction with value for money remained stubbornly low – in 2019 performance wa ..read more

This week a second ‘Great British Rail Sale’ launched, offering half-price tickets for many journeys. This is welcome news for passengers. Our research shows that value for money is passengers’ top priority, alongside reliability and punctuality. The sale not only gives regular passengers a chance to save some money, but just as importantly provides the opportunity to entice some people who don’t regularly travel by train back on board. Last year we surveyed 2000 people about their Motivations and barriers to rail usage. We asked current users, lapsed users and non-users of public transport if ..read more

It’s sometimes said that rail passengers want a ‘boringly reliable’ service. In other words, one where it’s unusual for a train to be late or, worse, the railway to be closed. Sadly, for a whole host of reasons, the railway isn’t boringly reliable at the moment. There’s the industrial relations. After last week’s welcome news of a possible breakthrough in the RMT dispute with train companies, ASLEF strikes have been announced for early December affecting many passengers in England. And then there’s the weather! From Agnes, Babet, Ciarán to Debi, the various named storms already this autumn hav ..read more

All our research on rail confirms the importance of punctuality for passengers – they want and expect their train to be on time. When it’s not, a good, easy way to claim compensation can take some of the sting out of delays. That’s why in 2019 we launched our Make Delay Pay campaign and made a number of recommendations to the rail industry. Our research found too few people claimed what they were entitled to, often as they weren’t aware or found it too much of a hassle. We worked to raise passenger awareness and encourage the railway to make it easier for people to claim. Today, in partnership ..read more

Motorway services are often a critical part of our journeys. Most of us have felt tired or hungry, run short of fuel or just needed a comfort break when on a long drive. Some of us plan where to stop in advance, returning to services where we have had a good experience in the past, or where we know what services and brands to expect, but others may just stop anywhere. In our latest Motorway Services User Survey most users are satisfied with what they find when they pull off the motorway for a break, but that’s not the case for everyone. There are some groups of users who have specific needs wh ..read more

This week, many families will be taking to the roads to help move their children into university accommodation around the country. A time packing up the car with numerous essential (or maybe not!) items to ensure that home from home comforts and essential study equipment is transported to start their higher education journey. Many of these journeys will be on new and unfamiliar roads. Whether travelling on the M6 to Lancaster, the M1 to Sheffield or anywhere else in any direction, motorways and major ‘A’ roads will be a key element being used across the country. It is when these less than fami ..read more

Rail headlines are dominated by questions around the future of ticket offices. But strikes and overtime bans have been going on for more than a year, creating uncertainty and difficulty for passengers. And engineering works – albeit vital – bring disruption. In the middle of this passengers are still making journeys for work and pleasure, day in day out. What has it been like for those travelling by train over the past few months? Transport Focus’s Rail User Survey asks passengers in Great Britain about experiences of travelling by rail and how satisfied they were with thei ..read more