191. Transport Talking Aloud, Carmen Hall, 23 May 2024
The first speaker was Louise Cheeseman – recently retired Director of Buses for Transport for London (TfL) and founder of the ‘Women in Bus and Coach’ initiative. She described the sexism she faced as the only female rail guard before her career rapidly advanced. Even then, visitors would ask her to make the coffee or take the Minutes. She rapidly changed that so everyone shared in the responsibilities. In the bus and coach sector, 91% of employees are men and the average age is 52. The sector urgently needs to recruit new, younger staff. Louise sought to achieve responsible positive change and get rid of the macho culture. She fostered a more supportive community, advancing talented individuals regardless of gender. She also challenged the physical constraints, eg cabs designed for 6ft men. Toilets at depots had to be accessible for all. In the past the actual route taken by bus drivers was determined by the availability of toilet and catering facilities. She identified the root causes of good and bad management and instigated a programme Better Together.
Leon Daniels, OBE – Senior Warden, renowned Transport Executive, and global authority on mobility was our second speaker. He lamented the historic lack of political and public concern about public transport. It was seen as in decline, and for the poor and elderly. Different parts of the network had the same numbered buses to get round the restriction by unions preventing staff from working on different routes. There has been a loss of carriageway space and a significant increase in pedestrian space. Small van deliveries in urban settings have significantly increased, as it is more reliable to receive a delivery at work.
He pushed
for every rail ticket to include PlusBus automatically, thereby benefitting
every bus company and facilitating bus travel. Through ticketing is essential but must be
regulated to avoid sales of routes earning the largest commission.
2000
replacement buses are required each year to 2040 to meet emission and air
quality standards.
He described
the options for alternative fuels to diesel.
With Euro 6 standards is there much benefit in switching to electric
vehicles, he asked. With hydrogen, a 700
bar tank on the roof of each vehicle added to the weight and risk.
He claimed
that since Covid air pollution has deteriorated as traffic speeds have reduced.
The government requirements restricting
the use of transportation during Covid had been a disaster and only now was the
use of public transport beginning to return to normal. Drivers who had previously, before Covid, been
finally persuaded out of their cars had not returned to public transport.
Battery
technology was rapidly advancing such that battery life could be as long as
vehicle life.
Autonomous
vehicles were the future but they are under the spotlight. Road fatalities currently stand at four or
five per day, due to human error – but are we prepared for a death caused by an
autonomous vehicle?
Siddy Holloway - a presenter of Yesterday Channel’s ‘Secrets of the London Underground’, an author, historian, and actress with a passion for uncovering hidden worlds and telling untold stories was the last speaker. Siddy described her background in Iceland and the Scandinavian approach to public transport. Yellow public buses are a reliable feature standing out especially in the snow.
Siddy has
been working for the London Transport Museum since 2015. She is the Curator and Engagement Manager for
Hidden London and recently become known for presenting Yesterday Channel’s
‘Secrets of the London Underground’. She
started on outreach to schools advising on safe transport by bus and coach,
talking to people on the front line. Enjoying story-telling, Siddy began her public
engagement with walking tours, including one on Jack the Ripper. Perception of the Underground has completely
changed. The Underground symbol is more universally
recognisable than the Olympic rings or Micky Mouse’s ears.
All agreed that accessible transport was a human right. Public transport worked best when co-ordinated, not fragmented. Infrastructure must be planned and provided first, not an afterthought. We needed to change the Treasury view. Transport is not an end in itself, it is an enabler for everyone.
Three fascinating talks, mainly preaching to the converted. These messages need wider publicity, especially with those who have the power to bring about necessary change.
Comments
Post a Comment