Launching Season 3, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker report from the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on the keynote address by UK Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh MP [3:48]. Christian analyses a meeting discussing driverless cars addressed by Minister for the Future of Roads, Lilian Greenwood MP [13:50} and talks about his o…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker bring listeners right up to date with progress of the new UK Labour Government's rapid legislation to allow franchised passenger train operations to return to state control [01:45]. Mark discusses with Christian his recent Guardian article calling for the abandonment of all England's major road building scheme…

Christian looks skyward with HACAN Policy Director Paul Beckford to turn the spotlight on UK Airspace Modernisation and what this will mean for both passengers and residents living under the flightpaths [2:07]. Next, it's a discussion with TransPennine Express Managing Director Chris Jackson about restoring train service frequency and a host of inn…

In our first ever episode recorded in front of a live audience at the Cogitamus and Rail Forum #allchangerail seminar, Christian Wolmar and Mark Walker examine the outcome of the UK General Election and the appointments of Labour's Transport Ministers [1:08] along with publication of the new Government's extensive transport legislative programme in…

Christian and Mark Walker look at the main UK parties' General Election manifesto pledges on transport with Labour's hot off the press [1:35]. Nautilus International General Secretary Mark Dickinson speaks to Christian about his union's manifesto for a thriving merchant shipping industry in the UK [15:17]. Christian recounts his cycling tour of the…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine the transport policy choices facing the UK political parties contending to win the 2024 General Election [1:25]. Mark interviews Christian about his latest book - The Liberation Line - telling the heroic story of how the reconstruction of the railways in France after D-Day from June 1944 hastened the A…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker visit the impressive HS2 station and viaduct construction sites in central Birmingham to see how the project is transforming the city's connectivity and skyline [1:30]. They also discuss the latest twists in the UK's roadspace culture wars including the insane conspiracy theories around '15-minute cities' [20:…

Taking a brief pause between media interviews on the Labour Party's freshly published plan for railways in Great Britain, Christian discusses with Mark Walker the strategy, proposals, details and still unanswered questions revealed in the Shadow Transport Secretary's paper [1:09]. Christian and Mark then examine the progress by the House of Commons…

Christian speaks at length with Steve Norris, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the UK Department for Transport between 1992 and 1996, who was the key Rail Minister serving John Major's Conservative Government in delivering the privatisation of Great Britain's railways and the creation of new industry structures. While reflecting on the pas…

With further strikes scheduled in many of England's train companies, Christian speaks to Simon Weller, Assistant General Secretary of drivers' union ASLEF, about what the shape of a settlement to the long-running disputes over pay and conditions might look like [2:08 ]. Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the latest developments in Great…

A double interview edition where Christian discusses expanding active travel across the capital with Greater London's Walking & Cycling Commissioner, Dr Will Norman [1:39] and a new initiative to promote social mobility through railway employment with Steve White, Managing Director of Southeastern [21:27]. Christian also reflects that the big tech …

With the Draft Rail Reform Bill published by the UK Government for scrutiny by the House of Commons Transport Committee, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss just what this says about the direction of travel after six years rail reform in Great Britain and ask whether any of the proposals will ever be implemented [01:30]. The centrepiece …

Christian sees for himself the hydrogen-powered bus fleet introduced through the pioneering partnership between Surrey County Council and Metrobus [01:30] before discussing with Mark Walker the findings of the House of Commons Public Accounts Committee on the cancellation of the northern sections of HS2 [30:47]. Listeners then receive an update on …

In this special episode with just one item, Christian discusses with Jim Steer, Director of Greengauge 21, the prospects for restoration of the cancelled sections of Great Britain's new high speed railway - HS2 - and the difficult choices facing whichever party forms the next UK Government later in 2024.…

Christian interviews Scotland's Railway's Managing Director Alex Hynes about how having a national transport strategy and the greatest possible collaboration between trains and track is powering innovation across the business [1:25] before taking a quizzical look with co-presenter Mark Walker at LNER's radical ticket reform proposals on its Edinbur…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine a positive report on progress in jet airliner safety alongside extraordinary incidents in Tokyo and Portland [02:00]. We have an extended interview debunking myths about electric cars with Edmund King OBE, President of the AA [12:40] and explore the implications of a Daily Mirror report on the scale of…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker consider the transport news and policy highlights of their first year of podcasting [1:10]. Christian celebrates 30 years of Eurotunnel operations with John Keefe, Chief Corporate and Public Affairs Officer at Getlink Group, asking what the future holds for the conveyance of road vehicles, growth in passenger …

Christian interviews the Aviation Environment Federation's Tim Johnson about just how green the first trans-Atlantic commercial flight using Sustainable Aviation Fuel really was [2:40]. Mark Walker and Christian discuss the rail, road and aviation measures contained in the UK Government's response to the Union Connectivity Review [24:14]. Our co-pr…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker delve into the details of UK parliamentary bills covering automated vehicles [1:40] and pedicabs [11:42] and reveal why legislation on railways in Great Britain won't get beyond the draft stage [17:15]. Picking up on the recent UK Government ministerial reshuffle, Christian and Mark look at the biographies and…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker consider the UK's Automated Vehicles Bill [1:45] and the Draft Rail Reform Bill [6:30]. Christian then interviews new Freightliner boss and rail industry legend Tim Shoveller about his career and the lessons he draws for the future [11:43] before speaking on site to Luton DART General Manager Linsey Sweet abou…

Breaking news brings an extra episode from Christian Wolmar and Mark Walker who scrutinise the complete abandonment of proposed rail station booking office closures in England after a huge public backlash [1:30] and the withdrawal of Cruise self-driving cars in the USA following safety concerns [16:30]. In his Final Thought from the Departure Loung…

In an antidote to intense recent coverage of HS2 and alternative schemes, Christian Wolmar and Mark Walker take a look at 5 transport stories from around the UK listeners may have missed [2:20]. Christian reports on what the House of Commons Transport Committee was told about August's air traffic chaos [11:14], how National Highways in England has …

In this special episode recorded in Liverpool focused on the 2023 principal UK political party conferences, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the Conservatives’ announcement on measures designed to protect the interests of motorists [1:10] along with the cancellation of the remaining sections of the HS2 high speed rail line and the div…

As the 2024 UK General Election looms ever closer, Christian Wolmar and Mark Walker examine why both the Conservative and Labour Parties are tying themselves in knots over HS2 [2:40] and whether the reform of Greater Manchester's bus network is the precursor to a wave of changes across the country [10:28]. Still with buses, Christian interviews Ale…

Is Christian Wolmar's sceptical view of self-driving vehicles vindicated by the report from the House of Commons Transport Committee [1:59]? Does the new default 20mph speed limit on residential streets in Wales point the way to better road safety or economic ruin [9:50]? Will political choices leave the breathtaking HS2 Old Oak Common station as t…

We're back! Christian Wolmar and Mark Walker launch Season 2 bringing you up to date with three of the summer's biggest transport stories - air traffic control in crisis [1:49], Greater London's ULEZ extension [5:19] and England's main line rail booking office review [8:58] - including the take on the latter of ASLEF union leader Mick Whelan [13:51…

SEASON ONE FINALE! Christian examines in detail the advantages, challenges and myths around Low Traffic Neighbourhoods with Green member of Oxford City Council, Emily Kerr [2:53]; innovative passenger boarding technology at Eurostar is then explained by the company's Gwendoline Cazenave and Gareth Williams with Andrew Budd from iProov [24:50]; and …

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the furious reaction to suggestions that booking offices at most of England's main line rail stations will be closed and the arguments put forward by advocates of this policy [01:30]; Christian undertakes a cab ride between London Paddington and Oxford with Great Western Railway Managing Director Mark …

EXCLUSIVE! With industrial disputes continuing to affect most main line passenger rail services in Great Britain, Christian hears from ASLEF train drivers' trades union leader Mick Whelan that there has been no contact from UK Department for Transport Ministers since 6 January [1:04]. Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker also follow-up the item f…

Podcasting from Cambridge, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the effectiveness of the Cambridgeshire Guided Busway [00:00], the challenges of introducing a congestion charge for the City [06:18] and the status of the East West Railway project [14:10]. They then consider the lessons of the 2016 fatal crash on Croydon's tram system follo…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss how the tragic and very serious accident in Odisha should not be used to reinforce obsolete tropes about safety on Indian Railways [00:00]; Christian then returns to the subject of calls for graduated driving licences for young people in the UK by interviewing two trustees of the Under 17 Car Club whic…

What a week! Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker review the extraordinary impact of this podcast's revelation of UK Department for Transport plans to cut passenger wifi provision on franchised rail services in England, including an extensive debate in the House of Lords of the UK Parliament (to whom we are very grateful for the audio clips). Chr…

SCOOP! Calling All Stations brings news that the UK Department for Transport is trying to switch off passenger wifi on the train services it controls in Great Britain. Christian Wolmar has the exclusive as our top story. In a special edition focused on rail in Great Britain, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the status of the reform pr…

Revealed - the latest position on reshaping Great Britain's main line rail industry. In this podcast, Christian speaks at length with Anit Chandarana, Lead Director at the Great British Railways Transition Team on the work of the GBRTT, the wide range of reform issues the team is addressing and the prospects for legislation implementing the William…

A preview of Christian's next book - 'The Liberation Line' - telling the story of the Allies' amazing reconstruction of railways in France and beyond following the Normandy landings of 1944 [01:15] is followed by an in-depth interview with Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of Transport Focus, the principal consumer watchdog organisation for rail, bus …

This week, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine the cutbacks to the UK Government's Smart Motorways programme in England [1:30], analyse what the grilling of UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper MP by the House of Commons Transport Committee tells us about the rail reform programme for Great Britain [8:12], discuss why two-wheeled forms of …

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker take a close look at the saga of the new ferries for island shipping services in Scotland [01:30], scrutinise promises of hands-free driving on Great Britain's motorways [11:15], reflect upon the renaissance of sleeper trains in Europe [17:00] and cheer on prospects for smoother boarding of flights from UK air…

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker look at the latest developments with HS2 and Euston [01:30], the controversies around Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and 15-Minute Cities [14:19], the UK Government's response to the Independent Review of Net Zero by Chris Skidmore MP [26:45] and how Queens Park Rangers are leading the way on sustainable travel in…

Christian and Mark Walker discuss the announcement of Derby as the future headquarters for Great British Railways [01:00], Christian talks about reducing road accidents with David Davies, Executive Director of the Parliamentary Advisory Committee on Transport Safety [10:30] and discusses city region developments with outgoing Urban Transport Group …

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss recent changes to the construction timetable for Great Britain's new high speed railway HS2 [01:22], possible further proposals for reform of the bus regulatory regime in England [12:10], the unprecedented order for new civil aircraft by Air India [19:27] and the decision by the UK Chancellor of the Ex…

This week, Christian's prominent scepticism about the promise of autonomous road vehicles is questioned by Members of Parliament on the House of Commons Transport Committee [00:48], he interviews Rail Forum Chief Executive Elaine Clark on issues being addressed by this thriving supply chain trade association [20:25], explores with Severn Valley Rai…

Joined by co-presenter Mark Walker, Christian this week reflects on how public transport provision in Northern Ireland differs from that in Great Britain [1:28], considers a major report on possible sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels in civil aviation [9:36], analyses recent serious rail accidents in the United States of America and Greece [1…

We apologise in advance for the less that perfect audio quality in some parts of this episode. This week, Christian discusses plans for rail investment in Cornwall with Great Western Railway's Mark Hopwood [00:36], attends the Parliamentary Reception supporting Growth Track 360's campaign for better public transport linking North Wales and North We…

Rail reform in Great Britain special! Christian discusses the recent speech by UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper MP on the next steps for reform of Great Britain's railways with legendary editor of RAIL magazine Nigel Harris. Also listen at the very end for the mysterious case of the disappearing British Rail sandwich #sandwichgate.…

This week, Christian explains the expansion of London's Ultra Low Emission Zone [00:57], examines trials of driverless buses in Scotland and Oxfordshire [09:35], takes a deep dive into UK Levelling Up Fund grants for transport projects with a special focus on South East Wales [16:56] and argues that HS2 should be built all the way to Euston [27:52]…

Christian's thrilling and informative cab ride with GB Railfreight is bookended by a discussion of the importance of Chris Skidmore MP's review of Net Zero for the UK Government and reflections on attempts to launch artificial satellites from Cornwall. There are also some harsh words for the unintended consequences of e-bike hire schemes.…

Christian examines the pros and cons of Smart Motorways, festive getaways by airline, the centenary of railway grouping, fast parcel transit on trains and the latest industrial relations developments while looking ahead to transport prospects in 2023.By Cogitamus Limited

Christian pays tribute to a giant figure of the transport industry, reflects on the current industrial relations scene and finances of Great Britain's railways and examines bus fare capping, e-scooter technology and whether airliners can ever be truly safe without co-pilots.By Cogitamus Limited

Leading UK and international transport writer and journalist, Christian Wolmar, explores current issues across a range of modes including railways, cycling, autonomous vehicles and even space travel. He takes a deep dive into the underlying causes of - and possible solutions to - the ongoing wave of workforce strikes affecting the railways of Great…