Bernt Reitan Jenssen is the Chief Executive of Ruter, the public transport authority for the Norwegian capital Oslo. He has a vision: for a data-driven public transport network so responsive to user needs that it replicates the freedom offered by the private car. This may sound unachievable but Ruter has a track record. They have nearly achieved to…

Leila Zegna is co-founder and Partner of Kindred Capital, one of the top venture capital firms in the UK. In her day job, she backs entrepreneurs with small startups but huge ambitions. She is also a Trustee of Boston Children’s Hospital and spent most of her career in Silicon Valley. So she has a great perspective on what corporates can learn from…

This week I’m joined by a council officer. But no ordinary council officer. Colin Knight is doing something extraordinary: working with scientists and automotive engineers to develop an entirely new form of transport. When challenged by his political masters to reduce the costs of a new tram network for Coventry, Colin realised that the only way to…

Vernon Everitt is Commissioner for Greater Manchester at a time of rapid (transformational?) change. Manchester is the UK’s pioneer for re-regulating buses as part of a wider integrated Bee Network, which is intended to bring together buses, bikes, trains and trams. On this week’s Freewheeling Podcast, we talk about how much has been done, what’s l…

I bet, like me, you constantly hear references to what the Treasury thinks. “The Treasury” sometimes seems to be a person in its own right, with its own opinions and culture. How did the Treasury form its culture? How does the Treasury work? How does the Treasury think? My guest this week, Katie-Lee English, spent a year working in the Treasury and…

Daniel Knowles is the Midwest Editor of The Economist. But when he spoke to me from Chicago, it was not about US politics but about cars. His book Carmaggedon describes in acute, forensic detail why cars make life worse. Not just for people who don’t use them, but for people who do - and for the billions of people who currently don’t but wish they …

Almost three years to the day since the previous episode of The Freewheeling Podcast, I'm thrilled to tell you that I'll be back next week to start Season Two. We've got a great series coming up, starting on Thursday with Daniel Knowles, author of Carmaggedon. It's a fascinating conversation - please do join me!…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · The People Behind the Wheel Podcast Episode 4 – Thomas Ableman, Transport for London Beginning the conversation for this episode, Thomas Ableman shares his journey into the transport industry and his current role at Transport for London (TfL). He reflects on his experiences and the pivotal moments that shaped his car…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 32 – Sean Collins, Uber Boats by Thames Clippers Beginning the conversation for this episode, Sean Collins, Managing Director of Uber Boats by Thames Clippers, discusses the innovative steps the company is taking to enhance sustainability in urban water transportation, delving in…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 31 – Christophe Tenthorey, RATP Dev Casablanca Beginning the conversation for this episode, Christophe Tenthorey, Director of RATP Dev Casablanca, discusses the remarkable growth and importance of new transportation infrastructure in Morocco’s commercial capital, highlighting the…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · The People Behind the Wheel Podcast Episode 3 – Rachel Geliamassi, Great Western Railway Beginning the conversation for this episode, Rachel Geliamassi, Customer Service Director at Great Western Railway (GWR), shares her journey and enthusiasm for enhancing customer experiences within the transportation sector. Rach…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 30 – Jennifer Sanders, North Texas Innovation Alliance Beginning the conversation for this episode, Jennifer Sanders, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the North Texas Innovation Alliance (NTXIA), sheds light on how the alliance serves as a catalyst for innovation and collabor…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · The People Behind the Wheel Podcast Episode 2 – Young Tae Kim, ITF Beginning the conversation for this episode, Young Tae Kim, Secretary-General of the International Transport Forum (ITF), shares insights into the multifaceted nature of his role and the diverse expectations of the 66 member countries within the forum…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 29 – Phil DeVault & Patrick Brady, King County Metro Beginning the conversation for this episode, Phil DeVault, Director of Bus Operations at King County Metro Transit, and Patrick Brady, Metro Driver and Member of the Amalgamated Transit Union #587 (ATU 587), discuss the incepti…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 28 – Claire Walters & Jennie Martin, Bus Users UK Beginning the conversation for this episode, Bus Users UK’s Chief Executive and Chair, Claire Walters and Jennie Martin, delve into the gradual, yet remarkable, evolution of technology in public transportation across the UK. They …

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 27 – Oliver Lord, Clean Cities Campaign Beginning the conversation for this episode, Oliver Lord, Head of UK at the Clean Cities Campaign, shares valuable insights into the organisation’s mission and vision, shedding light on its commitment to advancing clean transportation solut…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 26 – Sophia Mohr, Central Ohio Transit Authority Beginning the conversation for this episode, Sophia Mohr, Chief Technology Officer at the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), provides insight into how technological innovation is transforming public transit in Central Ohio, emp…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · The People Behind the Wheel Podcast Episode 1 – Lona Hankins, New Orleans RTA Beginning the conversation for this episode, Lona Edwards Hankins, CEO of the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA), provides a glimpse into her role at RTA and the unique challenges and opportunities that she faces in managing the h…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 25 – Claire Mahoney, Go-Ahead Group Beginning the conversation for this episode, Claire Mahoney, Head of Colleague Experience at The Go-Ahead Group, highlights how a shift in customer perspective within the transport sector has had a positive impact on the colleague environment. …

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 24 – Katherine Conrad, NEORide Beginning the conversation for this episode, Katherine Conrad, CEO of NEORide and Intelligent Transport Advisory Board member, shares her insight into the development and implementation of EZfare, as well as the challenges that come with serving a r…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 23 – Alex Berwin, Forest Bikes Beginning the conversation for this episode, Alex Berwin, Head of Policy at Forest, provides valuable insight into the multifaceted strategies and challenges that underpin the company’s commitment to fostering environmentally friendly transportation…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 22 – Mohamed Mezghani, UITP Beginning the conversation for this episode, Mohamed Mezghani, Secretary General of the International Association of Public Transport (UITP), provides valuable insight into the UITP Global Public Transport Summit 2023, delving into the diverse range of…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 21 – Joost Vantomme and Roelof Hellemans Beginning the conversation for this episode, the MaaS Alliance’s Joost Vantomme and Roelof Hellemans provide valuable insights into the global trends shaping the need for Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) and the pivotal role that the MaaS Alliance plays in promoting seamle…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Intelligent Transport Podcast Episode 20 – Isabel McAllister, First Bus Beginning the conversation for this episode, Isabel McAllister, Chief Sustainability & Compliance Officer at First Bus, provides valuable insights about her role and the company’s commitment to achieving a zero-emission bus fleet by 2035, highlig…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 19 – Emily Meaux and Lacey Everett, IndyGo Foundation Beginning the conversation for this episode, Emily Meaux – Executive Director of the IndyGo Foundation – and Lacey Everett – Chair of the IndyGo Foundation’s Board of Directors – share their thoughts on the importance of making public transport services mo…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 18 – Steven Ahlig, Siemens Mobility Software, and Olga Nevska, Telekom Mobility Solutions Beginning the conversation for this episode of the Intelligent Transport podcast, Steven Ahlig (Head of Portfolio & Strategy at Siemens Mobility Software) and Olga Nevska (CEO of Telekom MobilitySolutions) share exclusiv…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 17 – Kevin Orr, Liftango Beginning the conversation for this episode, Kevin Orr – CEO and Co-Founder of Liftango – shares his thoughts on the importance of improving transport equity in underserved communities, and highlights the benefits that can be experienced by communities when residents have better acces…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 16 – Douglas Spears, Modaxo Our conversation begins by considering the innovation requirements of ‘megacities’, as well as the challenges that these megacities face when trying to implement them – in particular, Douglas highlights the problems that are faced when implementing innovations such as ITS solutions…

Intelligent Transport Podcast · Episode 15 – Thomas Wolf We begin this episode by considering why it is so important that Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) is delivered both successfully and globally, and how the concept can benefit both passengers and the public transport industry. Thomas also shares his thoughts on how successful MaaS initiatives can …

My guest this week is Chris Stark, the CEO of the Climate Change Committee. His job is to set the national carbon budget and then report to Parliament on whether we’re on track to hit net zero. Earlier this year, his committee praised the Government for its ambition in setting targets but warned that ‘time was running out’ for the delivery plans to…

Angela Hultberg is my first return guest on The Freewheeling Podcast. Since we last spoke she has joined the UN’s Climate Champions team preparing for the COP26 Climate Conference in Glasgow. Her remit is road transportation and she joins me to talk about how the COP process works, what we can expect from the Glasgow conference and the priorities f…

Andrew Haines has a big task ahead of him. As well as leading Network Rail, he also has to create a completely new public body to run Britain’s railways. The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail outlined the creation of a new ‘fat controller’ organisation to manage the railways on behalf of customers, but the current CEO of Network Rail has the job of tur…

Professor Jillian Anable, of the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, is an expert on the future of motor transport. She also has something of a track record as a forecaster: she accurately saw the trend towards SUVs coming, and fears they will be fatal to Britain’s chances of hitting its carbon targets. She tells me she is a…

The Freewheeling Podcast has now been live for exactly six months, so let's look back at some of the highlights from the first season. I won’t be releasing new episodes in August: too many listeners are away (as are too many guests!). So here’s a 10 minute summary of some of my favourite episodes of the last six months. If you’ve dipped in and out …

13 years ago, Simon Munk decided to take his local councillors on a bike ride to demonstrate just how dangerous the roads were for cyclists. Without knowing it, he’d kickstarted a revolution that resulted in Waltham Forest becoming a national (even global?) leader on cycling infrastructure - and led to Simon quitting his day job to become a full ti…

We kick things off by asking what exactly the industry means when it talks about data, and the importance of clarifying what type of data is being discussed and through what kind of lens. There’s detail from Andy on how operators and authorities can use data to deliver better value for customers, plus its role in improving operational efficiency an…

In the week that the Government publishes its decarbonisation plan for transport, my guest is someone that has thought deeply about this topic. Patrick Warner is both Lead Officer for Bus Decarbonisation at Liverpool City Region and Head of Innovation for Brighton & Hove/Metrobus (one of Britain’s most forward-thinking operators). Through his resea…

Ray Stenning claims to have designed more train and bus liveries than anyone else, ever. It seems likely to be true. His designs span the world but all typify his obsession with ‘creating desire’. He believes that design is of fundamental importance but often both misunderstood and undervalued in transport. We discuss what good design is, why it ma…

Few people have championed buses like Katy Taylor. In an industry not renowned for rocking the boat, Katy Taylor has been a passionate advocate for the Government giving buses more support and attention. The National Bus Strategy, in part, owes its existence to Katy’s constant lobbying. Now in her last few weeks as Strategy and Customer Director at…

Horace Dediu doesn’t just “get” micromobility, he invented the very word “Micromobility”! Back in 2015, he saw the transformational potential of small, motorised vehicles and has been championing their adoption ever since. Who better to discuss this global revolution with than the man who first saw it coming? Horace is an analyst and founder of Asy…

Brianne Eby is an expert in transport policy who, in her role as Senior Policy Analyst at US transportation thinktank Enotrans, advises the federal Government, state Governments and local Governments. Last year she did a major piece of research into congestion pricing but we also talk about the wider environment for change in public transport globa…

Charles Read teaches economics and history at Cambridge University. His areas of interest include pandemics, famines, financial crises and, on a brighter note, all things related to transport. Trains, planes, ships and cars have fascinated him since an early age. Recently, he has written several articles about the future of transport after covid-19…

My guest Dyan Crowther has run a traditional rail franchise, a non-revenue risk rail franchise, a region of Network Rail and now leads Britain’s only High Speed line at HS1. With experience of such a mix of incentives, systems and structures, she is the ideal person to talk to about running a railway in the post-Williams era.…

Should companies have a wider purpose? Professor Alex Edmans has written extensively on why capitalism is the best way to grow the pie for everyone, but how companies can only succeed with a wider social purpose. The tensions between public and private are a constant feature of transport and in today's discussion we explore the role of wider corpor…

After - finally - discovering what the Williams Shapps Plan for Rail actually said, I got together with Sir Michael Holden to discuss it. After all, who better to pick it apart than someone who’s actually run trains for the Government. Michael Holden has first-hand experience of the strengths and weaknesses of both public and private sector, having…

Professor Kate Jeffery is a global leader in the neuroscience of navigation. By monitoring the brains of rats as they move about a box, she can start to figure out how our brains learn where we are - and how we create a mental map of the world. In this discussion, we talk about how the brain works, the different parts of the brain used for navigati…

Giles Fearnley has founded two successful independent transport businesses and ended his career running the country’s biggest bus group. What has he learned from Blazefield, Prism and First? Are the things that drive growth the same as those that create a shareholder return? Is there a future for the big bus groups? Do we have a problem with short-…

My guest this week has focused on transport for a decade. She was Shadow Rail Minister under Ed Miliband, Shadow Transport Secretary under Jeremy Corbyn and chaired the Transport Select Committee until the last election. We talk about what it’s like doing these different roles in politics, the key messages she’s heard on the select committee and th…

Roc Sandford is a Catalyser for the environmental direct action group Extinction Rebellion. Living off-grid on an otherwise uninhabited Hebridean island, he spends time in London either taking direct action himself or pressing Extinction Rebellion’s case. In this episode, we talk about what ER want, get under the skin of how they work as an organis…

My guest this week is attempting to turn round a supertanker of a culture. Few places are more synonymous with car travel than IKEA. Yet the giant of blue boxes has committed itself to achieve not just carbon neutrality, but carbon negative - and all in the next ten years. Angela joins me on The Freewheeling Podcast to talk about what sustainable m…