Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

In an episode all about roads and cars, Christian and Mark Walker discuss the troubles facing electric vehicle giant Tesla as the company's reputation becomes entwined with that of its leader, Elon Musk [1:40].  Christian interviews Transport Action Network founder and director Chris Todd on why the UK Government should cancel the vastly expensive Lower Thames Crossing road and look at public tran...

Christian brings listeners the second part of his report on rail developments in India with particular reference to the city of Mumbai [2:15]; Mark Walker and Christian discuss the growing pressure for a decision on how to replace HS2 between Birmingham and Crewe [19:03]; in a tribute from the departure lounge, Christian reflects on the life and work of Professor Rod Smith [26:09]. Find 'Calling A...

Christian reports live from India in the first part of his latest exploration of the country's vast and diverse railway system [1:23].  The new UK Government's consultation on establishing its own version of 'Great British Railways' is discussed by Christian and Mark Walker [6:53].  Richard Dilks - Chief Executive of CoMoUK - speaks to Christian about the opportunities for and challenges facing sh...

Christian and Mark analyse the speech from UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves MP and her proposals on London Heathrow Airport, the Lower Thames Crossing and East West Railway [1:42].  Christian interviews Abi Taylor and Joe Thomas on the campaign for family-friendly trains in Great Britain [17:38] and Steve Montgomery, Managing Director of First Rail, on his company's ambitions to run mo...

Christian interviews Alan Hyde from 'Railway 200' on the exciting programme of celebrations marking the bicentenary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and of the industry which changed not just the UK but the whole world [1:28].  Co-presenter Mark Walker discusses with Christian the big changes underway in England's bus industry with completion of Manchester's franchised Bee Network and a ne...

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine the brief but spectacular tenure of Louise Haigh MP at the helm of the UK Department for Transport  and ask what changes the past career and experience of new Secretary of State Heidi Alexander MP may bring [02:20].  Live from Tokyo, Christian reports on his experience of using the city's vast Metro system as well as Japan's pioneering high-speed Shin...

Christian applies his journalistic sonar to HS2's controversial bat mitigation measures, detecting new aspects to the saga [2:00]. Transport Planning Society Chair Ben Plowden is interviewed by Christian at the Society's conference ‘The Road Less Travelled: the Principles, Policies, Practicalities and Politics of Reducing Car Use in the UK’ [13:43]. Co-presenter Mark Walker discusses with Christia...

In this episode of The Transport Podcast, Christian Wolmar interviews Steve Gooding, Director of the RAC Foundation on what last week's UK Budget by the Chancellor of the Exchequer says about current and future plans for road vehicle taxation as electrification spreads and discussion of journey-based usage charges grows [01:45].   Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker then examine, compare and lo...

In this exclusive episode of The Transport Podcast, Christian talks to train drivers' union ASLEF's Assistant General Secretary - Simon Weller - about what really happened when the UK Labour Government came into power and negotiated a settlement of the long-running pay dispute [2:30], including exploring in detail the issues around Sunday working, why the Conservatives' anti-strike measures failed...

In this episode of The Transport Podcast, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine the controversies and challenges at London's Euston station [01:30], ask just how much fun the BBC's 'Nightsleeper' drama is [17:08], debate the pros and cons of the Lime bike hire scheme and other micro-mobility technologies [17:18] and consider whether the Lower Thames Crossing is doomed [27:19]. Find 'Calli...

Launching Season 3 of The Transport Podcast, 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 own presentation on transp...

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 schemes [23:22].  Finally, Christian previews the reiss...

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 innovations coming down the track [18:01].  Finally,...

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 the King's Speech [06:00].  We then have a featur...

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 Normandy liberation sites raising funds for veter...

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 Allied victory over Nazi Germany [20:22].  Finally...

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' [20:48].  Finally, Christian asks whether the classic...

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 Transport Committee in its pre-legislative scrut...

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 passenger growth which followed the 1993 Railways Ac...

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 Britain's rail reform programme [16:52].  Christ...

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 companies might have saved billions in wasted...

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 of this episode is Christian's interview with Jas...

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 Christian's new book - 'The Liberation Line' - wh...

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. Find 'Calling All Stations - the transport podcast' on social media channels here: X (formerly...

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 Edinburgh-London route [30:25].  The podcast also reflect...