Route forward: The future of the bus and coach sector

Tuesday 16 September 2025 | 09:00–13:00 | Clayton Hotel, Leeds

This half-day, in-person conference is designed to help operators and public transport stakeholders think ahead and respond to the opportunities and challenges posed by re-regulation and evolving service models.

We’ll be exploring:

• How to respond to re-regulation and new franchising frameworks
• Smarter ways to deliver services and build stronger partnerships
• Practical insights from across the sector

The event will be chaired by David Guest and will feature sector leaders, policy experts, and an interactive panel discussion. It’s free to attend (with only travel costs to consider), and we’re aiming to create space for practical takeaways and sector-wide conversation.

Here’s the registration link and a short write-up from Route One below:

Register: https://forms.office.com/e/LFSFAGDTsh

Route One article: https://www.route-one.net/news/future-of-coach-and-bus-to-be-explored-at-september-conference/

 

Whitehall and Parliament Street between Parliament Square and Trafalgar Square will be closed due to the parade.

Full details have been confirmed for the overnight road closures that will impact travel on Kent’s motorways and major A-roads this week. Stretches of the A2, M2, A249 and A21 will shut at various points throughout the week for different planned works.

This includes a series of closures of the A249 Sittingbourne Road between Stockbury Roundabout and to outside Gorse Tor Farm. This is to allow for Kent County Council to complete resurfacing works along the route with the overnight closures scheduled to continue throughout the majority of July.

Elsewhere, stretches of the M2 and several of its slip roads will shut at points over the next seven days. This includes a carriageway closure in both directions on Monday night (July 7) at Junction 4 between the exit and entry slip roads for structural works.

The Dartford Crossing will continue to see tunnel closures throughout the week, while the QEII Bridge will fully shut for a portion of the coming weekend. The crossing between Essex and Kent will shut overnight from 10pm on Saturday, July 12 to 5am on Sunday, July 13.

A contraflow diversion will be in place for southbound traffic through the east tunnel of the Dartford Crossing. Northbound traffic meanwhile will need to use the west tunnel, which is the shorter of the two, with vehicles taller than 4.8m needing to seek alternative routes via the M25 clockwise.

Join us for our upcoming Feedly webinar on Wed, July 30, at 9:00 PDT.

Threat Intelligence in Action: Lessons from AutoZone’s Security TeamJoin us for a live webinar and Q&A with Eric and Ryan from AutoZone’s threat intelligence team.

Discover how they approach strategic threat and vulnerability intelligence, and gain real-world insights into how they utilize Feedly to enhance their workflows.

Register here

Hope to see you there,

BACK on air FREE webinar this Friday   Summer hot topics: Key compliance areas unpacked This week on BACK on air, we’re unpacking the latest legal issues that matter most. Whether you’re finalising your summer plans or refining your compliance strategy, our legal experts will share practical guidance to keep you confident and compliant. We’ll cover: Disc lending: Is it permissible? How broadly or narrowly is the legislation drafted? Restricted vs. standard licences Load security: The latest guidance and enforcement updates Terms & Conditions: Are your contracts legally sound and summer-ready? Franchising: A whistle-stop tour on the changing landscape and your legal rights This session will help you navigate contracts, compliance, and those tricky grey areas with clarity and ease. Send your questions in advance to [email protected] or ask live on the day. Join us at 12 noon on Friday 11 July. Here is a link to register for our BACK on air webinar on Friday: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/2273872957786262367 The final bullet point on franchising may be of particular interest to UKCOA members. I’ll follow up separately with some information on a related event we’re hosting in September, in case that might be of interest too.     REGISTER

Contractors UKPN will be carrying electrical connection works at Praed Street at the junction with Norfolk Place. Due to lane restrictions buses will be unable to make the turn from Norfolk Place onto Praed Street.

Overnight (22:00 to 01:00) closure of all stops and stands on Piccadilly westbound at the Bomber Command Memorial on the night of 11 July 2025.

Concerts will be taking place over three consecutive weekends at Hyde Park. Up to 65,000 are expected to attend each concert. To facilitate the egress of this event, Park Lane will be closed in both directions each night on the listed days from approximately 21:00 until 23:45.

• Friday 4 July
• Saturday 5 July
• Sunday 6 July
• Friday 11 July
• Saturday 12 July
• Sunday 13 July

Additionally, there is a closure of Knightsbridge eastbound from Knightsbridge station to Hyde Park Corner station.

We now have updated dates for the Park Lane works, in addition to bus NOEs (attached), from Monday 19 May until Thursday 18 September. All dates continue to be subject to change.

These works are to make permanent the infrastructure that was put in place for the Park Lane cycle lane. The works will be undertaken in six phases working south to north in localised worksites along the northbound carriageway using lane restrictions. Where the bus lane is closed it is only in the immediate vicinity of the worksite. Planned events, such as concerts, have been taken into account during the works planning.

Phase 1A & 1 B: Bus stop Y and Tour stop X – Achillies Way

• 1A: NOE CE25-66834 – 19 May to 19 June 2025
• 1B: NOE CE25-66395 – 20 June to 30 June 2025
• Bus stop and tour stop will be partly closed in each phase. Due to capacity constraints tour buses should not serve either stop but can use stop T further north as an alternative.
• Bus lane closed past this location

Phase 2: Coach parking bays (x4) prior to Stanhope Gate

Works TBC

• 19 May to 29 May 2025 2 June to 12 June 2025
• Coach parking bays closed
• Bus lane open

Phase 5 & 6: Speaker’s Corner stops W (Bus), 14 (Coach) & Z (Tour)

• 5: NOE CE25-66400 – 19 August to 3 September 2025
• 6: NOE CE25-66402 – 3 September to 18 September 2025
• Stops are closed in two phases of works (approximate dates as above) with half the stop space remaining open
  • Scheduled coaches: Should not serve these stops between 08:00 to 20:00 daily– alternative stops depending on line of route: Bayswater Road stop A or Portman Street stop M.
  • Tour buses: Can continue to serve the open stops in each phase but must keep dwell times to an absolute minimum
• Bus lane closed past this location, two traffic lanes remain open

After the works detailed above some overnight closures are likely to be required for other works, but these are TBC.

 

Updates to speedometer check changes and Automated Driving Systems Speedometers DVSA is changing how speedometers are assessed on IVA tests for cars (M1) and vans (N1). IVA applicants for these vehicles will be asked to declare that speedometers have been installed or converted to read in miles per hour (mph) from kilometres per hour (kph). This is to ensure they comply with section 17 of the IVA inspection manual. Applicants can self-declare that their vehicles comply with these standards using the updated IVA application form. Evidence may be required when the test is taken. This will apply to tests from today (Wednesday 14 May 2025). If you have already completed an application form or your application is being processed on this date, speedometer checks will still apply. This change does not apply to: lorries (N2/3) busses (M2/3) vehicles fitted with speedometers capable of reading in mph or mph & kph (dual marked) from new vehicles fitted with a driver function which allows switching to mph Automated Driving Systems DVSA has added additional questions to the IVA application forms to ask about automated or self-driving features fitted to vehicles. You will need to tell us if the vehicle retains conventional driving controls and features or is fitted with drive by wire systems. Further information on what features are included can be obtained from the Agency.