Calling All Stations - The Transport Podcast

4/5 Britain's creaking transport infrastructure, plus retrospective on '25 and predictions for '26

In our final (and seasonal) episode for 2025, Christian and Mark Walker look back on the year's transport highlights [1:58].  Christian explores with Dr Steve Denton FREng, Vice President at the Royal Academy of Engineering, the report 'Reviving Our Aged Infrastructure' published by the National Engineering Policy Centre [16:10].  After a look ahead by our presenters into what 2026 may bring in transport policy and initiatives [35:30], Christian gives a shout out to everyone working to keep our networks functioning over the festive period [45:04].  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all our listeners from the Calling All Stations team!

4/4 Budget unbundled plus where next for walking, wheeling and cycling?

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker discuss the full range of transport-related items in the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement issued on 26 November 2025 [1:38].  With the UK Department for Transport consulting on England's walking, wheeling and cycling strategy, Christian explores with leading writer in the field Laura Laker whether the thinking is ambitious enough [26:02].  In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian draws lessons from the fiasco of the Manchester to London ghost train [47:20].
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4/3 Great British Railways Bill analysed plus cycling for deprived communities

With the UK Government publishing its much anticipated Railways Bill, Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker analyse what the legislation says about Labour's intentions for industry reforms and anticipate where controversy will flourish [1:10].  Christian meets Olympic and World championship legend Chris Boardman CBE at the launch of a pamphlet promoting access to cycling for people in deprived communities [25:40].  In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian applauds the railway personnel, emergency services and health professionals who responded so magnificently to the incident at Huntingdon [33:04].

4/2 Wales transport transformation plus autonomous vehicles update

Christian speaks to Transport for Wales Chief Executive Officer James Price about the transformation of rail services across the nation currently underway, with particular focus on the South Wales Metro [1:30].  With possible UK autonomous vehicle trials in the news, Christian visits the Smart Mobility Living Lab and hears about its work from Beata Szoboszlai, TRL's Head of Innovation Partnerships [30:40].  In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian considers plans for the pedestrianisation of London's Oxford Street [45:53].
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4/1 Is Northern Powerhouse Rail the wrong choice? Plus saving the Queensbury Tunnel

Our launch episode for Season 4 includes interviews with Andrew Gilligan on why he believes the money sought for Northern Powerhouse Rail could be better invested in other railway enhancements for the North of England [3:02] and with Graeme Bickerdike who is campaigning to save the disused Queensbury rail tunnel in Yorkshire as a cycling commuter and tourism route [28:56].  Christian also asks why the British Transport Police has advertised how easy it is to steal a bike [54:12].
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3/22 Future prospects for Britain's railways with the Minister, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE

In our Season 3 finale, Christian talks at length with the UK Minister of State for Transport and Minister for Rail, Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE, about the eagerly anticipated Railways Bill which will implement the Labour Government's plans for Great British Railways.  Their conversation covers crucial issues such the timing of the Bill, fares reform, investment, open access, capacity allocation between operators and the HS2 reset as well as changes to bus provision across England and the upcoming Integrated National Transport Strategy.
Join us for Season 4 - coming this autumn!
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3/21 Boundaries of public control in Britain’s railways and lessons from a Canadian transport culture war

Christian speaks to 'We Own It' Founder and Director Cat Hobbs at the parliamentary launch of the report 'Passengers not profit: a vision for the Railways Bill' [1:30].  In Toronto, Canada, Christian meets cycling campaigner Albert Koehl to hear about the culture war between the municipality and the Ontario provincial government over bike lanes [13:25].  In his final thought from the departure lounge, Christian shares a listener's stress at the frequency of railway station announcements [32:38].
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3/20 Exclusive preview of Sally Gimson’s ‘Off the Rails: the Inside Story of HS2’

In her new book 'Off the Rails: the Inside Story of HS2', Sally Gimson meets with the politicians, engineers and ordinary people affected by the failure of HS2. Travelling from demolished council estates in Camden to ghost towns along the now cancelled northern branch, Off the Rails provides a forensic examination of how a vital social project imploded.
Christian discusses in depth with the author the insights gained from her research, the lessons that the UK should learn and what needs to be done to bring the truncated project into service.
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3/19 Past glories and future prospects for Britain’s railways

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker pick up on some of the issues around driverless cars from the visit to Bosch in Stuttgart covered in episode 3/18 [1:30].  With the UK's Rail200 celebrations in full swing, our hosts discuss 'The Greatest Gathering' in Derby [7:12] and Mark reports back from an unforgettable journey to the event on 'The Belmond British Pullman' [10:32].  Looking to the future prospects for rail in the UK, Christian interviews the Chief Executive of one of its largest trade associations, Darren Caplan of the Railway Industry Association [26:21].  In his thought from the departure lounge, Christian wonders what lessons can be learned from Norway on the propensity of electric vehicles to encourage greater car use [40:56].
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3/18 Transport scorecard for Labour’s first year and driverless car tech tested

Christian and co-presenter Mark Walker examine just which transport schemes ended up being funded by the UK Department for Transport through the Spending Review - and which ones didn't [1:20].  Ever interested in the issue of driverless cars, Christian reports back from a visit to Bosch in Stuttgart, Germany, who are developing software for the driver aids that potentially pave the way for this technology [16:25].  One year on from the election of the Labour Government in the UK, Christian and Mark discuss its scorecard on transport policy and innovation [32:20].  Finally, Christian anticipates 'The Great Gathering' at the Alstom factory in Derby as part of the Rail200 celebrations [41:56].
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