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Long term social distancing requires a shift in how public transport and motoring is allocated. Young and healthy people still using cars need to switch to bicycles, walking and public transport. Anyone old or with weak immune systems (and a valid car licence) still using public transport...

Here in sunny Jersey, a popular street in town has been closed to make space for people to distance themselves from one another. This is expected to prove a temporary development that came with the need to provide more human space following the reopening of shops, as the space is shared by...

A slightly bizarre story has popped up in the press: it seems (quite reasonably IMO) that nobody wanted to disturb a chap who was assumed to be sleeping.

At the present time it makes sense for those with suppressed immune systems to try motoring as a means to avoid getting this coronavirus as well as freeing up space on the transport systems. This being the case, they will need to ditch their rides upon reaching their destination. Should there...

If the NHS app gets introduced it is hoped that over 60% of people will use it, as that is the proportion required to make it effective. If all busses and train cars had the necessary bluetooth transceivers and were enabled to talk to the app, it would provide benefits: There is a hard and fast...

Whilst the UK government is advising against public transport use I feel that with the exception of certain periods and locations the use of trains and busses can be done in relative safely. Here I am fortunate to live in Jersey and, whilst stay at home orders are slackened but not dropped...

I understand the UK is considering a 14 day quarantine for anybody arriving from overseas. With many cruise ships lying empty, perhaps we could have the opportunity to recreate the great days of ocean liners from days past? If you wanted to go from Europe to Australia, the boat will take that...

When HS2 is finished, the old mainlines will be freed up in part for rail freight. Does anybody know how many new electric machines will be needed to haul all these freight services and when they will be likely to be ordered?

Which rolling stock classes, in Britain and abroad, are likely to suffer an expedited withdrawal from service because of this crisis? I notice there are plenty of class withdrawal threads in the traction and rolling stock section, on which discussion turns to whether particular type is gone for...

It would be good if the fare system only allowed a number of passengers on each train that could all be seated to reduce the likelihood of airborne transmission. The RDG was developing just such a system for longer distance trains. Would it be possible to roll out such a policy with...

Moderator note: Split from http://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/tocs-asked-to-accept-flybe-passengers.201554/#post-4470600 part of the failed rescue package the treasury was going to waive the Air Passenger Duty. How about putting the money that would have been foregone under this arrangement...

I understand that in China, instead of buying first class and standard class travel on daytime railway trips, you are given a choice between 'hard seat' and 'soft seat'. Should this terminology be adopted in the UK? It would lay to rest the British obsession with 'class', at least as far as...

I am a reasonably frequent traveller on the Cambrian line, my usual route is to Tywyn. But for the main service to Aberystwyth, does anybody else feel first class is needed? Aberystwyth is a major centre of learning and administrative capital of Mid/West Wales. The journey from Birmingham takes...

Now that the government expressed desire to open the spending taps in the regions, particularly northern England, how can rail projects win over the alternative motoring and aviation related projects? For those of us outside the region, it seems Northern Rail dominates infrastructure...

An interesting article on International Rail Journal looks at a Vivarail car that has been equipped with a drive system that independently powers the wheels on either side in order to steer the train along the top of the rails. Claimed benefits include elimination of bogie hardware and wheel...

This is hoisted from the Voyager future discussion threads, where it was perhaps a bit too speculative for the core topic. Perhaps the voyagers are not the only fleet that this suggestion might be worth considering? Problems with the Voyagers include their cramped tilt profile, large ares of...

According to International Rail Journal France and Netherlands are considering what to do with their 1500vdc networks. Rather than going for the obvious and upgrade to 25kv ac they are looking at intermediate voltages that reduce the current and size of conductors. These voltages strike me as...

I thought this deserves a new thread... The following dropped into my email a few days ago. It looks like the CEBR are after your views. I an unlikely to make the announced date of 29 April in Birmingham but look forward to hearing all about it Book your place on Eventbrite now! Its Free To...

Most of the major railways in the EU are reporting strong growth: Italy:(Revenue +30% at 12bn) Spain (Revenue+11% to €3.98bn) Germany (DB Long Distance’s revenue + 7.7%) Is this mainly better marketing and revenue capture, or is the EU finally getting theesame trends we in the UK have already...

I understand that track access charges in the UK are lower than that of other countries, which is why the Uk has so many short trains running around. Should track access charges be higher? This can be matched by an equal reduction in the premium that franchises pay to the DfT (and government...