The FTL Podcast

In this 20th edition of the FTL podcast we are joined by Chris Porter, Chris Major Projects Manager in the Investment Planning team at Transport for London to discuss the proposed extension of the DLR to Beckton Riverside and Thamesmead Waterfront.

Fare evasion costs TfL an estimated £190m a year in lost income. In this episode, London Underground's former Operational Research Manager Gerry Weston shares his thoughts on the challenges facing TfL in it's continual fight against fare dodgers.

In this podcast we examine TfL's Superloop, a network of express bus routes which aims to improve connections and journey times between key outer London town centres and transport hubs. Transport consultant John Barry examines the development of Superloop and considers if it indeed improves journey times across and around the capital. 

Shane Mann, CEO of fleet intelligence & management software company Tranzaura, is our guest for the 17th edition of the FTL Podcast.  Tranzaura's ‘FleetNow’ platform helps fleets and transport operators power up decision-making and operational efficiency whilst lowering costs and risk.  Shane outlines how IT and Artificial Intelligence are helping to transform the bus maintenance sector, and why the bus driver will a remain key element in delivering effective public transport services.

What is micromobility and can it improve life for the disabled?  Gordon McCullough, CEO of the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RiDC) is the guest in the latest Future Transport London discussion.  Asking the questions are Greenwich Councillor and FTL member, David Gardner, and teacher and campaigner Salli Martlew.   

Our guest for this episode is Steven Meersman, one of the founders of Zenobē, a leading owner and operator of battery storage in the UK.  In the podcast Steven discusses the challenges of providing power to 25% of the UK e-bus market. Zenobē’s EV report, Charging forward: How electric bus fleets can energise the UK’s cities is available here

Maggie Heraty OBE, FTL member and advisor on accessible transport, and Martin Barber OBE, former Director at the United Nations, discuss the challenges of improving access to transport for disabled and other groups. Asking the questions is Andrew Smithers

Nicole Pastore, cofounder of Solve the School Run, discusses the campaign group's mission to create a safe, clean and green school run for every child across London and beyond.   

In this episode of the FTL Podcast, special guest Simon Pirani, honorary professor at the University of Durham and author of Burning Up: A Global History of Fossil Fuel Consumption, proposes the introduction of free public transport across the capital.

FTL's Neil Roth proposes repurposing the Phase 1 tracks between Birmingham Curzon Street and Old Oak Common as a new western branch of the Elizabeth line. Connecting the HS2 tracks at Old Oak Common to the existing Elizabeth Line tracks nearby would be much quicker, simpler, and cheaper than extending HS2 to Euston.