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The Freewheeling Podcast

Thomas Ableman
Public Transport
Transport
Transport For London
Public Transport Integration
Transport Policy
Innovation
Community Engagement
Public Transportation
Switzerland
Autonomous Vehicles
Sustainability
High Speed 2
Urban Planning
Blackpool Transport
Transport Economics
Leadership
Transport Planning
Competition Law
Mobility
Ghent

The Freewheeling Podcast is all about moving forwards faster.

Each week, I’ll bring you fresh voices, new ideas and unconventional thinking.

With a bias towards transport and mobility, we also span entrepreneurship and politics.

PublishesWeeklyEpisodes100Founded6 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
ManagementBusinessMarketing

Listen to this Podcast

Artwork for The Freewheeling Podcast

Latest Episodes

What is lost when the government sells its own brain?

In today's Interchat with TRL CEO Paul Campion, we discuss the privatisation of Britain's transport research laboratory and what is about to happen when autonomous vehicles arrive on London's str... more

Some of my favourite conversations are those that bring in the perspective of someone from outside our sector and todays is a great example.

Adam Scott designs experiences for multiple sectors globally. How are we doing in transport? Where are we o... more

𝗞𝗮𝘁𝘆 𝗧𝗮𝘆𝗹𝗼𝗿, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗘𝗢 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸, has worked in three different transport modes, but always for a private firm. In today’s episode, she gives a powerful defence of the role and value of the priv... more

What’s it like running the biggest integrated transport authority in the world when there’s not enough money around?

In today’s Interchat with Transport for London Commissioner Andy Lord, we discuss TfL’s role in economic growth and job creation - a... more

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Recent Guests

Katy Taylor
CEO of Whitelink
Whitelink
Episode: Leadership, Empowerment and the Private Sector with Katy Taylor
Andy Lord
Commissioner of Transport for London
Transport for London
Episode: Financial Sustainability at TfL - an Interchat With Andy Lord
Michael Hill
Campaigner and leader at Britain Remade
Britain Remade
Episode: Getting Britain Building with Michael Hill
Ruchita Bansal
Urban planner, founder of SheCity India, host of the HumanCity Podcast
SheCity India
Episode: Indian Cities with Ruchita Bansal
Jonathan Bray
transport policy expert; former director of the Urban Transport Group
Urban Transport Group
Episode: Suburbs with Jonathan Bray
Christian Hunt
Behavioral science expert, founder of Human Risk
Human Risk
Episode: Antisocial Audio with Christian Hunt
Anna Filby
Founder of the Young Mobility Network
Young Mobility Network
Episode: The Young Mobility Network with Anna Filby and Alessandro Zenati
Alessandro Zenati
Regional hub volunteer for the Young Mobility Network (UK)
Young Mobility Network
Episode: The Young Mobility Network with Anna Filby and Alessandro Zenati
John Sills
CX expert, MD of The Foundation
The Foundation
Episode: Customer Experience with John Sills

Host

Thomas Ableman
Transport consultant and industry expert featured as a leading host, guiding conversations on mobility, public transport change, and implementation of innovative ideas in the sector.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 44 ratings
  • THE best transport podcast

    Freewheeling is now well established, has found its flow and is cemented as the best transport podcast out there. Thomas’s intelligence, breadth of experience and curiosity make him a perfect host for a wide variety of interesting guests. His lack of ego (something all too present in other hosts) means he doesn’t interrupt and lets his guests tell their stories and share what they know. The podcasts are always thought provoking, normally challenge conventional thinking and above all make you rea... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Simon P…
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • People inrerviewing for a job

    Love it. But sometimes it sounds like people interviewing for a job rather than a real conversation. Thanks

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    oddknackj
    United Kingdom7 months ago
  • Thought-provoking and insightful

    A really interesting podcast. Well worth your attention.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    moose44444444
    United Kingdom2 years ago
  • Always thought provoking

    This podcast and Thomas’s accompanying freewheeling blog should be essential listening for anyone involved in influencing car drivers to try something else. It covers a wide range of mobility issues, generally all inter-connected and (with one or two common exceptions) gives fresh insight to the discussion. That’s what this blog does best - public transport is a fairly inward looking place and here we get some provocative debate on some of that embedded thinking, whether it be from perspective o... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Leeds Bus User
    United Kingdom5 years ago
  • Engaging and thoughtful - entertaining listening whether you're in the sector or not

    Great commentary and searching questions spanning the sector, pitched perfectly by experts who know the subject inside out.

    Love the presenter's style. He obviously cares deeply about what he's talking about! Always great to hear that.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    dad1278
    United Kingdom5 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

The host's listening approach and breadth of experience are highlighted as strengths.
Listeners praise thoughtful, challenging conversations that avoid ego and let guests tell their stories.
The show is seen as essential listening for those involved in transport policy and reform.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#190
Ireland/Business/Management

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Getting Britain Building with Michael Hill
Q: What did you see on the inside of the system that made you want to step outside to campaign for change?
Hill explains that centralization concentrates power at the top, creating blockers and delays for local infrastructure projects, which motivated him to push for devolution and new incentives that empower local actors to deliver.
Indian Cities with Ruchita Bansal
Q: What policy changes could start shifting the balance toward safer, more inclusive mobility for women?
Increase female representation in planning discussions, explicitly include gender considerations in vision documents and urban missions, and publish gendered data like a public space index to guide decision-making and accountability.
The Young Mobility Network with Anna Filby and Alessandro Zenati
Q: What is the Young Mobility Network? Tell me, and why did you create it?
Anna explains that YMN is a network for young professionals in the mobility space, started during the COVID era to help people grow their networks and later formalized into a company with UK and European hubs.
Customer Experience with John Sills
Q: No, it's very helpful. And you started to frame one of the questions that I've got for you, which I really struggle with, which is whether public transport is actually bad at customer experience or not.
The industry isn't uniformly good or bad; there are stars and struggles. The key is to understand that customers choose based on perceived value and to empower staff to fix issues on the spot, while staying customer-led rather than process-led.
Mini Switzerland with Thomas Ableman (From Yimbypod)
Q: What about technology like autonomous vehicles—could that replace or supplement Mini Switzerland?
Autonomous vehicles could help by connecting low-density areas to rail hubs, but they don't remove the need for scheduled services and fixed connectivity; demand-responsive models can fail at scale, so planning must prioritize reliable, scheduled links.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Freewheeling Podcast

What is The Freewheeling Podcast about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on transport, mobility, and governance, often pairing industry practitioners with policy thinkers to explore how to move projects and ideas forward more efficiently. Episodes frequently dissect large-scale infrastructure, urban mobility concepts, and public-sector dynamics through practical case studies, leadership lessons, and cross-cutting technologies. Listeners can expect candid conversations about real-world challenges—From Swiss-style integration to public transport leadership, governance, and innovation—driven by hosts who push for actionable insights. A standout feature is the emphasis on culture, collaboration, and bottom-up change within complex public systems, making it appealing to policy makers, operators, con... more

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Which podcasts are similar to The Freewheeling Podcast?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Freewheeling Podcast:

1. The Politics Show
2. Westminster Insider
3. Political Thinking with Nick Robinson
4. Political Fix
5. IFS Zooms In: The Economy

How many episodes of The Freewheeling Podcast are there?

The Freewheeling Podcast launched 6 years ago and published 100 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on The Freewheeling Podcast?

Recent guests on The Freewheeling Podcast include:

1. Katy Taylor
2. Andy Lord
3. Michael Hill
4. Ruchita Bansal
5. Jonathan Bray
6. Christian Hunt
7. Anna Filby
8. Alessandro Zenati

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