Policy

Our latest reports, briefings and consultation responses are listed below. Use the search or filter functions to discover specific policy documents.

You can also see our full list of policy topics via the link below.

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Briefing

The key COVID-19 challenges for urban transport and the support we need from Government

This overarching briefing sets out the key issues facing urban transport authorities in their response to the coronavirus crisis. It also sets out the four things we need from Government so that transport authorities can support a safe and achievable phased release from lockdown. Updated 18 August 2020.

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Briefing

The transport challenges of the return to schools

The COVID-19 crisis has led to the capacity of public transport to be heavily constrained, creating formidable operational and financial challenges for transport authorities which will have a key role to play in supporting a return to schools in September. This briefing sets out the key challenges for transport authorities and our asks of central Government.

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Report

The Local Transport Lottery - The costs and inefficiencies of funding local transport through ad hoc competitions

This report takes an in-depth look at the implications of an excessive reliance on competition funding for urban transport projects.

The research shows how such a reliance impacts local authorities’ ability to deliver value for money and places pressure on authorities and their staff. 

Read more about The Local Transport Lottery - The costs and inefficiencies of funding local transport through ad hoc competitions Download file

Briefing

Climate emergency declarations - briefing note

This document provides a summary of which authorities have declared a climate emergency and what targets they are committing to. It does not cover all authorities but focuses primarily in those in the city regions, with some additional key urban areas included for interest. This document represents a snapshot in December 2019, as authorities are continuing to declare climate emergencies and set targets.

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Report

Making the connections on climate: How city regions can join the dots between transport, energy and the built environment

This report draws together practical examples of the links that can be made on climate at the city region level between transport and energy, and between transport and the decarbonisation and adaptation of the built environment.
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Report

What scope for boosting bus use? An analysis of the Intrinsic Bus Potential of local authority areas in England

This research, by Transport for Quality of Lifeidentifies the underlying conditions that best predict levels of bus use in local areas. It points to six conditions which, when combined, are used to define the ‘Intrinsic Bus Potential’ (IBP) of a local authority area.

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Report

What next for urban transport?

This report - published to coincide with the 2019 Autumn Party Conferences - identifies four urban transport challenges and four solutions needed to overcome them.

It also details what transport authorities need from Government to bring about these changes. 

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Briefing

Air quality

Working to improve air quality is a key challenge and priority across our members. Here are our five operational asks of Government which would help us to achieve this aim.

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Briefing

Multi-Operator Ticket Comparison 2019

This document provides comparative analysis of bus operator fares and multi-operator ticket fareas across Urban Transport Group member areas and a range of comparators. This information was collected in June 2019 and was correct at the time of research. Bus fares change regularly and it is likely that some of the fares are out of date, however, this is intended as a snap shot analysis and should be treated as such.

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