Governance

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Devolution works on transport as our major urban areas are better at making the right calls on transport plans and priorities than remote control from Whitehall could ever be. Find out more about progress so far and how governance of transport works.
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How transport works in the cities
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Making the connections on transport, housing and planning
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Resources

Leading Light: What Light Rail can do for City Regions

October, 2021

This report, produced by Steer for the Urban Transport Group, shows how Britain’s light rail systems have supported economic growth in the areas that they serve, promoted social inclusion and led to environmental gain, including a reduction in carbon emissions.

It argues there is a need to maintain the connectivity provided by light rail as the economies of the towns and cities that light rail serves recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It says investment in maintenance and renewal will continue and potentially enhance the benefits that light rail brings and that a stable Government policy and funding environment will help promoters come forward with light rail proposals that will bring further economic, societal and environmental benefits.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Tram
Funding
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability

Building back better on urban transport

June, 2021

As the network of transport authorities serving the largest city regions in England, we worked together to keep the wheels of public transport turning during the lockdown so that key workers could get to where they needed to be.

In this paper we set out how, with the right policy framework from Government, we can meet the challenge of ramping up public transport and prioritising cycling and walking to support a green and just recovery.

(Updated version June 2021)

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Freight
Smart Futures

Major transport infrastructure projects: appraisal and delivery

January, 2021
Our response to the Transport Committee inquiry into the appraisal and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects. This inquiry considers: transport infrastructure strategy and priorities; the appraisal and funding of transport infrastructure; oversight, accountability and governance of transport infrastructure projects; and factors influencing the cost and capacity and skills required to deliver the infrastructure plans.
Consulting body: 
Transport Select Committee
Document: 
PDF icon UTG response TSC Major Transport Infrastructure Projects Inquiry FINAL.pdf
Topic: 
Regional and Urban Rail
Funding
Governance

Submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review 2020

September, 2020
This is our submission to HM Treasury's Comprehensive Spending Review 2020. In our submission, we call upon the Government to move on from its current 'patch and mend’ approach to closing the COVID-19 funding gap for public transport towards longer-term, secure arrangements. We argue that this should form the basis for wider reforms of the funding and powers of city region transport authorities. In practice, this would mean providing long-term funding packages for local transport similar to those already in place for national rail and roads, as well as upgrading the powers of city region transport authorities so they are more in line with those in London. This would ensure that transport authorities are fully empowered and funded to meet the challenge of a green and just recovery from COVID-19.
Consulting body: 
HM Treasury
Document: 
PDF icon Urban Transport Group - Comprehensive Spending Review submission, Sep 2020 FINAL.pdf
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Smart Futures

What next for urban transport?

September, 2019

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. 

On launching the report, Stephen Edwards, Chair of the Urban Transport Group and Executive Director of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, said: "There is much more that needs to be done if transport is to contribute effectively to meeting the many challenges that city regions face, from the climate crisis to public health challenges associated with a lack of physical activity. The right policies can help overcome these challenges."

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Rail regulation
Active Travel
Funding
Concessionary Travel
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Smart Futures

About towns: How transport can help towns thrive

November, 2018

This report examines the key role that transport interventions can play in supporting post-industrial towns.

It features case studies from the UK and the wider world of how different types of interventions - from transport’s role as an ‘anchor institution’ for local economies and as an employer, through to how transport interchanges can act as ‘gateways’ and sources of civic pride and renewal -  can achieve results.

A key finding of the report is that isolated capital interventions in transport infrastructure are insufficient in themselves. Instead, more co-ordinated programmes of transport capital and revenue investment and support are needed if towns are to truly thrive. 

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Active Travel
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability

Pages

Doing more for less - How working together on transport cuts costs and saves time

October, 2018
The Urban Transport Group brings together and promotes the interests of Britain’s largest urban areas on transport. Through working together as a network, we help to save time and money for our members by doing things once and collaboratively – rather than separately and expensively. Saving significant costs for our members is just one benefit of being part of our organisation.
Document: 
PDF icon UTG – Doing More for Less_digital version.pdf
Topic: 
Funding
Governance

Leading Light: What Light Rail can do for City Regions

October, 2021

This report, produced by Steer for the Urban Transport Group, shows how Britain’s light rail systems have supported economic growth in the areas that they serve, promoted social inclusion and led to environmental gain, including a reduction in carbon emissions.

It argues there is a need to maintain the connectivity provided by light rail as the economies of the towns and cities that light rail serves recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It says investment in maintenance and renewal will continue and potentially enhance the benefits that light rail brings and that a stable Government policy and funding environment will help promoters come forward with light rail proposals that will bring further economic, societal and environmental benefits.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Tram
Funding
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability

Building back better on urban transport

June, 2021

As the network of transport authorities serving the largest city regions in England, we worked together to keep the wheels of public transport turning during the lockdown so that key workers could get to where they needed to be.

In this paper we set out how, with the right policy framework from Government, we can meet the challenge of ramping up public transport and prioritising cycling and walking to support a green and just recovery.

(Updated version June 2021)

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Freight
Smart Futures

What next for urban transport?

September, 2019

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. 

On launching the report, Stephen Edwards, Chair of the Urban Transport Group and Executive Director of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, said: "There is much more that needs to be done if transport is to contribute effectively to meeting the many challenges that city regions face, from the climate crisis to public health challenges associated with a lack of physical activity. The right policies can help overcome these challenges."

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Rail regulation
Active Travel
Funding
Concessionary Travel
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Smart Futures

About towns: How transport can help towns thrive

November, 2018

This report examines the key role that transport interventions can play in supporting post-industrial towns.

It features case studies from the UK and the wider world of how different types of interventions - from transport’s role as an ‘anchor institution’ for local economies and as an employer, through to how transport interchanges can act as ‘gateways’ and sources of civic pride and renewal -  can achieve results.

A key finding of the report is that isolated capital interventions in transport infrastructure are insufficient in themselves. Instead, more co-ordinated programmes of transport capital and revenue investment and support are needed if towns are to truly thrive. 

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Active Travel
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability

Policy futures for urban transport

September, 2018

The latest edition of Policy futures for urban transport emphasises how a new deal on funding and powers is essential to keep the UK's cities moving forward.

The report sets out the 10 key policy changes that are needed to make cities healthier, fairer and more prosperous.

These include further devolution of rail services; greater funding for buses; reform of taxi and Private Hire Vehicle legislation; an ambitious strategy to encourage more cycling and walking; a long term investment plan for urban rail services; and a visionary national policy framework on air quality.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Freight
Smart Futures
Capacities and Capabilities

Urban Transport Review 2017

December, 2017

"A lot has changed in urban transport over the past year," writes Lilian Greenwood MP, and Chair of the Transport Select Committee, in the foreword to the Urban Transport Review 2017.

In collaboration with Passenger Transport magazine, this Review features an in depth interview with our Chair Tobyn Hughes, our Director Jonathan Bray shares his key issues for 2018, and we profile some of the most significant changes to transport during 2017. 

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Governance

Taxi! Issues and Options for City Region Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle Policy

December, 2017

Our new report, ‘Taxi! Issues and options for city region taxi and private hire vehicle policy’, sets out the far reaching implications for cities of ongoing transformational change and growth in the taxi and PHV sector.

The report also calls for a new approach to taxi and PHV policy to ensure a good service for users whilst also making sure the sector contributes to wider public policy goals around public safety, congestion reduction, economic inclusion and air quality.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Governance

Policy Futures

September, 2017

Policy futures for urban transport sets out how, with more focused governance in place, the city regions are delivering major investment programmes including on public transport, highways and active travel, and smart ticketing. The report says that - with the right national policy framework - further and faster progress can be made, including:

  • ensuring that the benefits of transformative technological change are maximised including new ways of paying for access to transport, connected and autonomous vehicles and data;
  • that barriers between different sectors are broken down so that the benefits that transport can bring to achieving wider policy goals - in areas like health, employment and education - are fully realised.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Freight
Smart Futures
Capacities and Capabilities

Rail Devolution Works

July, 2017

Our ‘Rail Devolution Works’ report argues that further rail devolution will enable other regions and areas to also radically transform rail services in a way that supports economic growth at the same time as improving the journey experience for passengers.

The report takes a detailed look at how devolution changed rail services for the better in Merseyside, on London Overground, in Scotland and in Tyne and Wear.

 

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Regional and Urban Rail
Governance

Total Transport: a better approach to commissioning non-emergency patient transport?

March, 2017

‘Total Transport’ schemes pool resources and vehicle fleets from across the public sector which are currently used to provide separate mainstream, social services, education and healthcare transport provision. Through pooling and coordination a better overall service can be provided at less cost to the taxpayer. However, it is proving challenging to get NHS non emergency patient transport services to participate in such schemes despite the major savings that could accrue from doing so. This briefing explains the scale of the potential opportunity from Total Transport schemes which include the NHS.

PDF icon Download Full Report
Topic: 
Bus
Governance
Health and Wellbeing

Pages

Major transport infrastructure projects: appraisal and delivery

January, 2021
Our response to the Transport Committee inquiry into the appraisal and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects. This inquiry considers: transport infrastructure strategy and priorities; the appraisal and funding of transport infrastructure; oversight, accountability and governance of transport infrastructure projects; and factors influencing the cost and capacity and skills required to deliver the infrastructure plans.
Consulting body: 
Transport Select Committee
Document: 
PDF icon UTG response TSC Major Transport Infrastructure Projects Inquiry FINAL.pdf
Topic: 
Regional and Urban Rail
Funding
Governance

Submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review 2020

September, 2020
This is our submission to HM Treasury's Comprehensive Spending Review 2020. In our submission, we call upon the Government to move on from its current 'patch and mend’ approach to closing the COVID-19 funding gap for public transport towards longer-term, secure arrangements. We argue that this should form the basis for wider reforms of the funding and powers of city region transport authorities. In practice, this would mean providing long-term funding packages for local transport similar to those already in place for national rail and roads, as well as upgrading the powers of city region transport authorities so they are more in line with those in London. This would ensure that transport authorities are fully empowered and funded to meet the challenge of a green and just recovery from COVID-19.
Consulting body: 
HM Treasury
Document: 
PDF icon Urban Transport Group - Comprehensive Spending Review submission, Sep 2020 FINAL.pdf
Topic: 
Coronavirus
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Smart Futures

Local roads funding and governance

October, 2018
Our response to the Transport Committee Inquiry into the condition of local roads, their funding and governance. We suggest four actions for government to enable local roads to be bought up to the required standard and be future-ready.
Consulting body: 
Transport Select Committee
Document: 
PDF icon Local roads UTG response FINAL.pdf
Topic: 
Governance

Pages

National Infrastructure Commission is right to make devolved transport funding for cities a key test for Government’s future infrastructure plan

Monday, May 13, 2019

 

The National Infrastructure Commission’s call for Government to make devolved funding for urban transport to cities a key test of the Government’s forthcoming National Infrastructure Strategy is hugely welcome, says the Urban Transport Group.

Topic: 
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Rail regulation
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Concessionary Travel
Governance
Social inclusion
Sustainability
Health and Wellbeing
Freight
Smart Futures
Capacities and Capabilities

Pages

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