The government can ‘further unlock the potential’ of transport to deliver on its missions for economic growth and opportunity for all in the upcoming King’s Speech. 

Ahead of Wednesday’s State Opening of Parliament, the Urban Transport Group – the UK’s network of transport authorities, which together serve over 30 million people across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland – has written to Prime Minister Keir Starmer to outline the most pressing transport priorities in the next Parliamentary session. 

These priorities include: 

• Strengthening the new statutory role for Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) in the Railways Bill to ensure this goes beyond the right to be consulted, with MSAs instead becoming central partners in decision making with Great British Railways (GBR). 
• Fixing the foundations of local transport, such as allowing the use of non-prescribed zebra crossings, laying draft legislation on reform of the taxi and PHV sector, and devolving powers to improve transport infrastructure delivery. 
• Ensuring transport infrastructure delivery is at the heart of the government’s plans for fiscal devolution. 

In the letter to the Prime Minister, Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, acknowledged the progress made on transport reforms since 2024 and the need to fix the blockers on local and regional transport connectivity. He wrote: 

“The legislative programme announced in the previous King’s Speech, and the action taken since, has demonstrated a bold commitment to making public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling accessible, affordable, integrated and sustainable. 

“As you look ahead to the 2026 King’s Speech, there is an opportunity to further unlock the potential of transport to deliver on local and national policy ambitions, removing the barriers that can impede progress in delivering small local interventions through to major schemes. 

“These steps will ensure that the benefits of reform are felt by passengers, communities and local economies across the country.” 

Full text of the letter:

Dear Prime Minister

I am writing to you in advance of the King’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament on 13 May.

Over the last parliament, your government has sent a clear and positive signal about the vital role that transport plays in supporting economic growth, social opportunity and placemaking. The legislative programme announced in the previous King’s Speech, and the action taken since, has demonstrated a bold and long-term commitment to making public transport, walking, wheeling and cycling accessible, affordable, integrated and sustainable.

As the UK’s network of urban transport authorities serving over 30 million people across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, our members continue to work tirelessly to create transport networks that support the delivery of your government’s missions, from boosting economic growth to tackling the cost of living.

Our members welcome the significant reforms which have taken place since 2024. We have worked closely with your ministers and dedicated civil servants to make your government’s plans a reality and bring about changes that are transforming transport across the country. We would like to recognise:

• Meaningful progress on bus reform, including the Bus Services Act, which will enable greater local control and flexibility over services, responding to the needs of local communities. The removal of barriers to franchising, boosting Enhanced Partnerships and the ability for local areas to bring bus services into public ownership respond directly to calls for reform and represent an important step in rebuilding confidence, reliability and value in the bus network.
• Clear momentum on rail reform, including the passage of legislation to bring passenger services into public ownership as contracts expire, and continued progress towards the creation of Great British Railways through the Railways Bill. The commitment to an integrated, passenger focused railway with a stronger and more clearly defined role for Mayors and Combined Authorities, reflects the priorities set out by our members.
• A devolution revolution, with transport featuring strongly within wider legislative and policy reforms. Giving local leaders the powers and tools to shape transport systems around local economic, social and environmental priorities has long been an ambition shared across our members. Recent progress, including through the passing of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act last month is helping to move this from principle into practice.
• Recognition of the importance of streets, safety and new mobility, including measures aimed at improving highways management, strengthening taxi and private hire vehicle legislation, pavement parking enforcement, micromobility regulation and the integration of new, low-emission modes into the transport system in a way that works for people and places.
• Creation of the first integrated transport strategy – ‘Better Connected’, a vision for England’s transport system that underpins the legislative and policy interventions and unites local and national ambitions across modes.

Together, these reforms reflect a substantial long-term commitment to backing transport authorities and provide a strong foundation for the next phase of change.

As you look ahead to the 2026 King’s Speech, there is an opportunity to further unlock the potential of transport to deliver on local and national policy ambitions, removing the barriers that can impede progress in delivering small local interventions through to major schemes. This includes strengthening the Railways Bill to ensure people and places are at the heart of a transformed network, fixing the blockers to improved transport connectivity at local and regional level and, finally, realising the ambition of our members to go further for their people and places with greater funding certainty through fiscal devolution. These steps will ensure that the benefits of reform are felt by passengers, communities and local economies across the country.

Unlocking the potential of rail reform

Rail reform offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine, reshape and reimagine what the railway does for people and places. We have been working closely with GBR and the Department for Transport on bringing this landmark reform to life. This has included the release of a practitioners’ guide to help build locally led partnerships between Mayoral Strategic Authorities and the railway, as the journey to GBR progresses. Together with our members, we will continue to work with your government, partners and the rail industry to ensure that rail reform truly delivers on its ambitions.

Strengthening the Railways Bill

We welcome the opportunity the Railways Bill presents, through a new statutory role for Mayors, to bring decision making on rail as close as possible to the communities the railways serve. As the people who know their people and places best, positioning local leaders at the heart of decision-making on the railway is vital to realise this opportunity.

As the Bill continues its journey through parliament, we urge your government to commit to strengthening the new statutory role for Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) ensuring that we go beyond the right to be consulted and instead become central partners in decision making with GBR. This should include GBR acting in accordance with, and seeking to further, local transport plans and priorities and the Secretary of State taking account of these in developing a long-term rail strategy for efficient and effective passenger and freight connectivity.

Furthermore, the Secretary of State should be required to assess the impacts of any changes to access, charging regimes or operating rules and consult MSAs, their nominated bodies and TfL before making regulations. As drafted, the Bill unwittingly creates open-ended uncertainty for any party investing in or operating infrastructure outside of GBR, including MSAs.

Unlocking the blockers to greater connectivity

Whilst significant policy and legislative reforms have been crucial in laying the right foundations for integrated transport networks, several blockers to greater connectivity remain which we would urge your government to tackle in the next session of parliament. These include:

Fixing the local foundations

Our local pavements and highway networks are the foundation upon which the entire transport network depends. They enable people to make every day journeys, on foot or by bike and to connect to the wider public transport network – whether cycling to the train station or walking to the bus stop. The state of pavements and highways determines whether these connections and onward journeys can be made safely and comfortably.

Whilst progress has been made in enabling local authorities to deliver joined up transport networks, they still face several barriers to delivering the improvements that are needed at the local level to further enhance connectivity. If we are to truly integrate our networks, we must ensure that the small connections work effectively to enable people to join up their journeys. There are a number of immediate actions that should be taken to fix local connections:

• Change the Traffic Sign Regulations and General Directions to allow the use of non-prescribed zebra crossings. These crossings are a low-cost intervention that can transform high streets and areas quickly, enabling safer pedestrian access and connectivity. Our members have explored the impact these could have. Trials in Greater Manchester, for example, have found that side road zebra crossings lead to drivers giving way 65% more than where there is no marking, improving safety for pedestrians. This regulatory change would bring legislation for pedestrian crossings more in line with the accepted standard for cycle tracks where they cross side roads.
• Create a refreshed Manual for Streets to improve and standardise design and remove inconsistencies in delivery. How we design our streets and urban environments matters for how people use them. Getting the design right can help encourage people to walk, cycle, or wheel for short journeys. Equally, getting the design wrong can build in barriers to these trips.
• Deliver measures set out in the Road Safety Strategy to reduce deaths and serious injuries, supporting our members’ ambitious 'Vision Zero' commitments.
• Develop a proportionate, flexible and effective approach to enforcing and regulating pavement parking, which is becoming an increasing priority in many urban areas across our membership. Recognising and reflecting the significance of local concerns the approach ought to be set out with the right tools, guidance and funding in place.

Taxi and Private Hire Vehicle (PHV) reform

We welcome the government’s action and commitment to addressing the challenges with taxi and PHV licensing. Taxis and PHVs are an essential part of our local transport networks, and we are keen to ensure that communities benefit from services that allow them to access opportunities in safety and comfort. We stand ready to support the government as it explores options for regulating the sector addressing outdated legislative and regulatory frameworks.

However, our members need the right legislative and proportionate funding arrangements in place to design and deliver a safe and fair taxi and PHV system for passengers and drivers alike with approaches that best reflect their local priorities, geography and governance structures.

We recognise this is a complex regulatory landscape with legislation dating back generations, we would therefore ask for legislation on a wholesale reform of the taxi and PHV sector to be brought to parliament in draft form to allow for proper scrutiny and for our members to fully participate in creating a framework that works for their local needs.

Unlocking infrastructure delivery

To turbocharge infrastructure project delivery, our members should be given the right tools. Together with funding certainty and local funding levers (see below), tools such as the ability to speed up and decentralise the granting of Transport and Works Act Orders (TWAOs) would help city regions build and grow.

TWAOs grant planning approval for most tram, light rail and underground projects. This provides valuable powers to promoters of schemes, including the compulsory purchase of land and construction approvals. Our members’ experience shows that the current TWAO process can be long, uncertain and expensive. We would welcome further action on exploring how the process can be devolved and improved.

We welcome your government's commitments, as part of wider planning system reforms, to give greater certainty and strength for development around well-connected rail stations. There are significant benefits for jobs and growth that can be unlocked by building around train stations. We would encourage your government to continue working at pace with Network Rail and local partners in expediting opportunities to release the potential of this under-utilised land for housing and wider regeneration opportunities.

Positive progress on strategic infrastructure, such as Northern Powerhouse Rail, is set to unlock significant opportunities for local, regional and national growth. We would urge your government to continue to work collaboratively with local areas and their representative boards to ensure these nationally significant schemes deliver both locally, and nationally.

Unlocking the opportunities of fiscal devolution

Whilst progress on providing funding certainty through multi-year funding settlements is hugely welcome, there is further scope to enable greater access to local investment levers and boost funding and delivery to fully unlock the ambitions of our members.

We welcome the Chancellor’s commitment to develop a roadmap for future fiscal devolution, including giving regional leaders control of a share of some national taxes.

Making fiscal devolution, a reality

We would urge your government to ensure transport infrastructure delivery is at the heart of fiscal devolution plans. There are various local funding levers which ought to be explored, including but not limited to:

• Devolving decision-making on the introduction of local fundraising levers.
• Enabling full retention and control of business rates revenues and supplements.
• Exploring new land value capture mechanisms, focusing on city regions taking a more active role in the management and development of land and leading a land assembly process.

Fiscal devolution will ensure that every penny of investment is targeted and maximised to achieve the biggest impact on local economies and communities and will reduce pressure on Treasury in the long term.

Our members stand ready to continue working constructively with government to help turn legislative and policy change into tangible improvements on the ground, and to ensure transport continues to play a central role in delivering growth and opportunity.

Thank you once again for the leadership shown on transport reform to date. I wish you well as you prepare the forthcoming King’s Speech.

Yours sincerely,

Jason Prince

Director, Urban Transport Group

CC Heidi Alexander MP, Secretary of State for Transport