The Resource Centre holds all our documents (briefings, consultation responses, press releases and reports). Signed-in members also have access to projects. You can search the Resource Centre by topic or by type of document.
Resources
Resources
WISP call for evidence
The threat to public transport in the city regions
Delivering a greener future - Urban freight and the decarbonisation of the city regions
Our city regions rely on the smooth movement of goods to keep supermarket shelves stocked, hospitals supplied with medicine and other equipment, to deliver construction materials and support thriving economies.
However, the current dominance of road freight, produces many negative impacts for our cities.
This report sets out the role for freight in decarbonising city regions and the need for freight to play its part in creating urban areas that are greener, fairer, happier, healthier and more prosperous places.
Making rail reform work for people and places in the city regions
This statement calls for rail reform to both build on the success of the devolution of rail powers which has already taken place, and for structured and meaningful involvement for the city regions in how rail reform plans unfold.
It sets out a range of scenarios for how the proven benefits of devolving further responsibilities for rail could be extended to more passengers and places. These include options for extending and deepening local control and accountability for both rail services, infrastructure and investment.
Creating a Road Collision Investigation Branch
Future of Transport regulatory review: regulatory sandboxes
Future of transport regulatory review: zero emission vehicles
Fully charged: Powering up the potential of e-bikes in the city regions
This report, produced by consultants Steer for the Urban Transport Group, aims to quantify and understand the potential to increase e-bike uptake in the UK, particularly in the city regions, and the benefits that could be realised as a result. It breaks new ground by presenting different scenarios on the potential for e-bikes to achieve mode shift from cars and taxis, and to deliver environmental and economic benefits.
The report also aims to support urban transport authorities to consider practical approaches to increasing e-bike uptake.
Leading Light: What Light Rail can do for City Regions
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.
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UK Transport Governance - an introduction
The key COVID-19 challenges for urban transport and the support we need from Government
Supporting bus services in the COVID-19 recovery period
The urgent need for sustainable bus funding arrangements for bus services in the Covid-19 recovery period
Open letter to Baroness Vere on funding during Coronavirus pandemic
Climate emergency declarations - briefing note
Air quality
Multi-Operator Ticket Comparison 2019
Bus Fares Research 2019
Our asks of Government on Brexit and urban transport
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A new deal for urban transport: for the pandemic and beyond
This short paper shows how urban transport authorities have been keeping the wheels of public transport turning during the pandemic, working together to meet the challenges of COVID-19, whilst delivering better transport for a green and just recovery from it.
But transport authorities lack long-term, coherent and sufficient Government funding and key powers to provide the best service they can during the pandemic or in the longer term to transform and coordinate public transport.
Our case is set out in more detailed reports here including Building back better on urban transport.
Now is the time for a new deal on urban transport.
The Covid-19 Funding Gap: The Case for Continuing Support for Urban Public Transport
This report, produced by transport consultancy Steer for the Urban Transport Group, warns that the future of local public transport services is at serious risk without continued COVID-19 financial support from Government.
It highlights how Government support allowed public transport to continue during the national lockdown (enabling key workers to travel to and from work) and to provide a more comprehensive service at lower socially distanced vehicle capacity following the end of the lockdown.
But the report paints a stark picture for both bus and light rail systems should this support be withdrawn prematurely.
Towards an appropriate legal and regulatory framework for smart futures on transport
Commissioned from consultants Steer, this report seeks to provide an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses the current UK legal and regulatory framework for smart transport futures in relation to the key challenges that UK transport authorities face. It also explores the potential for anticipatory regulation, principles that could underpin any changes to the framework and recommendations for priority areas in need of reform.
Action stations: How devolution is transforming rail stations for the better
This report focuses on the benefits of the involvement of devolved authorities in rail stations.
It does so by looking at over 35 case studies of how and why devolved authorities have improved stations for the better in recent years – and the wide range of different kinds of benefits that this has brought for passengers and the places the railway serves. These benefits include helping to meet local housing need and sparking regeneration, turning run-down stations into gateways and places to be proud of, and improving the accessibility and environmental performance of station buildings.
The report goes further by looking at the potential to achieve even greater results through devolving more responsibilities for stations, such as delivering common branding with the rest of the local public transport network, through to ensuring plans and funding for stations is integrated with wider plans around housing, economic development and decarbonisation.
Automatic for the people? Issues and options for transport authorities on connected and autonomous vehicles
This report aims to provide an objective framework for city regions to think about connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) and the approaches they might take to them.
It looks at CAVs from the perspective of city region transport authorities in the context of their wider objectives and responsibilities; it recognises that vehicles are becoming increasingly connected and autonomous; and that the range of connected and autonomous vehicles goes beyond just cars to include buses and public service vehicles. It also analyses the safety, economic, social and environmental considerations of CAVs.
The report presents options for how transport authorities may respond to CAVs, and recommends the actions national Government should take to enable them to do so.
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.
The report is based on surveys and one-to-one interviews with senior officers responsible for delivering transport policies, programmes and projects in some of England’s largest city regions.
How bus users spend their journey time
This research - conducted by transport consultancy SYSTRA on behalf of the Urban Transport Group - uncovers valuable insights into how passengers spend their time while travelling by bus, and sets out the implications for future bus design and promotion.
The research was based on surveys of over 1,100 people on two different bus routes in Leeds and Nottingham. The two routes both provide a high frequency service and operate with double decker buses with leather seats, WiFi and USB ports - some of the best on-board facilities available. However, the profile of passengers between the two routes was somewhat different, with passengers in Leeds tending to be older, working or retired, whilst a higher proportion of respondents in Nottingham were students, due to the bus route travelling along the university corridor.
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.
In doing so, the report also suggests practical interventions that can be made on a host of different types of projects as well as profiling how a city can make these connections in an increasingly systematic way - using Nottingham and Munich as case studies.
You can listen to a podcast of a public lecture held at LSE Cities in London, where the report was launched.
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 Life, identifies 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. These include the Index of Multiple Deprivation, the proportion of students, and rush-hour traffic travel times.
The report also identifies additional factors which may explain why some areas exceed expectations with higher levels of bus use than predicted, such as a pre-existing culture of bus use, high levels of bus provision, and local factors such as poor rail connectivity.
The research has a number of important implications, including the need for radical change on bus policy to enable more areas to do significantly better on bus patronage.
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.
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."
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Submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review 2021
Traffic Commissioner Function
Public Transport Ticketing Scheme Block Exemption
Automated Vehicles: Consultation Paper 3 – A regulatory framework for automated vehicles
Major transport infrastructure projects: appraisal and delivery
Reforming Public Transport after the Pandemic
Pavement parking: options for change
Planning for the future
Submission to the Comprehensive Spending Review 2020
Transport Decarbonisation Plan
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100 million car and taxi trips in city regions could be replaced by e-bikes if Government delivers target for shift to cycling, new report shows
Over 100 million car and taxi trips made in city regions each year could instead be on e-bikes if the Government is able to deliver its target for mode shift to cycling, according to a new report by consultants Steer for the Urban Transport Group (UTG).
Urban Transport Group responds to Spending Review
Responding to today’s Spending Review, Jonathan Bray, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:
Protect and expand Britain’s light rail systems to aid city regions’ recovery from COVID pandemic, urges report
Britain’s light rail systems are instrumental in supporting economic growth, promoting social inclusion and achieving environmental gains (including a reduction in carbon emissions) in the urban areas that they serve.
Government will miss carbon reduction objectives and levelling up goals without more local transport spending, warn city regions
The Government will fail to meet its objectives around carbon reduction and levelling up unless it increases spending on local transport as part of the Spending Review.
Urban Transport Group welcomes Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority to growing network
The Urban Transport Group (UTG) has today welcomed Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA) as its latest Associate Member, meaning UTG now has members from all ten Combined Authority areas, as well as from each of the four nations of the United Kingdom.
New report makes case for Spending Review to back the bus
‘Spending Review will decide whether bus strategy aspirations will be met’
Report shows current funding falls well short of what will be needed for levelling up
Tram and light rail providers welcome new Covid funding package
The Urban Transport Group, which represents the transport authorities responsible for tram and light rail systems in the English city regions, has today welcomed a new £56 million funding package from Government for tram and light rail systems outside London.
New report commissioned to highlight key role of light rail in city region COVID-19 recovery
The Urban Transport Group (which brings together the transport authorities responsible for all but one of England’s tram and light rail systems) has commissioned a new report, from transport consultancy Steer, which will provide a comprehensive analysis and summary of the benefits of light rail
Urban transport authorities welcome extension of COVID light rail funding support
The Urban Transport Group today welcomed the extension by one month (from June 21st to July 19th) of funding from Government to close the gap caused by loss of patronage due to the pandemic.
Stephen Edwards, who leads on light rail for UTG, said:
The biggest job in UK urban transport: TfL Commissioner to speak about leading through a global crisis and towards a green and just recovery
Transport for London Commissioner Andy Byford will be in conversation with Jo Field, Chief Executive of JFG Communications and President of Women in Transport for the seventh in the Urban Transport Next series of events, hosted by Urban Transport Group.