The Transport Committee is seeking evidence on how transport services can be improved to offer a more integrated approach
The Transport Committee has launched a new inquiry into how transport services and investment can be planned to best meet the needs of the public. The ‘joined-up journeys’ inquiry will investigate how the Government can achieve, and measure the benefits of, better integration between transport services throughout the country, and will look at how people can make better and more informed journey choices by positively choosing between, and combining, different forms of transport depending on their needs. The cross-party Committee will also examine how methodologies for appraising the value for money of transport investment could be better at capturing the potential benefits of integrated transport networks, including the Government’s aims such as economic growth or reducing carbon emissions.
The Government plans to publish an ‘Integrated National Transport Strategy’ that will put the emphasis on user experience of transport, and the Committee will look at what a strategy like this needs to cover to be successful. MPs will also look at how making services more joined up could be beneficial to particular groups, such as those with accessibility needs, older or younger people, and those for whom affordability is a barrier to using transport. The Government has said that its future plans for making transport accessible will be covered by the new Strategy.
Transport Committee Chair Ruth Cadbury MP said: “In this inquiry we’re going to zoom out and look at the big picture. How can the Government do a better job of joining up the different transport options in every community so that they work to their fullest potential for the travelling public? If I want to get from A to B, what are the options, and are those options as efficient as they could be? Will a reliable bus service take me to the railway station before the train arrives? Can I park my bike, or hire a bike to get to the station instead? If I have access needs and want to take my car, where will I park without being left with a long walk on the other side? Is it really cheaper to drive, or to use public transport? Is time, or the ability to work en-route more important?
“The Committee’s joined-up journeys inquiry will look both at how transport integration can be achieved through better planning, more information for travellers, and by improving the services we already have. From planting those seeds, we want to see how other strategic aims such as modal shift, improvements to local economies and better quality of life, can be measured and replicated.”
The Transport Committee is welcoming written evidence submissions from those with expert knowledge of the transport sectors, and submissions can be made via the Committee’s website until 16 October. Feedback is requested on issues including what the key features are that make a transport system feel joined up to the user, what stops effective integration happening now and what kinds of interventions and policy decisions are needed to provide more joined-up transport, including in areas beyond transport such as planning.
