Do you have ideas to make transport better?
The Government is developing an Integrated National Transport Strategy, and it’s inviting ideas from the public. Let’s seize this opportunity to call for good, affordable, sustainable transport for all!
What exactly is an Integrated National Transport Strategy? It sounds like it’s all about how different transport modes integrate together. Things like, making sure bus times coordinate with train times, so the last bus from the station doesn’t leave five minutes before the last train pulls in. Having cycle parking at stations, and safe pedestrian routes to get there. Multimodal ticketing, so you don’t need separate tickets for the bus, train and tram.
It is indeed about these things, which are very important.
But it’s about much more, too.
Because what the Government is planning is “a strategy which will set the high-level direction for how transport should be designed, built and operated in England over the next 10 years.”
“It will set out a single national vision which will put people who use transport and their needs at its heart” – Department for Transport
This is an integrated strategy – it’s not a roads strategy, a rail strategy or a cycling strategy.
It’s an everything strategy.
That means it’s a real opportunity for Campaign for Better Transport, as the only charity working across all transport modes, to lay out the changes that are needed across the whole transport network to make it work for people, communities and the planet. The Government is asking organisations for their recommendations, and we will be calling for a range of things including changes to the way that transport projects are appraised and funding allocated, how ticketing is organised, and the information provided to travellers.
But as well as organisations – and frontline transport workers – the Government is also asking for ideas from ‘people who use any form of transport’. If YOU have ideas for making transport better, this is an opportunity to make your voice heard.
Passengers and cyclists, walkers and wheelers, let’s make our voices heard
The Government’s ‘call for ideas‘ is a simple series of questions which can be completed in minutes, though of course you can take longer if you have more to say.
It asks about the modes of transport you use, followed by the changes you would like to see for each mode.
Finally, it asks some questions about where you get your travel information from, how your journey might be improved by technology, and how you would improve the way transport policy decisions are made. And there is indeed a question about how the transport system could be better ‘joined-up’.
Whether you’re a bus or train passenger, a cyclist, walker or wheeler, you no doubt have suggestions for how transport could be improved. Your ideas don’t need to be original or earth-shattering – in fact, wouldn’t it be brilliant if the Government received sackfuls of suggestions for the kind of common-sense changes that are so obviously needed? Things like…
- Simple, affordable tickets, including multi-modal tickets, with a best-price guarantee so you know there’s not a better deal hiding somewhere
- Better information at bus stops: up-to-date timetables and real-time information screens
- Safe cycling routes and secure cycle parking where we need it
- More car clubs and opportunities for car-sharing, so we can use cars when we need to without them being the default
- Rail stations for more communities, which are accessible to everyone.
The call for ideas closes on 20 February. Please fill it in if you can. The last attempt to create an Integrated National Transport Strategy was made by John Prescott 25 years ago. With our planet in crisis, and emissions from transport still lamentable, how much greater is the need for one now.
Let’s take this chance to call for a better transport network; one that works for everyone rather than leaving people behind, that gives us clean air to breathe and a planet fit for the next generation.
