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biggest regulatory review in a generation to explore
regulation around new transport modes
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£90 million to be invested in towns and cities to test
transport innovation, making journeys greener, easier, safer
and more reliable
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publication of ‘Future of mobility: urban strategy’ a
key modern Industrial Strategy milestone
The biggest review into transport in a generation will pave the
way for transforming the way people and goods move around our
cities, the government has announced today (19 March 2019) in its
Future of mobility: urban strategy.
The review will explore regulations around new types of vehicles
including e-scooters and e-cargo bike trailers, how sharing data
can improve services by reducing congestion, and how journey
planning and payment can be made more simple. This wide-ranging
review will also explore modernising laws from the 1800s that are
providing a barrier to innovation.
Alongside this, the government is launching a competition for up
to 4 new ‘future mobility zones’, backed by £90 million, to test
ideas to improve journeys for people across the country. With 80%
of people in the UK now using smartphones, ideas will
include smoother payment systems, better, more up-to-date travel
information and the use of innovative forms of transport, making
travel in towns and cities more convenient, more reliable and
cheaper.
Future of Mobility Minister, , said:
We are at a potentially pivotal moment for the future of
transport, with revolutionary technologies creating huge
opportunities for cleaner, cheaper, safer and more reliable
journeys.
Through this strategy the government aims to take advantage of
these innovations; connecting more people and bringing big
benefits we hope for both the economy and the environment.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief
Executive, said:
The automotive industry is responding to perhaps the most
significant change since the invention of the car. Mobility as
we know it is evolving, improving people’s day-to-day lives
with implications for all of society. Today’s strategy offers
important guidance on the objectives and principles
underpinning the future of mobility in towns and cities, while
giving industry scope to invest and innovate, developing
exciting new services.
We look forward to working closely with government and local
authorities to shape the strategy’s implementation, helping to
position the UK as a global leader in future
mobility.
Future of Mobility Grand Challenge Business Champion and former
Board Member of BMW, Ian Robertson said:
With a long history of transport innovation, a world-class
research base and many established technology leaders,
the UK is in
prime position for a transport revolution.
The government’s vision as set out in the ‘Future of mobility:
urban strategy’ will ensure that going forward, all businesses
within the transport industry create technology that is
accessible to everyone, environmentally friendly and
economically worthwhile. In doing so, the industry can ensure
it harnesses its domestic expertise to profit from a growing
market for cleaner, safer and more efficient transport.
Mayor of the West Midlands, said:
Technology is going to completely change the way people get
around, and we’re pleased the West Midlands is at the forefront
of this revolution.
The West Midlands is already the beating heart of Britain’s
self-driving vehicle testing, competing with Silicon Valley,
Germany and China.
As the UK’s first ever
future mobility area we are already developing these new
technologies to help people get around more quickly and easily,
and to build the next billion-dollar company like Uber or Tesla
right here in Birmingham, Binley or Brierley.
The strategy, a key part of the government’s modern Industrial Strategy,
also sets out 9 key principles that will guide government
decision-making going forward, ensuring that emerging transport
technologies are safe, accessible and green.
These include being: safe, secure and guarded against cyber
threats; accessible to older people and those with visible and
non-visible disabilities; and in line with the government’s
ambition for a zero-emission future.
In a further boost for sustainable transport, the government has
announced the first winners of the
Transforming Cities Fund and awarded £60 million to 10
city regions for schemes supporting low-carbon vehicles, cycling
and walking projects, and smart traffic controls. The
Transforming Cities Fund aims to invest in public and sustainable
transport infrastructure in some of England’s largest city
regions, encouraging an increase in journeys made by low carbon
modes.
The government has also published its response to
the Last Mile call for
evidence, outlining a range of measures to support cleaner
and more sustainable last mile deliveries. These include
increasing the uptake of e-cargo bikes and e-vans. In addition,
working with the Energy Saving Trust, the government is also now
inviting expressions of interest for £2 million of funding to
support the uptake of e-cargo bikes.
