- More contactless, tap-and-go travel, a step closer as
Government gives local leaders tools to join up
buses, trams and trains.
- Millions of passengers across England
will benefit from
simpler, more affordable and more
joined-up journeys under a new national transport strategy
launched today.
- Other measures include a new Google Maps partnership to track
rural buses, ‘Mini-Switzerland' Peak District trials and a
Parking Platform to end car app chaos.
Tap-and-go travel across buses, trains, and
trams will benefit more cities and towns across
England after the Government announced more local powers for
contactless travel today (Thursday,
2nd April).
Local leaders are being given the tools to
replicate joined-up systems already in place in
areas like Liverpool, London and
Nottingham, where passengers travel seamlessly
across the city on different transport while tapping
their bank card as payment – without juggling multiple
tickets or apps.
It is one of more than 40 fully funded commitments in the new
Better Connected national transport strategy, designed to
make everyday journeys simpler, easier to pay for and
more reliable from door to door.
Huge steps have already been taken to make people's everyday
journeys more affordable, including the rail fare
freeze, the bus fare
cap, and freezing fuel
duty. Giving people genuine choice over how they
travel and making these options more
affordable is at the core of this
strategy. By providing local leaders
with more flexibility, control and
long-term funding certainty, they can design
more
joined-up networks that deliver better
value for money, helping to keep fares down and support
the cost of living.
The
strategy also announces a breakthrough
new partnership with Google,
allowing passengers across
England to track their bus in real time
through Google Maps. The service will be especially
useful for passengers in rural areas where bus services are less
frequent.
Drivers will
also benefit from the expansion
of the National Parking
Platform, allowing them to use any
parking app across participating car
parks, ending the frustrating experience of
having to download a different app each
time.
Better Connected also announces a ‘Mini
Switzerland' pilot in the Peak
District's Hope Valley, backed by
£6 million of Government funding.
Taking its name from best practice
in European rural areas, the trial will
test more frequent, reliable rural bus services timed
to connect with arriving trains to support
local communities
and tourism.
Transport Secretary, , said:
“For too long, getting from A to B has been more complicated than
it needs to be. “People want journeys to be easy and reliable.
They want to be able to get off a …
… why we're giving local leaders the powers to build transport
networks that are simpler, more accessible and better connected,
improving everyday journeys and supporting growth in every corner
of the country.”
While local leaders will continue to decide
whether to invest in contactless, tap-and-go travel,
the Government has made it easier than ever by providing back-end
technical
support and long-term funding to bring
it to their towns and cities.
Gold standard examples like Nottingham and Derby's Ride
app, part-funded by Government, show what is possible
when local leaders are backed to improve local
transport. The app allows passengers to plan and
pay for journeys on buses and trams, as well as shared transport
services, including car clubs, e-scooters and e-bikes –
all in one place.
To help local areas go further, the
Government is also launching £40
million in new funding for local
authorities to trial digital technologies to
improve transport, reduce congestion
and ease disruption.
Alongside these new features, the Government is
also publishing new Local Transport Plan
guidance giving local leaders clear
blueprints for building
joined-up transport, making the most of
their funding and boosting local
growth.
Jason Prince, Director of the Urban Transport Group, said:
“The new transport strategy, which includes an ambition to
deliver a step change in tap-and-go contactless services for
customers, is welcome. The …
… to deliver better, more joined-up transport networks. The
strategy will compliment this ongoing work and help to
ensure all people across England - from cities to the countryside
- are better connected.”
Better Connected comes alongside major
action on transport across the
country, from the creation
of Great British Railways, record
investment to fix local roads, to faster rollout
of EV chargepoints and support for
major infrastructure projects that will
improve connections and drive growth. Together, this
sets the direction for a more joined-up transport network that
works better for passengers, drivers and
communities across England.
