Integrated National Transport Strategy
Announcing the launch of an Integrated National Transport Strategy.
Thank you so much Tracy, it is testament to your leadership, and indeed our friendship that a South Yorkshire girl is launching a national strategy in Leeds today.
Thank so much everyone for joining us today.
The strength of the strategy we are launching depends on capturing the ideas and experiences of everyone in this room and many more around the country who will have important contributions to make.
Before I get into the strategy itself I wanted to share a little bit about what motivates me in this job.
There is sometimes a rather singular view of transport, that it바카라 사이트s perhaps not that high on the political agenda, that it is quite often a series of bin fires valiantly being tackled by a gang of hobbyists who really, really love trains.
And do you know what, there바카라 사이트s a bit of truth to that. And that바카라 사이트s OK, because we need people who really love 바카라 사이트 and understand 바카라 사이트 trains.
But that바카라 사이트s not me. I do not have a model railway in my attic and, despite living in Sheffield, I don바카라 사이트t own an anorak.
So what excites me to take this on? Because what animates me is people.
It바카라 사이트s making people바카라 사이트s day-to-day lives better.
And breaking down the barriers that hold too many people across our country back.
And transport is at the heart of how we바카라 사이트re going to do that.
It isn바카라 사이트t an add on or a backwater, or an afterthought, it is the beating heart that powers this country.
And if it starts and ends with people, as I believe it must, then the question the system must address is where should power lie?
My answer to this is simple and straightforward 바카라 사이트 with the people who use our transport system every single day.
This government is not interested in hoarding power in Whitehall. I no more want to be running an entire railway than I want a train set in my attic.
Instead, this government is putting power back at the local level 바카라 사이트 through the English Devolution White Paper, led by my colleague the Deputy Prime Minister바카라 사이트¦
Through our Bus Services Bill, that will empower locally designed and controlled networks바카라 사이트¦
And through bringing our railways back into public ownership.
And our integrated strategy will support local leaders to use these powers to drive better outcomes for the people they are elected to serve.
All politicians 바카라 사이트 particularly in our Labour movement 바카라 사이트 stand on the shoulders of giants. Me more than most.
My giant, funnily enough, was a red haired female, lefty Transport Secretary, who grew up in Yorkshire바카라 사이트¦.
It바카라 사이트s been over 50 years since my political hero, Barbara Castle, set out her vision for integrated transport in the 1968 Transport Act.
At its core was never a battle of car against train, or bus against tram 바카라 사이트 but a vision of a coherent transport network that gave people real choice.
A system in local hands, run by local leaders, and which met the needs of local people.
And a system that, in her words, was integral to all other planning 바카라 사이트 economy, housing, environment 바카라 사이트 you name it, transport enabled it.
Here, in West Yorkshire, her ideas were brought to life.
The regional Passenger Transport Executive coordinated bus and train, unified fares, and created a consistent brand 바카라 사이트 people always knew where they were when they saw those cream and green Metro buses.
And we only need to look at the great work happening with the Bee Network in Greater Manchester and TfL in London to see how integrated transport, with a distinct local feel, is improving people바카라 사이트s lives.
But the work of integration remains unfinished.
What was a clear vision 50 years ago was thrown away in the 80s and 90s through deregulation and privatisation.
It wasn바카라 사이트t just that the trains and buses were privatised. Power was privatised too.
Local leaders were bereft of the right levers바카라 사이트¦. With terrible, real, human consequences. Because when power is privatised, it바카라 사이트s the people that suffer.
Take Dunster바카라 사이트s Farm 바카라 사이트 a wholesalers in Bury and a good employer that pays the living wage. Yet late shift workers sleep in the staff room because there바카라 사이트s no night time public transport to get them home.
Or Toby Mildon, a disabled passenger, who was forced to endure a six hour journey from London to Dundee with no accessible toilets.
I think the tragedy behind those stories is that we have become inured to them, we accept that transport simply doesn바카라 사이트t work, and it won바카라 사이트t meet our needs.
But the ambition that drove my predecessors 50 years ago and that has been realised in so many cities across the globe can be revived and it can be achieved here.
There바카라 사이트s one big difference between Barbara and I.
Where she was committed to central planning and driving change from the top, I know that that can바카라 사이트t work.
I am inspired by the work of a new generation of thinkers and behavioural economists, like Pete Dyson and Rory Sutherland in their work Transport for Humans.
They envisage transport that unashamedly puts the needs of people first바카라 사이트¦.
That can be the means to greater opportunity and healthier communities 바카라 사이트¦.
And that will drive the economic growth this government has made its central mission.
Now, I바카라 사이트m never embarrassed to nick a good idea when I see one and if we look beyond our shores, we can see what바카라 사이트s possible and bring inspiration back home.
I visited Dijon earlier this year; a city with 164,000 residents, roughly the size of Chester. Its fully integrated transport network is reliable, efficient and effective. And they built it, essentially, from scratch.
It has succeeded in driving down congestion and pollution because when you build a genuinely integrated transport network people choose to use it.
Technology is helping Dijon iron out the wrinkles in the system that can put people off using public transport.
They are moving to a system where you can use your phone to pay even if it had run out of battery.
Tickets and car parking are priced dynamically depending on levels of air pollution.
A single app brings together every mode of transport 바카라 사이트 from bus to tram, car hire to bike hire, planning your journey to paying for parking.
With a range of options at your fingertips, no wonder bus and tram journeys have increased by 40% in Dijon.
And as I said, Dijon is a city about the size of Chester and so a comparison is begged. Where Dijon is attracting more and more of its residents to public transport, Chester has seen bus usage fall by over 14%.
Why does Dijon바카라 사이트s transport system work whilst Chester바카라 사이트s has not?
It바카라 사이트s because in Dijon the city has the power to make the changes it needs.
It has appointed a single organisation, in this case the private sector organisation, Keolis, to run the whole system, a body that the city can hold to account and a body that is empowered to drive progress.
Our integrated strategy will empower local leaders to design and build their own, region-specific networks.
Today is not about infrastructure 바카라 사이트 important as that is.
This government will publish an infrastructure strategy in the spring 바카라 사이트 that will set out our priorities for the next decade in transport, provide certainty to the supply chain, and help unlock private investment.
And whilst I바카라 사이트m firmly committed to getting the infrastructure that we need바카라 사이트¦.
바카라 사이트¦what we need is a people-first approach to guide our infrastructure thinking, for the real change we need in transport.
Which brings me to today바카라 사이트s event, and why, here in Leeds, I am kickstarting the work for England바카라 사이트s first Integrated National Transport Strategy, which I will publish next year.
I want people바카라 사이트s needs to be at the heart of how we plan, build and operate transport.
That must begin with the outcomes we want:
- People living and working where they want,
- Travelling in the way they want,
- Accessing housing, hospitals, schools and other services they need,
- And deprived communities opening economic doors that were previously closed to them바카라 사이트¦
By starting with what we want to achieve, we can design transport systems that enable that vision. Β
This people-led approach requires the most radical culture shift in transport thinking in generations.
It includes changing how we measure value for money 바카라 사이트 so more weight is given to transport projects that enhance access to jobs, boost productivity, and help businesses grow - particularly in less affluent areas.
That is why I바카라 사이트m planning to reform our appraisal system, so we deliver not just good value for money, but the right outcomes too.
Now, I know what some of you may be thinking.
Yet another strategy written by Whitehall for Whitehall.
But this will be different in three ways. Β
Firstly, because I want people바카라 사이트s views to shape it.
So, today I am launching a call for ideas on how we can make transport work better.
This will be followed by a series of regional roadshows early next year 바카라 사이트 so we can hear directly from local leaders, transport operators, passenger bodies and local people.
And once ready, the strategy will be delivered by a new Integrated Transport Commissioner, who I will be recruiting soon.
Secondly, the strategy will address concerns many local leaders have raised.
So let me reassure those in the room바카라 사이트¦.
It will create a single national vision of how integrated transport systems should work together.
But it will then empower local leaders to design their local transport to meets specific local needs and address problems and pinch points in their areas.
It will build on, not cut across, the fantastic work already taking place바카라 사이트¦.
And today, I바카라 사이트m backing our Mayors across the country even further.
By confirming that they will be given a statutory role in governing, the managing, the planning and developing of Great British Railways network.
This will ensure our local leaders can create the right transport networks that deliver for local areas.
So my message today is simple: the Integrated National Transport Strategy will be your tool to design ambitious, joined up and better transport바카라 사이트¦.
To share your ideas and best practice with others바카라 사이트¦. .
And this government will remove every obstacle in your way.
Finally, the strategy will be underpinned by the latest technology, behavioural science and data.
Even though many journeys span different modes and different areas바카라 사이트¦.
Often local authorities and operators are not incentivised to think beyond their own remits.
That바카라 사이트s why, for example, I want to use technology to combine huge amounts of transport data across the country바카라 사이트¦..
So that people can enjoy seamless, integrated, and accessible journeys 바카라 사이트 tailored to their needs, wherever they live.
I바카라 사이트d like to end by painting a picture of just what this could look like in practice.
Firstly, a transport system that works together 바카라 사이트 and that people trust.
This could mean buying one ticket, at the best price, across a range of options. Local transport looking and feeling like one brand, with timetables that are aligned 바카라 사이트 so your bus doesn바카라 사이트t leave 5 minutes before your train pulls in.
Secondly, a transport system for everyone.
Where, across the network, accessibility is designed in as standard. We can make it easier to get on and off services and build a safer and more secure network, particularly for women and girls.
Thirdly, a transport system that바카라 사이트s sustainable.
Walking and cycling should be the best choice for shorter journeys. Where pavements and cycle tracks are in good repair and people can enjoy expanded hire schemes for bikes and e-scooters.
And finally, a transport system for the whole country.
For many, especially in rural areas, driving will remain the only practical choice.
I want these journeys to be smoother and more predictable 바카라 사이트 from using data to manage traffic flows, to helping drivers easily find, and pay for, parking spaces. Β
Like our brilliant mayors, I바카라 사이트m in this business to make people바카라 사이트s lives better. And transport can genuinely do that. It can be transformative.
But this will require nothing short of a revolution.
Bringing together a fragmented system of different operators, incentives and responsibilities will take time.
But we바카라 사이트ve rightly set an ambitious timeframe, because people deserve improvements as quickly as possible.
The revolution that I am asking for your help in is to wrestle back power over transport in service of the people using it.
Together we can finally deliver on the promise of Barbara Castle바카라 사이트s vision, 50 years ago.
Together we can show the world that this country 바카라 사이트 once a pioneer of public transport 바카라 사이트 still has the know-how and the will to reclaim our role as a global leader in people-first transport.
Together we can build a transport system that genuinely works for the British people, and I can바카라 사이트t wait to get started on working with you all to achieve it.