Lack
of
consistency


has
hampered
improvements
to
transport
in
Britain,
according
to
a
new
report.
It
warns
that
there
is
a
unique
opportunity
to
make
projects
more
efficient
and
less
costly,
which
may
not
come
again.

The
report,
from
Arup
and
the
Urban
Transport
Group,
sets
out
a
new
plan
for
developing
transport
over
the
next
50
years,
and
as
a
start
it
proposes
creating
a
Transport
Strategy
for
England.
It
also
voices
strong
support
for
private
sector
companies
working
in
partnership
with
the
state.

The
Rail
and
Urban
Transport
Review
was
commissioned
by
the
Labour
Party
while
it
was
in
opposition
in
December
2023,
and
has
been
led
by
former
Siemens
chief
executive
Juergen
Maier.

He
was
assisted
by
a
panel
from
the
transport
industry,
who
included
Northern
Powerhouse
chief
executive
Henri
Murison,
former
Transport
for
Greater
Manchester
chief
operating
officer
Bob
Morris
and
Nicola
Smith,
who
is
the
head
of
economics,
employment
rights
and
social
affairs
at
the
Trade
Union
Congress.

Juergen
Maier
saId:
‘We
have
an
important
moment
to
reimagine
a
better
connected,
more
affordable
and
high-capacity
transport
network
of
the
future.
There
is
no
long-term
plan,
especially
beyond
parliamentary
terms,
and
the
recent
unprecedented
level
of
policy
“chop
and
change”
has
created
significant
ambiguity
in
the
sector,
raised
costs
and
held
back
investment.
Despite
the
lack
of
a
plan
and
current
low
confidence
levels
in
our
transport
sector
from
both
investors
and
passengers,
there
is
a
strong
desire
and
a
willingness
within
the
sector
to
do
significantly
better.’

The
conclusions
of
the
panel
have
been
expressed
in
five
‘key
themes’.
These
are
a
‘bold
long-term
vision’
accompanied
by
an
‘ambitious
national
transport
strategy’,
developing
a
‘Greener,
Faster,
Cheaper’
way
of
building
transport
infrastructure,
‘harnessing
the
benefits’
of
public-private
partnerships,
making
sure
that
the
new
strategy
for
transport
is
in
accordance
with
plans
for
industry
and
housing,
and
listening
to
the
veiws
of
transport
users
and
workers.

Transport
secretary
Louise
Haigh
has
given
her
support,
saying:
‘Fourteen
years
of
Conservative
government
left
the
public
sick
and
tired
of
broken
promises
on
transport
infrastructure.
This
independent
expert-led
review
provides
a
comprehensive
assessment
of
the
challenges
and
opportunities
we
face
in
delivering
transport
infrastructure
in
Britain,
and
will
help
inform
this
new
Government’s
thinking.

‘We
are
clear
that
we
will
deliver
value
for
the
taxpayer
while
turbocharging
delivery
of
transport
projects.
That’s
how
you
grow
the
economy
in
every
corner
of
the
country,
and
deliver
the
transport
network
that
modern
Britain
needs.’

The
report
has
also
been
welcomed
by
the
Railway
Industry
Association
and
the
Campaign
for
Better
Transport.

RIA
chief
executive
Darren
Caplan
said:
‘The
Railway
Industry
Association
and
our
members
welcome
this
transport
infrastructure
review,
and
will
work
with
industry
colleagues
to
implement
its
rail
recommendations.
We
and
the
wider
rail
supply
sector
stand
ready
to
play
our
part.’

CBT
chief
executive
Paul
Tuohy
said:
‘The
recommendations
made
in
this
review
offer
a
bold
vision
for
how
the
Government
could
expand
public
transport
use
while
delivering
on
its
commitments
to
economic
growth,
social
inclusion
and
decarbonisation.
We
especially
welcome
the
recommendations
for
ambitious
targets
to
increase
public
transport
journeys
and
get
the
necessary
infrastructure
built
as
this
is
something
we
have
long
called
for.’