As part of what ministers are calling a “people first” revolution in regional travel, investment could focus on deprived areas and healthier options, and use dedicated apps to integrate transport links between towns and cities. There is sex.
In a speech in Leeds, Transport Secretary Louise Hague described the plan as “a revolution to take back power over transport”. He said significant powers would be devolved to mayors and councils across England, who would be encouraged to devise their own priorities.
One idea is to allow towns and cities to use “surges” or dynamic pricing to increase parking prices when pollution levels are high. The idea has been used in the French city of Dijon, which Haig cites as an example of a well-linked technology-centric approach. trip.
Announcing changes to the way the government assesses transport projects, Mr Hague said the new indicators would prioritize economic growth and productivity and would necessarily target areas with poor transport links, such as the north of England. Ta. Other changes will prioritize healthier travel modes.
Mr Haig presented the strategy as a radical shift from the infrastructure-focused “Whitehall knows best” approach, saying that too often transport policy “really focuses on the men, the railways. “The efforts of our beloved enthusiasts will cause a series of dumpster fires.” . She added: “But that's not me. I don't have model trains in my attic.”
Mr Haig told reporters after his speech that investing in transport networks such as buses and local trains and allowing localities to set priorities, as well as using technology to connect disparate systems, was “really important. “It has the potential to be transformative,” he said.
Haig uses the example of Dijon, where a central app provides public transport information, ticketing and payment, bike rental and parking, to give people the confidence to “use and use different modes of transport seamlessly”. He said that they should be able to do the same. These too will have an integrated timetable.
She pointed to another policy adopted in Dijon. The idea is that the fees for public parking lots will change depending on the level of pollution. The direction is not always upwards, and sometimes fares are cut to very low rates amid spikes in pollution to encourage people to leave their cars in town and take public transport home. .
“The key is to have these means and capabilities and resources at the local level to actually design a network that is very unique and specific to your situation,” she said.
Asked whether the change in the weighting on new project approvals would necessarily mean that money would shift from areas such as the south-east of England to the north and other regions, Mr Hague confirmed that this was the case. Ta.
“The most economically inactive regions of the country are also the least economically connected,” she says. “So boosting investment and prioritizing the growth agenda of those who have historically not benefited from investment is what will make Britain truly grow and work.
“We want to get to a point where investment in transport across the country is fairer. This has not been fair historically and the north of England in particular has been treated really badly, That's part of the reason there's such a huge productivity difference across the board.”
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Mr Hague's ministry will seek input from local areas before publishing a full strategy from next year, with real engagement rather than traditional consultation where ministers listen and decide what they think is best. It is claimed that there is.
He said there would be no new local tax levy powers to pay for transportation plans, but councils and mayors could look at ways to get more investment from the private sector, such as parking fees.
Mr Haig said too many people across England had become accustomed to inconvenient travel. “They accept that transportation simply doesn’t work and doesn’t meet their needs.”
That's why the department is crucial in making voters who feel ignored or marginalized less likely to look to populist parties like Reform for answers, she said.
“I think getting the basics of what transportation means to a lot of people right is a really important way of showing that government is working,” Haig said.
