Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 8
8
The Department referred to its recently published strategies on bus travel18 and cycling and walking19...
Conclusion
The Department referred to its recently published strategies on bus travel18 and cycling and walking19 and told us that integration between modes of transport is “critical” to make public transport an attractive and practical choice for passengers.20 However, in these documents we can see only limited reference to integrated travel and even less detail on how such integration will be delivered and achieved. 8 Q 19 9 Q 40 10 Qq 31, 38 11 Q 40 12 C&AG’s report, p18; Department for Transport, Transport use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, May 2021 13 Cabinet Office, COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 (Summary), February 2021, Step 1–8 and 29 March 14 Department for Transport, Transport use during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, May 2021 15 Qq 40, 57, 59–61 16 Q 59 17 Q 45 18 Secretary of State for Transport, Bus Back Better, Department for Transport, March 2021 19 Secretary of State for Transport, Gear change: a bold vision for cycling and walking, Department for Transport, July 2020 20 Q 63 10 Overview of the English rail system Planned rail system reform
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
1.3 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendations. Target implementation date: December 2021 1.4 The government will write to the Committee in December 2021. The UK already has a well-developed and integrated public transport system. In 2019, 81% of rail users travelled to the station by public transport or active travel. In addition, DfT is delivering a new package of measures to support the return of passengers following the COVID-19 pandemic. 1.5 The government has set out in the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, the National Bus Strategy and the Prime Minister’s long-term Walking and Cycling Plan, how it will further integrate public transport for passengers, encouraging more people to travel by rail and use public transport or active travel as part of these journeys. The government’s commitments include: • £3 billion for buses in England outside London. Railway stations will increasingly be hubs for local bus services, with full information displayed about connecting buses and greater availability of integrated ticketing between rail, light rail and bus services, • cycling to the station and taking it on a train will be made easier. This includes £2 million funding in 2021-22 for cycling facilities at train stations and cycling routes to stations through the Cycle Rail Fund. • in England, new partnerships with Great British Railways’ (GBR's) regional divisions will give areas greater control over local ticketing, services and stations, and • station management will be integrated within GBR to improve accountability for long-term investment in stations and identifying ways to improve connections with walking, cycling and other transport services.