Responding to the review of the future structure of the rail network announced by Chris Grayling today, Ben Still (Managing Director of West Yorkshire Combined Authority), who leads on rail for the Urban Transport Group, said:

The Urban Transport Group has today welcomed the Government’s intention to open up data on bus services and to ensure the provision of audio visual information for bus passengers - but said it has major concerns about how the plan is to be funded and implemented at a time when local government funding is being cut.

Further devolution of rail services, greater funding for buses and reform of taxi and Private Hire Vehicle legislation – these are just three parts of a new deal on funding and powers that is required to keep the UK’s cities moving forward.

Professionals working in the transport and health sectors can work more closely with one another to improve health outcomes in the UK, the Urban Transport Group has said today.

The Urban Transport Group has welcomed the first ever National Infrastructure Assessment, published by the National Infrastructure Commission, for offering what it called a “powerful endorsement” of the case for investing more in transport within cities.

The Government’s much anticipated ‘Road to Zero’ strategy on reducing emissions from vehicles is heading in the right direction, but at the wrong speed, the Urban Transport Group has warned today.

Healthy Streets for All, a new programme to raise awareness and support UK cities in shaping urban environments around people and their health, has been launched today by the Urban Transport Group in collaboration with renowned public health expert Lucy Saunders.

On the eve of the UK’s biggest cycling conference the UK’s network of leading city region transport authorities have released a new report which shows how active travel schemes can change cities for the better wherever they are implemented – from Bristol to Inverness and from post-industrial Northern cities to the heart of the City of London.

Significant rail expansion is the ‘only viable option’ to help UK cities achieve their ambitions on economic growth and meeting housing demand, whilst also creating attractive urban centres with less road traffic and better air quality.