This research - conducted by transport consultancy SYSTRA on behalf of the Urban Transport Group - uncovers valuable insights into how passengers spend their time while travelling by

This research, by Transport for Quality of Life, identifies the underlying conditions that best predict levels of bus use in local areas. It points to six conditions which, when combined, are used to define the ‘Intrinsic Bus Potential’ (IBP) of a local authority area.

This report - published to coincide with the 2019 Autumn Party Conferences - identifies four urban transport challenges and four solutions needed to overcome them.

It also details what transport authorities need from Government to bring about these changes. 

We are living in rapidly changing times. Big shifts are taking place in urban transport trends.

This literature review - carried out by SYSTRA for the Urban Transport Group - aims to appraise the existing evidence base on the range of factors that influence how people respond to the experience of bus travel, with a focus on the social-emotional experience of bus travel and on the experiences of different socio-demographic groups.

This report highlights how investing in bus services is key to achieving a wide range of policy objectives across Government. 

The report also finds that the way in which bus services are funded is mired in complexity, with no oversight within Whitehall of how the various funding streams from different Government departments impact on bus services overall.

This report explores a range of factors relevant to bus patronage decline, under the themes of social and economic change; alternatives to the bus; and public attitudes to bus travel.

The latest edition of Policy futures for urban transport emphasises how a new deal on funding and powers is essential to keep the UK's cities moving forward.

The report sets out the 10 key policy changes that are needed to make cities healthier, fairer and more prosperous.

Policy futures for urban transport sets out how, with more focused governance in place, the city regions are delivering major investment programmes including on public transport, highways and active travel, and smart ticketing. The report says that - with the right national policy framework - further and faster progress can be made, including:

‘The Scandinavian Way to Better Public Transport’ shows how transport authorities in three Scandinavian countries (Sweden, Denmark and Norway) are using devolved powers to transform public transport for the better - and sets out the lessons that the UK could learn.

‘Total Transport’ schemes pool resources and vehicle fleets from across the public sector which are currently used to provide separate mainstream, social services, education and healthcare transport provision. Through pooling and coordination a better overall service can be provided at less cost to the taxpayer.

This report sets out our vision for how future UK urban transport policy could unfold in a way that enables the nation’s urban areas to deliver smart and sustainable growth that has far-reaching benefits.

This report provides an overview of how local public transport has been devolved in the Netherlands in a way that still maintains a national integrated public transport network. It also analyses the different approaches that have been taken to the franchising of local public transport networks and the lessons that can be learned.

Update to the paper produced by Andrew Last in May 2014.

This report aims to provide decision makers with a guide to the implications for urban transport of transformative social and technological change and how they can best respond. 

The report (which was produced in collaboration with Arup Foresight) identifies four key overarching trends: 

This document sets out the progress we have made and the barriers that need to be overcome if the city regions are to get ticketing that looks and feels more like Oyster.

This report reveals the vital role of public transport, and the bus in particular, in enabling people to find and sustain employment. Some 77% of jobseekers in British cities outside London do not have regular access to a car, van or motorbike and can face significant barriers to work as a result.

In 2011, the two main bus operators in the city of Oxford introduced an inter-operable smart ticketing system known as the SmartZone. Meanwhile, many other parts of the country have faced significant challenges in attempting to introduce inter-operable smart ticketing in deregulated bus markets.

Aimed at city region authorities, this toolkit provides an accessible overview of the issues and options for tackling air pollution associated with transport.

The bus is key to achieving 46 policy goals of 12 of the 24 Departments across Whitehall including the Department for Work and Pensions, HM Treasury, Department of Health, Department for Education and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

This brochure and website sets out how well planned bus priority schemes can transform roads and high streets; make walking and cycling safer; create clearer parking and drop off spaces; and reduce congestion for all road users.

This report explains how the national system for monitoring, improving, and enforcing bus punctuality is supposed to work now, why it doesn't work well, and how it could be reformed.

This paper was produced by Andrew Last, for pteg, between December 2013 and May 2014, and its purpose is two-fold: - To serve as a background resource for PTE officers by providing an overview of current reimbursement guidance and its genesis; - To identify and document a number of issues with the current DfT Concessionary reimbursement guidance, thereby supporting

This report to pteg by Atkins focuses on the most important recent and forthcoming changes to highways policy and the implications of these for Metropolitan areas, including in respect of air quality, carbon emissions, technology, the Strategic Road Network, road maintenance, road safety, planning, freight, management of road space and parking policy.

Building on the work of the Department for Transport, pteg commissioned AECOM to prepare additional guidance for PTEs and other Local Transport Authorities to assist in the monitoring and evaluation of Local Sustainable Transport Fund projects. The guidance provides a practical approach to developing cost effective and affordable monitoring and evaluation programmes.

Internal report by STC Ltd and Strata Consultants focusing on evolving education policy and the likely implications for bus services, demand and costs both now and in the future. The report also considers the options for PTEs in responding to these changes.

A detailed evaluation of the economic and social benefits of investing in the urban bus.

Aims to get local transport authorities thinking about how they can provide the best deal for young people on public transport in a difficult economic climate.

Written after young people, bus companies, transport authorities and government departments got together to look at ways to improve young people’s access to, and experience of, using buses. A companion guide for young people is also available.

Written after young people, bus companies, transport authorities and government departments got together to look at ways to improve young people’s access to, and experience of, using buses. A companion guide for the bus sector is also available.

Forecasts the medium term implications for English metropolitan areas of changes to bus subsidy.

Builds the evidence base on the value for money of small public transport schemes by compiling and analysing a database of close to 150 schemes.

This report highlights the essential role of public transport, walking and cycling in achieving key health, social care and employment policy goals. It warns that this contribution could be put at risk unless there is more focus on collaborative, cross-sector funding and delivery of transport interventions.

Investigates whether air pollutant emissions from idling buses could be reduced by measures that address behavioural, network/infrastructure and technical factors.

Looks at the disproportionate effect of bus fare increases on low income families and considers measures that could help.

This report looks at how the Netherlands has achieved an integrated public transport network whilst devolving responsibilities for local services to local transport authorities.

Research study aiming to provide a deeper understanding of the value of providing concessionary fares for young people.

A report for pteg by Booz and Co which surveys the global evidence on the benefits of simple and integrated public transport ticketing.

Investigates scenarios and opportunities for reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and toxic pollutants from bus fleets in the PTE areas.

Evidence from the second year of free local schemes in PTE areas