UITP, the International Association of Public Transport, has published a new position paper which outlines the conditions and prerequisites that local authorities require to deliver quality public transport services.

The paper - Authorities: Strategic conditions & prerequisites - Ensuring high-quality, integrated transport – explores the key success factors needed to translate strategic transport policy objectives into well performing transport systems. Featuring 18 global case studies (including London), it suggests that balancing the following three aspects are critical to achieving this goal:

1. an end-user centric perspective that considers the entire user journey, ensuring frequent, clean, comfortable, punctual, and (physically and cognitively) accessible services, good information, and seamless transitions across different modes and services.  
2. alignment with strategic and policy objectives and the authority’s legal requirements, through service continuity. This includes broader policy goals such as access and connectivity to employment, social equity, carbon reduction, and resilience.  
3. robust service performance and delivery conditions, encompassing the authorities’ and operators’ shared responsibilities, while also addressing market dynamics to ensure operational viability and long-term resilience. Investment is also needed to retrofit, upgrade, or develop new assets.

The paper makes four recommendations to help authorities and other stakeholders deliver high-quality public transport. These are:

• strengthening governance and collaboration
• defining service quality from the user, territorial (urban, peri-urban, and rural) needs, and general interest perspectives
• implementing a robust performance measurement system
• fostering incremental and inclusive innovation that meets public policy objectives

Download the paper here.

The Urban Transport Group is a member of UITP.