Simon Lightwood MP, the Minister for Roads and Buses, was the special guest on the Urban Transport Group’s podcast yesterday – coinciding with the Bus Services Bill becoming law.

The Transport Minister joined UTG’s Director Jason Prince for a special conversation focusing on the bus, as Government heralded the Bus Services Act a ‘new dawn’ for passengers in the UK.

Discussing the new Act, the Minister said:

“Put simply, the Act is all about transferring power away from central Government and transferring power away from operators towards local leaders – those who know their areas best and have skin in the game… and giving them the tools that they need to deliver a service that really reflects their communities’ needs.”

The Minister also spoke about the importance of the bus in his childhood years, from his father being a bus driver, to the mode of transport being “absolutely critical” in allowing him to reach higher education.

The pair also discussed how the bus can drive UK economic growth and manufacturing; aspects of transport devolution; and the role of micromobility in an integrated transport system.

On the Government’s Integrated National Transport Strategy, which it intends to publish towards the end of the year, the Minister said it would “set out a clear national vision for a transport system that works well for people across the country.”

“It’s all about people. All about making their everyday journeys easier, safer and more dependable, however they chose to travel. Our aim is to build a transport system that is accessible and inclusive by design – that works well for more people in more places, and helps them get on with life.”

Summing up, the Minister said the Government was “putting people and passengers at the heart of transport.”

He told Jason:

“We are not just building the infrastructure, we are focused on building opportunity as well, whether that’s better buses, safer streets, more reliable rail, or our focus on making everyday journeys easier, greener and more inclusive.”

You can listen to the full ‘Urban Transport Next: The journey to better buses’ episode below.

The Urban Transport Next series is supported by AtkinsRéalis.