Local Transport Today is the authoritative, independent journal for transport decision makers. Analysis, Comment & News on Transport Policy, Planning, Finance and Delivery since 1989.

£1.4m contract for TAG software support

The Department for Transport (DfT) is tendering for the provision of development and support to its Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) Appraisal & Modelling Tools. The scope also includes ad-hoc assistance with other tools and sub-models that aid the implementation of TAG. The contract, valued at £1.44m, will run from 1st May this year for 38 months, with a possible extension of up to one year. DfT anticipate the handover from the existing supplier Atkins to happen in April. The supplier will be responsible for maintaining and developing the DfT’s suite of software tools, including: TUBA (Transport Users Benefit Appraisal); TEMPro (Trip End Model Presentation Program); WITA (Wider Impacts in Transport Appraisal); DIADEM (Dynamic Integrated Assignment and Demand Modelling);... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
Green logistics pioneer goes out of business

Green logistics pioneer goes out of business
Deniz Huseyin

Pedal & Post, one of the pioneers of green logistics, has ceased operations after 14 years. The Oxford-based firm – which... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Delayed Active Travel assessments show strong case for more spending
Peter Stonham

A tranche of assessment studies into active travel measures held back from publication for 18 months reveal highly positive rates of return on spending. There is speculation that the Government has not been keen to see these published, given arguments over the level of funding it has been prepared... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Active travel in Liverpool City Region saves NHS £54m a year
Deniz Huseyin

New research suggests that walking, wheeling and cycling in the Liverpool City Region saves the NHS £53.8m a year. The findings come from Liverpool City Region’s Walking and Cycling Index 2025, launched by Walk Wheel Cycle Trust and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority. According to... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

‘National interest’ no guarantee of funding, says Glaister

The decision that a scheme is in the national interest is not the same as an assessment that it can be fully funded out of commercial charges, says Professor Stephen Glaister, writing in this issue of LTT.  He points out that the new Accounting Officers’ assessment indicates that the... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Fragile Lower Thames Crossing funding position spelled out in new DfT review
Peter Stonham

The latest Department for Transport financial assessment of the Lower Thames Crossing finds that whilst all three examined funding options – full public funding, a Private Sector Regulated Asset Base business ( as now favoured) and a hybrid model- would have benefits exceeding costs, all fall... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

DfT publishes Highways Act decisions

The DfT has published a raft of Highways Act inspectors’ reports and decision letters relating to the road improvement schemes across England approved last year.  The inspectors’ letters appear to be the first released by the department since 2018.  With none released until... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

West Yorks Mass Transit chief quits after scheme delay by NISTA review
Peter Stonham

Mike Birch, the Director of Mass Transit for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), has quit his post. He announced his departure on February 21, after two months of controversy surrounding the scheme, and a critical secret report from the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

London West End evening traffic much higher than morning peak, research shows
Deniz Huseyin

 The number of cars coming into central London rises “dramatically” after 6pm when the Congestion Charge and car parking controls end, according to new research by the Clean Cities campaign. It found there are 56% more cars going into the C-charge zone (6,170 entries) in the... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Cycles outnumber cars for first time on busy route in central Glasgow

There were more bikes than cars during peak hours on a busy route in Glasgow city centre for the first time since surveys began, new research shows. Surveys by Cycling Scotland found that bikes outnumbered cars at both rush?hour peaks (8-9am and 5-6pm) on Victoria Road, averaging 334 bikes to 270... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Predictive digital twin technology will drive system

An innovative predictive digital twin technology is integral to the accelerated scenario examination  expected from the National Transport Analysis Platform. It is being supplied by Scenexus, originally a  Dutch TNO spin-off, and now  a leader in  digital twin technology for... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

National Transport Analysis Platform (NTAP) £5m development project for DfT begins
Peter Stonham

Work has begun work on a 3-year, £5m contract from the Department for Transport (DfT) to develop a “high-performance, scalable analytical National Transport Analysis Platform (NTAP)”. For the technical delivery of the platform, consultant Arup is partnering with specialists... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

DfT prepares for new £400M transport technical expertise framework procurement

The Department for Transport (DfT) plans to launch a new procurement framework to secure expert technical and commercial advice across the transport sector later this year. It will replace existing arrangements due to expire next year. The framework, to be called STARFour, is described in a... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

DfT awards £4.2m Connectivity Tool delivery and development contract
Peter Stonham

The contract to maintain and further develop the DfT’s Connectivity Tool, valued at £4.2 million, has been awarded to IT services company Version 1 Solutions . The project is intended to ensure the transition of the analytical resource from its testing phase to full-scale national... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

New Rural Transport Group to champion connectivity for countryside and coast
Peter Stonham

A new national partnership, the Rural Transport Group (RTG), has been launched to address the special transport challenges facing England’s rural and coastal communities. Chaired by the Reform Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire, Dame Andrea Jenkyns who heads Greater Lincolnshire Combined County... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
Manchester drops peak restrictions on elderly and disabled free travel

Manchester drops peak restrictions on elderly and disabled free travel
Deniz Huseyin

Older and disabled concessionary passholders in Greater Manchester no... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

London mayor introduces £20m fares innovation package to boost bus use

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has announced that £20m of extra funding will be given to Transport for London (TfL) for “fares innovation” with the aim of boosting passenger numbers. This could include reducing fares for a limited period of time such as making some services free when... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

SEND changes could cut soaring transport costs - but not for years
Peter Stonham

The major overhaul of the Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) system in England, just announced by the government, could bring an end to the escalating costs of school transport provision - but not for several years as the changes are finalised after consultation and then phased... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
Southwark Council’s car-free streets champion McAsh defects from Labour to the Greens

Southwark Council’s car-free streets champion McAsh defects from Labour to the Greens
Deniz Huseyin

Southwark’s cabinet member responsible for streets, road safety, active travel... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

London cycling campaigner says ‘car traffic is the problem, not buses vs bikes’

London’s bus speeds are dropping and ridership is directly tied to bus journey times. Transport for London (TfL) has said (and the last issue of LTT reiterated this) that “for every 10% reduction in speed, there is a 6% drop in demand” for buses in London. These are undisputed... continue

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5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
TfN wants more appraisal changes to help steer investment north

TfN wants more appraisal changes to help steer investment north
Peter Stonham

Transport for the North (TfN) has called for further appraisal... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
New edition of MHCLG Appraisal Guide offers TAG parallels

New edition of MHCLG Appraisal Guide offers TAG parallels
Peter Stonham

An updated Appraisal Guide just published by the... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

New approach to valuing healthier urban development could have transport significance

There are potential significant cross-government transport applications of the new Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government appraisal guidelines that emphasise the importance of public health for decisions about development. Researchers from the Institute for Policy Research and... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News
Government consults on new Spatial Development Strategy areas

Government consults on new Spatial Development Strategy areas
Peter Stonham

The government is launching a consultation on what it calls... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

New top down planning rules are outstripping local capacity, MPs warn
Peter Stonham

Concerns that “top-down” national planning policy requirements are outstripping the capacity of local services were expressed by MPs in a Westminster Hall debate last week on the relationship between new housing developments and local transport infrastructure. Opened by Liberal Democrat... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

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