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
Deniz Huseyin

Pedal & Post, one of the pioneers of green logistics, has ceased operations after 14 years. The Oxford-based firm – which had operated a fleet of e-cargo bikes, trikes and electric vans – stated online that the decision followed the loss of a major client earlier this year. Both its... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

New edition of MHCLG Appraisal Guide offers TAG parallels
Peter Stonham

An updated Appraisal Guide just published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) includes a new methodology for valuing the health impacts of urban design, among other changes. There are a number of areas in which MHCLG appraisal practice has both parallels and... 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
Peter Stonham

The government is launching a consultation on what it calls ‘sensible geographies’ for the new sub-regional Spatial Development Strategies (SDSs) provided for in the English Devolution White Paper, published in December 2024, as part of its intention to reintroduce mandatory strategic... 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

Lightwood claims ‘new approach to transport planning’ with connectivity tool

Delivering the Government’s response to the debate Simon Lightwood , the Minister for Roads, said “aligning housing and transport is essential for delivering homes that are connected and sustainable and that provide genuine choices for people. To that end, we have prioritised making... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

West of England mayor: ‘bringing buses under public control not a priority’
Deniz Huseyin

West of England Labour Metro Mayor Helen Godwin has said that introducing bus franchising in the region is not a priority, and bringing buses under public control would require a region-wide Council Tax precept to pay for it. She did not rule out franchising in the future, though made no mention of... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

DfT creates £1.2m franchising advisory group

The Department for Transport (DfT) is seeking to appoint a group of experts to form a Bus Franchising Advisory Group. The project is budgeted at £1.2 million and prospective suppliers have been invited to apply by 5 March. The invitation says the purpose is to establish a pool of suppliers... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

South Yorkshire tenders to run first DRT pilot

South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is tendering to run demand-responsive transport across Rotherham and Doncaster as part of a 12-month £800,000 DRT pilot project. The service is expected to launch in the Summer 2026 , operating in two zones targeting under-served areas in... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

West Midlands Sprint system linking Walsall, Birmingham and Solihull to get green light
Deniz Huseyin

Plans for the delayed Sprint bus rapid transit system is finally set to get the green light after being approved by West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) Investment Board. Proposals to buy 24 tram-like, battery electric articulated  buses as well as charging infrastructure will go to... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Highland Council to consider creating municipal bus company
Rhodri Clark

Highland Council is developing a model for the creation of Britain’s first new municipal bus company in modern times, using powers in 2019 Scottish legislation. The council has used Section 22 permits to operate public and schools bus services since January 2023. In February 2025 it acquired... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Liverpool city region’s 100-plus fleet of publicly owned zero emission buses begin to arrive
Deniz Huseyin

The first of more than 100 publicly owned electric double-deckers have arrived in the Liverpool City Region ahead of their introduction into passenger service with the new franchised network. Over the next few months more of the zero emission buses are set to be delivered by UK manufacturers... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

GBR must support metro mayors if rail reform is to fulfil economic aims, says think tank
Deniz Huseyin

The Government’s pledge that rail reform will improve national economic performance depends in large part on whether it improves mobility within big cities, states a new report by Centre for Cities. Great British Railways (GBR), which will be established under the Railways Bill, must support... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Starmer launches Welsh rail vision with £14bn commitment to future funding
Rhodri Clark

Labour’s campaigning for the Senedd election in May has been supported by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visiting South Wales to launch the party’s £14bn Vision for Rail across Wales and Borders. He did not announce any new funding. He agreed that the vision document, prepared by... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Too many bus stops being moved away from rail stations, Arriva chief tells MPs
Rhodri Clark

The physical distance between bus and rail services is being widened too often, Arriva UK Bus Director Martijn Gilbert has told the House of Commons Transport Committee inquiry on achieving and measuring integration of transport modes. His career has included managing bus and rail operations,... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

All transport impacts should be measured, argues CIHT

Measuring all transport impacts would change decision making in the UK, the Transport Committee was told by Kate Carpenter, vice president of the Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation. Currently “pretty much everything is dominated by journey times”, she said, arguing... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Online abuse of planners could deflect transport policy

The abuse which transport planners suffer online and in other places from opponents of proposed changes is making scheme delivery difficult, Damien Jones, Chair of the Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers has warned. At the session of the House of Commons Transport Committee, he gave the... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

West Yorkshire struggling to implement mobility hubs

Prof Greg Marsden contrasted the development of mobility hubs in West Yorkshire, which has 2.4m people, and in Berlin, with 3.7m people, he told the committee. Berlin has over 300 mobility hubs built into new and old housing areas. “We are struggling with the  business cases in West... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

City region and intercity ticketing don’t have to be combined, says Centre for Cities
Rhodri Clark

 Separate ticketing systems for city regions and for journeys between cities are justifiable, provided they are clearly defined, a Centre for Cities analyst has told the House of Commons Transport Committee’s inquiry on transport integration. “There is a position for different apps... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Local government changes ‘could break up integrated units’

Reorganisation of English local government could work against transport integration, Association of Transport Co-ordinating Officers chair Damien Jones told the committee. “If local government reorganisation is not thought through, you could be in a position where you break up integrated... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

National Integrated Strategy ‘nearing publication’ at last

The Department for Transport is understood to be in the process of finalising its long-awaited Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) for England, following delays thoroughout 2025 of the project first begun by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh in autumn 2024. The strategy is pledged by... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Government tables plans for penalty points and increased fines for motoring offences
Deniz Huseyin

Higher fines and penalty points for a range of offences including drink and drug driving, non-seat belt use and failure to stop and report incidents are proposed by the Government in a new consultation. The document also proposes new penalties  for driving with no current keeper, driving with... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

‘More progress needed to meet UN road safety target’

Insufficient progress is being made in most countries towards meeting the United Nation’s road safety target to cut road traffic deaths by 50% between 2021 and 2030, reports the International Transport Forum (ITF). While most member nations of the International Traffic Safety Data and... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

Safety an issue for majority of females using public transport, research shows
Deniz Huseyin

Although most adults feel at least fairly safe on public transport in Great Britain, only a small percentage of females feel very safe, new research shows. Just 14% of females felt very safe, compared with 24% of males, says the report  undertaken for the DfT by the National Centre for Social... continue

5 Mar 2026Local Transport Today News

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