A national debate is needed on whether road pricing could help plug the shortfall caused by sharp falls in Fuel Duty and Vehicle Excise Duty, the House of Commons Transport Committee has stated. It wants to see discussions start now ahead of an inquiry into road pricing, which will be announced in early 2020. The committee will invite views from drivers and non-drivers about the future of road-based transport. Issues to be considered will include the economic, environmental, and social impacts of road pricing. The committee will look at existing schemes at the national and local level and overseas. Road pricing does not only mean tolls but can include congestion charges, an HGV levy, a workplace parking levy, and low emission and clean air zones, the committee pointed out. The... continue
THE UK appears to have stalled in delivering “full scale” Mobility as a service (MaaS) schemes, states a new report. Some trials have lost momentum while... continue
The DFT is not saying when it will publish its pipeline of rail enhancement schemes, more than six months into Network Rail’s Control Period... continue
HMRC has not yet completed a review started in 2017/18 of VAT charges for major transport projects. Some transport infrastructure bodies have been setting aside large amounts of money pending the outcome. Government bodies can recover VAT on goods and services in an agreed list but not on others.... continue
A system of road pricing should be introduced to combat traffic congestion and compensate for the £28bn loss of revenue from fuel duty as the country makes the transition to electric vehicles, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has... continue
Maintenance of local roads on Scotland’s mainland should be entrusted to 12 new authorities, Scottish Road Works Commissioner Angus Carmichael has told MSPs. This would strike a better balance between accountability and efficiency than the current “poor model”, where local... continue
The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has proposed that train operators using the Channel Tunnel Rail Link should pay £26m per year to keep its assets in good condition. The amount is £9m per year less than HS1 – the company that runs 67 miles of high-speed track linking London with... continue
The future of the UK’s transport system will be discussed at the 4th Local Transport Summit taking place in Bradford on 28 – 29 November. Speakers include the DFT’s Stephen Fidler; Nicola Kane at Transport for Greater Manchester; and Elizabeth Hunter from West Yorkshire Combined... continue
Without radical changes to bus policy and more funding for services, it is “highly likely” that the decline in bus use will continue, a new study has warned. The Urban Transport Group (UTG) found that even areas outperforming their “intrinsic bus potential” have been... continue
A £1M project to explore the benefits of hydrogen-fuelled vehicles and technology was launched last week. The research, funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and overseen by Durham University, will run for four years. It will combine existing national... continue
Air quality has improved at all locations in Wales where 50mph limits were imposed last year on trunk roads, although the mean traffic speed was significantly higher than 50mph. The Welsh Government introduced the 50mph limits in June 2018 and made them permanent last summer. This week it published... continue
The UK Government has offered a “risible” dowry for the transfer of a disused railway tunnel, which campaigners hope to convert into a cycling and walking route, according to a minister. Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council supports the campaign to reopen the two-mile tunnel at the... continue
Highways England is to take charge of routine maintenance and the delivery of strategic routes in the East of England. This continues the roll-out across England of the Asset Delivery operating model, introduced in 2016, which so far covers the East Midlands,... continue
Transport Scotland’s net underspend in 2017/18 was 10 per cent of its budget, partly because of slippages in major projects and in the “Revolution on Rail”. The budget for the year was £2,421m while the net underspend was £244.378m, more than double the... continue
Regulation of app-based mobility services should be... continue
Ride-hailing platform Uber has announced that it is to begin offering users of its app information on public transport and other transport options such as bicycles and scooters, as well as its original taxi service. The company has also announced that it is to consolidate its food delivery service... continue
Local and national governments are at risk of misplacing investment amid the glamour and excitement of new transport technologies, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) has warned. Commenting on the Welsh Government’s decarbonisation plan, the WLGA said a “careful cost-benefit... continue
Free wifi will be available at all mainline stations in Great Britain by spring 2021, Network Rail has announced. The roll-out of free WiFi across Network Rail’s 20 stations will begin at London Victoria next year. Passengers cited free WiFi as one of the key improvements that would... continue
Rail's share of Cardiff’s fast-growing commuter market is reducing but cycling has increased rapidly, partly as a result of the city’s new bike hire scheme. The annual monitoring report on the city’s Local Development Plan, based on data collected in 2018/19, also records that... continue
There is compelling evidence that 20mph zones are effective at reducing the number and severity of road accidents and collisions, according to a collaborative study led by Queen's University Belfast. However, it is less clear if 20mph zones result in improved air quality, liveability or public... continue
Westbound traffic on the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge was almost 20 per cent higher in July this year than in July 2018, before tolls were removed. Monthly statistics from Highways England show that from March to August inclusive, westbound vehicle numbers were between 16.4 per cent and 19.5 per cent... continue
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