Transport


Councils can issue traffic fines from December 15/06/2021 Powers to enforce moving traffic offences will not be extended to local authorities in England outside London until the end of the year, a Department for Transport (DfT) minister has said.
Over £600m awarded to 26 new Town Deals 08/06/2021 The Government has announced the latest round of towns deals, which will see 26 towns across England share over £600m.
Planning reform will lead to ‘tide of car traffic’, campaigners say 06/05/2021 Ten organisations have written to housing secretary Robert Jenrick urging changes to proposed planning reforms which they argue will lead to a ‘tide of car traffic’ to already overcrowded roads.
Londoners top list of people most satisfied with where they live 29/04/2021 Residents of built up commuter and ‘affluent’ towns, particularly those living in London, are the most satisfied with where they live, according to new research.
Crowdfunding platform launches offer to roll out EV chargers in Greater Manchester 19/04/2021 Crowdfunding platform Abundance Investment Ltd has launched an offer to fund the roll out of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure throughout the Greater Manchester area.
Navigating the new National Bus Strategy 09/04/2021 Bus Users explains what responsibilities local authorities will have for community engagement under the new National Bus Strategy.
‘Left behind’ neighbourhoods isolated by poor public transport 01/04/2021 People living in ‘left behind’ neighbourhoods are cut off from urban centres and services due to poor public transport and low car ownership, new report finds.
Get aboard zero-emission bus scheme, DfT says 30/03/2021 The Government has launched its £120m fund scheme to help local transport authorities in England roll out zero-emission buses.
Minister announces £30m to boost battery and hydrogen technology 30/03/2021 The Government has announced over £30m of investment in battery technology, the electric vehicle supply chain and hydrogen vehicles.
Burnham takes back control with bus franchising 26/03/2021 Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed that he plans to implement bus franchising in the city region ‘as part of plans for a joined-up and truly passenger-focused transport network’.
Coventry gets go-ahead for all-electric buses 24/03/2021 Coventry is set to become the UK’s first All Electric Bus City after the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) backed the project.
Johnson unveils £3bn plan to 'shake-up' bus services 15/03/2021 Councils are being urged to enter into a statutory ‘enhanced partnership’ or franchising agreements with bus companies in order to receive new funding from the Government.
Pandemic could lead to rise in road traffic levels, data warns 04/03/2021 Traffic levels in some of the UK’s largest cities have nearly returned to pre-pandemic levels, new data has revealed.
How local authorities can deliver bang for buck with on-street EV charging 12/02/2021 Neil Isaacson warns the cost of rolling out enough on-street electric vehicle charge points will cost up to £10bn by 2030.
What next for the capital post-pandemic? 03/02/2021 The levelling up agenda has focused on the Midlands and the North, but London’s economy has also been hard hit by the pandemic. The MJ and BT spoke to eight London chief executives on how they are adapting to the changes. Michael Burton reports.
Scottish council launches world’s first hydrogen double-decker buses 29/01/2021 Aberdeen has claimed a world first after a fleet of double-decker hydrogen buses officially launched into service.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority sets out plans for mass transit system 28/01/2021 Residents of West Yorkshire have been asked to give their views on plans for a new transport network that aims to connect the region’s communities to jobs, education and opportunities.
High Court rules London's Streetspace scheme was unlawful 21/01/2021 The High Court has overturned London mayor Sadiq Khan’s Streetspace for London Plan, which was introduced in May last year in response to the pandemic.
Councils plan to install 35 on-street EV chargers each by 2025 20/01/2021 Councils are planning on installing just 35 on-street electric vehicle chargers each by 2025 on average, an investigation has revealed.
Campaigners call on councils to help reduce car use 19/01/2021 Environmental campaigners have called on local authorities to cancel spending on road building and to redirect funds to boost public transport and active travel.
Coalition publishes new vision for planning reforms 15/01/2021 The Government has been urged to rethink its ‘damaging’ reforms to the planning system and put people, climate and nature at its heart by a coalition of 18 organisations.
Sadiq Khan proposes 9.5% council tax increase 08/01/2021 The mayor of London has announced council tax will increase by 9.5% to help fund free travel for young people and the over 60s.
Coventry and Oxford prepare to run UK’s first all-electric bus services 07/01/2021 Coventry and Oxford are set to receive up to £50m to help them become the first parts of the UK to run all-electric bus services, the transport secretary has announced.
The winners of the 2020 Street Design Awards 18/12/2020 To end the year on a positive note, we are delighted to announce the winners of the 2020 Street Design Awards.
Data sharing framework launched to encourage use of London car clubs 17/12/2020 A new data sharing framework between London boroughs and car club operators has been launched to help accelerate the use of car clubs in the capital.
Funding gap has 'devastating' impact on rural and remote bus services 10/12/2020 Rural and remote bus services saw journeys fall by 97 million last year due to a £348m funding gap, a new report has warned.
Council criticised after teenager misses start of school 03/12/2020 Surrey County Council has agreed to review its services after a teenager missed the start of the school year because the local authority did not tell his mother she needed to reapply for transport.
Big Issue eBikes: Biking for good! 01/12/2020 Lord John Bird explains why The Big Issue has launched 'Biking for Good' with ShareBike to boost employment in the UK.
Spending Review: Sunak recycles money for green transport 25/11/2020 The chancellor has used the Spending Review to confirm billions of pounds for public transport, low emission vehicles and active travel, including adding more detail to Boris Johnson’s recent ‘Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution’.
Spending Review: Infrastructure gets pride of place 25/11/2020 The chancellor Rishi Sunak used to the 2020 Spending Review to launch a new strategy for UK infrastructure, supported by an infrastructure bank and a place-based 'levelling up' fund.
PM publishes ten point plan for 'green industrial revolution' 18/11/2020 Prime Minister Boris Johnson has published his ten point plan for creating a 'green industrial revolution' for 250,000 new jobs.
DfT warns of conditions on £175m active travel cash 13/11/2020 Transport secretary Grant Shapps has announced councils' allocations for the £175m second tranche of the Active Travel Fund.
£500m bus partnership fund open to bids 11/11/2020 The Scottish Government's £500m Bus Partnership Fund to deliver bus priority infrastructure has opened for applications.
Regions losing faith in levelling-up agenda, survey reveals 10/11/2020 Only a fifth of people from the Midlands and the North think the Government is doing enough to level up the economy, according to a new study.
Councils urged to keep active travel schemes to avoid 'traffic gridlock' 02/11/2020 Councils have been forced to scrap emergency active travel schemes due to a small but vocal number of objections, Cycling UK has warned.
The regeneration of transport-linked land 27/10/2020 Transport-linked land must form an integral part of new local plans, argues Nick Markham.
Councils forced to ‘prop up’ bus operators during pandemic 26/10/2020 Local authority leaders have accused the Department for Transport of forcing councils to keep private bus companies afloat at the expense of local taxpayers.
London council to improve Blue Badge assessments 15/10/2020 Harrow Council has been told to improve the way it assesses Blue Badge and Freedom Pass applications after an investigation found a number of faults with its processes.
New review into UK’s transport connections 05/10/2020 An independent review into transport connections across the UK has been launched by the prime minister.
Watchdog warns passenger numbers and funding has dropped for local bus services 02/10/2020 The number of bus journeys taken in England outside of London has fallen by 10% over the past decade, a new report has revealed.
Transport Committee backs e-scooter roll-out 02/10/2020 MPs have given qualified backing to the legalisation of electric scooters, including privately owned ones, but warned that this should not be to the detriment of pedestrians.
New £85m bailout for Welsh buses 24/09/2020 The Welsh Government has announced a further £84.6m for the country’s bus industry, which it said will help companies ‘meet the challenges of coronavirus and run more services’.
Transport group warns of ‘rapid and deep cut’ in bus services 24/09/2020 A consultancy group has warned there could be a reduction of bus services of between 30% and 40% if financial support is withdrawn from transport services.
Wandsworth suspends LTN trials one month in 16/09/2020 Wandsworth Council have suspended their Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) trials over ‘concerns with emergency access and traffic flows’.
Coventry e-scooter trial ‘paused’ due to misuse 16/09/2020 An e-scooter trial in Coventry has been paused after reports that some users have been riding the scooters on pavements.
Citizen's Climate Assembly calls for reductions in car and air travel 15/09/2020 The first citizens’ assembly on climate change has called for tough action including limiting the growth of car and plane travel.
ADEPT backs e-scooters to tackle pollution threat 14/09/2020 Council place directors have backed the legalisation of e-scooters but said there are a number of questions that need to be answered.
Highways England to invest £9m in EV ‘try before you buy’ scheme 09/09/2020 Highways England has announced that it is investing over £9m in a local government electric vehicle (EV) ‘try before you buy’ scheme as part of World EV day.
Over 500 new chargers per day needed to achieve zero emission car market 07/09/2020 Survey reveals that despite billions invested in the development of EVs, UK buyers are still reluctant to buy them and hundreds more charge points are needed.
Scottish Government shells out £10m for greener buses 04/09/2020 The Scottish Government has awarded over £9.75m to 19 bus and coach operators to retrofit 594 vehicle exhausts over the next financial year.
Safely into school 27/08/2020 How many plans can be made when it comes to transport to education settings? Liz Davidson reports.
Scottish councils get active travel funding boost 26/08/2020 The Scottish Government has cut its match funding requirement for permanent active travel infrastructure after giving councils nearly £39m for pop-up physical distancing schemes.
Council to amend school transport appeals policy 20/08/2020 Coventry City Council has agreed to change the way it handles appeals about free school transport following an investigation by the ombudsman.
Council hits out at ‘flawed’ bus lane review 18/08/2020 Newcastle City Council has warned that a review into its bus lane signage contains a ‘number of legal errors’.
The ‘Great Reset’: Reshaping transport for a greener future 17/08/2020 Sandra Witzel explores how Mobility as a Service (MaaS) can help local transport authorities encourage active travel.
Roads to recovery 14/08/2020 Alex Glassbrook explores if councils were legally allowed to make amendments to traffic regulation orders in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Ombudsman criticises council for lack of transport for SEN pupils 13/08/2020 Buckinghamshire County Council has been criticised for its lack of suitable school transport for children with special educational needs.
How local authorities could help their private hire and taxi drivers 13/08/2020 Dr. Tom Vickers outlines how local authorities can help improve the working conditions and economic insecurity among private hire and taxi drivers.
Northern leaders announce £5bn infrastructure plans 12/08/2020 Business and civic leaders across the North have called on the Government to back plans for a £5bn pipeline of infrastructure projects which they say could create up to 20,000 jobs.
Government extends emergency bus and tram funding 10/08/2020 Ministers are giving bus and tram services in England outside London up to £256m to help them ramp up services ahead of expected increases in public transport use next month.
Councils awarded £40m to set up more home-to-school transport 10/08/2020 Local authorities have been given a £40m funding boost to increase home-to-school transport provision from September.
Micromobility: Lessons from Australia 31/07/2020 Joshua Sattler explores how micromobility can help UK towns and cities recover from COVID-19.
Councils welcome £2bn active transport 'revolution' 28/07/2020 Thousands of miles of new cycle routes will be built in towns and cities as part of the Prime Minister’s £2bn ‘cycling and walking revolution’.
The impact of a green recovery on local authorities 21/07/2020 Jon Beasley explains why local authorities are sitting on the precipice of a transport transformation.
Putting councils in charge of the micromobility revolution 09/07/2020 Zachary Wang explains what councils should consider when planning an e-scooter trial.
Seize the transport moment, says new report 07/07/2020 Campaigners have called on ministers to accelerate the shift to sustainable transport by introducing new charges for drivers and improving public transport, walking and cycling.
Mayor announces UK's first trial of e-scooters 03/07/2020 The first UK trial of e-scooters is due to take place in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, Tees Valley Mayor has announced.
Trials of e-scooter rentals to be fast-tracked from this weekend 01/07/2020 Local authorities will start hosting the trial of rental e-scooters from this weekend to help ease the burden on public transport as lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Councils get new powers to tackle misuse of cycle lanes 10/06/2020 Local authorities will be given the power to use CCTV to fine drivers who misuse mandatory cycle lanes, the Government has announced.
Councils on deadline to secure first tranche of active travel cash 04/06/2020 Local authorities are on their last chance to secure a slice of the first tranche from the £225m emergency active travel fund, with the deadline for completing the form tomorrow.
What will the car-free cities of the future look like? 19/05/2020 Ben Mercer explores what car-free cities could look like and how will these policies will change our city-centre commutes.
Government announces £250m emergency active travel fund 11/05/2020 The Government has announced the largest ever funding boost to create a ‘new era’ for cycling and walking.
A greener future? 01/05/2020 Steven Meersman warns that transitioning to net-zero must continue to be a priority despite Covid-19.
MPs launch inquiry into use of electric scooters 22/04/2020 An inquiry looking at the safety and legal implications of e-scooters has been launched by the Transport Committee.
Councils welcome £400m funding boost for bus services 03/04/2020 The Government has pledged nearly £400m funding to help keep bus services running during the coronavirus pandemic.
Councils warn bus services could collapse as a result of coronavirus 31/03/2020 Council chiefs have called on the Government to provide emergency funding to ensure bus services do not go bust during the coronavirus epidemic.
NIC launches future of rail consultation 26/03/2020 The National Infrastructure Commission has launched a consultation on the future rail landscape of the North and the Midlands as part of the Government’s ‘levelling up’ agenda.
Welsh councils get new powers to reshape bus services 17/03/2020 Councils in Wales will be given new powers to run their own bus companies and franchise bus services on routes.
London council launches ‘Electric Avenue, W9’ 17/03/2020 Westminster CC has joined Siemens in order to deliver the UK’s first avenue that has been fully converted to provide lamppost electric vehicle charging points.
Shapps announces £90m tech fund to make journeys ‘greener’ 16/03/2020 The Government has launched a multi-million pound fund to trial new technology aimed at making journeys ‘easier, smarter and greener’.
Budget 2020: Mayoral authorities win big in transport 11/03/2020 The Government has unveiled £4.2bn for urban transport as part of its spring budget giveaways.
Over £30bn annual investment needed to reach net zero by 2050 09/03/2020 An estimated £33bn of investment is needed every year for the next three decades if the Government is to meet its carbon emissions target of net zero by 2050.
Council chiefs call for ‘stable, devolved’ infrastructure budgets 06/03/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to provide all councils with ‘stable, devolved infrastructure and public transport budgets.’
Islington Council launches ‘revolutionary’ energy centre 05/03/2020 Islington Council today launched an energy centre which converts waste heat from the London underground into heating for homes, schools and leisure centres.
Flybe collapse hits council-owned airports 05/03/2020 The airline entered administration this morning, leading to the grounding of all flights.
The road to an electric bus fleet 04/03/2020 Jonathan Bassett argues an 'all-electric bus town' presents an opportunity not to be missed for local authorities.
Public is ‘supportive’ of plans to invest in cycling, study shows 04/03/2020 Over half of residents in major urban areas across the UK support more investment in cycling, new research reveals.
TV presenter launches legal challenge against ‘vanity project’ HS2 04/03/2020 The TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham has launched a legal challenge against HS2 in order to stop the ‘largest deforestation project’ since WWI.
Council chiefs warn of ‘chronic need’ for bridge repair funding 02/03/2020 Local leaders have said there is a ‘chronic need’ for investment in local roads in response to a report on the number of substandard road bridges in Britain.
Councils awarded share of £93m fund to repair potholes 02/03/2020 Local authorities are to be awarded a share of a multi-million pound funding pot to repair roads and bridges, the Government has announced.
Councils spend average of £2 per head on cycling infrastructure, study reveals 26/02/2020 Local authorities have spent on average just £2 per head of population per year on cycling infrastructure over the last ten years, new research reveals.
Council ‘surprised’ by criticisms of its SEND transport policy 25/02/2020 A council has expressed surprise at a ruling by the local government Ombudsman which criticised its transport policy for adult learners with special educational needs (SEND).
London Councils drives forward co-ordinated approach to car clubs 20/02/2020 London Councils has launched a new online resource to help boroughs take a more co-ordinated approach to car clubs.
Councils set out joint vision for £100m transport transformation 18/02/2020 Derby City Council and Nottingham City Council have submitted a bid for over £100m funding to enhance transport links between the two cities.
The balancing act: reducing emissions and improving transportation 17/02/2020 Paul Moorby outlines how using Big Data to analyse real-time traffic information can help councils to refine traffic management policies whilst reducing carbon emissions.
Short-term approach to funding urban transport networks ‘inefficient’ 12/02/2020 A transport group has warned that the ‘excessive reliance’ on short-term competition funding for transforming urban transport networks is ‘inefficient’.
Council chiefs call for ‘urgent’ consultation on post-Brexit trade checks 11/02/2020 Local authority leaders have called on the Government to ensure that port authorities have the resources and capacities needed to carry out checks on EU goods.
Ministers announce £5bn cycle and bus fund 11/02/2020 PM pledges £5bn, five-year bus and cycling fund to support simpler fares, thousands of buses, higher service frequencies, and 250 miles of cycle paths.
Green energy - the linchpin of EV success 11/02/2020 Thomas Newby explains why green energy is the linchpin of electric vehicles success for local government.
Plans outlined for Britain’s first all-electric bus town 06/02/2020 One local authority is set to receive £50m to become Britain’s first all-electric bus town.

Sharpening the commercial edge

The case for well-managed council commercial activity is one that needs to be defended if we want a mature and sustainable local state, argues Jonathan Werran.

Slow and steady wins the (cloud migration) race

Sascha Giese? argues that when it comes to cloud migration, local authorities would be wise to opt for a more strategic route and take their time.

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