June 13 2014
A new Greener Journeys report presents the case for a ‘national statement on local bus infrastructure’ to promote long term investment in bus related infrastructure and priority measures.
Traffic congestion in urban areas remains a stubborn and costly problem. Greener Journeys believes targeted investment in local bus infrastructure and selective priority measures will improve the performance of our transport network as a whole, thereby helping cut delays, reduce congestion, improve the environment and increase road safety. Working with KPMG LLP, this report suggest such measures will typically generate £3.32 of net economic benefit for each £1 spent, with further unquantified benefits in areas such as social welfare and public health – representing high value for money according to Department for Transport’s guidance.
Unlike the rail network, and now the strategic road network, there is no national-plan or policy-statement for investment in infrastructure to improve bus services and no statement of what the Government wants the bus sector to deliver in return for public funds and resources. Greener Journeys therefore calls on the Government to issue a National Statement on local bus infrastructure to raise the importance of investing in bus infrastructure as part of co-ordinated local growth initiatives.