Дата публикации: 09-09-2026 08:55:22

Unlocking the potential: The power of better transport connectivity







JamesK
9th September, 2026
Transport and devolution are essential foundations for good growth and to the achievement of the Government’s 10-year mission to raise living standards.   
Transport is the link between opportunity and outcomes, turning economic potential into real, everyday benefits for people, communities and businesses. Deeper devolution ensures that those people and places, their needs and priorities, come first.  
Our members are working hard to unlock these opportunities for the 30 million people that they serve across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.   


















A decade of progress 
The past decade has seen considerable progress in laying the foundations that enable transport authorities to bolster their role as key catalysts for bringing good growth, hope and opportunity to every postcode. Throughout, the Urban Transport Group (UTG) has continued to deliver purposeful, influential policy work to enable our members to drive forward their vital work.  
Our latest Inside track report, launched in Parliament earlier this year, maps this decade of change and shows how the impact of new powers and funding for local areas is beginning to play out in transport trends on the ground.  











In the last year alone, we have seen: 
The publication of Better Connected – the Government’s vision for fully integrated, passenger-focused public transport with devolution at its heart. Following the strategy, our report From Doorstep to Destination: Enabling joined-up journeys sets out a series of practical recommendations to improve local connectivity and unlock the full potential of active travel. 
The rolling out of Integrated Settlements for more Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs), offering devolved, simplified and long-term funding, driven by local priorities. This is something UTG members have long called for, together with greater fiscal devolution as set out in our Invest and grow report published ahead of the last Spending Review and in our comprehensive submission to the 2025 Autumn Budget. The government has since set out plans to grant Mayors a share of income tax and business rates generated locally, as well as visitor levies on overnight stays to reinvest in their people and places, progressing the fiscal devolution ambitions of our members. 
The passing of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026, setting out a new rationalised framework for local government and devolution of powers responsibilities and funds. 
The launch of Rewiring the State – an ambitious plan to shift power, funding and accountability out of Westminster and into the hands of local leaders.  
Liverpool City Region becoming the second area in the country (following Greater Manchester) to bring buses back under control through bus franchising, with more areas to follow, and more still pursuing ambitious bus enhanced partnerships to improve bus services. 
Confirmation that the national bus fare cap will continue and be reduced to £2 from January 2027, unlocking opportunity for more people and helping with the cost of living. Retention of the fare cap was one of UTG's priorities for the new Government. 
Continuing progress of the landmark Railways Bill through Parliament, promising a strengthened role for local areas in governing, managing and developing the rail network. Our members are working closely with the railway to prepare for Great British Railways and UTG has published a practitioners' guide to delivering local partnerships on England’s railways supported by a collection of rail partnership case studies. 
The launch of the government-commissioned, independent Mass Transit Taskforce, to tackle barriers to the quick and efficient delivery of mass transit systems. UTG Director Jason Prince is a member of the Taskforce, for which we also provide the secretariat function. 
Also, over the past year, the UTG network has continued to grow, welcoming four new members (Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority, Leicester City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and Portsmouth City Council) as well as new partner organisations. Our member and partnership brochure sets out the opportunities to join our influential and growing network. 











Unlocking the potential: the year ahead 
The challenge for the year ahead is to continue to build and grow momentum, ensuring local leaders can unlock the full potential of their people and places to deliver good growth, hope and opportunity across the country. There are several interventions that we believe will be particularly helpful in delivering that ambition:
Supporting the bus – the engine of good growth 
Committing to, and continuing to refine, multi-year funding settlements and place-based approaches 
Unlocking further fiscal devolution 
Continuing progress on regulations, guidance and policy  
 
Supporting the bus – the engine of good growth  
Bus is a unique and effective tool of social policy, intrinsically targeting those most in need of support to manage the costs of living and to access opportunity. As the most used form of public transport, measures to keep buses on the road and fares affordable are essential in raising living standards and cutting the congestion that could otherwise stifle growth.  
This is an important moment for the bus sector, with local leaders across the country progressing with ambitious franchising schemes and Enhanced Partnerships that will transform services. Continued revenue support will be critical to maintaining affordability, sustaining passenger growth, and supporting the successful delivery of bus reform ambitions.  
 





















Committing to, and continuing to refine, multi-year funding settlements and place-based approaches 
Devolved, simplified, flexible and long-term funding allows a considered, place-based approach to planning and delivering priorities based on in-depth knowledge of what would make the biggest difference locally.  
The Prime Minister’s ambitious plans to ‘rewire the state’ represent a significant opportunity to design and implement a new approach to local funding based on fiscal devolution.   
Whilst we continue to work with government on the forthcoming proposals, in the meantime we need stability and flexibility in current funding approaches.  
It is crucial that multi-year settlements continue to offer greater certainty, flexibility and autonomy for local areas and that funding levels reflect what is required to maintain, renew and develop services and assets, recognising the impact of inflation and other external pressures. 
Further action is also needed to reform and devolve remaining transport funding pots – such as funding for rail and road – that sit outside of multi-year settlements to support place-first, integrated delivery. Devolved funding for rail will be vital to support the strengthened statutory role envisaged for Mayors in the Railways Bill. 





















Unlocking further fiscal devolution   
Fiscal devolution is the natural next stage of devolution, with a shift already underway from short-term, fragmented funding towards a more sustainable model.  We explored the change and scale of opportunity of fiscal devolution in our report The pathway to a brighter transport future: Invest and grow.  
The Prime Minister’s plans to grant regional Mayors a share of income tax and business rates generated in their areas, as well as visitor levies on overnight stays, represents a major step along this pathway, rewarding economic growth and, over time, reducing reliance on central government. 
Government should work at pace to unlock the opportunities presented by further fiscal devolution. A clear set of principles must underpin any fiscal devolution framework – autonomy, certainty, fairness and resilience.   
Fiscal devolution will ensure that every penny of investment is targeted and maximised to achieve the biggest impact on local economies and communities, and will reduce pressure on Treasury in the long term.  
 
Continuing progress on regulations, guidance and policy  
Government should continue progress on implementing committed transport devolution reforms to legislation, regulations, policy and guidance.    
This includes:   
Further strengthening the Railways Bill, through a new statutory role for Mayors, to bring decision making on rail as close as possible to the communities the railways serve, and setting out a clear pathway for future devolution of railway funding, decision-making and operations.  
Progressing at pace with measures to improve local connectivity, as set out in our From Doorstep to Destination report, including enabling wider use of low-cost non-prescribed zebra crossings and supporting local authorities to reduce pavement parking.   
Bringing forward legislation on a wholesale reform of taxi and PHV licensing (including for autonomous taxis), to deliver a safe and fair taxi and PHV system for passengers and drivers alike, with approaches that best reflect local circumstances.  
Speeding up and decentralising the granting of Transport and Works Act Orders to accelerate delivery of key transport infrastructure improvements.  
Delivering a legislative and regulatory framework for shared micromobility, including e-scooters.  
By backing local transport and empowering places with the tools and resources to succeed, the Government can accelerate delivery of its vision to raise living standards and ensure that every postcode can share in the benefits of growth and prosperity. 





















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