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We need to transform how we think about transport and devolve power away from Whitehall, writes Alex Burrows

A fundamental lack of vision and coherent philosophy is holding back Britain?s approach to transport. To succeed, a clear narrative is needed explaining why transport is important and justifying its cost and value to society, together with a plan to turn vision into policy. The current government has dithered over high speed two and new airport capacity, and has no clear story to tell about where rail and aviation fit into a national long-term plan.

The ability to move around freely and easily is critical to all aspects of our daily lives. It connects us with jobs, skills, health, recreation and more, and, as such, it is not an optional extra. Good, well-designed transport can promote two key areas of policy: job creation and economic growth as well as carbon reduction and related environmental benefits. And, as transport infrastructure takes a long time to deliver, we must have a clear idea of how we intend to do so.

Under the present situation the Department for Transport enjoys full control from the centre and places a clear emphasis on transport investment taking place along a narrow cost-benefit assessment without inquiring into the wider economic benefits of investment in major infrastructure. The department approves or rejects major transport schemes proposed by local areas. This leads to overpromising on schemes both in terms of cost and benefit as areas compete to secure precious funding for infrastructure.

To transform this, power and funding needs to be devolved to regional and local bodies which have the knowledge and accountability to manage and deliver the strategic requirements of their area.

Earlier this year Labour released its policy review document, Empowering Communities to Improve Transport. Importantly, this recognised the issue of powers and the need for real devolution. As such, it represents a true break from previous practice.

Transport networks focus around major urban areas and spin out from there into suburban and rural areas. The building blocks for regional transport bodies should therefore be major conurbations encompassing the city-region, the journey-to-work area and the rural areas beyond, which have particular needs in themselves. City-regions must take the lead on transport provision for their areas through regional transport bodies that can balance the interests of the urban heart with rural areas that have different needs and problems. Local areas need particular focus within the regional bodies but to be able to devolve effectively there needs to be a critical mass of money, expertise and powers to wield sufficient clout to make devolution truly effective and efficient.

We should further empower our regional transport bodies to be able to raise their own money for infrastructure investment as well. If an authority has assessed that a new tramline will generate certain economic benefits for the area, then let the area raise a local tax, charge or levy to let it realise the benefits.

Whatever its faults, London?s transport authority, Transport for London, has demonstrated a number of successes in this regard: it has shown that cities can govern themselves responsibly; can identify, plan and deliver successful major transport schemes; that such schemes bring significant economic and social benefits; and that transport powers and funding can be effectively devolved. On a related note, London also has bus franchise powers which have created a hugely improved and more popular bus network while bus use elsewhere in the country has plummeted.

Devolution should also be the principle guiding how we manage our railways in future. We currently have a rail network that is far more expensive than its European counterparts to build and maintain, that is fragmented and that no longer considers rail a public good above all else.

The implication of reconceptualising rail as a public good once more is that the public sector should take a more active role in funding, promoting and delivering a rail network for the benefit of everyone, whether they choose to use it or not, rather than putting more burden on farepayers alone as is currently the case.

Currently we have rail services that are not aimed at delivering the best passenger experience. What is lacking? A standard, transparent approach that people can understand wherever they are on the rail network. We need to have standard peak hours, fare and ticket types, information provision, and a national smartcard or smartphone app for all transport ticketing, better integration of information, fares and timetabling across different services and also across different modes of transport. Private train operating companies have brought real benefits to the rail industry but they take profit out of the network, and, by competing with one another, have blocked a uniform approach at the expense of passengers. The franchise system prevents long-term planning and investment and gives no real role to passengers, the users whose communities rely on decent transport accessibility.

A new way of organising the delivery of rail services must recognise the different operations ? from passenger services to freight, intercity to local and regional services ? that coexist under the umbrella heading of ?rail? and give passengers a real say in them. And, if the country is paying for costly and long-term infrastructure investment, then government must own the assets it is investing in.

First, intercity, high-speed services need a specialist operator focused solely on delivering these services nationally. These equivalents of airline flag carriers are more profitable but are also crucial to the economic wellbeing of our major towns and cities. Intercity services at present include the West and East Coast main lines, the Great Western and East Anglian main lines and the Cross Country and TransPennine long-distance routes. A strong, unified and consistent brand for these services would become the iconic element of train travel. As intercity, high-speed services are of fundamental importance to national, regional and local economic policy as well as to transport policy, these must be run by an alliance of local and national government along with other key stakeholders in consultation to ensure we get maximum benefit from the provision of these services.

Second, local and regional services, so vital for the economic and social wellbeing of cities, towns and communities across the country, should be run by the regional transport bodies that can use the power and funding devolved to them to manage and deliver services.

Third, there are rural services and branch lines, such as the North Norfolk railway and the Tarka line in Devon, which have traditionally been squeezed out or ignored but which are vital arteries for many local people as well as tourist opportunities. These lines should be given the option to be derogated out as truly led and run by users, supported by their regional transport authority.

In all of these operations passengers and communities must be represented in the actual running and delivery, not as consultees, but fully involved and accountable. The local, regional and branch line services could be run as cooperative organisations, or by a specially created local public-private partnership operating company, or the transport authority could give a franchise to a private operator to deliver the services. Ultimately, the local area can determine what is best.

For too long transport has been seen as too difficult, too expensive, and too long term. That must stop. Transport is too important to leave to chance. Not only because ?growth? is the political challenge of the time, but partly because it is, we must put in place a long-term strategy that delivers for passengers and communities first.

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Alex Burrows is a candidate in the members? section in the Progress strategy board elections 2012. You can find out more about all the? candidates at the dedicated Progress strategy board election microsite

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Photo: Ian Britton

coalition government, growth, Labour, rail, transport

Source: http://www.progressonline.org.uk/2012/08/29/back-on-track-2/

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