Opportunities and options for transport policy

UK transport policy is entering arguably its most challenging period. The 12 years since 1997 has seen record levels of investment in local and national transport systems. There have been notable policy innovations such as the London Congestion Charge and requirements for nationwide School Travel Plans. There have been some successful policy outcomes such as increased rail patronage, serious accident reductions and improved air quality in many places and yet the problems of congestion, climate change, inclusion, obesity and equality are more severe now than at any previous time. The period from 2010 will be characterised by significant and sustained cuts in public expenditure and transport cannot expect to escape from these. It follows that business as usual is not actually an option - so, what are the policy options for transport which parties seeking to govern need to consider? This paper is a think piece developed through collaboration between academics across a range of policy areas including governance, behavioural and social trends, energy and the environment, social equity and equal opportunities, public acceptability and freight. The paper sets out an analysis of the problems using the Driving Forces, State, Response framework. The Response comprises an assessment of five policies which should be started, five which should be stopped and four which should be applied more intensively. The selections demonstrate both strengths and weaknesses in the current policy set and suggest the need for a much broader debate about where next if the next decade is not to be a cut-price ‘business as usual’ approach which takes the UK further away from a sustainable transport system.