Changing commuter habits presents ‘golden opportunity’ for new transport direction
The CBI has called on Government to evolve its investment strategy for transport and infrastructure in the wake of changing commuter habits.
Significant government interventions have been needed to maintain commuter routes amid the decline in public transport demand this year, including grant support for bus services and emergency funding for railways.
The CBI has welcomed these measures, but in a new report published today, is now urging the government to use the upcoming Spending Review to make commuter connectivity fit for the future across the UK.
This will mean going further to support the delivery of well-integrated investments that will create more flexible, reliable and low-carbon commutes nationwide.
Damian Waters, CBI North West director, believes the upcoming Spending Review, led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, “offers a golden opportunity” to change commuters’ experiences, deliver on the levelling-up agenda, and accelerate progress on net-zero ambitions.
He said: “Commuter behaviours have undergone a sea-change this year in the North West, and the likelihood is they will never revert to past patterns or previous numbers.
“This has created challenges for operators, but opportunities too for the UK to reassess its transport investment.
“Commuters of the future will want flexible, reliable and green travel options. If the UK is to deliver the world-class infrastructure needed to meet the changing patterns of demand tomorrow, it must embed long-term shifts into its policymaking today.”
The report, entitled Connecting Communities, argues there has never been a better time to reshape the UK’s transport network to help level up across the regions and work towards a zero carbon future.
The proposals include making longer-term funding allocations for regional infrastructure, focusing on how whole programmes of projects can interact to transform regional economies and meet national ambitions, and improving planning capacity and capability to provide a sharper focus on driving delivery.
