Max Sugarman, Chief Executive of ITS UK, has appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee to give evidence for their Buses Connecting Communities inquiry.
Speaking on the use of demand responsive transport (DRT) systems, Sugarman urged the Committee to consider:
- How longer term, sustainable funding can support the wider roll out of DRT services;
- How changes to regulations around Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) can give more flexibility to DRT operators to use the size of vehicles their schemes require;
- That DRT can be delivered cost-effectively, but should be considered on wider metrics than just subsidy per passenger, with considerations around social value, accessibility and inclusion taken into account; and
- That DRT services are considered as part of an integrated transport system, as the Government develops the Integrated National Transport Strategy.
The session also covered a variety of topics around buses, with ITS UK urging a more strategic approach from Government to Mobility as a Service (MaaS), that the Committee looks at the cancellation by Government of the £20m Intelligent Traffic Management Fund (ITMF) for innovation in road traffic, and ITS UK raising issues around the use of operational expenditure by local authorities, which acts as a barrier to procuring transport technology services.
“Demand responsive transport – the use of digital technology to provide flexible, on-demand public transport – is essential to communities across the country, whether through supporting rural areas where there are few other public transport options, in supporting those with accessibility needs to get to services in their local area or by helping the decarbonisation of the transport system,” said Sugarman.
“So, it was great to be able to set out to the Transport Select Committee today, why these services are so valuable, that many are delivering cost-effectively and how Government can support the sector further through long term funding certainty and changes to regulations to make DRT easier to implement. As our written evidence sets out, DRT can do so much in supporting the Government’s key aims, helping support an integrated, green, accessible and affordable transport network for the country.”
