National Transport Authority’s Post

📣 Here’s the latest travel and transport news from the East this week ⤵ More on-street charging points set to be installed in Norwich. 12 locations will have 22 charge points installed between now and February, bringing the total to 46 charge points across the Norwich area: https://lnkd.in/e9SJzHvn Woodbridge residents encouraged to have their say on walking and wheeling improvements. The proposed scheme forms part of almost £8 million funding awarded to Suffolk County Council by Active Travel England and has been developed to give residents more choice in how they travel for local, shorter journeys: https://lnkd.in/e5cz_r-i   Suffolk County Council's Lowestoft Bike Library Project won best Education Engagement Project of the Year at the Team Modeshift Awards! https://lnkd.in/ekjVF4sH>   There is upcoming track renewal work on the East Suffolk line which will impact Greater Anglia passenger rail services between Ipswich and Saxmundham on the following dates: - Saturday 30 November and Sunday 1 December - Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 December - Sunday 15 December On these dates, buses will replace trains between Ipswich and Saxmundham. Trains will continue to operate between Lowestoft and Saxmundham.

It reminds me of my master thesis on the potential effectiveness of metropolitan-wide free public transport on reducing car dependency in Melbourne. Having lived in Melbourne for 2 years, I admit that the public transport fare is expensive, especially for short to medium distance journeys. From a social relief perspective elimination of fare would certainly help ease some of cost of living pressures for students and commuters and thus their accessibility to different opportunities. However from environmental and traffic perspectives free public transport would achieve little on reducing car use, as there are other factors that are more recognised than fare by commuters when deciding transport mode, like travelling time and accessibility. Running public transport services involves huge investment, therefore it is important for policymakers to spend the money wisely in order to utilise their potential on facilitating greener travel and better access to different opportunities for everyone.

A couple of exciting announcements for active transport practitioners🚴♂️. Firstly, Transport for NSW, University of Sydney & Wagga Wagga City Council published evaluative research on the implementation of the Wagga Wagga Active Transport Plan. Over the last 2-years a 57 km network of shared paths has been constructed, connecting schools and workplaces. The impact? The network is being used extensively, promoting physical activity and helping community members meet physical health activity guidelines. However, improvements are needed in line markings and wayfinding. You can access the full evaluation report here: https://shorturl.at/nFAjS Secondly, Austroads has published an active transport prioritisation framework to enable practitioners select the interventions that are most impactful in boosting active transport mode share. In addition to impact, cost, and complexity has been considered. For each of the prioritised actions, guidance on their suitability to different geographical contexts has been considered see here: https://shorturl.at/8gmDQ Let’s embrace active travel for a healthier, more sustainable future! 🌿 AITPM - Leadership in Traffic and Transport Bicycle NSW Department of Regional NSW Local Government NSW iMOVE Australia Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts Roads Australia Transport Australia Society - TAs SARAH Group (Founder: National Road Safety Week) Australasian College of Road Safety

📌 Portugal’s Children's Passport to Foster Sustainable Mobility 🌱 #Portugal's state operator, Comboios de Portugal (#CP), has launched an initiative called the Children's Passport, aimed at instilling sustainable mobility habits in youngsters. 🔍 Key Highlights - The Children’s Passport is free and available to all children up to 12 years of age. - Accessible at all stations with ticket offices. - Allows children to receive stamps when traveling on Alfa Pendular, Intercidades, Inter-Regional, or Regional services. - After collecting 10 stamps, children earn a double journey on an Alfa Pendular and an exclusive visit to the driving #cab. - Each passport page features intriguing #facts about trains and rail transport - Officially launched at Santa Apolónia Station in Lisbon on World Children’s Day. This program underscores the importance of early education in environmentally friendly practices, emphasizing the role of trains as a safe and sustainable mode of transport. Source: railwaypro.com #SustainableMobility #RailTransport #WorldChildrensDay _ _ _ 👍 Like if you find value, re-post ♻️, and follow for more interesting tech, and innovation insights

To foster sustainable transportation and curb emissions, the government is devising plans to incentivize the adoption of electric buses for intercity and interstate travel. The initiative aims to revolutionise long-distance passenger transport while prioritising environmental conservation. Transitioning to Electric Buses The proposed scheme targets the introduction of electric buses on Indian highways, specifically catering to interstate routes. Currently dominated by diesel-powered vehicles, this transition promises a significant reduction in harmful emissions, aligning with the country's green agenda. Viability and Incentives According to a senior government official, electric buses demonstrate viability for extended journeys of up to eight to nine hours, paving the way for their integration into long-distance travel networks. Incentives are under consideration to facilitate the widespread adoption of these eco-friendly alternatives. Expanding Support Infrastructure To bolster the electric mobility ecosystem, the government plans to expand charging infrastructure along highways, including the deployment of fast chargers along major urban corridors. This strategic expansion aims to alleviate concerns regarding range anxiety, ensuring seamless long-distance travel. Empowering State Governments A roadmap will soon be developed to support state governments in procuring electric buses for their long-distance operations. Additionally, measures will be implemented to incentivize private bus fleet operators, schools, and colleges to transition to electric mobility, thereby amplifying the impact of the initiative. Encouraging Private Players Recognizing the potential of electric buses in various sectors, including school transportation, the government seeks to extend incentives to private players to embrace electric vehicles. By encouraging widespread adoption across diverse segments, the government aims to accelerate the transition towards a greener, more sustainable future. #ElectricBuses #IntercityTravel #SustainableTransportation #ElectricMobility #GovernmentIncentives #ChargingInfrastructure #StateSupport #PrivateFleet #EnvironmentalConservation

Insightful Public Transport Commentary from Matt Burke & Abraham Leung At an individual level, adults travelling the longest distances will benefit most. But as a group, commuters in the inner and middle suburbs of Brisbane and tertiary students will enjoy most of the benefits. The new low fares might help relieve congestion on a few arterial roads where public transport corridors run alongside an alternative, most notably on the M1 motorway between the Gold Coast and Brisbane. But with limited public transport coverage across much of Queensland, heavily discounted fares may not lead to a dramatic uptake in use. Queensland itself has long provided free fares where they are seen to have a social benefit. The largest city councils often provide free bus travel for seniors outside peak hours, and popular “free” public transport to large stadiums for concerts or sporting events is covered by a fee hidden in the ticket price. Free or heavily discounted public transport can be a good idea – where it can help meet social goals. But it’s best when targeted at the most disadvantaged. https://lnkd.in/gJbkgEqm

This week in PTAANZ’s #TopTransportNews - Bus ridership in West Auckland is soaring, with passenger numbers on the new bus network 40% higher than expected. Auckland Transport (AT)'s flagship Western Express (WX1) service, introduced in November, has contributed to the success, running every 10 minutes throughout the day and every 15 minutes during early mornings and late evenings. Since its launch, trips on the 21 redesigned routes have already surpassed AT’s target of 3.5 million passengers by year-end, with some routes seeing double the expected ridership. MP for Te Atatū, Phil Twyford, applauded the improvements, highlighting the positive impact on reducing chronic congestion in the area. Key infrastructure upgrades, such as T2 lanes in Te Atatū and new bus lanes along Triangle Road and Fred Taylor Drive, are further improving bus travel times by up to 48%, supporting the increased demand and driving mode shift. These enhancements are crucial for West Auckland’s growing population, unlocking local productivity while contributing to climate goals. Read more here - https://bit.ly/3XDjhKF  #PublicTransport #WestAuckland #BusNetwork #ModeShift #TransportInnovation #Sustainability #PTAANZ #Auckland 

Cheap bus fares all the time, and reduced fares for off-peak train and tram travel, provide an optimal combination that better uses Melbourne's public transport system while being socially progressive but not 'breaking the bank'. This practical, proportionate reform to Melbourne's public transport fares is an ideal companion to additional bus, train and tram services. Patrick Hatch reports in The Age today on concerns that cutting fares will not get more people out of cars if services are poor -https://lnkd.in/gvByxeu7 It's an understandable concern. But let's not rule out sensible, proportionate reforms to fares in Melbourne combined with service improvements. Infrastructure Victoria research 'Fair Move' modelled a fare structure that gets the most out of Melbourne's public transport. Travellers would pay less for off-peak or under-used services, such as buses - https://lnkd.in/g8kWEjGU We examined the challenges facing the network - crowded at times and under-used at others. Flat fare prices are unfair and do not offer much choice about when to travel. The same goes for making fares much cheaper but still a flat fare all the time- as is being proposed in some other cities. On the other hand, cheap bus fares all the time, and reduced fares for off-peak train and tram travel, provide an optimal combination that better uses Melbourne's public transport system while being socially progressive but not 'breaking the bank'. These targeted reforms to Melbourne's public transport fares, combined with service improvements, have a lot going for them. Crystal Legacy Graham Currie FTSE Tony Morton Public Transport Users Association Public Transport Victoria Public Transport Association Australia New Zealand Department of Transport and Planning University of Melbourne Monash University AITPM - Leadership in Traffic and Transport Bus Association Victoria #public #transport #fares #reform #melbourne #research #policy

As pupils return to school following the Christmas break, Transport for London (#TfL) are calling on schools to sign up to Travel for Life, their accreditation scheme which encourages the next generation of #Londoners to travel actively, responsibly and safely. Travel for Life was launched in late 2023, consolidating five separate initiatives under a single banner. Those being: Road Safety Club, STARS (primary and secondary), Safety & Citizenship, and TravelSmart. Activities run by the schools within the programme have a focus on reducing #congestion, improving road safety or improving health and wellbeing. The schools are awarded gold, silver or bronze accreditation based on how many travel activities they complete and how successful they have been in reducing car use and increasing #sustainable travel. To achieve Gold, a school must have either reduced car use by 6% or have increased the number of journeys made using sustainable transport to 90%. Over the last year there has been a 10% increase in the number of Gold awards being presented (a total of 735), with schools in #Bromley, #Islington and #Havering having the highest proportion of their schools achieving this accreditation. 63% of schools in Bromley have reached Gold status, 49% of those in Islington and 45% of those in Havering. With 81% of its schools involved in the programme, #WalthamForest has the largest overall number of schools participating. St Gregory’s Catholic Science College in Brent signed up to TfL Travel for Life in March 2023 and have now achieved Gold accreditation. Under the motto ‘swap the ride for a park for a park and stride,’ the school has been involved in several schemes, such as measuring local air quality, holding assemblies and creating a podcast on active travel. A teacher from the College, said: ‘As TfL Travel Pioneers, we have not only affected the environmental impact of students in 2024 but we have actually made such a change that other students in future years might use our resources and knowledge to make better travel choices, helping to reduce their #carbonfootprint. We are really proud of what we have achieved, in getting more pupils to ditch the ride for a park and stride and in achieving Gold accreditation.’ A year 8 pupil, also from St Gregory’s, who took part in air quality monitoring near the school, said: ‘I realised how much harmful polluted air there is that we breathe in, in our daily lives, for example on the roads. This trip made me more aware of #environmental issues and inspired me to advocate for cleaner air and take action to protect the environment and the wellbeing and health of humans.’

Transport for London (TfL) is calling on London schools to join its accreditation programme to encourage #sustainable #travel to school, to help improve #airquality, #health and #safety following a 10% increase in schools achieving the highest ‘Gold’ status last academic year. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/ePvxCb4X