In LTT magazine, LTT887, available for subscribers to access.
These are interesting times in the world of local transport and this LTT has several important pieces of content that are likely to have considerable significance in the months ahead. One of these is the departure of energetic and innovative Welsh transport minister, Lee Waters, who has decided to leave his position with the change of First Minister in the Welsh Government taking place this week. Another seemingly important development is the unusual publication of a full business case for a major road scheme by the Department for Transport, of which both the process and the context are potentially significant.
We have a number of other important stories about new developments in local transport strategies, funding and project delivery across the spectrum of topic areas, including bus, rapid transit, cycling and walking, traffic management, streetspace enhancement, and environmental quality.
Our topic for special analysis is The Theoretical and Practical Limits to Demand Responsive Transport Services, in an article written by John Sutton, someone involved in studying and delivering community transport and dial-a-ride schemes from the 1980s, and more recently a consultant to one of the Rural Mobility Fund DRT projects. John believes he can offer some valuable perspective and realism on the true prospects for DRT in the passenger transport spectrum.
Also in this issue, we have an interview with Xavier Brice, the CEO of Sustrans, in which he talks about the activities of the £100m a year charity, including transforming the National Cycle Network, releasing the UK’s biggest public attitudes survey to active travel and why he thinks that positive change is coming no matter who wins the General Election.
In his Editorial Opinion, Peter Stonham considers the process by which major national transport projects get into the queue for funding and approval, and feels that there are major shortcomings in both providing information on their appraisal, reviewing their value for money, and the narrowness and opacity of those who make the final decisions — often with no clear separation between the original promoter and the final decision maker. He suggests an alternative, more open, inclusive and creative process.
These are the headlines of just some of the stories in this issue:
Waters quits top Welsh transport post
Non-met councils in North and Midlands told shares of £4.7bn Network North funding pot
Street calls for cycleway alongside HS2 from Birmingham to Coventry
Pandemic impacts on transport behaviour need policy response says ITC report
DfT surprises with unexpected release of controversial A428 redacted Business Case
Welsh 20mph review finds varying approach to exemptions and wants new guidance
Power sharing breaks NI transport logjam with bypass funding and cross border rail upgrade
Bus operator Ascendal urges franchising to avoid Cambridge exit
Shrewsbury Big Town Plan seeks to cut traffic and make space for buses, bikes and people
Campaign group to challenge scrapping of Tower Hamlets LTN at high court
Harper says rail changes already underway as GBR plans outlined in draft Rail Reform Bill
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The next issue will appear on 20 March 2024.
Local Transport Today has been providing a unique service of news, analysis and comment about everything relating to transport at urban, conurbation, rural and regional levels in Britain for over 30 years.
Founded as a magazine in 1989, it quickly became required reading for planners and transport managers in local authorities, transport service providers, consultants and specialist suppliers and all those researching and studying the challenges of providing mobility and accessibility for people and businesses all around the UK.
Over the years, conferences and seminars, online information resources and other networking and knowledge exchange activities - including an annual Local Transport Summit - have been added to the mix.
During the Covid-19 lockdown this year, LTT introduced a regular fortnightly series of online conversations which became must-attend discussions for those tackling the impacts of the pandemic on local transport.
The most recent innovative step has been the switch to digital publication including the LTT digital platform, providing an enhanced reader experience for you in accessing LTT content. This brings together the opportunity to read the complete copy of the magazine digitally - and print it out if required - with the facility to explore its contents as individual items. This platform is designed to suit both desktop and handheld devices. There are also direct links to all featured websites and email addresses mentioned in the magazine.
For those who still want to read the magazine as a paper product, we have designed it in an A4 print-friendly format, ready for you to print at home or in the office. You can print a whole issue or select and print certain pages.
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For anyone who is not a subscriber, there is a facility to quickly purchase access for either an individual issue or a monthly or annual subscription to LTT. And you will see that we have brought in attractive new lower prices, as we have promised, to reflect the switch to digital delivery. It is now just £75 to subscribe to LTT for a year as an individual or £7.50 per month.
This full exceptional collection of material is not available anywhere else and continues the well-established LTT mission to be the only authoritative source for UK local transport professionals and practitioners!
The UK Local Transport Eco-system at a Glance(!)
Transport issues and challenges are now a complex overlapping web of different localities, activities, modes, professional disciplines, technologies and financial and governance models. The LTT team uniquely understand this matrix and how all the different elements fit together.