A people-focussed future for transport in England

England’s first integrated national transport strategy (INTS) is due this year. IPPR convened a unique mix of stakeholders to discuss why it matters and what it should achieve.

Transport policy is often developed without the input of people who are the most badly served by transport in England today, leading to social isolation and fuelling inequality. IPPR hosted three roundtables in August 2025 designed to make transport more inclusive and ‘people-focussed’. Here we summarise what we heard about the impact of transport in people’s lives and the priorities for change.

The government launched the new integrated national transport strategy with the aim of putting people at the heart of the transport system. This vision was set by former transport secretary, Louise Haigh, in 2024 and confirmed by current holder, Heidi Alexander:

This laudable goal will require a shift in how transport policy is made. Traditionally, transport is assessed by the speed people get from A to B. This approach is the most orthodox, pervasive but ultimately, unhelpful way to judge a transport system. 

We hear that many, particularly those on low incomes, can’t access the things they need due to the priority given to reducing journey times for some. Without addressing exclusion, the government will fail to deliver opportunity across the country. Poor transport cuts people off from work, education, public services, and social networks. 

The INTS can set out a new approach to transport decision making - addressing the barriers these people face. IPPR ran three roundtables with groups amongst the most likely to be excluded from transport: those on low incomes and in poverty, children and young people, and disabled people or those with long-term health conditions. 

Transport’s impact on people’s lives

At its best transport provides people with freedom, but too frequently it locks people in. Our roundtables were full of personal stories on the significance of transport in people’s lives: 

• care leavers unable to maintain relationships, or access work, because they can’t afford to pay for tickets,
• children who can’t play outside and get around independently because of traffic and road danger,
• Young people in temporary accommodation in rural areas making long, costly journeys to get to school, or risk missing altogether
• disabled people locked out due to inaccessible design, or those with health conditions changing between three or four buses to access healthcare,
• people experiencing in-work homelessness and having to walk long distances to get to work.

The INTS should secure buy-in from across government by recognising the role transport can play in delivering wider outcomes

The strategy will be most successful if it has the buy-in from a wide range of government departments. It should be seen as integral to delivering the government’s other priorities – including tackling child poverty, breaking down barriers to opportunity and delivering neighbourhood services. Data from different sectors should inform national and local transport plans, for example using healthcare appointment data to plan bus services. 

Transport can support the focus on preventative health by making it safe and appealing for people to be active. It can reduce road danger and air pollution, both of which disproportionally impact the communities who contribute least to them. Making sure people have access to public transport can help address loneliness and isolation and corresponding mental health issues. 

The INTS is also an opportunity to reduce emissions and ensure the transport system is resilient to climate change. This includes considering the impacts of heat waves, made more likely and hotter by climate change, which exacerbate many health conditions and make it harder to travel by public transport or on streets with no shade or benches.

Devolution should support local leaders to design transport that reflect the needs of local people

People and communities must be empowered to shape policy. Transport tends to favour journeys into central locations, for an able-bodied, male commuter. This does not reflect the broad needs of the British public, particularly those with childcaring responsibilities making more local trips.

Driving isn’t always an option, particularly for people on low incomes, young people, or disabled people. Due to gaps in public transport provision, many rely on the voluntary sector, support staff, or family and friends to step in where the transport system fails – or alternatively, costly taxis. Engaging these communities should better design systems that meet local needs. 

The bus services bill and the English devolution bill give mayors and local leaders new powers to carry out bus franchising and reform their transport system. This is an opportunity to deliver transport networks that meet the needs of communities. 

The INTS should consider accessibility and safety for door-to-door journeys

Understanding the door-to-door experience is key to safe and confidential travel using different modes. Transport planners should consider the quality of local pavements, wheelchair accessibility and provision of public toilets. This includes easily accessible journey information before travelling and audio-visual support for navigation. Transport staff are essential in people's safety and service accessibility. However, they need training on how to meet different people’s needs.

Affordability drives accessibility - people on low incomes are more likely to require financial support to use transport services. Concessionary passes with time restrictions mean that people cannot use passes to commute, while use across local authority borders also prevents access to work. 

Tackling affordability could mean extending the bus fare cap, more support for healthcare access, changing time limits on concessionary passes, a national promise of free bus travel for young people or subsidising care leavers’ costs (as in London). 

Conclusion

Everyone uses transport, but bad transport is not experienced equally. Getting it right could make a difference to the experience of millions. Transport should be a tool for improving health and quality of life and supporting children to thrive. Some of the changes needed are within Labour’s power to address within this parliament – visibly demonstrating a commitment to improving people’s everyday lives.

These discussions demonstrated the value of transport policymakers working across sectors to understand people’s needs and the opportunities to do things differently. This should be a permanent feature of how the Department for Transport approaches strategy development. As IPPR have previously recommended, a new social inclusion advisory panel should be established to represent the interests of communities most disadvantaged by the current transport system.

Thank you to the following organisations for their contributions to these roundtables:

Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), Age UK, Association of Public Health Directors, Asthma+Lung UK, Barnados, Become, Child Poverty Action Group, Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, Citizens UK, Crisis, Disability Rights UK, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Family Action, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Healthwatch, In Her Place, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, Living Streets, Local Trust, London Play, Mencap, Migrant Rights Network, MS Society, Mums for Lungs, Mumsnet, National Union of Students, National Voices, National Youth Agency, Playing Out, Resolve Poverty, Richmond Group of Charities, RMT, Room 13 Hareclive, Royal Society for Public Health, Runnymede Trust, Save the Children, Sustrans, Transport for All, UK Youth, Unicef UK, UNISON, Wheels for Wellbeing, Women's Budget Group and Young Lives vs Cancer.

Thanks also to the Department for Transport for presenting at and participating in these roundtables.