ITS UK Chief Executive Max Sugarman appeared before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee on Wednesday 12 March to give evidence for their Buses Connecting Communities inquiry.

Key asks for DRT

Speaking on the use of demand responsive transport (DRT), Max 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.

About the inquiry

Parliament’s Transport Committee launched an inquiry on buses in November 2024, with the aim of examining their role in connecting rural communities with nearby towns and suburban areas.

In many parts of the country, bus services and passenger numbers are in decline. The inquiry aims to evaluate the effectiveness of recent Government policy in tackling the decline in bus services and explore the social and economic consequences of poor connectivity and consider whether innovations in alternative service models could provide solutions.

In its response to the Committee, ITS UK focused on the role of on-demand services, known as Demand Responsive Transport (DRT), and how they can provide much needed support for communities in rural areas.

MaaS, Traffic Management and Procurement

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.

Reaction

Following the session, Max Sugarman said: “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.

“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.”