The implementation of the Integrated Transport Policy involves many difficult and politically unpopular decisions. It currently lacks the support of a substantial new public-sector capital investment in public transport which is needed to persuade significant numbers of car drivers and passengers to switch modes to public transport, especially in the most congested urban areas. Government policy therefore relies heavily in the short term on the success of low-cost Bus Quality Partnerships encouraging people to shift from using cars to public transport. There is little evidence that Quality Partnerships can either attract significant numbers of carusers to which modes or reverse the long decline in bus usage. Longer-term reliance is placed on local councils introducing workplace car parking charges and/or congestion charges to reduce traffic congestion, and on tighter local and regional land use planning controls. (A)
Abstract