2015 Media
The Planner, Laura Edgar – 24 November 2015
Transport infrastructure critical to growth in regions, say experts
Major transport infrastructure schemes alone will not stimulate economic growth, unless they are linked to wider regional development schemes – and that takes strong leadership. These were the main conclusions of an afternoon of presentations and discussion at ‘Transport and Spatial Planning’, jointly organised by the RTPI and the Transport Planning Society on Monday (November 23)… But, said John Worthington of the Independent Transport Commission and past director at the Academy of Urbanism, we need to understand the potential “spatial effects” of high speed rail on England before proceeding.
Passenger Transport, Mary Bonar – Issue 122, 20 November 2015
The current government, like its predecessor, has made a commitment to increasing national wealth and to narrowing the productivity gap between London and the South East and the rest of England. Following the recommendations of Lord Heseltine in his report, No Stone Unturned in Pursuit of Growth (2012), which argued strongly that local decision making leads to better decisions than those made centrally, George Osborne made his Northern Powerhouse speech shortly after the May 2015 general election.
Transport News Brief – 5 November 2015
Transport Devolution and its impact on the CV sector
The Independent Transport Commission has published a report exploring the issues surrounding the government’s planned devolution of public transport operations. The paper, Devolution in England and Transport: Key Issues, was authored by transport legal expert and ITC commissioner, Mary Bonar. It highlights key issues such as the problems of balancing local and national needs, integration of transport services and the impact on transport funding.
CIHT News – October 2015
Transport planning takes centre stage
Professor Jones was followed on stage by Social Research Associates director Kris Beuret who talked through the results of a piece of research on behalf of the Independent Transport Commission looking at attitudes to travel.
Railnews, Alan Marshall – 5 August 2015
Why rail passenger growth will continue and has nothing to do with privatisation
With none of the fanfare we might usually expect from government ministers, a significant report has just been published which clearly shows that rail passenger growth has nothing at all to do with privatisation 20 years ago, but everything to do with peoples’ changing behaviour, especially among younger folk. A study by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) has followed up on findings three years ago that road and rail travel trends were not behaving as the forecasting models had predicted, with car travel much lower than estimated while rail growth had significantly exceeded expectations.
Railnews – 5 August 2015
Younger people increasingly turning to trains
Young people are ‘falling out of love with the car’ and turning to trains instead, according to a new report. The report prepared for the Office of Rail and Road and the Independent Transport Commission reveals major attitude changes to travel – especially in the younger age groups. The report supports earlier findings and is also supported by many years of statistics which have shown train travel rising almost continuously over the past two decades.
The Telegraph, Jonathan Wells – 17 July 2015
Why young men have fallen out of love with cars
It’s a sad state of affairs, but cars just aren’t that important to young male drivers anymore. Factors ranging from Uber and improved public transport to the ever-rising costs of petrol, insurance and university have contributed to a massive decline in the number of teenagers and twentysomethings getting behind the wheel. A new report, published yesterday by the Independent Transport Commission and Office of Rail and Road, has outlined just some of the reasons why the open road has lost much of its allure to prospective male drivers.
The Times, Graeme Paton – 16 July 2015
Teenagers fall out of love with cars
(Subscription required) Driving is being split along generational lines with a growing proportion of pensioners retaining their licences just as young people “fall out of love” with the car, according to research. A study found that young people were ditching car ownership because of internet shopping, taxi-sharing apps and better public transport. The fall was also attributed to the escalating cost of insurance for young people, with some being quoted almost £5,400 a year for comprehensive cover. Older drivers, meanwhile, are hanging on to their cars to “preserve their independence”. The conclusions are made in a report from the Independent Transport Commission, alongside the Office of Rail and Road, into attitudes towards different forms of transport.
Transport Xtra – 10 July 2015
Hendy sets out funding lessons
(Subscription required) Newly-appointed Network Rail chairman Sir Peter Hendy used his pre-arranged speaking slot at the summer annual lecture meeting of the Independent Transport Commission at City Hall to flag-up key issues going forward in major rail investment based on his experience as commissioner for transport in London. He urged his audience to learn from the Crossrail experience – both in terms of how the project was brought to life and funded.
Rail Professional – July 2015
ORR and ITC report shows changing attitudes towards travel
Economic factors and smart technology are key drivers behind the changing patterns of behaviour in road and rail travel in the UK, according to a report. On the Move: Exploring attitudes to road and rail travel in Britain found that concessionary and advance fares on public transport are important drivers of travel choice and that business travellers have become more accustomed to using technology on the move. Commissioned by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) and the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), the report investigates changing attitudes amongst four key groups – younger people, older people, migrants, and business travellers – and how they are all having key impacts upon overall travel trends.
Financial Times, Jim Pickard and Peggy Hollinger – 30 June 2015
Osborne urges cabinet to back new southeast airport runway
(Subscription required) Michael Dugher, shadow transport secretary, said it was “widely acknowledged” that a decision should have been made a long time ago and called it “a failure of consecutive governments, including Labour ones”. He cited a report by the Independent Transport Commission suggesting the UK economy could lose up to £214bn over 60 years without a new runway.
Huffington Post, Michael Dugher – 30 June 2015
This week, Sir Howard Davies will publish his final recommendation on aviation expansion. This will bring to an end an almost three-year process of the Airports Commission team objectively combing through the mass of data and evidence. But the issue of how we manage our aviation is a saga going back more than three years…. Just in the last two weeks, a report by the Independent Transport Commission revealed that if a decision is not taken, we would face significant loss in productivity and inward investment, with the UK economy potentially losing up to £214billion over the next 60 years.
This is Money, Ray Massey – 24 June 2015
The Government cannot afford to ‘stall’ on deciding whether to build a controversial new runway at Heathrow of Gatwick, aviation minister Robert Goodwill told travel chiefs today. A firm decision on where to build the next runway will be made once the imminent recommendations by airports ‘tsar’ Sir Howard Davies has been published and studied, he said… Failure to act decisively could cost the UK economy up to £214bn in lost trade over a lifetime, a report by the Independent Transport Commission has concluded. Dithering and delay must be avoided at all costs by ministers who are urged to ‘act swiftly’ and ‘grasp the nettle’ in building a new runway at whichever location the Government’s airports ‘tsar’ Sir Howard Davies recommends in the coming weeks, it said.
This is Money, Ray Massey – 23 June 2015
Heathrow or Gatwick – just get on with it!
Controversy must not be used as an excuse by ministers to dither or delay making a firm decision over a new runway at either Heathrow or Gatwick, a new report by a top transport think-tank has concluded. Failure to act decisively could cost the UK economy up to £214bn in lost trade over a lifetime, it concludes… The report from the Independent Transport Commission and written by former Bank of England economist Rebecca Driver, comes ahead of the publication of Sir Howard’s Airports Commission report into where expansion should occur.
The Times, Graeme Paton – 22 June 2015
Call for new runway to protect economy
David Cameron was facing fresh pressure to approve a new runway in the southeast today as a report found that failure to expand Britain’s airports would act as a “drag” on the economy… The conclusions, in research published by the Independent Transport Commission, come only days before a government-appointed panel is expected to make sweeping recommendations.
Metro, Dominic Yeatman – 22 June 2015
Runway dithering will cost us £214bn
Indecision over where to put a new airport runway could end up costing Britain £214billion by the end of this century, analysts claim. Gatwick and Heathrow both want permission to build a new runway in the face of intense opposition from residents, politicians and environmentalists worried about noise, traffic and air pollution. But the UK will lose up to one per cent of GDP without an extra runway to provide direct links with more cities overseas, the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) claims.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Antony Oliver – 22 June 2015
Independent Transport Commission underlines need for Davies airports decision
Any delay to the decision over expanding airport capacity in the south east of the UK will have serious implications for the future of the whole UK economy, a new report by the Independent Transport Commission has warned. In a new report produced in advance of the expected Davies Commission recommendation on UK airport capacity, the ITC warns that, while controversial, a rapid decision by the new Tory government it critical to underpinning business success across the UK.
Air Cargo News – 22 June 2015
Hurry up gov: make a UK runway decision says think tank
A think tank has warned of the damage to the UK economy if the government fails to act quickly on the looming choice between runway expansion at London’s Heathrow or Gatwick airports. An Independent Transport Commission (ITC) report sets out the macro-economic consequences – including foregone significant productivity and inward investment benefits – if Westminster does not act quickly upon the Airports Commission’s forthcoming recommendations.
Transport and Logistics, James Thwaite – 22 June 2015
Think Tank Calls On The Government To Act Swiftly On The Airports Commission’s Recommendations
An Independent Transport Commission (ITC) report, “Time to act: the economic consequences of failing to expand airport capacity”, has established the macro-economic consequences – including significant productivity and inward investment benefits foregone – of the Government not acting upon the Airports Commission’s forthcoming recommendations.
Infrastructure Intelligence, Antony Oliver – 3 March 2015
Gatwick runway expansion cost could put airport’s low cost business model at risk
The cost of expanding runway capacity at Gatwick could put its business model based around low cost airline traffic at risk, according to research by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC). The scale of investment required to expand Gatwick would require the airport’s debt levels to rise ten-fold and see user charges double, the ITC said, adding that while maintaining the business under these conditions is achievable, it would bring significant risk and market uncertainty compared to investment at Heathrow.
Transport Xtra, Peter Headicar – 6 February 2015
Buchanan was right about traffic, but wrong about towns
(Subscription required) Fifty years ago many cities in the UK were embarking on new-style ‘land use/transport studies’ prompted by the publication of the Buchanan Report Traffic in Towns concerned with the long-term consequences of the transition to mass car ownership. That transition has since materialised largely as anticipated but the physical restructuring of towns thought necessary to accommodate the resulting traffic increase for the most part has not.
The Times – 29 January 2015
Auto-immune: Car ownership looks set to fall as alternatives become more attractive
A persuasive new study by the Independent Transport Commission (ITC) suggests decreased usage will soon become decreased ownership. What planners call “peak car” –— the point at which a road network becomes effectively full up and the disincentives to owning a car outweigh the convenience — may well be about to arrive.
The Times, Graeme Paton – 29 January 2015
Jammed roads ‘will spell the end of car ownership’
A rising number of adults — principally in the inner cities — will shun car ownership in favour of club-style rental deals and greater use of taxis, the Independent Transport Commission suggests. The think-tank adds that the number of miles driven by each car may fall dramatically as people seek alternative modes of transport.