Latest news with #DepartmentforTransport
Auto Express
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Almost half of UK drivers break the speed limit… and that's an improvement
Almost half of UK drivers are suspected of breaking the speed limit when driving in 30mph zones, according to the latest estimates from the Department for Transport (DfT). And while that may sound shocking, it's actually an improvement over the last few years. The Government doesn't seem to have much faith in the UK public's ability to adhere to speed limits, as official figures estimate that 43 per cent of drivers will speed in 30mph zones when there's free-flowing traffic and no speed cameras. Advertisement - Article continues below Although undeniably alarming, it's actually a significant step forward from 2017, when more than half of drivers (51 per cent) were thought to be straying over the limit in these circumstances. However, things are even worse when you consider 20mph zones, as the Government reckons the amount of people going faster than the law permits jumps up to around three-quarters (76 per cent), with 10 per cent of drivers exceeding the limit by more than 10mph. These figures haven't been pulled out of thin air; the DfT has created these estimates by using data collected from Automatic Traffic Counters (ATCs) – the discreet strips of wire you sometimes see stretched across the road. These obtain information such as the speed and volume of traffic and are typically placed away from bends and junctions to gather an accurate picture of how traffic is progressing. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Speeding isn't exclusive to slower roads, either; 44 per cent of drivers are thought to exceed the limit on the motorway, although interestingly, this drops to just nine per cent in national speed limit zones on A and B roads. It's no surprise, then, that in 2024, a total of 205,522 drivers were found guilty of a speeding offence – an increase of 87 per cent since 2011 – with more than 1.8 million attending a speed awareness course last year. The most cited reason for speeding by offenders, according to the RAC's 2024 Report on Motoring, is that they were matching the speeds of others. However, a spokesperson for the National Police Chiefs Council told Auto Express: 'Driving in excess of the speed limit is a conscious decision. You can choose not to do it and many lives can be saved as a result. 'Thousands of people are killed or seriously injured on our roads each year as a result of excessive speed and for each one of those people there will be multiple friends, families and communities affected, so the true impact is almost impossible to quantify.' Come and join our WhatsApp channel for the latest car news and reviews... Find a car with the experts New Volvo EX60 electric SUV: latest details and confirmed reveal date New Volvo EX60 electric SUV: latest details and confirmed reveal date The upcoming, all-electric Volvo XC60 alternative is designed to 'keep learning and evolve with time' BYD and Octopus Energy team up for 'all-inclusive' EV deal BYD and Octopus Energy team up for 'all-inclusive' EV deal Octopus' 'Power Pack Bundle' includes a leased BYD, a wallbox charger and charging all for less than £300 per month New Skoda Epiq baby SUV could be a Tardis on wheels New Skoda Epiq baby SUV could be a Tardis on wheels The new Skoda Epic will sit below the Elroq and Enyaq in the brand's ever-expanding SUV range and is set to offer plenty of space despite its compact …
The Guardian
6 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Local bus services in England still declining despite investment
Local bus services in England have continued to decline despite attempts by successive governments to bolster investment in services, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) report. The spending watchdog found that efforts to revive routes and attract more passengers had so far failed, with a 15% fall in the total miles operated by buses outside London since 2019 and passenger numbers still 9% below pre-Covid levels. The audit office said that almost half (46%) of local authorities rated their own capacity to deliver services as poor or very poor, and warned that rising congestion was also diminishing passenger satisfaction with buses. While it said some of the improvements to buses from the £3bn promised by Boris Johnson's government had yet to come into effect, including some electric bus fleets, the NAO found that much of the money intended to enhance services was diverted into emergency Covid subsidies. It found that half of all bus operator income was now in the form of public subsidy – £1.8bn in 2023-24 – and questioned whether many routes would now be commercially viable. The report warned that routes in rural and suburban areas could face a 'cycle of decline', with services cut due to falling passengers, driving ever more people into using cars and off the public transport network. The decline comes in spite of efforts by the Department for Transport (DfT), which published a national strategy under Johnson in 2021, Bus Back Better, and now plans an overhaul under the Labour government's bus services bill. The legislation will give all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. However, the NAO said the franchising model was 'difficult and expensive' for many authorities to adopt. Gareth Davies, the head of the NAO, said: 'Bus travel should be an easy and reliable transport choice but governments' attempts to improve services have not always worked. DfT should work with local transport authorities and the bus sector to maximise the impact of the available resources in reversing the decline in bus usage.' Operators took issue with the NAO's claim that more routes were becoming commercially unviable. Graham Vidler, the chief executive of the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said: 'With a level of public investment still low by European standards, passenger numbers outside London grew by 15% last year and 83% of customers said they were satisfied. We do not recognise the description of an industry with weakening commercial viability.' Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion Vidler concurred with the NAO that worsening traffic congestion, the pandemic and a long-term decline in public funding had hit bus travel, adding: 'More buses to more destinations with quick, reliable journey times should be front and centre of investment plans. The government must take steps to monitor delivery against those objectives nationwide.' Cllr Adam Hug, the transport spokesperson for the Local Government Association, said: 'As this report shows, a lack of resources for councils and funding for bus services has been holding back improvements … The government's plans for extra support for councils who want to take up franchising and a long-term funding commitment as set out in the spending review will help.' A DfT spokesperson said: 'After decades of decline, we're providing a record £1bn investment to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Successive governments have failed to turn bus services around, watchdog says
Attempts by successive governments to improve bus services and attract more passengers have failed, according to the spending watchdog. Services have been reduced and passenger numbers are below pre-coronavirus levels, a report by the National Audit Office (NAO) said. The study, which covers England outside London, warned that the sector's commercial viability has weakened as revenues have fallen and costs have risen. It warned that rural and suburban areas face a 'cycle of decline' whereby services are withdrawn because of low demand, which leads to a further fall in passenger numbers and more cuts. Most local bus services are run by private companies, who set routes and timetables aimed at making a profit. Some services seen as socially necessary are financially supported by local transport authorities. Public funding to bus operators accounted for half their revenue in 2023/24, at £1.8 billion. In February 2020, then-Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson pledged £3 billion in funding over five years for buses. The Department for Transport (DfT) published a national bus strategy for England, Bus Back Better, in March 2021, which set out that the department wanted services to be more frequent, cheaper and better integrated with other forms of transport. The NAO said the total number of bus journeys made in the year to the end of March 2024 was 1.78 billion, down 9% from 1.96 billion in 2019/20. Over the same period, the mileage covered by buses fell by 15%. Following Labour's success in the July 2024 general election, the Bus Back Better strategy is no longer government policy. The DfT's Bus Services Bill – which is at committee stage in the House of Commons – will lead to an overhaul of buses by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. But the NAO noted that this franchising model is 'difficult and expensive' to adopt, and recommended that the department should better target the support it gives different local transport authorities depending on their needs. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: 'Bus travel should be an easy and reliable transport choice but governments' attempts to improve services have not always worked. 'DfT should work with local transport authorities and the bus sector to maximise the impact of the available resources in reversing the decline in bus usage.' A DfT spokesperson said: 'Better buses are around the corner and are central to the Government's Plan for Change— connecting communities, strengthening the local economy, and boosting access to jobs. 'After decades of decline, we're providing a record £1 billion investment to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country. 'Our landmark Bus Bill, now progressing through parliament, will protect routes and prevent services from being scrapped – putting buses back into local control and bringing passengers back to the heart of buses.' Graham Vidler, chief executive of industry body the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said commercial operators 'delivered growth' in many towns and cities by investing in new routes, zero-emission buses and more frequent services. He went on: 'With a level of public investment still low by European standards, passenger numbers outside London grew by 15% last year and 83% of customers said they were satisfied. 'We do not recognise the description of an industry with weakening commercial viability. 'What's crucial going forward is that public funding delivers the outcomes that matter to passengers. 'More buses to more destinations with quick, reliable journey times should be front and centre of investment plans.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Fewer bus services and passengers revealed in damning report
Attempts by successive governments to revitalise bus services across England have largely failed, with passenger numbers remaining below pre-pandemic levels and a significant reduction in routes, a new report by the spending watchdog has revealed. The National Audit Office (NAO) study, which focuses on areas outside London, paints a bleak picture of a sector facing a "cycle of decline", particularly in rural and suburban areas. It warns that low demand leads to service withdrawals, which in turn further reduces passenger numbers, prompting more cuts. The report highlights the weakening commercial viability of bus operators, citing falling revenues and rising costs. Public funding now accounts for half of operators' revenue, totalling £1.8 billion in 2023/24. Despite this, most local bus services are run by private companies, who primarily set routes and timetables based on profitability, with local transport authorities only supporting services deemed "socially necessary". The findings come despite a significant pledge made by then-Conservative prime minister Boris Johnson in February 2020, who promised £3 billion in funding over five years to improve bus services. The Department for Transport (DfT) published a national bus strategy for England, Bus Back Better, in March 2021, which set out that the department wanted services to be more frequent, cheaper and better integrated with other forms of transport. The NAO said the total number of bus journeys made in the year to the end of March 2024 was 1.78 billion, down 9 per cent from 1.96 billion in 2019/20. Over the same period, the mileage covered by buses fell by 15 per cent. Following Labour's success in the July 2024 general election, the Bus Back Better strategy is no longer government policy. The DfT's Bus Services Bill – which is at committee stage in the House of Commons – will lead to an overhaul of buses by giving all local transport authorities new powers to run their own services. But the NAO noted that this franchising model is 'difficult and expensive' to adopt, and recommended that the department should better target the support it gives different local transport authorities depending on their needs. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: 'Bus travel should be an easy and reliable transport choice but governments' attempts to improve services have not always worked. 'DfT should work with local transport authorities and the bus sector to maximise the impact of the available resources in reversing the decline in bus usage.' A DfT spokesperson said: 'Better buses are around the corner and are central to the Government's Plan for Change— connecting communities, strengthening the local economy, and boosting access to jobs. 'After decades of decline, we're providing a record £1 billion investment to improve the reliability and frequency of bus services across the country. 'Our landmark Bus Bill, now progressing through parliament, will protect routes and prevent services from being scrapped – putting buses back into local control and bringing passengers back to the heart of buses.' Graham Vidler, chief executive of industry body the Confederation of Passenger Transport, said commercial operators 'delivered growth' in many towns and cities by investing in new routes, zero-emission buses and more frequent services. He went on: 'With a level of public investment still low by European standards, passenger numbers outside London grew by 15 per cent last year and 83 per cent of customers said they were satisfied. 'We do not recognise the description of an industry with weakening commercial viability. 'What's crucial going forward is that public funding delivers the outcomes that matter to passengers. 'More buses to more destinations with quick, reliable journey times should be front and centre of investment plans.'
The Independent
6 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Weak signals on train journeys could soon be a thing of the past
The Department for Transport has announced 'Project Reach', a major initiative to significantly improve mobile signal and internet connectivity for train passengers across Britain. A landmark agreement has been signed between Network Rail, Neos Networks, and Freshwave to eliminate dropped calls and weak signals on key routes. Neos Networks will install 1,000km of ultra-fast fibre optic cable along major lines, with an ambition to expand beyond 5,000km, while Freshwave will address connectivity issues in 57 tunnels. Mobile network operators will also invest in new 4G and 5G infrastructure at 12 major railway stations as part of the deal. The project, which combines public and private sector investment, is expected to save taxpayers around £300 million and is scheduled for completion by 2028.
