Creating sustainable transport for all

Hello everyone. There’s been a lot of heated debate recently about how we can create a sustainable transport system, something which people seem sharply divided about.

Despite the strong disagreements, one thing people are consistently saying is that we need to find a balance: between making public transport safe, affordable and reliable, promoting more walking and cycling, and not penalising those who need to use their car.

Well, we’ve got many good ideas on how to find this balance, which we will be outlining in more detail next month when the cabinet will consider our Sustainable Transport Strategy. This will look at the whole range of how we get about – from trams and buses to walking and cycling, traffic and roads.

Tinkering at the edges is not good enough. We need to be ambitious, but focus closely on how we deliver it, if we are to create a transport system that works for all.

Before then, I’ll be at the launch of the Greater Manchester Bee Network next week.

This is massive - the first integrated transport system of its kind in 40 years, the biggest change to public transport since bus services were deregulated across Great Britain in 1986.

Frankly, it’s about time that we had an integrated ‘London-style’ transport network. In London, where bus services remained under local control, journeys have doubled since deregulation, but halved in Greater Manchester.

The strategy includes a fleet of zero-emission buses, with more space for wheelchair users, hearing induction loops, audio and visual announcement systems and anti-slip flooring.

Buses already running in Greater Manchester will be upgraded over the next two years as The Bee Network strives for full accessibility across the city region.

They will also begin to link up with trams, building on the success of the locally owned and managed Metrolink network.

And passengers will have real time bus, tram and train travel information at their fingertips, plus the ability to buy combined bus and tram tickets that are cheaper.

The aim is to deliver 50 million more bus journeys each year by the end of the decade.

It’s not an ‘either or’ situation. People will need to, and want to, drive. But if we can persuade people to drive less, we need to create high quality alternatives. These plans, in Bury and across the city region, are evidence of the progress we’re making.