TRANSPORT
Putting the Public in Public Transport
Shifting to a people-first approach, with integrated networks and user-friendly technology, is essential for improving UK public transport and achieving inclusive growth.
Ipsos MRP Model
Ipsos MRP Model
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Key findings
Very rural areas face particularly stark levels of dissatisfaction with public transport (-13%).
of UK adults are satisfied with the quality of public transport in their local area provided by buses, trains, trams and the tube, with 40% dissatisfied.
London’s boroughs and the City are in the top 40 local authorities with the highest satisfaction with local public transport.
of the UK’s adult working population travel to their workplace at least once per week, and 38% typically do this at least five days a week.
The UK remains steadfastly car-first. Seven in ten UK adults (69%) say their current lifestyle means they need a vehicle, and 85% have access to at least one car or van in their household.1 But the convenience, comfort, freedom – and sometimes necessity – of the car for individuals come with disadvantages we experience collectively. Congestion, air and noise pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions are felt by communities and society, including those who choose other modes of travel instead.
At the same time the government has set out plans to get more people into work, a key priority for the current Labour government, which aims to achieve the highest sustained growth in the G7 and improve living standards across the country. Their focus on growth is nationwide, but with particular emphasis on empowering local authorities and regions to drive growth within their own geographies through local growth plans. This increased employment should not assume access to a car. Nearly nine in ten of the UK’s adult working population (87%) travel to their workplace, and 38% typically do this at least five days a week. Rising employment rates with no change in the mix of transport modes used for work journeys could increase traffic and create problems for those who do not travel by car. These issues shed new light on an old challenge: for journeys that cannot be made by active travel, how do we encourage and enable people to use public transport?
Improving public transport is crucial for supporting the government's wider agenda of inclusive growth and reducing regional inequalities, as highlighted in their place-based approach to economic development. Moreover, good public transport is important for connecting people with employment opportunities, particularly in areas targeted for growth, such as those receiving new devolution deals or those earmarked for investment in key sectors like transport, steel, electric vehicles, and renewable energy infrastructure. The Devolution Priority Programme should be used as an opportunity by places such as Cumbria, Heart of Wessex or Leicestershire to address dissatisfaction with both transport and the quality of jobs available locally.
Since the election, the government has taken steps to improve public transport. Bus and rail reform were among its transport priorities, and additional bus funding and plans for Great British Railways have followed. These initiatives align directly with the government's commitment to modernising infrastructure and creating jobs. Additionally, a new Integrated National Transport Strategy sets out an ambition for ‘vision-led’ transport planning which puts ‘people first’. This strategy is particularly relevant to the government's focus on increasing employment among groups who report lower satisfaction with public transport, such as those not working due to long-term health conditions (-22% net satisfaction) and those with caring responsibilities (-18%). Addressing these barriers is important for achieving the government's employment goals and ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities.
Public attitudes and experiences highlight warning signals
Improving public transport requires a fundamental shift towards a people-first approach. This begins with valuing public feedback as highly as traditional metrics like infrastructure costs and travel time savings.
Findings from Ipsos’ KnowledgePanel show that 38% of UK adults are satisfied with the quality of public transport in their local area provided by buses, trains, trams and the tube, with 40% dissatisfied, giving a net satisfaction score of -2%. This is similar to the +1% net satisfaction among households where someone has used public transport in the last year. This suggests the public transport problem is not purely perceptions based. There are issues with experience too, and this is supported by polling which has measured gloomy public sentiment on rail travel.
Improving public transport is crucial for supporting the government's wider agenda of inclusive growth and reducing regional inequalities, as highlighted in their place-based approach to economic development.
What works where?
Our MRP puts into sharp focus the urban-rural divide. The most positive views of local public transport quality are held in urban areas operating integrated transport systems, like London’s. Adults living in Wandsworth, Merton and Bromley have the highest net satisfaction of all local authorities in the UK (+64%). All of London’s 32 boroughs and the City are in the top 40 local authorities with the highest satisfaction with local public transport.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority also stands out. Operating the Bee Network of integrated bus, tram, cycling and walking routes, and the first bus franchising system outside of London, net satisfaction is positive in almost all its local authorities. Likewise in Nottingham, where the Robin Hood Network links tram, bus and rail via a single travel card, adults are far more satisfied than the UK average with the quality of local public transport there. These examples demonstrate the effectiveness of integrated transport systems.
Dissatisfaction is especially high in the more remote parts of Scotland and Wales, such as the Highlands (-51%), Aberdeenshire (-48%), and Pembrokeshire (-48%). While these areas may face unique challenges due to lower population densities and geographical constraints, the principle of a people-first approach is key. Clearly not every part of the UK can operate a transport system designed for the population sizes and densities of areas like Manchester, London and Nottingham. But their transport systems offer tried and tested approaches to learn from in focusing on the user experience and could be considered more ‘people first’. These cities operate integrated ticketing systems, and some areas have adopted technologies like real-time travel apps and contactless payment to make it simpler to plan and make journeys. They focus on accessibility for people with disabilities, having introduced wheelchair accessible buses and trams, and step-free access at stations. Prioritising accessibility, convenience, and user-friendly technology should be a core component of any public transport strategy, regardless of location. Even so, while some of these solutions can be adapted if not replicated, public transport can only be part of the solution in sparsely populated rural areas and transport planning will need to focus on the right balance of demand-responsive transport, active travel infrastructure, ride sharing and car clubs, and electric vehicle charge points.
The reorganisation of local government provides a key opportunity to take a more holistic view of the transport system which is otherwise more challenging at the local level. This restructuring presents a valuable opportunity to streamline decision-making, improve coordination, and integrate transport planning with other services. This should be a focus in parts of the country where negative views of public transport quality appear disproportionate to the level of rurality there. In Somerset (-41%), Herefordshire (-42%) and East Cambridgeshire (-36%) for example, net satisfaction is lower than in Cornwall (-23%) and Great Yarmouth (+10%), despite being less remote. Investigating and addressing the specific factors contributing to lower satisfaction in these areas is essential.
Findings from Ipsos’ MRP also reinforce the potential opportunities of elected mayors taking a holistic approach to local service and infrastructure provision. Empowering local leadership to take ownership of transport improvements can lead to more effective and responsive solutions. Currently, satisfaction with local public transport quality is net negative in some areas which have seen their house-building target for the next five years more than double. This is the case for Cumberland (-35%), Doncaster (-25%), and Bath and North East Somerset (-3%). Integrating transport planning with housing development is crucial for creating sustainable and well-connected communities. Vision-led, integrated transport planning will need to take a cross-policy approach to imagining how future places and communities can thrive in areas like this where populations are set to change.
The most positive views of local public transport quality are held in urban areas operating integrated transport systems, as in London, Manchester and Nottingham.
People-first public transport?
Whether Labour’s policies can support a shift from the car to other modes of travel will depend on the shape of decision-making and delivery. Effective implementation requires clear lines of responsibility, efficient resource allocation, and ongoing performance monitoring.
The Transport Secretary’s post-election message to ‘move fast and fix things’ should apply to mayors of newly formed strategic authorities as much as to central government. Ipsos’ MRP modelling points to issues in specific parts of the country, and the reorganisation of local government presents a moment of change to act on this now. Improved public transport is not only a pressing need in itself but also a vital component of the government's strategy for economic growth. Planners and decision-makers should ask ‘what could better public transport enable people to do, and places to be like?’. Focusing on the positive impacts of improved transport, such as increased access to jobs, education, and leisure activities, can help build public support and drive innovation. The Integrated National Transport Strategy offers the chance not just to think about integrating different modes of travel but integrating transport goals with those of other policy areas too, like housing, energy, health, education and employment. This integrated approach is essential for maximising the benefits of transport investment.
For transport policy to be people-first and vision-led, the public must be part of the vision-making process too. Meaningful public engagement is critical to ensuring that transport policies reflect the needs and priorities of the communities they serve. Public engagement cannot be limited to post-project evaluations of service and infrastructure changes after they have been decided and delivered. It must happen earlier in the policy process and hear from diverse publics on the types of changes needed to enable people to use public transport instead of the car. Early and continuous engagement with a range of stakeholders can lead to more effective and equitable transport solutions. One size may not fit all, but small changes to make transport more accessible, reliable and easier for key groups to plan and make journeys, benefit everyone.
Planners and decision-makers should ask ‘what could better public transport enable people to do, and places to be like?'
Elizabeth Copp Research Director, Ipsos
1 Ipsos UK KnowledgePanel MRP model, fieldwork 19-25 September 2024, Base: 20,835 UK adults aged 16+
2 Ibidem
