A simple vision for an integrated transport system

Moreis less

Demand for transport continues to grow. By 2020 travel within the UK isforecast to increase by a further 19%*.

But more travel doesn’t have to meanmore damage to the environment orpeople’s quality of life.

*based on an average annual increase of 1.36%

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At National Express webelieve that by makingtravel simpler we cancreate a transport systemthat’s integrated, safer and more accessible, which will lead to:

Less CO2 and pollutionLess risk of accidentsLess congestionLess wasted timeLess exclusion

This isn’t radical thinking. There’s no miracle required. Working together we can make it happen.

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Reinventingthe wheelSocial and economic benefits of an integrated system

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The UK is on the move. We are travellingfurther and more often than ever before.And this is set to continue. If we keepputting pressure on the transport system,what will this do to our quality of life? And given that transport is our economy’sfastest growing source of greenhousegases1, what will it do to the environment?Common sense says this trend isn’tsustainable: something has to change.

We need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gases andcreate a low-carbon economy. The role of transport in thisis crucial, both in terms of the effects on the economy andon people’s lifestyles. One of the most important stepsanyone can make in reducing their carbon footprint is toswitch to low-carbon transport. That’s why having aworkable, integrated public transport system is essential.Why it needs continued investment and funding. Why itneeds a vision.

We see an exciting future for public transportNot only can it improve the quality of people’s lives it can play a major part in tackling climate change.

1 Source: The Eddington transport study, 1 December 2006

But only if people actually want to use itAs a public transport business, we are working toincrease its appeal and encourage its use. If we maketravel simpler, more convenient and more relaxing, we can attract people from cars and planes onto low-carbon options such as coaches, trains and buses.We have the opportunity to make a big difference.

To succeed, consumers’ increasing needs andexpectations need to be met. They want more flexibility,more options, real-time information, accessible servicesand the security of knowing they’ll get where they want to go, on time and in safety. Our job is to meet thoseexpectations and stay a step ahead.

We can’t act alonePartnerships between national and local government,transport operators and town planners are key toremoving the barriers to public transport use. We have apicture of how an intelligent public transport systemshould look. We want to build an integrated system, join-up our services and develop ticketing systems that makeit easier for customers to get where they need to go usingthe most effective mode of transport. We’ve begun thejourney. Come with us. And don’t forget to tell us whatyou think by using the feedback form on page 15.

This is no ordinary challengeAnd this is no ordinary corporate responsibility report.You won’t find pages of graphs and data here – though they’re on our website if you need them atwww.nationalexpressgroup.com. What you’ll find here is our vision of the transport system in 2020. Its notabout starting from scratch; its not about reinventing the wheel.

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Corporate responsibility should be aboutimproving our world. At National Expressthere are positive benefits from the use of our services – both for society and the environment – so we believe ourresponsibility is to grow our operations. In the medium term this may mean usgenerating more CO2 – if that contributesto a wider reduction overall. By doingmore, we’ll produce less of the things our society doesn’t want…

Less CO2 and pollutionA key part of current transport policy is focused onimproving car efficiency. Whilst this is critical, it’s not theanswer to reducing CO2 from transport. As demand fortravel continues, massive improvements are needed justto stand still. Real reductions will only come from reducingtravel or using lower carbon forms of transport.

Walking and cycling are the most environmentally sound ways of travelling and encouraging them is key. But they are only practical for a small amount of journeys.Next to these, coaches provide the lowest-carbon way to travel, with train and bus close behind. If customerschoose to use our services instead of the car or planethen there are considerable CO2 savings. Consequentlywe are the ultimate “carbon offsetting” company.

And low carbon transport options don’t just cut the gases that contribute to global warming. They also offer the chance to reduce a range of other exhaustpollutants that have a major impact on human health.

Morereally is lessThe more we do, the greater the environmental and social benefits

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Less risk of accidentsAn integrated transport system that attracts a biggershare of travellers keeps people protected. Comparedwith travelling by car, you’re at least ten times safer onpublic transport. Customer safety is a key priority.Initiatives such as our Safer Travel partnership allowcustomers to report anti-social issues as soon as theyhappen. This needs to be the norm so that people feelsecure in the knowledge that their safety is our priority.

Less congestionBritain can’t keep building and widening roads to cutcongestion. There isn’t room and our countryside needsprotecting. A full coach removes a mile of traffic from theroads. Worth thinking about? Public transport alsoreduces the need for as much town-centre parking,freeing up space for people to walk and cycle. On existingroads dedicated lanes for multi-passenger vehicles wouldcut journey times for people who choose lower-carbonways to travel.

Less time-wastingSpending time sitting in traffic is wasteful. Customersshould be able to enjoy more productive time whiletravelling. We’re taking steps, introducing wi-fi to ourservices so customers can carry on working or relaxingfor longer. Journey text services are growing which allow people to access real-time information about their service on their mobiles. Cutting waiting times and keeping the customer fully informed.

Less exclusionNot everyone has a car. Not everyone wants new dualcarriageways cutting through their community, separatingtheir homes from nearby amenities. In the future we need to integrate planning and transport systems so thatcommunities don’t feel fragmented. Services need to be joined up so that everyone has access to them andthey serve the people that need them the most.

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Our 2020visionin-a-cityWhat could public transport be like by 2020?

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The trick is to make it simple, safeand economic for people to use low-carbon alternatives more of thetime. The reward would be quieterand less congested streets, greaterpersonal safety and cleaner air for everyone.

Having the right vehicles is the firststep in encouraging change. Electricvehicles have the potential to becomecarbon-neutral if they use renewableenergy. In the West Midlands ourMidland Metro service was the firstlight rail system to use “green tariff”electricity, making it effectivelyemissions free. In the future this couldapply to trains, whose performancedepends on the carbon intensity ofthe national grid.

In-a-cityOur cities are becomingcrowded. Creating space is atricky issue. We don’t believe it’s practical or necessary toeliminate car travel. We don’tbelieve that’s what people want.But we do think it’s possible to encourage a major switch to public transport to free upsome room. Room to breathe.Room to move. And a greaterquality of life for the people thatlive and visit there.

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Replacing diesel vehicles with zerocarbon alternatives is morechallenging. We expect hybrids to bestandard by 2020 and we could beusing sustainably-produced biofuelsfrom sources such as algae. We alsohope to be using fuel cell technologyacross buses, coaches and trainseven if the source of hydrogen is notfully renewable by this stage.

Innovation is key to changingpeople’s travel habits and newservices such as commuter coaches,on-demand airport transfers and lightrail services are already extending theappeal of public transport. Changingdemographics are also shifting thefocus, with an increased emphasis on providing the right transport optionfor all: shop mobility services,convenient transport for the elderlyand school buses that ensurechildren reach school in safety.

Of course, it’s not just about vehiclesand services. We also need to ensurewe are investing in the technology to make journey planning simpler. AtNational Express we have alreadybrought our UK operations under onebrand, with one website. We are nowworking on a way for people to bookone ticket for their entire journey.

Ticketing should be simpler withsingle tickets recognised by all. E-tickets to print at home or m-ticketsdirect to mobile are already here insome areas, they provide exactly theconvenience people need. Add to this real-time information about whentheir bus or train will arrive and thejourney starts to become seamless.

We’re also looking at stations withfresh eyes. We want them to sit at theheart of their community – a meetingplace for low carbon modes oftransport. The station of the nearfuture will be sustainable – usingonsite renewable energy sourcessuch as solar and wind power.Access is also critical, people need to feel safe getting to and from theirstation. So, whether their connectionis on foot, by bike or by bus or coach,we are working on better integrationwith other transport modes.

We also want to improve the publictransport experience, with improvedfood and drink, free wi-fi, and powercharging for phones and laptops asstandard. Public transport should betruly public, and open to all – whichmeans better accessibility, and feederservices from remoter areas. Peopleneed to feel safe on public transport,which means a brighter lighting;better security in stations and on trainsand vehicles; more trains running laterand intelligent, interactive CCTV.

Of course if we want consumers togive higher priority to public transport it needs higher priority in publicplanning. That means dedicatedpriority measures: from extra bus lanesto intelligent traffic lights that recognisehigh-occupancy vehicles and givethem priority. It means better demandmanagement, through schemes suchas congestion charge zones. It alsomeans working with city councils tocreate partnership schemes whichrecognise the needs of the populationand put these at the top of the agenda.

Zero Carbon

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Our 2020visionout-of-townWhat could public transport be like by 2020?

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Fundamental changes need to bemade to the current infrastructure if public transport use is to beencouraged.

Since privatisation there has beenhuge growth in rail use. This is apositive sign, but there are limits to what can be done to meetdemand with the system as it stands.Capacity is an issue and needs to be addressed if rail is going to be a solution in the push to low carbon alternatives.

On the roads, coaches need to carry a bigger share of traffic, withcommuters encouraged by dedicated rush-hour coach ways on trunk roads, controlled by remotely operated signs that respond to demand.

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Out-of-townTravel enriches our lives. We gofurther and experience morethan ever before. Cars areadvertised with the illusion offreedom, but congestion makesthis a myth. If we are to make adifference we need to encouragepeople to plan their travel anduse low carbon methods oftransport wherever possible.Only then will we be free to getwhere we need to be…

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for these towns, allowing people toplan their journey in one easy step. If carbon trading has become a realitywe could help people manage theirCO2 allowance.

Understanding the impact of everyjourney will become critical. We havealready launched online carboncalculators that show how much CO2

is used on which service. This needsto broaden out to every journey, everytime. Simple carbon labels need toshow which mode wins on efficiency,allowing travellers to makeconsidered decisions.

Most of all, these changes need all of us to work together to keep publictransport at the top of the policyagenda and to ensure it receives thefunding it requires. It’s our chance to make a difference.

Dedicated motorway coaches couldprovide a practical long-distancealternative, with motorists leaving their cars in ‘park-and-ride’ style bays at service stations, continuingtheir journeys at a fraction of theenvironmental cost. To make thispractical, we need high occupancyvehicle lanes and hard shoulder use at peak times.

Technological changes are alsoneeded. We’d like to see extensions of the electrified rail network wherepossible and appropriate. On rurallines, trains could be powered by fuelcells, using hydrogen and producingno emissions except water.

We may see changes to the coachnetwork, with the creation of out-of-town coach stations. Linking to thesecould be fleets of electric hire carscharged by onsite wind turbines foronward connections.

There is a key role for flexible, ondemand services such as robotic-controlled coaches operating ondedicated routes using GPS. Morealso needs to be done to encouragecar sharing to ensure the one personcar journey becomes a thing of the past.

As the government starts to develop‘eco-towns’, public transport planningwill be critical. Walking, cycling andpublic transport need to take priorityover the car, and low carbonconnections with other destinationsneed to be created. Only then will the ‘eco-towns’ fulfill the goals they set out to achieve. The alternative isthat they become extensions of thecommuter belt and take us evenfurther from our vision.

Using our IT platform we couldbecome the central mobility provider

Low Carbon

High Carbon

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More of yourthoughts...We welcome your thoughts on what you’ve read. Please use the attached feedback form and tell us your views, thoughts or ideas for the transport system of the future.

What do you think are the majorissues facing transport?

What changes would you like to seeto public transport?

What would make travel simpler for you?

What issues would you like to seeNational Express reporting on in future?

What are you doing to reduce yourimpact on the environment?

Buying low energy lightbulbsRegular recyclingBuying local/seasonable foodHolidaying in the UKUsing public transportReducing car useReducing plane journeys

Any other comments?

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We believe that collectively we can create a transport system thatimproves the quality of life foreveryone. Business, governmentand individuals all have a role toplay, so by telling us what weshould all be doing, we can start the debate.

We value your thoughts so pleasefill in the attached feedback formand send it back to us. Alternativelyyou can email your thoughts at anytime to info@nationalexpress.com.

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