Responding to the announcement that the Conservatives will invest £4.2bn of new spending on local train, bus and tram services, an UMP spokesperson said: “We welcome the Conservative Party’s commitment to give local authorities the support they need to upgrade public transport links but urge them to go further by setting out the long-term national policy necessary to support the transition to future transport solutions.
Further investment in local transport infrastructure is vital but it must be part of a national strategy with consumers as its heart. That’s why it is vital this new funding is focused on helping struggling local authorities to deliver the shift to sustainable travel that is needed to improve air quality and offer a better service to consumers.
With passengers increasingly demanding a multi-modal, digital transport offering, partnerships between transport providers, local authorities and national government provide a vital opportunity to strengthen infrastructure and facilitate the shift towards an integrated transport system for consumers. We look forward to exploring these opportunities with the Conservatives if they are successful in the General Election”
Other commitments contained in the Conservative Party General Election Manifesto include:
- New Towns Fund will go to an initial 100 towns to improve their local economy, these towns will make the choice about what their local areas needs
- Ambition for full devolution across England, will publish English Devolution White Paper next year
- Investing £100 billion in additional infrastructure spending on roads, rail and other productive investment, including investing £28.8 billion in strategic and local roads
- Building the Northern Powerhouse Rail between Leeds and Manchester, then focus on Liverpool, Tees Valley, Sheffield and Newcastle
- Investing in the Midlands Rail Hub, strengthening links including those between Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Coventry, Derby, Hereford and Worcester.
- Extending contactless pay as you go ticketing to more than 200 more stations in the South East. People will be able to complete 50% of all rail journeys and almost all London commuter journeys with a contactless cards.
- Investing in super-bus networks with lower fares, including flat fares in urban areas, and increased frequency
- Investing in electric buses and develop the UK’s first all-electric-bus town
- Creating a £350 million cycling infrastructure fund with mandatory design standards for new routes
- Prioritise the environment in the next Budget, investing in the infrastructure, science and research that will deliver economic growth
- Setting up a new independent Office For Environmental Protection and introduce UK legal targets, including for air quality.
- Supporting a transition to clean transport to ensure clean air, as well as setting strict new laws on air quality.
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