The Passenger Transport Executive Group, known as pteg, has re-launched itself as the Urban Transport Group boasting major new members including Transport for London.
There are now seven full members with Transport for London joining the previous pteg crowd of South Yorkshire PTE, Merseytravel, North East Combined Authority, Centro, West Yorkshire Combined Authority, and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).
In addition the Urban Transport Group boasts three existing associate members in Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, Bristol and the West of England Authorities, Nottingham City Council.
The new big group on the transport block
As part of its re-launch, the new group set out its three main roles:
- Making the case for urban transport
- Acting as the nation’s premier professional network for public sector urban transport professionals. A network which shares approaches that work and does more for less through collaborative working
- Providing thought leadership for the sector by looking beyond the day-to-day to explore and address longer term challenges
Transport minister, Andrew Jones MP, said: ‘The seven transport authorities that form the group will share resources and expertise and plan ahead to meet rising demand for public transport, whilst tackling pollution and improving safety. I look forward to working with the Urban Transport Group to ensure investment in infrastructure is best used to improve lives across the UK.’
Shadow secretary of state for transport, Lillian Greenwood MP, also welcomed the announcement, stating it marks ‘a historic moment in transport policy’.
Together the group serves 20 million people and pledged to expand its role beyond public transport into strategic highways, active travel, and freight and logistics.
It also aims to press the EU ‘in terms of legislative and funding opportunities as well as build stronger links with counterparts in other European countries and with the Union of International Public Transport (the global public transport network’, officials said in a statement.
Chair of the group and TfGM chief executive, Dr Jon Lamonte, said: ‘There is a consensus now around the power of investing in cities and as a single voice on urban transport we will be able to make a strong and effective case for how transport can support the growth of those economies.
‘These are exciting times for urban transport with transformational investment in devolved rail networks, new buses legislation on its way, and a more long-term and strategic approach to improving the links between our cities. As a network we can help shape how these opportunities unfold so that each of our members can implement improvements in ways which best meet local priorities and circumstances.
‘As a united body we will also be able to significantly enhance our work with Government, the wider industry and our stakeholders to ensure an informed debate about urban transport priorities, followed up with cost effective delivery of real improvements for transport users in ways which will also meet the challenges of delivering economic growth, cutting carbon and air pollution, and facilitating greater housing provision.
'In developing this role our door is always open to discuss with transport authorities elsewhere the potential for joining our growing network.’
