This new report from Centre for Cities uses real-time data to model how many more people would be able to access their city centre within 30 minutes by public transport if existing networks were better integrated.

From next year, metro mayors will gain extra powers to take control of their local bus services; manage urban road networks; and better integrate timetables and fares systems of their local bus, tram and metro services.

Centre for Cities estimates that delivering more integrated transport networks in six big cities will give 1.2 million more people an easier 30 minute journey to access the jobs and education opportunities in their major city centres.

Full network integration – including integrated ticketing, better aligned timetables, and faster and more frequent buses – would bring European- and London-style public transport to England’s next six largest cities, with a combined population of 13.2 million (23 per cent of England’s total population).

Centre for Cities’ report recommends:

• Metro mayors prioritise the interventions that will have the biggest initial accessibility impacts.
• Government and metro mayors work together to increase the number of potential passengers by building more high-rise and mid-rise housing around transport stops.
• Metro mayors make car use less attractive for journeys to the city centre to encourage a shift from cars to public transport.
• Government supports metro mayors’ requests for further transport powers, such as control of local rail networks and the ability to charge a French-style payroll tax to top-up funding for local transport infrastructure.

This report has been supported by FIT funding.