Almost one in two people in the North of England (49%), Midlands and Wales (48%) say they would find it hard to use more public transport to reduce carbon emissions, according to a new survey from the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).
This compares with only 25% of respondents in London.
The findings come as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure (APPGI) and ICE launch a consultation on how to speed up delivery of the UK government’s Integrated Rail Plan (IRP).
Read more: No turning back for public transport, ICE concludes
The consultation is seeking ideas on how to accelerate delivery of the £96bn for “faster, greener and more frequent rail services” to support towns and cities across the North, Midlands and beyond.
The IRP, published in November 2021, scaled back High Speed 2 railway’s Eastern Leg, opting instead for better local rail links across the North and Midlands. It also proposed an IRP Core Pipeline of key rail projects.
None of the significant projects announced in the IRP are planned to start until 2025.
The consultation seeks proposals on three key questions: What are realistic timescales for delivery for individual schemes in the IRP Core Pipeline? What measures could be taken to accelerate the delivery of individual projects in the Pipeline and the Plan as a whole? What principles could be used to determine what could be added to the Core Pipeline in the future and when?
Rachel Skinner, deputy chair of the research programme, former ICE president and executive director of WSP, said: “Efficient public transport is vital for the smooth running of our day-to-day lives while helping to deliver cleaner air and reduced emissions for trips where walking and cycling are not practical.
“This is particularly true in parts of the country that have seen under-investment in the past.
“We need workable ideas on how the government’s rail plan can be delivered faster and clarity to guide future investment.”
The consultation is now open and will last for six weeks until 5 August 2022.
It is open to response from a variety of groups, including civil engineers, infrastructure professionals, policy thinkers, campaign groups and the wider transport community.
The feedback will be given to local and national policymakers later this year.
