Evidence and Research Strategy update 2008/9: Regional and Local Transport Policy and Delivery

Introduction

1  Since 2005 the Department for Transport (DfT) has adopted a more strategic approach to managing its evidence needs based on a departmental Evidence and Research Strategy, a directorate level Unit-level Evidence and Research Strategy (U-ERS), the Evidence and Research Quality Framework (ERQF) and an annual process of scrutiny and renewal to ensure continued strategic focus and value for money.

2  This update is consistent with, and builds upon, the Regional and Local Transport Policy and Delivery (RLTP/D) directorates’ U-ERS which was published in the summer of 2006[1].  In particular, it sets out:

• key achievements in the research programme during 2007/08 and how these achievements have been used to shape policy
• research and evidence gaps and priorities for 2008/09

Key achievements in 2007/08

3  RLTP/D’s key achievements in research and analysis in 2007/8 include:

• The Safe and Fuel Efficient Driving (SAFED) Feasibility Study[2] which looked into the potential impact of a training scheme aimed at encouraging drivers to accelerate and brake less aggressively thus reducing fuel consumption and emissions.  The results of this study (together with a significant amount of internal research and analysis) informed the proposals and impact assessment for reforming bus subsidy[3].
• Research in calculating reimbursement due to bus operators from concessionary fares schemes, which has fed directly into new guidance and tools for local authorities to calculate reimbursement rates.  This supports the April 2008 introduction of the new concession for older people and those with a disability, offering free travel on local bus services throughout England.
• The production of guidance and an evaluation framework for the Transport Innovation Fund (TIF) which has helped inform the development of TIF proposals.  Through the TIF, DfT seeks to direct resources towards the achievement of two very high priority key objectives - specifically tackling congestion and improving productivity.
• Research, analysis and stakeholder engagement feeding directly into the Local Transport Bill (LTB).  This is a key part of the Government’s strategy to meet its commitment of ensuring we are well equipped to meeting today’s and future transport challenges.

4  In addition to the research programme, RLTP’s Statistics Travel Division provides ongoing statistical evidence to inform the work of the Directorate and the wider Department.  For example, the National Travel Survey (NTS) is used extensively to inform policy development.  In 2007/08 data from the NTS fed into various areas of work including TaSTS (see below), the Local Transport Bill, the Rail White Paper, DfT's Gender Equality Scheme and the changes to concessionary fares.  More detailed analysis included exploring trends in driving among young adults and the implications for future traffic trends; an analysis of travel in London; and school travel.

5  Statistics Travel (ST) Division also monitors public attitudes towards a range of transport modes, including bus, rail, aviation, and towards wider transport issues, such as public views regarding the environmental consequences of travel.  In 2008/09 ST will continue to provide policy relevant evidence on a range of issues, including for the TaSTS White Paper.

Developing the 2008/09 research programme: strategic focus

6  The RLTP/D research programme for 2008/09 is designed to support the strategic focus of the Department.  In October 2007, the DfT published the discussion paper Towards a Sustainable Transport System: Supporting Economic Growth in a Low Carbon World [4].  This paper proposed five transport goals, building on the analysis in the Eddington Transport Study and the Stern Review of the Economics of Climate Change.

7  These goals, and the TaSTS work programme through to a long-term transport strategy in 2012, link directly to RLTP/D planned research programme.  In addition, in 2007/08 the DfT announced a strategic refresh of its New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) guidance.  The refresh forms part of the analytical work being taken forward to implement the recommendations made in the Eddington study and Stern Review.  Various workstreams falling out of the NATA refresh programme are being taken on by RLTP/D directorates, such as work on the appraisal of small schemes, development on the value for money (vfm) framework and benefit-cost ratio (BCR) metrics and package appraisal.

8  RLTP/D’s research and evidence programme is organised into themes of:

• Asset management (roads maintenance policy)
• Economic appraisal and transport modelling – including in support of the NATA refresh
• Improving and increasing public transport patronage, walking and cycling
• Understanding travel behaviour and public attitudes to transport
• Improving accessibility and choice
• Evidence and foresight

9  RLTP/D’s research and other evidence gathering inform policy made within the Directorates and the wider Department, and much of the research is disseminated and co-managed with other stakeholder groups including the Bus Partnership Forum, and the UK Roads Liaison Group which brings together highway professionals from across the UK.  For example, as part of the current work on the NATA refresh, work is underway jointly with the Department for Communities and Local Government to see how we can better reflect the economic benefits of delivering housing growth in NATA.  This builds upon previous RLTP research on appraisal and land use.

10  Environmental issues will play an increasingly important role in local authorities transport plans in light of the overall TaSTS agenda, particularly climate change and air quality.  However, other Directorates within DfT have lead policy responsibility for these areas and in order to avoid duplication, RLTP/D will continue to work closely with those teams.

11  In taking forward its proposed 2008/09 research agenda, RLTP/D will make greater use of the Department’s research frameworks to reduce the procurement burden and draw on outside expertise, including working with the various members of the research framework supply chain to consider evidence gaps, research areas and approaches for tackling.  We will also continue to engage with stakeholders to help identify key research and evidence priorities going forward.

Key workstreams for 2008/09

RLTP/RLTD research programme 2008/9
Theme	Key Projects
Asset management (roads maintenance policy)	encouraging wider and better use of asset management data and providing guidance on accounting standards for highway assets design and maintenance guidance for local authority roads, with associated cost-benefit analysis and guidance on the collection and use of highway condition data improving local authorities capacity to deliver their transport plans and providing guidance to local authorities on asset management planning, risk management and managing assets in a low carbon world reviewing the vfm of street lighting, and potentially producing further guidance
Economic appraisal and transport modelling	continued work on vfm frameworks and appraisal of small schemes follow-up research into reliability benefits and how these are treated in appraisal local and regional strategic modelling bus modelling tools to assess the effects of different policy options
Improving and increasing public transport patronage, walking and cycling	the relationship between bus provision and social inclusion the impact of concessionary fares on bus demand and costs, and the possibility of moving to a more deterministic basis for reimbursement. an assessment of the costs and other impacts of dedicated school buses, including an independent assessment of West Yorkshire's MyBus scheme evaluations of the walking bus scheme and travel to school initiatives, to understand their impacts and identify/spread best practice
Understanding travel behaviour and public attitudes to transport	the role of softer factors in influencing patronage growth and modal shift impacts of road pricing and development and appraisal of transport packages – learning from the TIF process the modelling and appraisal of smarter choices measures the impact of the Sustainable Travel Towns programme
Improving accessibility and choice	improving accessibility in rural areas and assessing the impact of accessibility planning policy to date barriers in local authority capacity to delivery of local transport plans, with recommendations for improvement infrastructure to support housing growth and to better reflect the economic benefits of delivering housing growth
Evidence and foresight	strategic trends in mobility, the global economy and in particular transport industries and markets regional economic implications of the Eddington Transport Study (working closely with BERR and other departments contributing to the regional economic performance PSA)

[1]  http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/regional/policy/evidenceresearchstrategy/regionalandlocaltransportevi3734
[2]  http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/bussubsidy/safed.pdf
[3]   http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/bussubsidy/impact.pdf
[4]  http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/hmtlsustaintranssys