Intelligent Transport Systems UK is drafting a letter to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak calling on a Future of Transport Bill to be included in the next King’s Speech.
It’s asking members to sign the letter which argues that the UK transport industry is a highly innovative, globally-regarded sector that is leading the way in the use of technology, whether through connected and automated vehicle development, applications of AI and data in planning or smart ticketing solutions for public transport, and therefore that the industry requires a Future of Transport Bill in order for the sector to have the right legislative environment in which to thrive.
It says a Bill was set out in the Queen’s Speech in May 2022, but no legislation has yet come forward.
The letter calls for a Future of Transport Bill to look at:
Placing the recommendations of the Law Commission on self-driving and remote driving vehicles into law, to create a regulatory environment for the safe and successful use of these technologies on all parts of the country’s road network;
Moving forward with industry reforms, such as in the rail sector, in order that we can drive forward smart ticketing options across transport;
Setting out UK-wide regulations for eScooters, so that city regions are able to transition effectively from short-term trials to longer-term schemes; and
Creating a regulatory framework for the development of Mobility as a Service, to enable a more effective and integrated transport network.
You can read the draft letter here.