Transport Insights

A brand new initiative launching today, World Public Transport Day is described by its promoter, the International Association of Public Transport (UIPT), as “a global celebration of the critical role public transport plays in our everyday lives, the success of our towns and cities, our economic prosperity and sustainable development”.

You can read more about it here.

The Foundation for Integrated Transport (FIT) is marking the day with its own launch – of a Prospectus “celebrating 10 years of supporting radical change for sustainable transport” and telling its story, starting with its founder, the late Dr Simon Norton, who believed that “people without access to private motor vehicles have just as much right as anyone else to get around”.

FIT says the prospectus explores some the of hundreds of projects it has funded through the lens of six key impact areas:

• Promoting car-free travel as a basic right
• Improving public transport
• Tackling car-based housing development
• Challenging road schemes
• Promoting car-free leisure
• Reducing road danger

FIT chair Stephen Joseph is reported to have said:

This Prospectus is a chance to celebrate the tireless work of the many sustainable transport campaigners and changemakers FIT has funded. Thanks to them, buses have been improved and in some areas taken into public control, damaging new roads have been stopped, roads have been made safer through reduced speed limits, rail lines have been reopened, and so much more. Together, these actions have improved people’s quality of life, widened fair access to opportunities, created more liveable communities and benefitted the environment.

I have to declare an interest here: I have been working with FIT on a research project into transport journalism, about which I will have more to say very soon.

Watch this space…always.