Transport User Voice – January 2022 – Chief executive’s editorial

16 December 2021

What a year!

Wow. 2021 was a bumpy ride, with the continuing pandemic and the condition of the environment under the spotlight. Both featured heavily in influencing transport decisions too. Looks like next year could be equally challenging.  

But the trucks, buses, trains, trams, coaches, and cars kept rolling. The country was fed, stocked, and functioning. An amazing outcome.    

Across all different types of transport, reliability remains the key driver of satisfaction as shown in our insight work. Keep the roads open and get the buses and trains running on time!  

Money will be a key challenge next year for the bus and rail industries – now pretty much reliant on continued Government support. As the latest wave of the pandemic hits revenue and confidence once more, some tough choices lie ahead. We will work to ensure those choices are made fairly and openly, informed by passenger research.  

We have some great work lined up.  Among other things, we will pilot our groundbreaking, benchmarking electric vehicle re-charging survey. This will drive up standards and help more people choose electric.  

Our work on lorry driver facilities, again a benchmarking survey, will for the first time provide a clear driver view of rest facilities.  

Our new bus and rail passenger satisfaction surveys will be in action, helping governments understand passenger views and benchmarking performance across Great Britain. We will keep articulating the passenger view in the setting up of Great British Railways.  

We will also continue to set out the passenger viewpoint as local authority and bus company ‘Enhanced Partnerships’ begin rolling out, hopefully leading to improved services.  

It remains a great privilege to be able to work on behalf of transport users making a difference. Our independent, consumer-focused, useful and evidence led style of work will, hopefully, be in demand in 2022 and beyond.  

So, have a good break. Look after yourselves and your families and if you are travelling, go safely and think of others as well.

Their safety is, to a degree, in your hands.  

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