More is less

A simple vision for an integrated transport system

Demand for transport continues to grow. By 2020 travel within the UK is forecast to increase by a further 19%*. But more travel doesnt have to mean more damage to the environment or peoples quality of life.

*based on an average annual increase of 1.36%

At National Express we believe that by making travel simpler we can create a transport system thats integrated, safer and more accessible, which will lead to: Less CO2 and pollution Less risk of accidents Less congestion Less wasted time Less exclusion

This isnt radical thinking. Theres no miracle required. Working together we can make it happen.

Reinventing the wheel

Social and economic benefits of an integrated system

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The UK is on the move. We are travelling further and more often than ever before. And this is set to continue. If we keep putting pressure on the transport system, what will this do to our quality of life? And given that transport is our economys fastest growing source of greenhouse gases1, what will it do to the environment? Common sense says this trend isnt sustainable: something has to change.
We need to dramatically reduce greenhouse gases and create a low-carbon economy. The role of transport in this is crucial, both in terms of the effects on the economy and on peoples lifestyles. One of the most important steps anyone can make in reducing their carbon footprint is to switch to low-carbon transport. Thats why having a workable, integrated public transport system is essential. Why it needs continued investment and funding. Why it needs a vision. We see an exciting future for public transport Not only can it improve the quality of peoples lives it can play a major part in tackling climate change. But only if people actually want to use it As a public transport business, we are working to increase its appeal and encourage its use. If we make travel simpler, more convenient and more relaxing, we can attract people from cars and planes onto low-carbon options such as coaches, trains and buses. We have the opportunity to make a big difference. To succeed, consumers increasing needs and expectations need to be met. They want more flexibility, more options, real-time information, accessible services and the security of knowing theyll get where they want to go, on time and in safety. Our job is to meet those expectations and stay a step ahead. We cant act alone Partnerships between national and local government, transport operators and town planners are key to removing the barriers to public transport use. We have a picture of how an intelligent public transport system should look. We want to build an integrated system, joinup our services and develop ticketing systems that make it easier for customers to get where they need to go using the most effective mode of transport. Weve begun the journey. Come with us. And dont forget to tell us what you think by using the feedback form on page 15. This is no ordinary challenge And this is no ordinary corporate responsibility report. You wont find pages of graphs and data here though theyre on our website if you need them at www.nationalexpressgroup.com. What youll find here is our vision of the transport system in 2020. Its not about starting from scratch; its not about reinventing the wheel.

1 Source: The Eddington transport study, 1 December 2006

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Corporate responsibility should be about improving our world. At National Express there are positive benefits from the use of our services both for society and the environment so we believe our responsibility is to grow our operations. In the medium term this may mean us generating more CO2 if that contributes to a wider reduction overall. By doing more, well produce less of the things our society doesnt want
Less CO2 and pollution A key part of current transport policy is focused on improving car efficiency. Whilst this is critical, its not the answer to reducing CO2 from transport. As demand for travel continues, massive improvements are needed just to stand still. Real reductions will only come from reducing travel or using lower carbon forms of transport. Walking and cycling are the most environmentally sound ways of travelling and encouraging them is key. But they are only practical for a small amount of journeys. Next to these, coaches provide the lowest-carbon way to travel, with train and bus close behind. If customers choose to use our services instead of the car or plane then there are considerable CO2 savings. Consequently we are the ultimate carbon offsetting company. And low carbon transport options dont just cut the gases that contribute to global warming. They also offer the chance to reduce a range of other exhaust pollutants that have a major impact on human health.

More really is less

The more we do, the greater the environmental and social benefits

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Less risk of accidents An integrated transport system that attracts a bigger share of travellers keeps people protected. Compared with travelling by car, youre at least ten times safer on public transport. Customer safety is a key priority. Initiatives such as our Safer Travel partnership allow customers to report anti-social issues as soon as they happen. This needs to be the norm so that people feel secure in the knowledge that their safety is our priority. Less congestion Britain cant keep building and widening roads to cut congestion. There isnt room and our countryside needs protecting. A full coach removes a mile of traffic from the roads. Worth thinking about? Public transport also reduces the need for as much town-centre parking, freeing up space for people to walk and cycle. On existing roads dedicated lanes for multi-passenger vehicles would cut journey times for people who choose lower-carbon ways to travel. Less time-wasting Spending time sitting in traffic is wasteful. Customers should be able to enjoy more productive time while travelling. Were taking steps, introducing wi-fi to our services so customers can carry on working or relaxing for longer. Journey text services are growing which allow people to access real-time information about their service on their mobiles. Cutting waiting times and keeping the customer fully informed. Less exclusion Not everyone has a car. Not everyone wants new dual carriageways cutting through their community, separating their homes from nearby amenities. In the future we need to integrate planning and transport systems so that communities dont feel fragmented. Services need to be joined up so that everyone has access to them and they serve the people that need them the most.

Our 2020 vision in-a-city

What could public transport be like by 2020?

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In-a-city Our cities are becoming crowded. Creating space is a tricky issue. We dont believe its practical or necessary to eliminate car travel. We dont believe thats what people want. But we do think its possible to encourage a major switch to public transport to free up some room. Room to breathe. Room to move. And a greater quality of life for the people that live and visit there.
The trick is to make it simple, safe and economic for people to use low-carbon alternatives more of the time. The reward would be quieter and less congested streets, greater personal safety and cleaner air for everyone.

Having the right vehicles is the first step in encouraging change. Electric vehicles have the potential to become carbon-neutral if they use renewable energy. In the West Midlands our Midland Metro service was the first light rail system to use green tariff electricity, making it effectively emissions free. In the future this could apply to trains, whose performance depends on the carbon intensity of the national grid.

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Replacing diesel vehicles with zero carbon alternatives is more challenging. We expect hybrids to be standard by 2020 and we could be using sustainably-produced biofuels from sources such as algae. We also hope to be using fuel cell technology across buses, coaches and trains even if the source of hydrogen is not fully renewable by this stage. Ticketing should be simpler with single tickets recognised by all. E-tickets to print at home or m-tickets direct to mobile are already here in some areas, they provide exactly the convenience people need. Add to this real-time information about when their bus or train will arrive and the journey starts to become seamless. We also want to improve the public transport experience, with improved food and drink, free wi-fi, and power charging for phones and laptops as standard. Public transport should be truly public, and open to all which means better accessibility, and feeder services from remoter areas. People need to feel safe on public transport, which means a brighter lighting; better security in stations and on trains and vehicles; more trains running later and intelligent, interactive CCTV.

Innovation is key to changing peoples travel habits and new services such as commuter coaches, on-demand airport transfers and light rail services are already extending the appeal of public transport. Changing demographics are also shifting the focus, with an increased emphasis on providing the right transport option for all: shop mobility services, Were also looking at stations with convenient transport for the elderly fresh eyes. We want them to sit at the and school buses that ensure heart of their community a meeting children reach school in safety. place for low carbon modes of transport. The station of the near future will be sustainable using onsite renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Access is also critical, people need to feel safe getting to and from their station. So, whether their connection is on foot, by bike or by bus or coach, we are working on better integration with other transport modes. Of course, its not just about vehicles and services. We also need to ensure we are investing in the technology to make journey planning simpler. At National Express we have already brought our UK operations under one brand, with one website. We are now working on a way for people to book one ticket for their entire journey.

Of course if we want consumers to give higher priority to public transport it needs higher priority in public planning. That means dedicated priority measures: from extra bus lanes to intelligent traffic lights that recognise high-occupancy vehicles and give them priority. It means better demand management, through schemes such as congestion charge zones. It also means working with city councils to create partnership schemes which recognise the needs of the population and put these at the top of the agenda.

Zero Carbon

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Our 2020 vision out-of-town

What could public transport be like by 2020?

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Out-of-town Travel enriches our lives. We go further and experience more than ever before. Cars are advertised with the illusion of freedom, but congestion makes this a myth. If we are to make a difference we need to encourage people to plan their travel and use low carbon methods of transport wherever possible. Only then will we be free to get where we need to be
Fundamental changes need to be made to the current infrastructure if public transport use is to be encouraged. Since privatisation there has been huge growth in rail use. This is a positive sign, but there are limits to what can be done to meet demand with the system as it stands. Capacity is an issue and needs to be addressed if rail is going to be a solution in the push to low carbon alternatives. On the roads, coaches need to carry a bigger share of traffic, with commuters encouraged by dedicated rush-hour coach ways on trunk roads, controlled by remotely operated signs that respond to demand.

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Dedicated motorway coaches could provide a practical long-distance alternative, with motorists leaving their cars in park-and-ride style bays at service stations, continuing their journeys at a fraction of the environmental cost. To make this practical, we need high occupancy vehicle lanes and hard shoulder use at peak times. Technological changes are also needed. Wed like to see extensions of the electrified rail network where possible and appropriate. On rural lines, trains could be powered by fuel cells, using hydrogen and producing no emissions except water. We may see changes to the coach network, with the creation of out-oftown coach stations. Linking to these could be fleets of electric hire cars charged by onsite wind turbines for onward connections. As the government starts to develop eco-towns, public transport planning will be critical. Walking, cycling and public transport need to take priority over the car, and low carbon connections with other destinations need to be created. Only then will the eco-towns fulfill the goals they set out to achieve. The alternative is that they become extensions of the commuter belt and take us even further from our vision. Using our IT platform we could become the central mobility provider There is a key role for flexible, on demand services such as roboticcontrolled coaches operating on dedicated routes using GPS. More also needs to be done to encourage car sharing to ensure the one person car journey becomes a thing of the past. for these towns, allowing people to plan their journey in one easy step. If carbon trading has become a reality we could help people manage their CO2 allowance.

Understanding the impact of every journey will become critical. We have already launched online carbon calculators that show how much CO2 is used on which service. This needs to broaden out to every journey, every time. Simple carbon labels need to show which mode wins on efficiency, allowing travellers to make considered decisions. Most of all, these changes need all of us to work together to keep public transport at the top of the policy agenda and to ensure it receives the funding it requires. Its our chance to make a difference.

High Carbon
Low Carbon

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More of your thoughts...

We welcome your thoughts on what youve read. Please use the attached feedback form and tell us your views, thoughts or ideas for the transport system of the future.

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We believe that collectively we can create a transport system that improves the quality of life for everyone. Business, government and individuals all have a role to play, so by telling us what we should all be doing, we can start the debate. We value your thoughts so please fill in the attached feedback form and send it back to us. Alternatively you can email your thoughts at any time to info@nationalexpress.com. What changes would you like to see to public transport? What are you doing to reduce your impact on the environment?
Buying low energy lightbulbs Regular recycling Buying local/seasonable food Holidaying in the UK Using public transport Reducing car use Reducing plane journeys

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