That’s the message of a new paper, ‘The next step for transport in Wales’, from think tank the Institute of Welsh Affairs (IWA), which notes that despite strong policy already in this area, the pace of transformation needed to make Wales’ transport system more sustainable remains sluggish.

The paper is based on the second of two roundtable discussions convened in January by the IWA in partnership with Arup. The roundtables sought to put forward evidence-informed recommendations to support Wales’ net-zero journey, with the second discussing the challenges of creating a sustainable transport system.

The transport roundtable noted that the Welsh Government is faced with several challenges, including encouraging take-up of electric vehicles (EV) and charging infrastructure; financing adequate public transport service provision; and encouraging behavioural change.

Authored by IWA co-director Joe Rossiter, the paper discusses the merits of investment in sustainable public transport and decarbonising car usage to address Wales’ car-dependency and poor air quality. It argues that to accelerate decarbonisation of the transport system requires a consistent commitment on incentivising sustainable transport modes and aligning investment towards net zero. This process, it asserts, will need to engage multiple agents, from communities to policy decision-makers to employers. It must consider the different needs and characteristics of urban and rural communities and involve local authorities and corporate joint committees in this effort.

As well as net zero, inclusion was another important thread of the discussions. Transport, the paper argues, can be an inhibitor or enabler of a more equal nation. Lack of access to sustainable transport locks communities out of opportunities and exacerbates regional inequalities. By targeting investment at delivering reliable, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport, communities will reap the economic benefits from cleaner and greener mobility and see an improvement in living standards.

Behavioural change

On encouraging behavioural change in this area, the paper proposes that the Welsh Government should consider what benefits they can provide to encourage a shift to sustainable transport modes. Policies should enable initiatives that have been successful elsewhere, including access to car-sharing; demand-responsive transport; on-street, safe cycle parking; reallocation of road space for active travel and public transport; community transport solutions; public transport ticketing for underrepresented groups; and wayfinding apps.

Local authorities could refocus parts of their budgets to behavioural change programmes. Active travel, for example, could help relieve some of the pressure on the health service. “As we move towards a more preventive health system, then allocation towards preventive measures has to be a part of the future,” states the paper.

There is also a need to accelerate the shift towards transport-orientated land use and development. For too long, says the paper, transport options have been considered as a way to solve problems presented in planning and development. This approach, however, needs to be flipped – the availability of sustainable transport options needs to drive where places are developed.

Other behavioural change recommendations include exploring democratic mechanisms, such as citizens’ assemblies, to provide pathways for change and gain insight into how policy is interpreted by the public. Reforms of the bus network are also needed to meet the modal shift targets.

Targets and solutions

Recommendations were also put forward to underpin policymaking and implementation with practical targets, solutions, and partnerships.

Among these, the Welsh Government should create stronger targets to better direct transport delivery outcomes. Targets, says the paper, should align quantitatively to Wales’ net-zero carbon budgets, and this will engender support and trust from the private sector, which will be a key delivery partner in achieving net-zero transport.

Employers should be encouraged to implement measures such as cycle-to-work schemes; supporting car clubs; providing access to secure cycle parking; and providing work-based benefits for sustainable travellers. Employers should also locate their businesses in premises with good access to sustainable transport modes and help employees take advantage of flexible travel patterns. Investment in public-sector training on the impact of transport on health, wellbeing and economic outcomes should also be explored.

Transport data collection needs to be “supercharged” to better understand whether policy and investment have the required impact. Cross-cutting data is also needed – for example, on the impact of transport investment on living standards and local economic outcomes, as well as net zero.