Bridging the gap: Rail's role in seamless journeys
Unlocking multi-modal potential through collaboration and innovation for a more connected future.
Integrated multi-modal transport is the seamless coordination and combination of different modes of transportation. A system where different modes all work together in a cohesive and efficient travel experience. An integrated multi-modal transport system would not force significant delays, confusion, or inconvenience on passengers as they change between different transport modes. Instead, passengers could easily switch.
In most of the UK, an integrated multi-modal system is still very much the dream rather than the reality. A handful of statistics reveal the scale of the problem.
Domestic transport is the largest source of emissions in the UK, accounting for 29.1% in 2023. That year:
90% of all passenger kms travelled were by road
cars, vans, and taxis made up 85% of total distance travelled
the most common method of commuting to work was by car.
Other statistics show that rail is consistently used less as a mode of transport than road vehicles, whether the metric is trips per person, miles per person, or hours per person. For some metrics, rail is the least used transport mode.
This has important negative impacts on social value. 40% of households in 'left behind' wards have no car, compared to 26% on average across the country. And Transport for the North estimates that 3.3 million people in the north live in areas where there is a high risk of social exclusion because of transport issues.
There are negative climate impacts too. In response, the Climate Change Committee's Sixth Carbon Budget says the UK needs to reduce or shift up to 9% of car miles to lower-carbon modes by 2035.
An integrated multi-modal transport system would be so much better.
Perhaps the most obvious benefit is reduced road congestion. Using a wider variety of transport options, and moving away from single-occupancy vehicle journeys, means that there are fewer vehicles on the roads overall.
Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution reduce significantly when the proportion of journeys made by car declines and use of bicycles, buses, and trains increases. Reduced air pollution is also good for individual health, as is promoting cycling and walking as inherent parts of the transport network. Add in the reduction in the numbers of single-occupancy vehicles and these benefits are multiplied.
Integrated transport can also be cheaper, especially if joint ticketing schemes are introduced. Imagine buying a single ticket for a journey with multiple transport modes, rather than having to buy a new ticket for every part.
And integrated systems are more accessible and convenient. They have clearer signage, well-coordinated schedules, and real-time information, which all make journeys easier for passengers.
These benefits combine to make a far more attractive option for passengers. So the Department for Transport (DfT) is developing a strategy to set the high-level direction for how transport should be designed, built and operated in England over the next 10 years.
As part of that strategy, DfT has asked us to develop a good practice guide for rail. But we recognise the need for integration too. One of the Sustainable Rail Blueprint’s ten principles is ‘Providing an end-to-end journey’. Seamless journeys are a ‘common solution’ that many stakeholders share. So as well as sharing insights from within our industry, we need to look outside it.
We’ve been working with a wider than usual range of stakeholders to develop a good practice guide. Local authorities, operators of bus, tram, and coach services, integrated transport experts, and community organisations have hard-won expertise to share. Collaborating with them is a core part of the process. It ensures that the guide is well-rounded and applicable to various urban settings. And practical examples from cities like Manchester, London, and Birmingham show how integration between different transport modes is already being made real.
At its heart, the good practice guide champions a customer-centric approach so that journeys — and wider social challenges — improve.
It will offer comprehensive advice on how to integrate different transport modes effectively. The guidance will have case studies and suggested actions, so that TOCS have useful support for their work. But it will also look at important challenges for rail, such as how to:
improve pedestrian access
ensure ample cycle parking and safe routes for cyclists
coordinate buses and trains
give practical options for car and bike-sharing schemes
upgrade infrastructure.
By using the guide, rail can play its part in creating efficient, sustainable, and convenient travel networks that benefit all passengers.
Operators are required to address integration of multi-modal transport to meet their business plan commitments for 2025-26. This includes describing the steps they will take to improve the position of active travel and public and shared transport. Our forthcoming good practice guide will help you with this task.
See how the Sustainable Rail Blueprint principles help you with end-to-end journeys. Explore now ❯