Inside track - The state of transport 2026
Inside track - The state of transport 2026
Devolution is driving change.
Our report shows how the impact of new powers and funding for local areas is beginning to play out in transport trends - with optimistic signs for public transport.
Report
Press release
Comment
JamesK
2nd March, 2026
11th March, 2026
Topic
Bus
Regional and Urban Rail
Tram
Active Travel
Funding
Governance
Data and trends
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Public transport has undergone a decade of change. After many years of relatively predictable, but often declining travel pattens, a series of major events have shaped how, why, and when people travel, in ways that few could have anticipated ten years ago.
Now extensive legislative, policy and funding reforms are starting to drive a more deliberate and structured change in how public transport is planned and delivered. While it will take time for these interventions to be fully reflected in local transport outcomes, together they offer reasons to be optimistic. They position local leaders with greater powers to shape their transport networks, supported by more stable long-term revenue and capital funding.
The last year
Over the last year, travel trends have started to stabilise. However, there are still examples of growth, especially across heavy and light rail networks. In areas where devolved powers have been implemented, changes are beginning to bear fruit.
Here are some of the key trends from the past year...
City region economies are growing
The economies of our largest city regions are starting to grow. A decade ago, only London was growing at or above the England average economic growth rate, with other core cities and their city regions falling behind. This trend is now reversing, and the city regions are beginning to close the productivity gap. However, there is still much more to do if we are to overcome the high levels of inequalities and deliver on the untapped potential.
Trip rates - growing but stabilising
The number of trips each person makes grew by 1% last year, with each person making 922 trips. However, the rate of growth has now fallen for three years in a row, and it appears that trip rates are starting to stabilise.
Bus patronage is stabilising, but there are still areas of growth
Bus patronage is starting to flatline nationally, with a 1% growth recorded in the last year. However, there was above average growth across many of the Combined Authorities, with the fully franchised network in Greater Manchester seeing 11% growth.
Heavy rail patronage has reached pre-pandemic levels
Heavy rail has become the first public transport mode to reach pre-pandemic patronage levels in national statistics. Although growth has slowed, it was still at 7% for the most recent year and looks like set to continue into the coming year.
Congestion remains a challenge
Although the number of trips made as a motor vehicle driver or passenger is still nearly 10% down on pre-pandemic levels, congestion remains a challenge in our city regions. The average speed on local authority ‘A’ Roads continued to fall last year. If we are to unlock the true economic potential of our city regions, we need to ensure that enough people can access them, with high capacity, reliable, public transport systems central to delivering this.
I’m proud to see how transport devolution is delivering growth and empowering our cities and regions to deliver better, more dependable public transport for all.
Simon Lightwood
Minister for Roads and Buses
New powers and funding certainty are already making a difference on our travel trends. This offers hope that local accountability and decision making can drive our public transport networks forwards, delivering the services that our city regions need if they are to continue to grow.
More from the 'Inside track' report series
Report
Inside track - The state of transport 2025
March 2025
This report looks at travel trends and the local economies of city regions, and explores how devolution is beginning to deliver for urban areas. It examines how trends have changed over time and how these trends have played out across different modes of transport.
Read more about Inside track - The state of transport 2025
Download file
Report
Inside track - The state of transport 2024
March 2024
This report aims to give readers the ‘inside track’ into transport trends over the last decade – to not only show what they are, but to also explain why they are happening and what they might mean for cities and transport within them.
Read more about Inside track - The state of transport 2024
Download file
Policy topics
Active Travel
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Active Travel
Bus
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Bus
Data and trends
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Data and trends
Freight
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Freight
Funding
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Funding
Future mobility
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Future mobility
Governance
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Governance
People and skills
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People and skills
Regional and Urban Rail
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Regional and Urban Rail
Social inclusion
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Social inclusion
Sustainability
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Sustainability
Tram
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Tram
See all topics
Public transport has undergone a decade of change. After many years of relatively predictable, but often declining travel pattens, a series of major events have shaped how, why, and when people travel, in ways that few could have anticipated ten years ago.
Now extensive legislative, policy and funding reforms are starting to drive a more deliberate and structured change in how public transport is planned and delivered. While it will take time for these interventions to be fully reflected in local transport outcomes, together they offer reasons to be optimistic. They position local leaders with greater powers to shape their transport networks, supported by more stable long-term revenue and capital funding.
Over the last year, travel trends have started to stabilise. However, there are still examples of growth, especially across heavy and light rail networks. In areas where devolved powers have been implemented, changes are beginning to bear fruit.
Here are some of the key trends from the past year...
The economies of our largest city regions are starting to grow. A decade ago, only London was growing at or above the England average economic growth rate, with other core cities and their city regions falling behind. This trend is now reversing, and the city regions are beginning to close the productivity gap. However, there is still much more to do if we are to overcome the high levels of inequalities and deliver on the untapped potential.
Trip rates - growing but stabilisingThe number of trips each person makes grew by 1% last year, with each person making 922 trips. However, the rate of growth has now fallen for three years in a row, and it appears that trip rates are starting to stabilise.
Bus patronage is stabilising, but there are still areas of growthBus patronage is starting to flatline nationally, with a 1% growth recorded in the last year. However, there was above average growth across many of the Combined Authorities, with the fully franchised network in Greater Manchester seeing 11% growth.
Heavy rail patronage has reached pre-pandemic levelsHeavy rail has become the first public transport mode to reach pre-pandemic patronage levels in national statistics. Although growth has slowed, it was still at 7% for the most recent year and looks like set to continue into the coming year.
Congestion remains a challengeAlthough the number of trips made as a motor vehicle driver or passenger is still nearly 10% down on pre-pandemic levels, congestion remains a challenge in our city regions. The average speed on local authority ‘A’ Roads continued to fall last year. If we are to unlock the true economic potential of our city regions, we need to ensure that enough people can access them, with high capacity, reliable, public transport systems central to delivering this.
New powers and funding certainty are already making a difference on our travel trends. This offers hope that local accountability and decision making can drive our public transport networks forwards, delivering the services that our city regions need if they are to continue to grow.
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