皇冠体育app

It鈥檚 a great pleasure to be here today (20 September 2012), so thank you for inviting me along. I鈥檓 delighted to have this chance to make a small contribution to a big event.

Groucho Marx once joked - 鈥渨hy should I care about the future, what鈥檚 it ever done for me?鈥�

Well, caring about the future is something we should all do. And that鈥檚 because we鈥檙e the ones whose actions and decisions help to shape it. What we say and do in the here and now can often have an impact that lasts long beyond our own lifespan - and nowhere is that more true than in transport.

So, in the brief time I have today, I鈥檇 like to look forward - to talk about the better future for transport that we all want to see and that, together, I hope we can help create.

Sound finances and a strong economy

皇冠体育app first thing we have to do is recognise that we can鈥檛 build a better future on the quick-sands of debt. And that鈥檚 precisely why the coalition government has had to put tackling the inherited debt crisis front and centre of our priorities.

What does this mean for transport鈥檚 future? You will understand that I cannot reveal the contents of the forthcoming spending review. 皇冠体育appre are clearly going to be difficult decisions, but I hope you will have taken comfort from the fact that some key transport projects have already been given the green light by the government, including High Speed 2 and Crossrail. This shows that this government recognises the value of investment in our transport infrastructure.

Cleaner and greener

We are not taking our eyes off the long-term.

皇冠体育app future must also be cleaner and greener -and that means providing genuine and viable low carbon travel alternatives.

皇冠体育app government is setting the pace in public transport by investing an additional 拢15 million in low carbon buses.

As well as helping to ease congestion on our roads, low carbon buses emit nearly a third less carbon than their conventional counterparts. That鈥檚 a transport win-win as far as I鈥檓 concerned.

We have also signalled our support for ultra-low carbon cars. Already, we have awarded 拢24 million to further develop the UK鈥檚 low carbon vehicle capability, which the government believes will place the UK at the forefront of low carbon automotive development. Our Plug in Car Grant - up to 拢5,000 - will help motorists and businesses purchase electric, plug-in hybrid or hydrogen cars. While our Plugged in Places programme reflects the coalition agreement pledge to mandate a national recharging network.

A cleaner and greener tomorrow will be one where cycling and walking is increasingly the norm in our cities and towns. But it will also be one where people have a real choice when it comes to travelling less - from home working, to video conferencing to a range of innovative ways to use the internet for business and leisure. 皇冠体育appse alternatives to travel encourages business to do things in a different way, which can save money and help the environment as well.

Joined up travel

Today鈥檚 passengers demand and deserve a public transport system that is properly joined up in a way that reflects the demands of their daily lives.

So, whether you call it the 鈥榙oor to door journey鈥�, 鈥榚nd-to-end travel鈥� or the 鈥榳hole-journey experience鈥�, it is absolutely vital to build a future where we improve the journey from front door to final destination by enhancing the connections between, and across, the different parts of our public transport system.

Innovations such as real time information displays and improved directional signage can make a positive difference. As can simple measures like placing bus stops as close as possible to the main rail station entrance, or making sure that public announcements are clear and give the right amount of detail.

But I believe that one of the most important steps towards a more joined up transport network is smart and integrated ticketing.

皇冠体育app government is very keen to see this new technology rolled out more widely and more quickly across England and so we have provided 拢20 million of grant funding to the nine biggest English urban areas outside London to support this. My department has also offered a BSOG incentive of 8% for operators with operational ITSO smart systems on their buses.

In addition, my department has required that ITSO smart ticketing infrastructure be rolled out across the five rail franchises that have been tendered since 2007, and we intend to continue to introduce conditions to this effect in the remaining franchises as they are renewed. We have also made it a statutory requirement that all concessionary travel passes in England are ITSO-compatible smartcards. Over 10 million of these have been issued to date.

Additionally, we are continuing our support of ITSO Ltd as the organisation that can help facilitate the additional roll out of schemes - and I can tell you that we are working with Transport for London and their partners to achieve ITSO compatibility across the London estate.

I鈥檓 also pleased to say that, not only are major bus operators rolling out ITSO smart ticketing across their fleet, but that smart ticketing is also being implemented by a number of key train operators - and that has to be good for integration and, as a result, good for passengers.

皇冠体育app billing for this conference is 鈥楾ravel 2020鈥�. So let me tell you my personal 2020 vision for smart cards.

By 2020 I鈥檇 like to see seamless travel on one ticket throughout the country

• a single smartcard ticket that you can use whether you are in Bristol on the bus, on the Tube in London or on the Metro in Newcastle
• a single smartcard that lets you hire a bike or join a car club
• a single smartcard that can be topped up in shops, online or by phone
• a single smartcard that makes travel easier and cheaper

With smart and integrated ticketing, we have an opportunity to give passengers greater certainty over their end to end journey, and as a result increase the take up of more sustainable forms of travel.

Is realising that vision going to be easy?

Well, it鈥檚 certainly challenging - it won鈥檛 be achieved overnight, that鈥檚 for sure.

But can it be done?

Absolutely. In fact, I鈥檝e already asked my officials to explore ways of developing and introducing such a card.

Partnership for a purpose

Today I鈥檝e spoken about the future.

I鈥檝e argued that we have no alternative but to put the public finances back on track.

I鈥檝e made the case for decarbonising transport.

And I鈥檝e stressed the vital importance of improving the connectivity of our transport networks - especially through the use of cutting edge technology such as a nationwide transport smartcard.

This isn鈥檛 an exhaustive list of every last brick that we need to lay in order to build a better tomorrow for transport. But I hope the areas I鈥檝e covered at least give a sense of the foundation stones we are putting in place to support that future structure. Before I conclude I鈥檇 like to make one final point - and it concerns working together.

I鈥檓 under no illusions - this government and my department can only get so far working in isolation. If we are to succeed then we must collaborate in a productive partnership with the key stakeholders and major players in transport - people and organisations like you.

So I want you to know that this minister intends to listen to you, learn from you and work with you. Your ideas and input will be valued, as well as welcomed. And let me be clear - this is not partnership for its own sake, but partnership for a purpose because, ultimately, such a partnership is the only way to build that better future.

Concluding remarks

Okay - when it comes to public speaking I鈥檓 always conscious of the wise advice offered by the 19th century Liberal politician Lord Reading, who said: 鈥淎lways be shorter than anybody dared to hope鈥�.

Well today you can be very hopeful - you have a jam-packed schedule and a busy day in front of you so, with Lord Reading鈥檚 words ringing in my ears, it鈥檚 time I brought my speech to a conclusion.

It only remains for me to thank you for listening and to say that I look forward to hearing your thoughts and taking your questions in the Q&A session.