The long awaited integrated national transport strategy was published at beginning of April:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/better-connected-a-strategy-for-integrated-transport
Tap-and-go travel across buses, trains, and trams will benefit more cities and towns across England after the government announced more local powers for contactless travel today (2 April 2026).
Local leaders are being given the tools to replicate joined-up systems already in place in areas like Liverpool, London and Nottingham, where passengers travel seamlessly across the city on different transport while tapping their bank card as payment – without juggling multiple tickets or apps.
It is one of more than 40 fully funded commitments in the new Better Connected national transport strategy, designed to make everyday journeys simpler, easier to pay for and more reliable from door to door.
Huge steps have already been taken to make people’s everyday journeys more affordable, including the rail fare freeze, the bus fare cap, and freezing fuel duty.
Giving people genuine choice over how they travel and making these options more affordable is at the core of this strategy. By providing local leaders with more flexibility, control and long-term funding certainty, they can design more joined-up networks that deliver better value for money, helping to keep fares down and support the cost of living.
The strategy also announces a breakthrough new partnership with Google, allowing passengers across England to track their bus in real time through Google Maps. The service will be especially useful for passengers in rural areas where bus services are less frequent.
To help local areas go further, the government is also launching £40 million in new funding for local authorities to trial digital technologies to improve transport, reduce congestion and ease disruption. Gold standard examples like Nottingham and Derby’s Ride app, part-funded by government, show what is possible when local leaders are backed to improve local transport.