Almost two years into the Labour government, transport once again finds itself balancing ambitious promises and early reforms against a growing sense that political attention is already starting to shift elsewhere.
Reform through integration There has been progress, particularly in setting clearer priorities. The government's integrated transport strategy, Better Connected, signals a move away from piecemeal decision-making towards a holistic approach. It places greater emphasis on coordination between modes, stronger partnership with local leaders, and a recognition that most journeys are short and local in nature. Alongside this, legislative work on Great British Railways continues at pace. It remains the centrepiece of rail reform, with the ambition of bringing track and train under a single guiding body. We heard from Lord Hendy at the Transport Times Rail Summit that a great deal of work is already underway ahead of Royal Assent, including establishing one set of performance metrics and clear accountability as more passenger services return to public ownership.
A comparable direction of travel is evident across other modes. The shift towards bus franchising in major city regions is granting local authorities greater control over networks, fares and service standards and reshaping provision. At the same time, the latest Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy reinforces the role of active travel in shorter journeys, pairing infrastructure investment with a sustained focus on behaviour change. The overall effect is a transport system increasingly oriented around integration, local leadership and modal shift.
Incremental change rather than visible transformation Progress, however, has been steady rather than transformative. A long-term rail strategy is expected to set out a 30-year plan for the network, more closely aligning investment with housing, employment and economic growth. Updated local transport plans are strengthening the role of councils in shaping services in their areas. Meanwhile, major infrastructure schemes such as Northern Powerhouse Rail continue to advance, but at a measured pace, shaped by funding constraints and competing national priorities. What emerges is not yet a period of visible transformation, but one of preparation - laying the foundations for future change.
This feels likely to define the current phase. Despite the language of transformation, economic realities are limiting what can be delivered at scale. Public capital is scarce, trade-offs are unavoidable, and much of the Government's effort has gone into reorganising existing systems rather than expanding them. These constraints are not just financial or administrative; they are increasingly political and geopolitical.
A shifting political landscape Transport, which played a prominent role in Labour's early growth agenda, is now competing with more immediate pressures. Defence, security, and international instability have moved higher up the agenda, narrowing space for long-term transport investment, while the domestic political picture is also becoming less predictable ahead of local elections.
Polling suggests growing support for both Reform UK and the Greens in different parts of the country, pulling the debate in opposite directions. One questions the cost and value of infrastructure spending and climate commitments, while the other argues for faster action on decarbonisation and a stronger shift away from car use. For transport policy, this makes consensus harder to sustain and weakens the clarity of long-term signals from Government.
Uncertainty across the sector
That uncertainty is already being felt across the sector. Operators are working with unanswered questions around future passenger demand, funding settlements and regulatory expectations. Local authorities have gained greater freedom through devolution deals and bus franchising, but that autonomy comes with increased responsibility and limited long-term financial certainty. Across the supply chain, pipelines exist, but delays and short funding cycles continue to undermine confidence, making it harder for businesses to invest and plan ahead.
Make no mistake - this does not point to a lack of political will. The overall direction is clearer than it has been for some time, with a focus on better integration, greater local decision-making, lower carbon emissions and a stronger emphasis on customers As always, however, the challenge is the gap between those aims and what has so far been delivered. Nearly two years in, progress is increasingly judged not by plans announced, but by outcomes felt.
Clarity of intent, constraints on delivery
Transport in 2026 sits somewhere between promise and proof, between reform being designed and reform being experienced. Important foundations are being put in place through Great British Railways, the forthcoming long-term rail strategy, the continued shift towards bus franchising in major city regions, and a renewed emphasis on active travel through the Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, alongside wider changes to local transport governance. These changes collectively signal a move towards a more integrated, locally led system, but the pace and scale of delivery remain shaped by forces largely outside the sector's control.
For those working in transport, this is a demanding moment. There are opportunities to influence change, but also real uncertainty. Priorities can shift, funding can change direction, and the wider political and economic context feels less stable than it has for years. The challenge now is not simply to argue for transport in isolation, but to demonstrate how it contributes directly to broader national priorities - economic growth, resilience, security and stronger places. This includes a clearer role in supporting energy security, as the shift towards a more decarbonised transport system reduces long-term reliance on imported fossil fuels and exposure to volatile global energy markets.
If the past two years have been about setting direction, the next two will decide whether transport remains a core part of the government's agenda or is overtaken by events elsewhere.
