Unlocking the benefits of transport data

The government’s newly published Transport Data Strategy sets out how the greater use of transport data will support further innovation in the sector, improve the way people and goods move, and help meet transport decarbonisation targets

The government has published its new Transport Data Strategy, which sets out plans for the greater use of data to support greater innovation in the sector and deliver better services.

It also shares how the better use of transport data can help progress the government’s transport decarbonisation efforts and the transition to zero emission mobility.

Better use of transport data use can improve interconnectivity between different types of transport, support the development of journey-planning apps and improve their accuracy, ultimately helping to make it easier for people to use and plan journeys, and for goods to get around.

The strategy set outs how the Department for Transport, by working with the transport sector, can improve the discoverability, quality and accessibility of transport data. It outlines where the department will make targeted interventions to support a healthy transport data ecosystem.

When launching the strategy, Transport Technology Minister Jesse Norman said: “Better use of transport data will help to improve journeys for travellers, tackle climate change and grow the economy.

“The Transport Data Strategy sets out the government’s vision in this area, creating the right framework for the market to innovate and transport users to benefit.”

Helping with decarbonisation

The strategy stresses that the use of data is essential to deliver innovative solutions to current societal challenges, such as climate change. It will allow for a better understanding of the impact of environment policies and transport behaviour. What’s more, opening data will allow for better interoperable systems for electric vehicle charging.

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles is currently working with industry to make public chargepoint data openly available which will drive the growth of mobile apps that will enable drivers of Electric Vehicles (EVs) to plan their journeys and locate and access chargepoints with ease.

The same data will enable EV network operators to optimise their charging networks and provide government, public authorities E