Labour sets out five key transport priorities

‘Move fast, get things done’: New transport secretary Louise Haigh promises rail reform, better buses and road repairs

Transport secretary Louise Haigh

Transport secretary Louise Haigh

Labour’s election landslide has seen it take power for the first time in 14 years. The new government has pledged to grow the economy, with improving the quality of transport across the UK identified as a priority. Louise Haigh has stepped up from holding the transport folio in the shadow cabinet to become transport secretary.

In her first day at work Haigh promised to overhaul transport. The new secretary of state convened officials to begin work at pace across the Department for Transport (DfT) on rail reform, devolution of bus powers, ensuring infrastructure works for the whole country and supporting local authorities to fix roads.

In her address to DfT staff on 8 July, Haigh said: “It will take all our effort but the new motto of our department – our purpose – is simple: move fast and fix things. Our department is so clearly central to achieving the missions for government that the prime minister has committed us to. Growth, net zero, opportunity, women and girls’ safety, health – none of these can be realised without transport as a key enabler.”

Haigh set out her five strategic priorities:

• improving performance on the railways and driving forward rail reform
• improving bus services and growing usage across the country
• transforming infrastructure to work for the whole country, promoting social mobility and tackling regional inequality
• delivering greener transport
• better integrating transport networks.

Labour’s new transport top bench features rail minister Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE, who will bring decades of experience to help realise the government’s ambition of transforming infrastructure and improving public transport. The department’s other ministers include Lilian Greenwood (future roads minister), Simon Lightwood (local transport minister) and Mike Kane (aviation, maritime and security minister).