Transport for the North is exploring how new technologies can transform travel and incentivise the use of public transport and other forms of greener, shared and active mobility.

Innovation & the future of smart travel

Through our Integrated and Smart Travel programme, we launched an Innovation Partnership procurement under Regulation 31 of the UK’s Public Contracts legislation.

This would have allowed us to work with transport, ticketing and payment suppliers – as well as other tech experts, SMEs, start-ups and other innovators – from across the world to research and explore new ideas to enhance our public transport networks.

We asked what never-before-used and near-to-market technologies could help us to:

​​​​​​“Digitally connect the North’s transport actors to enable incentivisation of greener, shared and active mobility across the North of England

Unfortunately, this procurement was cancelled following news the Department for Transport would not provide further ongoing funding.

High speed computer banks

Innovation Partnership

Our Innovation Partnership procurement went live on the OJEU network on October 19th 2020 and was open for submissions for 30 days until November 18th 2020. It is now closed.

We had aimed to conduct technology demonstrator projects by March 2021, with the outcomes of these demonstrators then used to inform and de-risk later phases of the IST programme.

But the cancellation of ongoing funding for the IST programme means there will be no further work on this procurement for 2021/22.

A Smart North Ecosystem

This is our vision of a digital network connecting transport operators, travel schemes, local authorities, businesses and other mobility organisations which allows them to interact with each other and provide passengers with travel incentives and benefits that promote public transport and other forms of greener, shared and active mobility.

The Innovation workstream would have helped us understand what new technologies may be able to support this.

Building on existing systems and using innovative new technologies, a Smart North Ecosystem could have enabled:

  • Incentivised and flexible travel offers on multimodal, metaoperator journeys
  • Financial rewards, discounts and loyalty schemes
  • Support for the unbanked and to make transport inclusive & accessible for all
  • Integration with demand responsive transport and active travel initiatives

Compared to traditional ticketing, a Smart North Ecosystem could also better support our Local Transport Authority partners in achieving other objectives including:

  • An improved and consistent public transport experience across the North
  • Improved operational efficiency of transport networks
  • Decarbonisation and clean air targets
  • Reduction in car use and promotion of healthy living
  • Economic growth and improved access to employment opportunities
Salford Quays Greater Manchester Media city