Mass Transit Taskforce terms of reference
Published 4 June 2026
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Scope
The Mass Transit Taskforce (the taskforce) will support government and strategic authorities to decide where mass transit systems could help drive economic growth, attract investment and supporting regeneration, homes and jobs as part of an integrated transport system.
It will assess the wider economic, spatial and social benefits of integrated mass transit systems, and examine the funding and finance, governance, delivery, regulatory, planning and operational barriers that can impede their development and operation.
The taskforce will consider all modes of mass transit and emerging technologies.
Purpose
The taskforce’s purpose is to provide practical, evidence led advice to:
- local transport authorities, including mayoral strategic authorities, developing, delivering and operating mass transit systems
- central government, on how it can better support the development and delivery of integrated mass transit systems
The taskforce will fulfil one of the commitments set out in Better Connected: a strategy for integrated transport.
The taskforce is advisory only. It is non-statutory and non-executive. It will not make recommendations on individual schemes or their funding, nor replace existing decision-making, assurance or statutory processes. Responsibility for decisions will remain with ministers, local leaders and relevant statutory bodies.
Outputs
The taskforce will produce two principal outputs:
- guidance for local transport authorities and mayoral strategic authorities
- recommendations to government
The taskforce will produce:
- a report at around the end of 2026, setting out initial, practical and implementable recommendations for local transport authorities and government
- subject to those initial findings, more substantive medium- to long-term recommendations over a longer period, including where system‑level change may be required
Governance
The taskforce will be led by an independent chair, appointed by and reporting to the Secretary of State for Transport.
The chair will provide strategic leadership and independence and oversee the taskforce’s work to ensure impartial, evidence-based conclusions.
The chair will be supported by a panel of expert advisers, with experience in developing and delivering mass transit.
The taskforce may collect additional evidence, including on relevant international comparators, and will engage with local representatives, the sector and other expert groups.
The Urban Transport Group will lead the secretariat function for the taskforce, in cooperation with officials from the Department for Transport.