A TRANSPORT for London system for the East including Essex is the best way of getting people out of their cars and reaching net zero, the head of the partnership representing people’s transport needs has said reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Councillor Kevin Bentley, Chair of Transport East and Leader of Essex County Council, says he sees a joined up transport system allowing someone to use one ticket for multiple journeys on road and rail.

His comments come as the public are being urged to have their say on an ambitious new transport strategy from Transport East – a partnership providing a single voice for councils, business leaders and partners for the east’s transport strategy – to cut carbon emissions and guide much-needed investment in transport over the next 30 years.

Covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock, the strategy sets a series of priorities for better transport for everybody living, working, and learning in the region up to 2050.

Central to this is achieving net zero carbon emissions from transport – an issue brought sharply into focus during the recent COP26 summit.

It is a particular priority in the East region, where transport is responsible for 42 per cent of all carbon emissions – more than any other source and above the national average.

Cllr Bentley acknowledged that councils, transport operators and the wider industry were already taking steps to reduce emissions and decarbonise transport networks but believes much more is needed to be done.

Transport East’s online public consultation will close on Sunday, January 30 2022.

It says it wants better public transport and to make it easier to walk and cycle.

But it also wants to encourage people to make fewer journeys and to do more things online, as well as to increase the number of places where people can charge electric vehicles.

But Cllr Bentley said that a Transport for London set-up will enable the east to meet its net zero target.

He said: “That will be about putting in short and medium term measures first – in that saying of course we understand in a very rural county you may need to start your journey in a car but you don’t need to finish it in a car.

“In the longer term we need to get to the goal of net zero by putting in better public transport and I think that comes with a TfL solution for Transport East.”

Transport for London has responsibility for various rail networks including the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway, as well as London’s buses, taxis, principal road routes, cycling provision, trams, and river services.

The underlying services are provided by a mixture of wholly owned subsidiary companies, principally London Underground, and by private sector franchisees, made up most importantly by 19 bus companies operating the capital’s dozens of bus routes.

He said: “A TfL system can say to people that if you buy your ticket in Norwich you can travel around the east in the same way as you do in London with an Oyster Card.

“You can do that for bus passes for older people so we need to be able to do that for younger people too – that you are able to buy a ticket on any form of transport and its all joined up. That makes tonnes of sense.

“Train companies are getting better but you need to make sure that one size fits all and people can travel around the east on the card.

“And then why have a card when you can do it electronically.

“I want to have these conversations. It is hugely important.

“This is going beyond the consultation but this is where our minds should be going.”