The Secretary of State, Heidi Alexander, praised Nottingham as ‘best in class’ on integrated transport as the Department for Transport launches its new Integrated National Transport Strategy, known as Better Connected.

The Secretary of State was welcomed to Nottingham yesterday (Wednesday 1 April) to learn about how the city has come to be recognised as a national leader in transport connectivity and excellence.

The all-female line up of leaders included Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport; East Midlands Mayor, Claire Ward; Nottingham South MP and Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Transport, Lilian Greenwood; Leader of Nottingham City Council, Councillor Neghat Khan; Nottingham City Council’s lead Councillor for Transport, Councillor Linda Woodings; Nottingham City Council Chief Executive, Sajeeda Rose; and Amy Harhoff, Chief Executive of the East Midlands Combined County Authority.

Heidi Alexander visited Nottingham city centre to announce plans for the Better Connected strategy, which is designed to make everyday journeys simpler, easier to pay for and more reliable from door-to-door.

It includes a ‘Mini Switzerland’ pilot in the Peak District’s Hope Valley, backed by £6 million of government funding. Taking its name from best practice in European rural areas, the trial will test more frequent, reliable rural bus services timed to connect with arriving trains to support local communities and tourism.

The Secretary of State was greeted at Nottingham Station and:

• Shown how to use the new Ride app to plan a journey to Old Market Square and buy a tram ticket
• Toured Nottingham’s integrated transport offer, including buses, pedestrianised Market Square, hire bikes and scooters, tram stops all close by, allowing people to get around seamlessly and easily
• Heard from business and education representatives around the importance of integrated transport
• Travelled to the Broad Marsh area aboard one of Nottingham City Transport’s popular new electric buses, and meeting Zohra Rani, NCTs award-winning national bus driver of the year
• Learned about the transformation of the Broad Marsh area, including how the creation of the Green Heart has been supported through investment from the Department for Transport through transport improvements.

During the visit, representatives from local businesses and education spoke to the Secretary of State about what a huge difference excellent local transport networks make to their businesses.

Through strong political leadership, brave decision making and long-term thinking, Nottingham has developed one of the UK’s best integrated transport systems outside London. Last month, NCT was named the best bus operator in England based on passenger satisfaction.

• Where many other cities sold bus companies in the 1980s, the city council – through then leader Betty Higgins – retained public ownership of Nottingham City Transport. This kept a local focus and with profits largely reinvested in improvements to services and affordable fares
• Nottingham’s 20-mile two-line tram system serves 50 stops and around 1,800 workplaces carrying more than 15 million passengers a year – connecting residential and commuting corridors with park-and-rides and the city centre, as well as the UKs only hospital with a tram stop. Trams benefit from priority at junctions and traffic lights, keeping the network running efficiently
• Nottingham remains the only UK city with a Workplace Parking Levy scheme in place. The scheme has raised more than £90 million, which has been re-invested into sustainable transport across the city. It has also helped us to secure inward investment
• Nottingham was the first city in the UK outside London to introduce a multi-operator, Oyster-style ‘Tap & Go’ contactless ticketing system. Launched in April 2022, it covers all buses and NET trams, allowing passengers to tap on with bank cards or phones, with fares automatically capped at the lowest price
• In December 2025, the Ride app was launched. This brings together all forms of transport into a single app, enabling users to track, plan, book, ride, and pay for buses, trams, e-bikes, e-scooters, hire car club vehicles and more all in one place. Launched in partnership with Derby City Council and now transferred to EMCCA, Ride has been downloaded nearly 15,000 times and influenced over half a million journeys

Councillor Neghat Khan, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “There’s so much to be proud of when it comes to transport in Nottingham, so it was a huge pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State to Nottingham and showcase the fruits of our decades’ hard work along with our partners.

“Nottingham has reaped the rewards from retaining ownership of Nottingham City Transport, and that was down to the bravery and foresight of the late Betty Higgins who, as council leader, resisted the trend elsewhere to sell. This has helped to build a sustainable and integrated transport network that local people have trust and confidence in.

“It’s the result of years of investment in integrated transport by the council, which has seen the introduction of the Robin Hood Card, contactless payments, and digital real-time screens at bus shelters.

“The city council was visionary in retaining the bus company and again when we became the first, and only, city in the country to introduce a Workplace Parking Levy. This was unpopular in some quarters but has so far generated more than £90 million of ring-fenced money to be reinvested into major transport projects like extending the tram network, renovating the train station and delivering a fleet of electric buses.

“Our focus now is working alongside partners with the East Midlands Combined County Authority to take the best advantage of increased funding and continue to drive Nottingham forward, ready to meet the challenges of the 2030s successfully.”

Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “For too long, getting from A to B has been more complicated than it needs to be.

“People want journeys to be easy and reliable. They want to be able to get off a train and straight on to a bus without having to battle through a confusing system or buy separate tickets for each part of their journey.

“That’s why we’re giving local leaders the powers to build transport networks that are simpler, more accessible and better connected, building on the example set by Nottingham and supporting growth.”

Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward, said: “It was a pleasure to welcome the Secretary of State for Transport to Nottingham and showcase how our city is leading in integrated, sustainable travel. Buses, trams, hire bikes, e-scooters, and pedestrian-friendly spaces make getting around the city safe, convenient, and affordable.

“The Ride app is a great example of innovation, helping people plan and pay for journeys in one place while supporting greener, smarter travel.

“With continued investment through the East Midlands Combined County Authority, we can further improve connectivity, reduce emissions, and ensure everyone in the region has access to reliable, frequent transport.”