CoMoUK is adding Digital Demand Responsive Transport (DDRT) services, which are being introduced in villages, towns and cities across the UK, to its work with regular meetings with authorities about DDRT, an operator membership category for providers, and the organisation’s first research work into how to get the best out of DDRT alongside other forms of sustainable transport.
Our research has consistently shown that switching to shared transport increases those people’s use of public transport and active travel. We therefore believe that all sustainable transport options work best together and see DDRT as a natural complement to existing and future public transport, active travel and shared transport options.
While dial-a-bus services are not new, accessible smart technology has revolutionised how schemes operate.
DDRT involves not being tied to fixed routes and timetables, instead responding dynamically to passenger demand. It can also involve flexible schemes to get people to destinations – such as places of work – in areas not covered by public transport.
Passengers can use apps to request vehicles, typically smaller than minibuses, to and from any local destination, and operators can calculate the most efficient routes in real-time and provide accurate pick-up and drop-off times. CoMoUK believes that DDRT can play an essential part in decarbonising transport and delivering on our legal commitment of net zero greenhouse gas emissions across the UK by 2050 at the latest.
DDRT has recently been introduced in the West Midlands, Kent, Wales, the Tees Valley, Aberdeenshire and Milton Keynes, while Lincolnshire has one of the largest and longest-running schemes in the UK.
“DDRT will play an increasingly important role in the future of shared transport. Shared transport is a vital part of the sustainable transport mix as it takes away the need to own a car, cuts cost of transport for many and boosts use of public transport and active travel. We look forward to working with all stakeholders engaged with DDRT to define best practice, spread its public benefits and therefore bring more sustainable transport options together.” Richard Dilks, chief executive of CoMoUK
Our new work in DDRT is in addition to our ongoing focus on bike share, car club, e-scooter share in trial areas, ride sharing and mobility hubs where sustainable transport options across public, shared and active transport come together.
More information and a list of operators, please visit the DDRT section of our website.
