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  1. Spotlight on Policy
13 July 2021

Who really owns Transport for London?

The success of London's combination of private franchises and tight public management may soon be imitated nationwide. 

By Sarah Dawood

You need to get across town, and Google Maps tells you exactly what to do. You walk 500m to a bus stop and wait for five minutes; your bus arrives, and during your short ride, traffic lights give you priority; you hop off the bus and onto a train for ten minutes; a final 200m walk takes you to your end destination. Each part of your journey is paid via contactless card, capped at a daily limit.

Sound seamless? This is an integrated transport system, where different transport modes are combined cohesively to make getting from A to B as quick and cost-effective as possible.

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