The 40-page strategy document, which can be read in full here, sets out the government’s plans to facilitate greater use of data in the transport sector, improve how people access, use, and get value from such data, and to drive innovation in the sector so that better services are delivered for passengers travelling in the UK.

The bettered sharing, obtaining, and use of transport data can theoretically lead to improved connectivity between various forms of public transport, and support the development, continuation, and improvement of journey-planning apps and sites and the services they offer.

The strategy document called attention to some of the data-related barriers currently preventing wider innovation in this space. The barriers include: a difficulty in data discoverability; a lack of incentives around companies making data available; and a lack of leadership in transport data, among several others.

To overcome such barriers, there are five key ambitions for the UK government — and the Department for Transport more specifically — moving forward: Improving data sharing to benefit transport users; promoting data standards; improving data skills in the workforce; ensuring appropriate governance and communication with the sector; and providing leadership and support for the sector.

To make progress on the first key ambition of improving data sharing, a pilot for a new data catalogue — ‘Find Transport Data’ — is being launched, in a bid to help simplify and streamline transport data access and use for people, namely innovators and researchers. ‘Find Transport Data’ is an addition to other UK government initiatives for third-party transport data sharing, including Bus Open Data Service (BODS) and the upcoming Rail Data Marketplace.

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On the new strategy, Transport Technology Minister Jesse Norman commented, saying: “Better use of transport data will help to improve journeys for travellers, tackle climate change and grow the economy.

“The Transport Data Strategy sets out the government’s vision in this area, creating the right framework for the market to innovate and transport users to benefit.”

Julie Williams, Chief Executive of travel-planning site Traveline UK, also said: “We’re delighted to see the publication of the Transport Data Strategy, which will encourage the sharing of high-quality open transport data towards giving passengers a more informed choice about how they travel, and which will provide a framework within which innovative apps and services are free to develop and grow.”