Global public transport strategies changed significantly through the pandemic to help restrict the spread of SARS-CoV-2, keep travellers and workers safe and ensure service sustainability. UK Government guidance during phases of lock-down led to greatly reduced usage. By February 2022, most restrictions lifted but the sector was struggling with wider issues including the cost of living crisis, effects of war in Ukraine, industrial action, BREXIT and staff shortages.

With public transport stakeholders, we developed policy recommendations to assist the sector with recovery from the pandemic. Priorities included increasing footfall while keeping workers and passengers safe following removal of most COVID-19 restrictions, and contributing to wider agendas of societal interconnectivity, levelling up and climate goals.

This paper from theme 3 researchers on the PROTECT NCS, and published in the Transportation Research Interdisciplinary Perspectives journal, focusses specifically on the UK, drawing on longitudinal qualitative interviews with experts, organisational representatives (including unions), transport workers and passengers conducted between January 2021 and September 2022.

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