Campaign for Better Transport

What Campaign for Better Transport does

Campaign for Better Transport is a UK-registered charity (number 1101929) and company limited by guarantee (company number 4943428), founded in 1972 to advocate for sustainable transport policy. Headquartered in London with 18 employees, the organization campaigns on UK transport issues spanning rail, buses, trams, freight, aviation, and active travel, acting as an intermediary between citizens, local authorities, and policymakers. It engages supporters through grassroots mobilization, email-to-MP actions, coalition advocacy, and annual awareness events such as Better Transport Week.

The organization's portfolio includes the Bus Mapping Tool—an interactive product built in partnership with Podaris that identifies areas lacking adequate bus service and visualizes investment gaps. Beyond this digital offering, it maintains an extensive 50-year library of research publications, policy papers, case studies, and consultation responses. Campaign actions are delivered through the Action Network platform, enabling supporters to email MPs on specific issues such as railway reform and fuel-price responses, while partnerships with Create Streets and others support new initiatives like the Tram Network advisory service.

The organization is funded entirely through donations, charitable giving, corporate supporter partnerships, legacy contributions, and Easyfundraising commissions. It operates as a non-commercial advocacy entity, distributing all research outputs and policy materials freely through its website. Its go-to-market motion is community-led, relying on grassroots mobilization, coalition building across more than a dozen partner organizations, and earned media rather than commercial sales channels.

Name

Campaign for Better Transport

Legal name

Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust

Website

https://bettertransport.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Campaign for Better Transport is a UK charity founded in 1972 that advocates for sustainable transport policy through research, grassroots campaigns, and coalition building. It serves citizens, local authorities, and policymakers via research publications, an interactive bus mapping tool, and annual events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Transport Policy Advocacy

NAICS

Support Activities for Transportation (488), Bus and Other Motor Vehicle Transit Systems (485113)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIACAM

Local Transportation, Parking & Mobility Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Local/Municipal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIALAI

Active Transportation & Micromobility Infrastructure (Bike/Ped Networks, Shared Mobility Programs)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Transportation & Infrastructure Agencies (Roads, Transit, Public Works)

Keywords

• Transport advocacy
• Public transport policy
• Sustainable transport
• Transit research
• Charitable campaigns

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Funding: As a registered charity (number 1101929), Campaign for Better Transport is funded primarily through donations from individuals, corporate supporters, and potentially grant funding. Revenue comes from supporter donations, corporate partnerships, and legacy giving.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Campaign for Better Transport is a UK charitable advocacy organization that campaigns for sustainable transport through research publications, policy papers, case studies, and grassroots advocacy campaigns. It delivers an interactive Bus Mapping Tool (built with Podaris), a Tram Network advisory service (with Create Streets), email-to-MP campaign actions hosted on Action Network, and the annual Better Transport Week awareness event, all aimed at influencing UK transport policy and decarbonisation.

Product overview

Campaign for Better Transport operates as a charitable advocacy organization offering a portfolio of research, policy, and campaign tools rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the Bus Mapping Tool (produced with Podaris), an extensive research publications library, policy papers on rail reform and integrated ticketing, documented case studies of sustainable transport projects, campaign action platforms via Action Network for MP engagement, Better Transport Week annual events, and the Tram Network advisory service. These work together to support the organization's mission for sustainable transport policy reform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bus Mapping Tool Interactive mapping tool produced in partnership with Podaris that identifies areas lacking decent bus service and where additional investment is needed; used by local authorities, campaigners, and members of the public.
• Tram Network Advisory Service Advisory service led jointly with Create Streets that advises and supports UK towns and cities considering tram implementation, including policy and case-study guidance.
• Better Transport Week Annual awareness event featuring visits to transport projects, community engagement, and activities celebrating sustainable transport across the UK.
• Research Publications Library of research reports covering rail, buses, aviation, freight, and transport policy topics to inform campaigns and policy positions; available as free downloads.
• Policy Papers Policy position papers covering eVED guidance, integrated ticketing, rail reform, fare fixing, and tram infrastructure studies to inform policymakers and stakeholders.
• Case Studies Documented examples of effective sustainable transport projects, including bus transformation in Portsmouth (41% passenger growth), municipal buses in Reading, Welsh transport policies, rural bus networks in Cornwall, and tram comparisons.
• Campaign Actions Advocacy campaigns including railway improvement, bus and tram boosting, community connectivity, and systemic transport reform, with tools for constituent engagement via the Action Network email-to-MP platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• Portsmouth bus passenger numbers increased 41% in two years with over a million journeys monthly - cited as best post-COVID recovery of any UK city
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bus Users UKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor urging protection of public transport funding during cost-of-living crisis.
• Clean Cities CampaignminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Client EarthminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Cycling UKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Living StreetsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Transport Action NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Urban Transport GroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• CPRE the countryside charityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Greenpeace UKminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• PossibleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• Institute for Public Policy ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Coalition partner in joint letter to Chancellor on public transport funding.
• UNISONminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 February 2023Partnership to explore just transition to greener transport for the care workforce, producing the report 'Greening Social Care'.
• PodariscoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaboration with Podaris to produce an interactive bus mapping tool that identifies areas lacking decent bus service and where additional investment is needed. The tool enables data-driven advocacy for improved bus services.
• Create StreetscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative called 'Tram Network' led by Campaign for Better Transport and Create Streets, supported by industry leaders and experts, to advise and support cities considering tram implementation.
• Campaign for National ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on 'Green Route to National Parks' campaign focused on securing good bus services seven days a week to national parks.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Sustrans: UK charity promoting walking, cycling and public transport with a similar advocacy-plus-practical-projects model. Operates the National Cycle Network and campaigns on active travel, overlapping directly with Campaign for Better Transport's bus, tram and active travel remit.
• Bus Users UK: Independent bus passenger watchdog and advocacy body. Closest direct peer on bus-specific policy and a confirmed coalition partner in2023 funding work.
• Cycling UK: UK cycling charity campaigning for better conditions for cyclists and active travel infrastructure. Direct peer in active-travel advocacy space; documented coalition partner.
• Living Streets: UK charity advocating for walking and pedestrian-friendly streets. Direct peer on active travel policy and a confirmed coalition partner; comparable funding model and parliamentary engagement.
• Transport Action Network: Specialist UK transport advocacy charity campaigning on road and rail policy, including road-building and new rail lines. Direct peer in scope and even a documented coalition partner on the 2023 Chancellor letter.

Broad incumbents

• ClientEarth: Environmental law charity that uses legal action and policy advocacy on air quality and clean transport. Broader remit but overlapping clean-transport campaign goals; confirmed coalition partner.
• Greenpeace UK: Large UK environmental campaigning organisation with a much broader climate remit, but overlapping on aviation, transport emissions and just transition. Confirmed coalition partner on 2023 funding letter.
• Urban Transport Group: UK membership body representing the largest urban transport authorities. Operates at the local-authority interface rather than as a grassroots charity, but addresses overlapping policy topics and is a confirmed coalition partner.
• CPRE (the countryside charity): Large UK environmental charity with a broader rural and planning remit, but engages directly on transport infrastructure (rural buses, rail reopenings) and is a confirmed coalition partner.

Regional players

• Transform Scotland: Scottish sustainable-transport alliance campaigning on rail, bus and active travel north of the border. Comparable mission and methods but limited to Scotland rather than UK-wide.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cbtransport
• Facebookfacebook.com/bettertransport
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/campaign-for-better-transport
• Instagraminstagram.com/bettertransport

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Campaign for Better Transport