It calls on Government to take an “active and direct” lead in MaaS and for the concept to feature more prominently in the Department for Transport’s future plans.

It also says that the Government’s current transport vision focuses too much on the growth of electric, connected and autonomous vehicles and that there is “little evidence to date” that MaaS forms a central part of Government thinking.

MaaS schemes that allow multiple journeys to be planned and paid for using a smartphone have the potential to transform how people travel, the committee says. Pilot schemes suggest substantial benefits to individuals and society. But the benefits could be far wider, it adds, if the concept is considered in the development of policy and strategy across Government.

Committee chair Lilian Greenwood said: “This is an exciting opportunity to really shape the development of truly integrated transport planning across the country. Now is the time for Ministers to take charge and start supporting and funding current and future pilot projects. Mobility as a Service could revolutionise the way in which people travel.”

The committee also says there is little regulation to govern MaaS and this has caused concern for some local and combined authorities, especially outside London. Funding should not be limited to areas with a metro-mayor and current funding arrangements overlook rural areas that are unlikely to attract private sector investment, it is claimed.

The committee recommends that before the end of this year the Department’s interdepartmental group, set up to work on MaaS, should collect data and information on a diverse range of MaaS projects.

Government is also urged to outline more clearly its support for MaaS pilots in its budget, estimates and departmental plans and take steps to identify how much additional funding will be needed to effectively support and test a broad range of pilots.

The committee also says that a number of witnesses expressed concern that MaaS could develop in such a way as to result in an increase in the use of taxis and private hire vehicles, with negative consequences for road congestion and air pollution; the worsening of digital and social exclusion; and that MaaS solutions may not be available in all areas.

One witness highlighted that MaaS might only be available to those with sufficient income to afford a subscription, a bank account and a modern smartphone or computer. There is a significant risk, the committee says, that MaaS develops as a service for wealthier, digitally connected users who live in urban areas, excluding poorer or more isolated groups.

During one evidence gathering session earlier this year, Transport Minister Jesse Norman emphasised that he was acting to “make sure that the Department’s different areas are as joined up as possible”. He also told the committee that alternative methods of accessing MaaS could be developed for those without a smartphone, such as publicly available kiosks based at railway stations, bus stops or public buildings.

In response, a Department for Transport spokesman said: “Our £90 million future mobility competition will develop new transport innovations for the public, including projects which make it easier to seamlessly plan and pay for journeys. We are also launching our Future of Urban Mobility Strategy in the New Year, which will set out further innovations to benefit people in the UK.”