“One of the frustrations of the last few years is that Brexit – which is understandably our biggest issue – has commanded the attention of the media,” he told TP Weekly News. “I don’t criticise that, as Brexit is very important, but there are so many other things going on and which we do very well.

“The public is sometimes not aware of the innovations that are transforming industries such as technology and data analysis, many of which are British. The more we can show what is going on, the better.”

Greg Clark was speaking on Friday at the launch of a contactless payment system by the bus company Arriva in Tunbridge Wells in Kent.

He added that the future of mobility is one of four national ‘grand challenges’ for the Government’s Industrial Strategy, which can help to encourage innovation and grow the economy.

“Both here and across the world, innovation is being deployed. Everyone needs to get about, so we know this is an industry that is always going to be there, and it touches almost everyone on the planet,” he said. “There are not many industries where you can say that is the case, and there is a lot more that can be done to make journeys easier, to improve the quality of the journey and to make it easier to pay for it.”

Greg Clark added that he is keen to promote the role of buses in the UK. “We know that to

reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality we need to make the most of buses, which are a great way for people to stay in touch who may otherwise be isolated.”

Promoting contactless payment for bus travel can only help to improve patronage, he added. “Getting people to have in their minds that it is really easy to take the bus is an important step in helping buses to become commonplace.” He added that for some people who do not have change in their pocket, using contactless payment may be the difference between using the bus or not.

* Several innovations in transport are revealed in TP’s November/December issue, which publishes later this week.

Photograph: Arriva