Think tank Centre for Cities says just 40% of people living in nine of the UK’s largest cities outside London are able to reach the centre by public transport in under 30 minutes, creating an estimated £23Bn annual drag on the economy.

This is significantly worse than in large European cities, the group’s research indicates, where almost seven in 10 residents can travel to their city centre in less than half an hour.

The think tank claims the main reason is that more people in cities such as Bordeaux or Berlin live in ‘well connected, mid rise suburbs close to the centre’ as opposed to in ‘detached, car dependent’ neighbourhoods more common in the UK.

The report cites ‘bureaucratic’ planning rules which make it difficult to build new homes with good public transport connectivity in UK cities. Attempts to improve urban transport by investing in infrastructure will fail unless Government also makes planning reforms to support construction of mid rise new neighbourhoods closer to city centres, it says.

Centre for Cities chief executive Andrew Carter said: “To maximise the benefits of infrastructure spending, and make new routes and regular services more viable, the Government needs to commit to significant reforms to the planning system to allow our cities’ suburbs to grow.

“We know that planning reform is controversial, but without it the Government’s investment in urban transport won’t level up. On the other hand, coupling the investment with planning reform will add more than £23Bn to the economy.”

(Photograph: West Midlands Combined Authority)