September 2021
Price: £95 PLUS VAT
Format: DOWNLOADABLE PDF
When it happened…
Tuesday, 21 September 2021
What delegates came to discuss…
This conference was an opportunity to assess the next steps for developing urban and city transport systems in England - it looked at priorities for long-term policy and support for delivering integrated transport services, as well as latest thinking on transport planning in the wake of COVID-19.
Overall, areas for discussion included:
- implementation and policy:
- linking transport network strategies and city business plans to support economic recovery
- stakeholder support and engagement
- infrastructure:
- creating large-scale, city-wide transport networks
- expanding inter-city connectivity and multi-modal access between urban areas
- exploring opportunities presented by planning reform
- sustainability and serving user needs:
- urban decarbonisation plans
- active travel options
- enabling new mobility modes and services
Case studies in the agenda included:
- city transport development as a driver of economic development - Clive Memmott, Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce on opportunities for regional business growth in conjunction with transport system expansion
- local transport strategy plans and design - Councillor Jackie Taylor, Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council on strategic development, and widening urban connectivity and sustainable transport modes
- the expansion and decarbonisation of urban transport systems - Jason Torrance, UK100 and Claire Haigh, Transport Knowledge Hub on air quality improvement tactics and the impact of low-carbon transport roll-out on meeting health and emission goals
- growing bus network reliability in North of England - Alex Hornby, Transdev Blazefield on progress in expanding bus service and infrastructure connectivity in the North of England, linking urban and rural communities and economies
The conference also took place at a time of significant policy focus on city and urban transport development and its role in economic growth and recovery in the wake of COVID-19 - with key policy developments related to this conference including:
- the National Infrastructure Strategy - and its plans to deliver significant fresh funding in transport areas such as bus and cycling infrastructure, as well as the Levelling Up Fund
- the Government’s ongoing devolution agenda - including the devolution of powers related to transport planning, particularly around finance and resources and setting policy
- the final conclusion of the Williams Rail Review - with plans to deliver systemic change to the rail system, including the creation of Great British Railways, and greater collaboration with local planners
- the Future of Transport programme - with overarching goals for mass urban transit systems and low-carbon transport options
Who attended…
Officials from the DCMS; the Department for Transport; the Government Legal Department; HM Revenue & Customs; the Joint Air Quality Unit; the National Audit Office; the National Infrastructure Commission; and the Welsh Government.
Representatives from the Angel Trains; Costain Group; Dentons; Epping Forest & Harlow Community Transport; Gardiner & Theobald; Imperial College London; Kent Chamber of Commerce; Pascall and Watson; Pell Frischmann Consultants; Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance; Thurrock Borough Council; University College London; University of Cambridge; and University of West London.
Press: Fleet News; LAPV; and RAIL.
