About the Webinar

In this CIHT Monthly Masterclass webinar, our speakers will discuss the different approaches being taken across the UK to promote regional success and level up our communities.

The UK suffers from a range of regional inequality that prevents our communities from achieving their full potential. To unlock regional success, the highways and transport sector must play a leading role in helping to level up society. Utilising a broad range of examples, this webinar will highlight:

• the benefits that levelling up can bring, from social value to increased economic output
• projects and the processes involved
• why transport is a key component of a wider systems approach to levelling up

The Masterclass will also explore the critical role that Sub-National Transport Bodies (STBs) play in unlocking the potential of our regions.

Who is this Webinar for?

With regional inequality spanning the length and breadth of the country, this webinar is relevant across the whole of the UK. This webinar is open to both CIHT Members and non-members.

Why attend?

• Find out the lessons learned from real case study examples
• Hear how the different appraisal methods are used
• Learn from STBs about the delivery of schemes to level up their regions
• Best practice, guidance, and thought leadership
• Q&A session - get your questions answered
• CPD opportunity

Speakers

Peter Molyneux FCIHT FICE, Managing Director, Peter Molyneux Consulting Ltd. 

Opportunities for levelling up in the North

Synopsis: The North is home to around 15 million people, and if it were a country it would be the 27^th largest in the world. Yet due to poor connectivity, particularly east/west, it is less productive than the UK average.

This presentation will show how transport is an enabler for economic growth, excellent quality of life and improved opportunities for all. It will set out the evidence to date and the size of the prize of Levelling Up for the North, and the rest of the country. It will show the benefits of ‘speaking with one voice’ to deliver an evidence based and outcome focused Strategic Transport Plan and long-term investment programme. There will be examples of success through working collaboratively with local and national partners, and the role of STBs to help deliver the decarbonisation of transport.

Biography: Peter is the Managing Director of Peter Molyneux Consulting, and a fellow of the ICE and CIHT. In his previous role he led the Major Roads team at Transport for the North, working in partnership with the Department for Transport, National Highways, Local and Combined Authorities to determine and deliver the priorities for investment on the Strategic and Major Road Network aligned to the North’s Strategic Transport Plan. Transport is an enabler for inclusive economic growth and improved opportunities and wellbeing for all. TfN identified a transport investment programme that would provide greater connectivity across road and rail that will provide a more sustainable and integrated network for citizens, business and freight.

Suzanne Winkels, Principal Technical Lead, England's Economic Heartland (EEH)

Why Levelling Up is still key in England’s Economic Heartland Region

Synopsis: Levelling Up was originally coined as a term to encourage investment in areas, mainly the north, to level up the inequalities of Government investment which tended to be focused in south-east.    This presentation will give a short overview on why Levelling Up investment is still required in perceived more wealthy regions such as England’s Economic Heartland (EEH).

There are still significant levels of deprivation in parts of the EEH’s region which is looking to be addressed through LUF bids.  The presentation will include some examples of the levelling up schemes in the EEH region.

Biography: Suzanne recently joined England’s Economic Heartland as their Principal Technical Lead and is responsible for delivering their Road Programme. Suzanne’s focus is on the redefining the future of roads in the EEH Region to ensure that they support the aspirations of EEH’s Transport Strategy while supporting economic growth and delivering a decarbonised transport system. Suzanne’s background in planning and transport planning means she places significant emphasis on integration of land-use and transport planning to create placed-based approaches and solutions. Suzanne believes we will be able to deliver a transport system that enables users to have choice in the way they move and connect with people and opportunities. Suzanne's background is in both the Private and Public Sector and most recently Buckinghamshire Council as their Head of Transport Strategy.

Sarah Valentine MCIHT MICE, Head of Analysis and Appraisal, Transport for the South East 

Levelling Up in the South East

Synopsis: Despite often being seen as a very affluent area, the south east is characterised by a range of place typologies, and significant pockets of deprivation and inequalities exist across the region. Transport has a critical role to play in delivering the objectives of the Levelling Up White Paper across the south east, and this has been a key consideration as we have developed TfSE’s Strategic Investment Plan (SIP), which provides a framework for investment in strategic transport infrastructure, services, and regulatory interventions in the coming three decades. This presentation will explore the relationship between transport and levelling up, before providing an overview of the multi-modal packages of interventions contained within the SIP, with a focus on how they will contribute to levelling up across both the south east and wider UK.

Biography: Sarah is Head of Analysis and Appraisal at Transport for the South East (TfSE). TfSE have recently launched a consultation on their Strategic Investment Plan (SIP) which provides a framework for investment in strategic transport infrastructure, services, and regulatory interventions across the south east in the coming three decades. Sarah led on their multi-modal area studies work programme which provides the technical evidence base that underpins the SIP and also manages TfSE's Major Road Network programme. A Highway Engineer by background with extensive experience in delivering large scale transport infrastructure, Sarah now heads up a new team at TfSE, working closely with partners to take forward the development and delivery of the schemes set out in the SIP.