CIHT FUTURES explores the implications of different future scenarios for transport policy and practice. It is engaging members around the UK, drawing on the diversity of their geographical, professional and personal characteristics.

In recent years, traditional assumptions about population, prosperity and traffic growth have been challenged. Experts are uncertain over the extent to which recent trends reflect fundamental underlying changes. Recognising the limitations of traditional quantitative forecasting techniques in unpredictable times, the FUTURES project draws upon scenario planning as a technique to explore critical variables shaping transport choices, divergent alternative future possibilities and the consequences for policymaking.

CIHT members’ input has been central to the FUTURES project with over 200 members particpating in workshops held across the UK. Their insights were gathered and have helped shape the report (due to be finalised shortly, as of March 2016).  

Emerging CIHT FUTURES messages include:

• A collective voice of rather deep uncertainty about the future
• The transport sector alone is ill-equipped to grasp the extent of socio-technological transformation
• Transport infrastructure’s use is the big unknown
• A sense of professional impotence – on the back foot with no national strategy, fashions of political cycles, lack of skills and resources and personal risk in challenging the status quo
• New disruptive forces from beyond the traditional transport industry
• We are accountable to the dogma and procedures of regime compliance instead of responsible for stewardship of the future through regime testing  
• A strong call from transport professionals for change from our current approach of regime compliance
• An appetite to embrace uncertainty as an opportunity, with strong planning and flexible design
• A need for publics engagement to replace the vocal minority of usual suspects in consultation
• A call for (new) leadership as we enter an era of devolved transport powers and bodies such as Highways England and the National Infrastructure Commission
• A need and opportunity to overcome politics and the strategy vacuum
• New opportunities for continuing professional development are required to help future-proof the transport profession
• The importance of working more closely with other professions