Leading industry figures reveal how the UK’s transportation challenge can be met

At the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (CIHT) Annual Conference (2 March 2017), delegates heard how leading organisations are responding to the challenges and opportunities facing the highways and transportation industry.

Highlights from the programme included:

Garrett Emmerson, Chief Operating Officer, Surface Transport, Transport for London commented that TFL have worked hard to reduce hold ups, through managing their transport network more efficiently. Examples are through the speeding up and coordinating of roadworks and managing demand during the am peak. He commented that this can only go so far as 75% of London's congestion is due to excess demand. Garrett announced that the mayors new transport strategy will focus on encouraging modal shift - to improve air quality and promote a healthy streets agenda.

Mark Corbin, Key Route Manager, Transport for West Midlands highlighted an area of concern about the negative impact on life expectancy along some of the West Midlands transport corridors. He continued to say that this is an example of the social and wider implications that need to be considered when looking at transport infrastructure. Mark said that through using genuine collaboration they were planning to adopt a more holistic approach to transport infrastructure in their area and identify the governance models needed to deliver on growth in a UK and even global context.

Peter Molyneux, Strategic Road Network, Transport for the North outlined that Transport for the North would be releasing their 30 year transport plan later this year that aimed to give improved certainty and direction for the North.

Sue Percy, CIHT Chief Executive said that historically user needs have not necessarily been high on the agenda within highways and she welcomed a recent cultural shift within Highways England towards a more customer focused approach.

Breakout sessions also looked at more detail on Resilient Infrastructure, Implementing Mega Projects, Places & Streets - 10 years of Manual for Streets, Planning Sustainable Developments and BIM Technology.

More information on the conference including a blog on the event is available here and photographs are available on request. Recordings from the day, including podcasts and videos of the presentations will be available online shortly.