Deni Krevesic, Project Manager for Local Transport Plan at Luton Council was in conversation with John Challen

Luton, an airport town with a dense population second only to London, navigates challenges such as areas of deprivation and ongoing traffic congestion. Developing a Local Transport Plan (LTP) with sustainability at its centre for such a complex landscape required a fresh perspective.

The transport sector’s focus on decarbonisation is now a central pillar of professional practice. However, this ambition often clashes with the practical realities of infrastructure development, creating a challenge: how to reconcile net zero targets with the constraints of planning, budget, and the diverse needs of transport users.

Our initial discovery was that Luton’s transport system, while facing some transport challenges, is well-organised with impressive infrastructure. Assets like the guided busway, Luton Interchange, and the Direct Air-Rail Transit (DART) connection to the airport show a system with great potential. 

The first step was to move beyond assumptions and truly understand the reality of travel in, out, and within the town. Where was the traffic coming from? What modes of transport were people using? And why? We recognised the foundation for solving any transport problem lies in understanding what people want and need.

Listening to the people

Extensive and genuine stakeholder engagement was the main foundation of our approach. It was essential to listen to and understand the experiences of every user, whether they were pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, service providers, drivers, or professional experts and officers who had been working in Luton for many years. Striking the right balance between these groups was key to developing an inclusive and effective plan.

Achieving this required not only collecting the right data but also understanding it. The insights gathered, particularly from younger residents, were invaluable, offering fresh ideas and highlighting issues that might otherwise have been overlooked. This approach ensured that the transport plan is grounded in real-world experiences, making it more effective and sustainable in the long term.

A central pillar of the Luton LTP is the direct link between transport, health and wellbeing. We view active travel not just as a mode of transport, but as a vital tool for fostering a healthier population. As Henry Ford famously remarked before inventing mass production with his Model T, “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have said faster horses.” Today, the future of transport isn’t a faster Ford T, nor fast horse – it’s a space where everyone can thrive.

The Luton LTP places the health of our residents at its core, with a dedicated active travel plan designed to make walking and cycling safer and more appealing by creating a more pleasant environment. Special consideration has been given to accessibility, ensuring that our plans cater to people with a wide range of disabilities and that our streets are designed for everyone.

By placing people at the heart of the process, we believe we can create a transport system that is not only sustainable but truly serves the needs of the community.

Image: Deni Krevesic, Project Manager for Local Transport Plan at Luton Council