CIHT has today released a report that shows how implementing Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) will support the delivery of green, resilient, accessible places and healthier sustainable transport options.

GBI, which encompasses natural and semi-natural features, interventions, and structures, can bring many social, environmental, and economic benefits to a local area. However, a recent CIHT survey suggests that these benefits are not fully acknowledged by the transport sector, even though the UK’s great heritage of street trees was largely created by local authority highway departments.

Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive CIHT said:

Green and Blue Infrastructure (GBI) can play an important role across our highway network in promoting healthy and safe communities, as well as helping to deliver net zero targets, adapting to climate change, and conserving and enhancing the natural environment.
In our new report, we have outlined a series of recommendations on how GBI can be implemented and the overwhelming benefits of doing so. Our challenge to highway authorities and other stakeholders is to make GBI a core component of their activity and at the heart of local policy.

The report contains recommendations for a variety of stakeholders and decision makers including planning and transportation professionals, national and local governments. Recommendations include promoting the benefits and usage of GBI, improving guidance for delivery of associated infrastructure and a need to empower local decision makers to implement GBI.

Alongside more details on these recommendations, the full version of the report contains a summary of current policy, the results of a survey of transportation and planning professionals on GBI development, practical case studies that show the benefits and business case for GBI and lots more supporting resources.

What is GBI?

GBI encompasses natural and semi-natural features, interventions, and structures that provide functions and benefits for an area. They can play a crucial role in making highways greener and more resilient to climate impacts.

The “green” component refers to a wide range of green features including street trees, natural and semi-natural vegetation, green roofs and green walls, woodlands, grasslands, and parks. The “blue” component includes rivers, canals, ponds, rain gardens, swales, filter strips, which are all integrated into the management train of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).

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