Presidential Roundtable summary: what would’ve been different if England had a national transport strategy five years ago?

Transport is the circulatory system of any economy. It connects people to goods, markets and each other.

It can breathe life into local communities and play a huge part in addressing regional inequalities.

At the same time, transport is the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions.

If the government is to unlock productivity and improve quality of life across the UK while meeting its net zero objectives, it needs a transport network that’s fit for purpose.

At an ICE-hosted presidential roundtable attended by Iain Stewart MP, chair of the Transport Committee, attendees discussed why the UK has struggled to deliver on that ambition.

The discussion primarily covered:

• integrating transport into the wider policy framework
• reducing uncertainty to drive infrastructure investment and delivery
• the role of devolution
• the risks and challenges of developing a national transport strategy, and how they could be addressed