Presidential Roundtable summary: how do governments drive strategic change in transport infrastructure?

For too long, transport planning in England has been fragmented across modes and regions and disconnected from outcomes and the government’s wider objectives.

However, the Labour government is developing a new, long-term integrated transport strategy for England.

Its ambition is for a vision-led, locally focused, ‘people-first’ approach to transport over the next 10 years.

The question is how the government drives that vision and achieves strategic change in transport.

To help meet that challenge, the ICE convened a roundtable with senior infrastructure professionals and experts.

The discussion was chaired by the ICE’s President, Professor Jim Hall and attended by Ruth Cadbury MP, chair of the Transport Committee.

Participants explored the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of a national transport strategy, what policymakers need to consider when developing it and how they can ensure it is deliverable, resilient and adaptable to future change.

The discussion highlighted:

• The need for transport decision-making to be more aligned with wider government policy.
• Using a national transport strategy to drive a shift towards prioritising better outcomes for people and places.
• Joining up policy areas at local level and what subnational authorities need to deliver better transport outcomes.
• The need to make asset maintenance a higher priority. Why improving infrastructure delivery and engaging the private sector are key to the transport strategy’s success.