Rees Jeffreys Road Fund is looking to provide financial support to people to undertake a course of further study to develop or acquire skills currently in short supply or under developed in transport sector. The grants are aimed at excellent candidates who would not normally be able to afford to study or have study funded by their employer. Grants will be awarded to around five people each year who already have a strong commitment to a career in highways or transport.

As illustrative examples, trustees anticipate funding requests for topics such as:

• Deepening understanding how to better address Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in transport research, policy and practice, including aspects such as appreciation and design for neurodiversity and disability;
• Understanding the impact of emerging and future technologies (e.g. AI, extended-reality, meta-verse, automated delivery technology) on future transport mobility or delivering operational road development;
• Building on road safety expertise by deepening understanding of automotive engineering technology;
• Learning about the practical application of quantum engineering/computing, digital twins or cyber security for roads and highways;
• Developing expertise in behavioural science that can be applied to future road provision and use, transport and travel;
• Understanding how big data, data science, and machine learning can be used to inform decision-making;
• Learning how to better integrate nature-based solutions in to climate mitigation and adaptation measures in roads and highways;
• Building on data and technology knowledge by learning about Safe System of road safety.

This list is not exhaustive and is provided purely for illustrative purposes.

What you can apply for

Applicants can apply for a grant to cover the cost of course fees. There is no maximum or minimum amount of grant, although we expect most grants will be less than £10,000. Trustees will be looking to evaluate the value for money of funding the proposed study compared to the likely benefit to the transport sector.  

Full details of the grant scheme and an online application form are on the charity’s website www.reesjeffreys.co.uk/ready-for-the-future.

The next deadline for applications is 3 October 2025.