The Chartered Institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) has today launched its new manifesto that is calling on decision makers to change the way we look at our highways and transportation network.

CIHT’s transport manifesto ‘A transport network fit for all our futures’ outlines a policy pathway to support real change. 

Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT said:

“Transport is politically challenging, and yet it plays a crucial part in our futures. People need an effective transport network to support their economic activity and social wellbeing.”

“A new clear and vision-led approach is needed from politicians and local and national governments.”

“Good transport provides access to employment, goods, services and opportunities. How society invests in and uses the transport network also impacts on climate change and public health.”

“CIHT’s new manifesto shows how having effective highways and transportation networks and services can stimulate the UK economy, increase employment opportunities, improve air quality, deliver on net zero, improve the health of society, and make transport more accessible for all, alongside fixing the UK’s pothole crisis and strengthening other infrastructure.”

‘A transport network fit for all our futures’ calls on all political parties to champion six strategic objectives to ensure:    

1. Our transport networks are resilient
2. The transport sector decarbonises in line with legally binding obligations
3. Everyone has the opportunity to travel sustainably
4. Everyone has the opportunity to travel safely and feel safe
5. There is a skilled workforce with the capacity and capability to deliver
6. Funding is reprioritised to support timely and effective delivery

The Manifesto shows any future government how these objectives can be achieved and the benefits that can be realised.  

CIHT will be using these messages in discussions with relevant political parties and interested stakeholders. 

Notes for editors

A copy of ‘A transport network fit for all our futures’ is available here LINK.

This manifesto outlines six strategic objectives for decision-makers to work towards and a series of policy calls to facilitate this transition.

1) Ensuring our transport networks are resilient

Maintaining ageing assets and future-proofing transport infrastructure against the inevitable impacts of climate change

CIHT calls for:

• It to be made a statutory requirement for all transport asset owners to carry out transport resilience assessments and for a dedicated fund established to support projects to mitigate such vulnerable areas.
• Highway and transport authorities and other stakeholders should put Green and Blue Infrastructure at the heart of local policy and make it a core component of their activity.
• Future governments to support the necessary legislative and physical environment changes to enable trialling and use of innovative products, materials and techniques across the strategic and local highways and transport networks.

2) Ensure the transport sector decarbonises in line with legally binding obligations

Providing a pathway for transport to achieve net zero and support biodiversity net gain

CIHT calls for decision makers to:

• Reaffirm commitments to the role of transport in rapid decarbonisation and demonstrate a clear and credible pathway to net zero take action to address both transport supply and travel demand.
• Use their future purchasing power to make carbon reduction a requirement in their own procurement policies.
• Provide resources to explore and boost the potential of Government owned and maintained green estate.
• Show political leadership to provide good governance of the types, quality and availability of data captured, and machine learning and AI developments.

3) Ensure everyone can travel sustainably

Creating sustainable and better places

CIHT calls for the party manifestos to: 

• Commit to making an appropriate place-based sustainable transport hierarchy a reality.
• Advocate for real change in the planning system to enshrine the principles of integrated land use and transport planning.
• Support planning rules that encourage place-based solutions, creating attractive built environments and lessen the need to travel.
• Endorse planning that supports and promotes the availability of local services and provides people with real choices and appropriate alternatives to private car use.
• Address transport-related social exclusion
• Make our streets, towns and neighbourhoods should be accessible to all. Transport solutions should improve social inclusion by putting equity issues at the centre of policy development.
• Acknowledge that we have a diverse society in terms of people’s characteristics, circumstances, resources, needs, aspirations and geographical requirements. National and local governments must demonstrably respond to and accommodate that diversity in their investment decisions.

4) Ensure everyone can travel safely and feel safe

Promoting a vision for a safer network

CIHT calls for future governments to:

• Reintroduce national and local road safety targets and ensure local authorities have the funds to share and implement best practice in responding to those targets.
• Demonstrate leadership in road safety by showing what “right speeds in the right places” means in practice produce clearer guidance on speed limit setting for local authorities.
• Recognise the highway network as a place of employment and work with the wider sector to better understand and address this, including public awareness of the importance of road worker safety.

5) Ensuring there is a skilled workforce with the capacity and capability to deliver 

Investing in future skills

CIHT calls for future governments to:  

• Work with bodies like CIHT to develop and support a clear plan for appropriate national transport skills strategies to deliver an expanded talent pool.
• Work with the transport sector to invest in a wider pool of people from a broader range of backgrounds to have professionals who are aware of the complex societal, environmental and economic challenges we face.
• Provide support to help maintain a vibrant and effective professional workforce.
• Mandate that government contracts should require appropriately qualified professionals as part of the team.
• Be prepared to invest in ensuring individuals can afford and access educational opportunities to sustain an appropriately skilled and motivated workforce.

6) Ensure funding is reprioritised to support timely and effective delivery 

Providing funding that is fit for the future to keep the country moving

CIHT calls for future governments to:

• Examine alternative funding sources, new revenue streams, taxation and incentives.
• Explore with CIHT and other stakeholders how to fill the potential gap in road tax income caused by the transition to electric vehicles.
• Build on the positive shift to increased bus travel because of subsidised bus fares.
• Investigate mobility pricing such as a pay-per-mile scheme to help reduce congestion and meet environmental targets.
• Commit to a local roads investment strategy and provide clear, long-term aims on how we will use the transport network and support this with long-term transport investments (at least 10–20 years).
• Invest in public and sustainable transport for healthier lives.
• Include transport inequality as a main consideration for any future sustainable transport policy development.
• Provide adequate and consistent funding to reshape the required infrastructure and services for walking, cycling and public transport use to grow in attractiveness and popularity.
• Review spending commitments across the transport sector to ensure that investment and funding are appropriately aligned with these policy commitments.

For any further information please contact e: Daniel.Isichei@ciht.org.uk