Transport key topics

The transportation of goods and people is critical to society and the economy.  Whilst the internet and e-business is changing the way people communicate, and purchase goods and services, more people are travelling and more goods are being moved than ever before.

There are many drivers for change in transport systems and some are becoming urgent.

• Traffic congestion.
• Climate change.
• The growing demand for oil from the developing world.
• Security (both of oil supply and the terrorist threat).

Setting transport policies and taking transport funding decisions invariably involves trying to balance many different priorities:

• Supporting the economy with affordable and consistent transport services.
• Maximising transport infrastructure productivity.
• Sustaining and extending accessibility.
• Minimising the impact of transport on the environment.
• Improving transport safety.
• Sustaining and extending personal security.

In most cases technical contributions to these issues are available but frequently the solutions for one area create conflicting problems in another.  Some examples:

• Alternative fuels such as electricity, hydrogen and biofuels could reduce the impact of transport on climate change and reduce reliance on oil, but there would be no consequential pressure to reduce the number of vehicle journeys.
• A road pricing system might be devised that reduces congestion but it might encourage more “off peak” travel and lead to social exclusion.
• The Open Skies agreement is intended to increase competition in the transatlantic airline market to bring lower prices and therefore increased passenger numbers requiring many more flights.  However, this will in turn put greater strain on the existing airport and road infrastructure and air traffic control systems.
• High speed rail could promote modal shift from road and aeronautical transport to rail, but could also encourage people to use high speed rail to commute further to work.
• The electrification of rail and road transport increases the demand for electric power. However, electric vehicles and trains are only as green as the electricity used to power them. Government therefore needs to start investing heavily into renewable energy and nuclear power.

Making transport system changes is rarely straightforward.  The long lifetime of existing infrastructure, and the sheer volume and diversity of current vehicles, can present obstacles to change.  The short and medium term options seen as “possible solutions” may be very different from the decisions needed in the long term – particularly in light of climate change.  In many cases changes to transport systems and networks affect several modes of transport and it is therefore important that for future transport developments there is a better framework within which both local and national government can consider the integration of all transport modes. 

Planning and delivering genuinely seamless journeys across all modes of transport is still a major challenge. Government needs to encourage the cross-linking of systems (e.g. air traffic control and traveller information) and smart payment systems.

The extent and character of the long term transport changes required is largely unclear, however it is important that governments recognise that effective long term transport changes cannot match short political timescales.  Changes cannot occur without consistent government strategy and firm leadership.  Policies need to be fully explained and publicly debated to avoid misinformation and fear and decisions need to be taken where priorities clash (e.g.  privacy, safety and security).

There is no doubt that overcoming the major challenges will require massive investment in and development of engineering solutions in the transport sector.  Transport professionals are awaiting a clear political statement of what is to be achieved.