What impacts will the changing nature of work and the workplace have on travel?

The nature of work is changing fast. Online working, flexible hours, the rise of self-employment and outsourcing are shifting working needs away from conventional 9am-5pm employment patterns. At the same time, these trends are creating an increasingly virtual and varied working environment, forcing changes in the design of the modern office and a rethinking of […]


Will smart technology have a greater impact on transport than physical infrastructure?

Smart data and technology are already reshaping the way we travel. Mobile communications are providing us with new ways to pay, obtain real-time information, and experience our transport choices; while the vehicles we travel in and the networks we use are being transformed by new technologies. To what extent does this pose a challenge to current policy formulation, […]


Making connections: what are the links between transport and health?

Travel and movement impact our health in a variety of ways. We can improve our health through remaining active and through physical activity. Transport can also deliver health, through the fine work of our medics and ambulance service, and yet it can also impact health negatively through accidents and sedentary behaviour on long-distance journeys. A […]


How can we use knowledge from the behavioural sciences to improve transport policy?

Developing a better understanding of human behaviour is crucial if we are to improve our transport systems and achieve policy goals. The potential for applying knowledge from the behavioural sciences to the transport world is great, and often such insights result in cost-effective ways of changing demand and user behaviour, and point to enhancements in […]


The challenges facing freight and logistics in the UK

The Occasion The ITC commissioned in 2013 a research work stream to investigate the efficiency of freight movements in the UK: an issue of crucial importance to the UK economy. This emerged from our recognition that the freight and logistics industry faces significant pressure from cost increases, environmental legislation and rapid changes in global connectivity […]


Do we need to improve skills and education in UK transport?

The quality of skills, education and training is a critical issue in any industry. If the provision of these factors is good, it can result in better decision-making and create a more attractive destination for new employees. Several questions are worth asking. How well are these provided in the public and private sectors in the […]


‘The last mile’: how can we improve the start and end of journeys?

The first and last miles of our journeys are often the most complex, yet frequently receive limited attention from policy makers. For passengers, getting to and from their transport connections can involve serious obstacles for the mobility impaired and for those unfamiliar with their surroundings. At the same time new challenges are arising for the logistics […]


High Speed Europe: eight lessons for the UK

This is  a cross-post by Tom Bolton of the Centre for Cities and UCL. Tom was a participant in the ITC’s ‘Learning from Europe’ symposium in February 2014. Looking to the continent provides a very different perspective on the HS2 debate. Organised by the Independent Transport Commission, a study tour to France and the Netherlands provided […]


Vehicle Automation: Proceed with care

This is a guest post by Dr Scott Le Vine of Imperial College, London Professor John Polak and I are very pleased to share our contribution to the Independent Transport Commission’s Occasional Paper series, Paper Number Five, which addresses the broad range of opportunities and tough challenges posed by Road Vehicle Automation. There can be […]