Does England need a national transport strategy?

The Conservative Party’s 2019 manifesto promised an ambitious plan for connecting towns and cities by road and rail and supporting electric vehicles, cycling and walking. But what evidence will the government use to shape its transport strategy and how can it ensure the system is customer-focused? How has England’s transport network held up under the dual pressures of Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic? And how can a transport strategy support net zero goals?

Following recent research from the Institute for Government and the Gatsby Foundation, which analysed the use of evidence in transport policy in the UK and compared it to four other countries, the IfG is delighted to bring together an expert panel to discuss whether England needs a single transport strategy, the challenges involved in putting such a strategy in place, and how the system can be resilient to shocks and crises whilst reducing carbon emissions and keeping the focus on user experience.

On our panel to discuss these issues will be:

• Lord Adonis, former Secretary of State for Transport
• Sue Kershaw, Managing Director for Transportation at Costain and APM President
• Bridget Rosewell CBE, Commissioner on the National Infrastructure Commission
• Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive at Transport for the North

The event will be chaired by Alex Thomas, Programme Director at the Institute for Government.

This is a live online event. Please do not travel to the Institute.