Delivering Sustainable Transport in the Context of Major Events and Policy Change

An insight into the West Midlands delivery of sustainable transport investment ahead of the Birmingham Commonwealth Games 2022, and national changes to policy and guidance for transport investments to put people and active travel at the front and centre of infrastructure going forward.

Our speakers include:

• Anne Shaw (Executive Director, Transport for West Midlands) - Delivering the Commonwealth Games – A Transport Perspective
• Stacy Dowding (Technical Director, WSP) -  Active Travel England a step change in active travel?
• Stephen Arnold (Head of Clean Air Zone, Birmingham City Council) - Tackling Birmingham’s air quality challenge: how the Clean Air Zone is helping to accelerate change

Delivering the Commonwealth Games – A Transport Perspective – Anne Shaw, Executive Director, Transport for West Midlands

With the world watching Birmingham and the West Midlands this summer at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, transport had an essential role to play in making the games happen. In partnership with the Birmingham 2022 Organising Committee and local authorities across the West Midlands, Transport for West Midlands accelerated existing transport plans and developed a Games Transport Plan, to plan, deliver and manage a truly unforgettable Games.

Anne Shaw was appointed as Executive Director of Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) in January 2022, having led the organisation on an interim basis for the past six months. Anne is she responsible for providing strategic and operational leadership to support the delivery of TfWM’s priorities as well as leading the WMCA’s response to strategic transport planning, driving economic growth and championing transport innovation and development.

Active Travel England, a step change in active travel? - Stacy Dowding, Technical Director, WSP

Stacy has 30 years’ experience focusing on technical delivery and project leadership for multi-disciplinary teams across a range of transport-related projects for public sector clients.  Stacy has extensive cycle infrastructure experience encompassing route planning, identification of improvements, design and implementation of schemes.  She is currently leading the WSP team and partners Mott MacDonald, Phil Jones Associates, Urban Movement and Metis to support DfT establishing Active Travel England, the government’s new cycling and walking executive agency.  This encompasses several workstreams covering design review and scheme inspection, ad hoc technical advice and support, influencing the planning system and development of assessment tools to ensure high quality cycling and walking infrastructure is incorporated into public sector highways schemes and private sector developments.

Tackling Birmingham’s air quality challenge: how the Clean Air Zone is helping to accelerate change – Stephen Arnold, Head of Clean Air Zone, Birmingham City Council

 Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone was introduced by Birmingham City Council as part of its plan to improve air quality in the city.  This presentation will reflect on some of the early impacts of the Clean Air Zone on road traffic and air quality and will set out some of the ways in which the Council believes the scheme will help enable longer changes to the ways in which people move around the city.

Stephen has been responsible for the overall delivery of Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone and, since its launch in 2021, the day to day operation of the scheme.  He has also led the development of the Council’s first Clean Air Strategy which sets out a strategic framework for how it hopes to take the benefit of clean air to all parts of the city.  Stephen has over 20 years private and public sector experience and has been involved in or led a number of large scale change and transformation programmes.

Drinks and nibbles will be provided (please inform us if you have any dietary requirements)

This is a hybrid event that can be attended virtually or in person.

Register for in person attendance 

Register for online attendance