TPS Chair's Message - December 2024

2024 has been a(nother!) tumultuous year, both in transport and more widely. 

Donald Trump’s re-election as US President has been described as the “greatest political comeback in history” and will have a global economic and political impact.  Meanwhile Labour’s win in July’s General Election and its “missions-based” approach to government has been followed by series of political challenges.   In transport, the new Government’s first Budget sent mixed messages about the direction of travel.  There was positive investment in buses and rail alongside no change in Fuel Duty and a planned increase in rail fares. 

New Secretary of State for Transport Louise Haigh set out a positive agenda on arriving at the DfT, including development of an Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) to be led by Active Travel England CEO Danny Williams.   Louise Haigh launched the “call for ideas” on the INTS on 28 November and resigned the next day due to an episode many years ago.   Her successor Heidi Alexander impressed many as Sadiq Khan’s Deputy Mayor for Transport and seems likely to carry on where Louise Haigh left off.

The new government has promised major reform to the planning system, delivery of 1.5 million new homes, further devolution and significant re-organisation of local government and the creation of Great British Rail.   The next few years are not going to be boring!

Meanwhile, catastrophic floods in Spain and a series of storms in the UK provided continuing evidence – if it was needed – that the Climate Emergency is unfolding in real time.   The decarbonisation of the UK transport system remains as urgent a priority as ever.

Against this turbulent backdrop, the TPS has had a good year.  The Board have been doing some fantastic work around business development – on individual membership and corporate supporters; developing our regional presence; investigating ways of increasing the TPS’s income; and developing our policy capability and capacity through the new Policy Panel. 

Our events programme has gone from strength to strength, with a series of really impressive seminars and webinars; our first-ever summer reception; and a very successful Transport Planning Day featuring Future of Roads Minister Lillian Greenwood.

The TPS Skills programme continues to provide critical support for the professional development of transport planners.  Their skills will be in high demand to deliver the government’s ambitions on economic development, new housing and decarbonisation. 

I want to put on record my personal thanks to the TPS Board for all their hard work developing the TPS; to Kath Coldwell at the ICE for supporting the Board; and to Jo Field and her team at JFG Communications for their support on communications and engagement.

I suspect 2025 will be as turbulent and challenging as 2024 has been, but challenges are also opportunities and the TPS is in a great position to take advantage of those opportunities as they present themselves.

We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the TPS membership.   I wish you a very happy Christmas and a festive New Year and look forward to working with you in 2025 to help bring about a more sustainable transport system in the service of a more sustainable world.

See you in the new year!