Better integrated transport infrastructure will best shape the future of the North

Highlights from Smarter Travel LIVE!

Paul Hammond, Global Practice Leader for Economics, Mott MacDonald

Paul Hammond, Global Practice Leader for Economics, Mott MacDonald

Paul Hammond, global practice leader for economics at Mott MacDonald, an event partner for Smarter Travel LIVE!, echoed the calls from Mayors Rotherham and Burnham for better integrated transport infrastructure across the North, and is ready to support delivery. 'As many of the presenters at Smarter Travel LIVE! ointed out, the challenges and solutions are myriad and should not be seen in isolation. Active travel, for example, is a key aspect of a healthy community and an integral part of the last mile solutions linking travellers on the strategic network to their final destinations. We are advising our transport regulator clients to be proactive in how they address new mobility propositions. Rather than traditional “predict and provide” approaches, where towns and cities have developed around an internal combustion engine solution involving single occupancy vehicles, we are advocating “decide and provide” solutions. This means that transport regulators should use technology to shape the places and communities that are sustainable and desirable, rather than allowing technology and new solutions such as connected and autonomous vehicles and Mobility as a Service to dictate the future of mobility.

'Our relationship with the University of the West of England, Bristol, and appointment of Dr Glenn Lyons as professor of future mobility has led to a greater impetus around future mobility across the company. Rather than detailed predictive modelling, clients should face up to an uncertain future and consider a range of possible, probable and preferable scenarios and the implications of these for future transport and development growth. We now have a range of future mobility projects that we are bringing to the market, from scenario planning to safe and client-friendly pilot schemes which will allow regulatory clients to test future transport solutions in a meaningful but managed way.'