Transport AI Action Plan published

The plan sets out how DfT will work with the transport sector to exploit AI's opportunities – and manage any potential risks

The Department for Transport (DfT) has published its Transport AI Action Plan. Following the 2025 AI opportunities action plan, this plan sets out the approach the DfT is taking to working with artificial intelligence (AI).

This includes implementing AI within DfT to support our business and deploying it across the transport system to both improve transport user experiences and boost growth.

Also this week, the Government rolled out a new AI tool which will enable planning permissions will be sped up by scanning hundreds of files in seconds  – making it easier to make home improvements, while supporting the Plan for Change milestone to build 1.5 million homes. The Department for Work and Pensions is also using AI to understand high volumes of correspondence, which used to take weeks. This allows benefits or pensions recipients to be identified as potentially vulnerable and in need of urgent support.

In a further move, reports The Guardian, all civil servants in England and Wales to get AI training, with officials are piloting package of AI tools called Humphrey – named after character in TV sitcom Yes, Minister.

The Transport AI Action Plan 

The Transport AI Action Plan plan represents the start of a step-change for AI in our transport system, recognising its power to increase resilience, productivity and turbo-charge innovation across the private and public sectors.

It signals our intent to stakeholders across the transport system, other government departments and innovators creating new AI solutions. Says Heidi Alexander, Transport Minister: 'We are at a critical moment in the development and deployment of AI in transport and across our society.

'We have a unique opportunity to shape the future of transport with AI, and to ensure that it serves the public interest. AI is not a distant future. It is here and now, and it can change transport for the better. But we need to act now to shape the future of transport with AI, and ensure that it serves the public interest and reflects our common values. This action plan is our roadmap to do just that.'