£7.75m for a sustainable transport future

A centre to revolutionise the future of UK transport industry was announced today by Transport Minister Andrew Adonis. The £7.75m programme will be based at Imperial College London as well as University College London and the University of Leeds, and will draw on scientific experts from across the country.

The UK Transport Research Centre (UKTRC) will undertake long and short-term research on some of the key big questions likely to face transport in the next decade and beyond, including:

Economic competitiveness
The environment
Society
Mobility and accessibility
Technology

Whilst visiting Imperial College, Andrew Adonis said; "We are committed to delivering a first class sustainable transport system in this country - but to do this we need a first class evidence base.

"The research coming out of this new centre will be instrumental in ensuring Britain is at the forefront of new sustainable transport developments."

Research will include the impact of Government investment in transport infrastructure and its effects on the labour market and the economy. Other projects will look at ways to improve governance and decision making in the transport system and predict how technological advances in different sectors might affect future transport demand.

Rector of Imperial College London, Sir Roy Anderson said; "I welcome the establishment of a national hub for transport research. It will provide a tremendous opportunity to enrich and extend the scope of work carried out in this field and enable Imperial to work more closely with our partners at Leeds and UCL."

Professor Ian Diamond, Chief Executive of the Economic and Social Research Council, who are joint funders, said "The UK's transport system is at the very heart of the future of the country. Providing a strong base of evidence to inform future government policy will be vital, not just to the economic recovery, but to all aspects of society."