
Transport Talks
A 2024 top ten podcast on transportation and rated as one of the best podcasts on transport of all time. Brought to you by www.ciht.org.uk
Latest episodes

Oct 27, 2022 • 29min
Black History Walks - Black History Month
In support of Black History Month, we bring to you our latest podcast ‘Black History’. Featuring Tony Warner, Founder of Black History Walks and hosted by Dana Skelley, who’s worked in transport infrastructure for over 30 years, is a member of CIHT’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Panel and Chair of CIHT’s Membership and Member Services Strategy Board.During this podcast we discuss why Black History Month is needed, the importance of visible diverse role models, what we can do better to create meaningful action within equality, diversity and inclusion, and how CIHT members can get involved in Black History Walks activities.

Oct 21, 2022 • 45min
How Covid has changed the way we travel
The COVID-19 Transport, Travel and Social Adaptation Study started in 2020, a ground-breaking longitudinal survey in 10 areas of the UK has tracked, since the start of the pandemic, the implications for us all from Covid on how we live today. There was a recognition that Covid provided the chance for a rethink, that it would somehow reshape our lives; but back in 2020 we were not quite sure how. As the study said at its outset - the outbreak of COVID 19 was an unprecedented shock in an era of highly connected and globalised living. It was, and still is, a serious medical emergency and also an episode that we must learn from. This episode asks – from the initial Covid-19 lockdown in March 2020, what have we learnt, and where do we go next?Featuring a panel of experts from the Institute for Transport Studies, at the University of Leeds:•Professor Greg Marsden, •Professor Julian Anable•and Dr Llinos Brown More information:https://www.creds.ac.uk/https://covid19transas.org/Note, this was recorded shortly after the then Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng delivered a Ministerial Statement entitled "The Growth Plan" to the House of Commons.

Sep 29, 2022 • 53min
Inclusive Transport- National Inclusion Week
In support of National Inclusion Week, we bring to you our latest podcast ‘Inclusive Transport’. Featuring Michael Barratt, Construction Advisory and Innovations Manager at TFL; Simone West Inclusive Design Advisor within the Diversity and Inclusion team at TFL; and Ester Leighton from the Independent Disability Advisory Group. During this podcast we discuss who needs to be considered when designing inclusive transport. From practical solutions such as signage to the needs of disabled people and assuming that everyone with the same disability will use transport systems in the same way. We also consider what professional transport bodies need to do to make transport more inclusive, including understanding how to interpret standards and how to effectively engage people in inclusive design. Finally, we highlight the benefits that can be achieved when transport is truly inclusive, including projects being more future-proof, bringing increased value for money, and ultimately, delivers the best possible user experience.

Jul 22, 2022 • 28min
Active travel - 5 key trends and issues - Professor Rachel Aldred
Today we explore five key issues and trends for active travel. This episode features an interview with Professor Rachel Aldred Director of the Active Travel Academy and from the University of Westminster.

Jun 22, 2022 • 13min
International Women in Engineering - Deborah Sims
This podcast is in support of International Women in Engineering Day - 23 June 2022 - and features an interview with Deborah Sims, CIHT President 2021-22. Deborah is a Senior Lecturer Civil Engineering, Employability Champion Engineering, and an Industrial Placement Tutor at the University of Greenwich.Prior to joining the University of Greenwich, Deborah was the Project Director for the Highways Central team with the Mott MacDonald group, managing a team working on a wide range of projects for clients across London and the south east of England. Before that, Deborah was Strategy and Service Manager at InterRoute, a non-incorporated joint venture between Mott MacDonald and Balfour Beatty.A Chartered Engineer with over 25 years' experience of highways design, safety engineering, team leadership and project management, she has experience of managing large design teams both in the public and private sectors and working on motorways, trunk roads and local authority roads. Deborah also has experience in bid management and mobilisation for multi-million pound strategic alliance and joint venture operations. She is a contributing editor to various CIHT publications, and a professional reviewer for both Chartered and Incorporated Engineers.Deborah's first degree is in Civil Engineering and her Masters is in Road Safety Engineering. She gained her PGCertHE in 2013 and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. She was awarded Honorary Membership of the Society of Road Safety Auditors in 2011.

May 27, 2022 • 29min
How safe are our roads - David Davies PACTS
This week data was released on Reported road casualties in Great Britain, - providing provisional results for 2021. These provisional statistics show:• an estimated 1,560 reported road deaths in 2021, a reduction of 12% from the 2017 to 2019 average• an estimated 27,300 killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties in 2021, a reduction of 13% from the 2017 to 2019 average• an estimated 127,967 casualties of all severities in 2021, a reduction of 21% from the 2017 to 2019 average• there were increases in casualties of all severities in 2021 compared with 2020, though pedal cyclists showed a reduction in fatalities (20%)• there are age and sex differences in casualty trends, with female fatalities aged 70 and over showing a particularly large reduction during the COVID-19 pandemic (36% reduction in 2021 compared with the 2017 to 2019 average)• monthly changes in casualties generally showed a similar trend to changes in motor traffic levelsAlso included was a factsheet on E-scooter casualties.To listen to an interview with David G Davies PhD FCIHT, Executive Director, Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS). David Davies has a background in sustainable transport, road safety and public sector scrutiny. His PhD in transport planning led to his appointment as transport policy officer at Birmingham City Council. He then worked as a consultant in UK and Hong Kong before forming David Davies Associates, which specialised in sustainable transport, including five years at the Transport Research Lab.In 2003 he moved to the Audit Commission, undertaking transport and environment inspections and performance assessments of local authorities.In 2007 he moved to the House of Commons Transport Committee, managing inquiries into road safety, aviation, high-speed rail, ports and bus competition. He has been the Executive Director of PACTS since January 2013 where he promotes effective casualty and danger reduction measures and integration of safety with wider environmental and sustainability polices.References:https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-provisional-results-2021/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-provisional-results-2021https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-2021/reported-road-casualties-great-britain-e-scooter-factsheet-2021-provisionalhttps://www.pacts.org.uk/vaccine-for-vehicles-preventing-deaths-and-injuries-on-uk-roads-pacts-briefing-january-2022/https://www.pacts.org.uk/the-safety-of-private-e-scooters-in-the-uk-pacts-research/https://www.pacts.org.uk/pacts-report-what-kills-most-on-the-roads-2/https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/feb/06/i-didnt-take-covid-seriously-admits-leading-statistician-david-spiegelhalterhttps://www.ciht.org.uk/news/global-road-safety/https://www.ciht.org.uk/news/smart-motorways/

Apr 28, 2022 • 30min
The Dependencies of Sustainable Transport - Professor John Parkin
Planning for sustainable transport requires a fully integrated transport network to achieve an efficient transportation network, which can act as a catalyst for delivering model shift through behavioural changes for the public; and ultimately contribute to CO2 emission targets and improve the health of the nation.This podcast features Professor John Parkin, Deputy Director of the Centre for Transport and Society and Professor of Transport Engineering at the University of the West of England. John has been involved in all stages of the promotion of transport schemes, as well as having experience across all modes of transport with a specialism in cycling. With his expertise, John has produced an e-learning course on Sustainable Transport for CIHT Learn. In this podcast, John explores the links between regulation, infrastructure design and user behaviour and their ability to impact sustainable transport. John further explores this link and its relationship with sustainable transport by discussing:- the changes in The Highway Code,- the results of John's continuous side road study,- sustainable transport modules on CIHT Learn- behaviour change initiatives, and - shifting the perspective of road investment.CIHT Learn Sustainable Transport modules: https://www.ciht.org.uk/ciht-learn-1/Professor John Parkin's work: https://people.uwe.ac.uk/Person/JohnParkin

Mar 17, 2022 • 33min
Road Pricing - Alistair Hunter and Patrick Andison of Arup
Road pricing is not a new concept, we can see examples of it in in our towns, cities and road networks already. However, to date, road pricing has proved to be politically challenging but a new report by the House of Commons Transport Committee signals that political appetite is maybe starting to come around, or at least that it might have to be. This podcast features Alistair Hunter, who is the Highways Business leader for Arup in their UKIMEA and Patrick Andison, who is a Senior Economics Consultant at Arup. Alistair recently gave evidence as a witness to the transport committee’s inquiry on road pricing, with this contribution helping to form part of the committee’s final report that was released at the start of February this year. Together they discuss:* What road pricing is * The challenges that come with it * Where the concept of road pricing is headed* Where and how the sector should be headed in relation to road pricing

Feb 24, 2022 • 29min
Transport and climate in the US - Professor Noreen McDonald
This podcast features an interview with Professor Noreen McDonald recording from the CIHT Young Professionals Conference held in December 2021. The focus for that day was Climate Change and Sustainability- and this interview focuses on:•progress made in the United States with the decarbonisation of transport, •how Complete Streets became important during Covid, •on the big unknown of how the return to work might play out in terms of the impact on transport systems. •And on how behaviour change is important at all levels – from the personal to the political – when it comes to climate action

Jan 20, 2022 • 26min
Behaviour change for net-zero mobility - Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh
A focus on people is central to the future of mobility. Behavioural and social science can help us better design our built environment and its transport system around users, and allow technology to improve the lives of individuals and society. These are the words of Sir Patrick Vallance, the Government’s Chief Scientific Advisor and now familiar with the public due to his role in supporting the UK Government to address the Covid-19 pandemic. He wrote this in 2018 for the Government Office for Science report: A time of unprecedented change in the transport system.We do indeed live in a time of unprecedented change, perhaps more so than ever, so it is a good time to explore the behaviour change for net zero mobility. This podcast features an interview with Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh a psychologist – who this year received an MBE in recognition of work she has led on behaviour change and public engagement towards more sustainable futures.Professor Lorraine Whitmarsh is Director of CAST and University of Bath environmental psychologist.Future of Mobility report (2018) by the Government Office for Science: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/780868/future_of_mobility_final.pdf