Government launches Connectivity Tool to place sustainable transport at the heart of jobs, schools and vital services
The Government says that transport projects will be better connected to jobs, shops, schools and healthcare thanks to a new Connectivity Tool launched for planning professionals. The web-based tool will help built environment professionals and planners in England and Wales give schemes a ‘connectivity score’ and better map them to essential services, helping to place them in areas […]
Active travel capability fund: DfT announces local transport authority allocations 2025
Final active travel funding allocations for local transport authorities have been released by the Deparment for Transport. The allocations are part of integrated and consolidated transport settlements for financial years 2026/27 to 2029/30. West Midlands Combined Authority tops the list with a £36m investment over the next four years. Funding supports local transport authorities with […]
DfT publishes 24/25 provisional road traffic estimates
The Department for Transprt has published its Provisional Road Traffic Estimates for Great Britain for the period October 2024 to September 2025. Overall traffic levels in the year ending September 2025 were higher than in year ending September 2024 and similar to pre-pandemic levels. Provisional estimates are published quarterly and remain provisional until after they […]
DfT issues call for evidence for the development of automated vehicles regulatory framework
The Department of Transport is seeking views on several sections of the Automated Vehicles Act to support development of the regulatory framework. The framework will include rules, guidance and principles. We are also seeking to strengthen our understanding of accessibility, environmental and cost-benefit considerations. DfT is asking for views on the following aspects of the automated vehicles […]
DfT announces changes to electric van rules
The Department for Transport has set out new proposals on electric vans, following a consultation on regulations Transport + Energy reports that the main proposals include transferring zero-emission vans (ZEGVs) with a weight of 3.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes away from the heavy vehicle testing system and into the MOT network – with the tests […]
Driverless cars will be on our roads next year, says DfT
The Department for Transport (DfT) has issued an update on when the first fleet of driverless vehicles will likely arrive on UK roads. Driverless cars are already being used for public rides and testing in several cities across the United States, including Phoenix, Los Angeles and San Francisco. In these cities, commuters can hail these rides through apps like Waymo, […]
DfT developing National Transport Analysis Platform
The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that it is developing a National Transport Analysis Platform (NTAP) for modelling transport scenarios. DfT have awarded Arup a three-year contract worth up to £5 million for a project that is aimed at streamlining modelling processes to support policy making. According to the contract award notice: “The primary […]
Smart Motorways protests: National Highways responds
National Highways have issued a response to last week’s protest by the Smart Motorways Kill campaign, amid calls for Department for Transport to release smart motorway impact reports. A National Highways spokesperson said: “Safety is our number one priority, and we’re doing everything in our control to reduce deaths and serious injuries on our network. […]
Recycled plastic technology used on UK road for first time
A road in Motherwell has become the first in the UK to trial a new technology which uses recycled plastic to reduce the bitumen content in asphalt. As part of the Live Labs 2 programme, a three-year long, UK-wide, £30 million project, funded by the Department for Transport and launched by ADEPT, aimed at decarbonising the […]
Transport Committee accuses Government of lacking ambition to revive England’s bus services
The Transport Committee has criticised the Government’s response to its report on improving bus services, saying it shows a lack of ambition and risks missing an opportunity to improve connectivity across England. The Committee’s report, published in August, highlighted how bus services are the country’s most-used form of public transport. Despite this, Department for Transport (DfT) data shows […]