A guide to best practice for local authorities procuring transport systems and innovative technology will be launched today at the 2021 Transport Technology Forum conference.
The three-day online event entitled “Facing Up to the Transport Challenge in 2021” will hear how the guide has been drawn on experience across a number of local authorities, details “Six Pillars of Procurement.”
“We see this guidance as a key resource in help local authorities plan procurements of new and innovative technology,” explained report author Mark Morris from Arup. “The guidance explains the various routes to market that are available and uses the wide range of experience Arup has in this field. It is also supported by DfT and the Crown Commercial Service.”
The procurement guidance will be launched on Wednesday afternoon in a session between 1.45 and 3pm, along with a discussion on funding and opportunities for local authorities and suppliers. This follows a morning keynote session from 11.00-11.45 hearing from, among others, the Department for Transport’s Head of Traffic and Technology Anthony Ferguson and TTF Chair Steve Gooding of the RAC Foundation.
The TTF Conference also includes specific sessions on Thursday from Innovate UK on “Innovation working with SME/ LA’s”; “the benefits of sharing data” and “the benefits of collaboration”, while London Councils will detail the benefits of sharing data. On Friday there will be a session on The New Shape of Traffic and a panel debate entitled “challenge the future”.
This year’s TTF evening social event has been moved online too, with a light-hearted radio-style discussion programme nicknamed “TTFM” being streamed live from 7-8 pm on both Wednesday and Thursday evenings featuring reflections on the conference plus special guests including former Transport Ministers Steve Norris and Steven Ladyman, and pioneering transport technology journalist Michael Rodd. These will be streamed here on the Highways News website.
