Scottish transport is critical to our ability to sustain economic success and thriving, stable communities. However, the strength and development of our transport systems is under challenge. We have fragile public finances. We need to attract private investment and confidence. There are now reshaped travel patterns following COVID. Transport is expected to simultaneously help deliver economic growth and meet net zero targets while remaining affordable and reliable. What therefore should be our strategic objectives and targets for transport? How can we innovate to fund and deliver both projects and services? Who should transport policy and delivery be seeking to serve?
This conference will examine how Scottish transport can engage with three core themes. Firstly, what should be the strategic and policy drivers for Scottish transport? Secondly, how do we meet the immediate challenges of Scottish transport needs? Finally, can we meet the competing delivery demands of passenger transport, active travel, climate, roads, business and economic growth?
Scotland's public finances are extremely constrained and in that context the Scottish Government's budget, passed in February this year, carried serious implications for transport. New road building won out over rail investment. Bus Partnership Fund expenditure was suspended. The Smarter Choices, Smarter Places programme was cancelled. The Active Travel budget was again raised, although not to the target set by the now defunct Bute House Agreement. The question raised by such decisions is this – do we have a joined-up Scottish transport policy or are budget limitations forcing piecemeal revision of targets, projects and wider transport policy?
Transport has already experienced unprecedented challenges in recent years – certainly as much, and maybe more so, than most other service areas or sectors of the economy. The nature and purpose of travel was disrupted, perhaps permanently, for many. The long-term implications of that experience on revenue, development, safety and climate sustainability are difficult to predict. The immediately following blow of public finance constraint has both disrupted Scottish transport policy and made all the more imperative the need to be clear on what our new priorities are and how to achieve them.
The conference examines the challenges we now face in three sessions:
Topics to be discussed
Who should attend
This conference will be relevant for anyone involved in the planning, building, maintenance or delivery of transport and transport services and infrastructure in Scotland. This includes local government, transport companies, engineering and infrastructure companies, regulators, transport lawyers, academics and managers, project managers and professional advisors, smart mobility and data specialists, those working in transport and data systems and services supply, freight and passenger companies and bodies, partners in the transport supply chain, associated transport systems and services and transport representative bodies.
Head of Transport Planning and Delivery
Glasgow City Council
Director
CPT Scotland
Deborah Paton
Head of Transport Planning and Delivery
Glasgow City Council
Deborah Paton is a professional transport planner with some 25 years of experience across local government and private consultancy. As Head of Transport Planning and Delivery at Glasgow City Council, she leads teams working on the development of transport policy and liveable neighbourhoods, delivery of sustainable transport infrastructure including active travel, operation of sustainable transport schemes & delivery of travel behaviour change initiatives
Paul White
Director
CPT Scotland
In addition to being the Director of CPT Scotland, Paul White is a non-councillor Board Member of SESTRAN and a previous Chair of the Scottish Transport Studies Group. Paul has worked in transport policy for almost 20 years across Scotland, Westminster and Brussels.
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