Country Overviews
UNITED KINGDOM
IntroductionDevolved National Administrations
Research Councils | Other Organisations
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Introduction
Transport research in the United Kingdom (UK) is carried out and commissioned by a wide range of organisations. The Department for Transport (DfT) is the main funder and commissioner of public sector land transport research in the UK. It commissions research to support its departmental policy and operational responsibilities through a number of individual executive agencies, most of which have their own research programme. These agencies include the Highways Agency, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, the Driving Standards Agency, the Vehicle Certification Agency, and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
The DfT also sponsors some non-departmental public bodies, such as the British Transport Police Authority and Passenger Focus, which works on behalf of rail passengers in Great Britain. Other public bodies sponsored by the DfT include the Civil Aviation Authority, the Commission for Integrated Transport, and the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee.
Other central government departments that commission transport-related research include the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Communities and Local Government, the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Department for International Development and the Office of National Statistics.
Research is also carried out by the Devolved National Administrations for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Transport for London and the seven Passenger Transport Executives (covering the largest metropolitan areas outside London: six in England and one in Scotland) also conduct research, as do local authorities.
The Government funds national research councils, of which two, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), contribute significantly to transport.
A wide range of transport research is also commissioned by semi-governmental and non-governmental bodies, including regulatory, strategic and advisory bodies, charitable trusts, motoring organisations, transport industry associations and private companies.
National Government Departments and Agencies
Department for Transport (DfT)
Highways Agency
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Civil Aviation Authority
Commission for Integrated Transport
Department for Communities and Local Government
Department of Energy and Climate Change
Office of National Statistics
DfT - Rail
Covering 17 projects to support the Rail Industry Research Strategy
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=68
DfT - Regional and Local Transport
Covering 3 sub-programmes, 119 projects. Topics within this diverse research programme include buses and taxis, congestion charging, cycling and walking, light rail, local road maintenance, Local Transport Plans, and regional transport.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=96
DfT - Road User Safety
Covering 6 sub-themes, and approximately 200 projects. Research commissioned within the Road Safety research programme provides support for the UK Government policy of meeting the national road casualty reduction targets for 2010, as set out in the UK's Road Safety Strategy.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=73
DfT - Traffic Management
Covering 5 sub-programmes and 98 projects. Covers three strategic themes tackling congestion, improving safety and reducing environmental impact, through improvements in traffic management techniques and uses.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=111
DfT - Transport Analysis and Economics
Covering 2 sub-programmes and 186 projects. The two major components of this programme are 1) Economics and social research, including transport modelling & appraisal, and 2) Transport Direct (and Traveline).
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=79
DfT - Accessibility and Equalities Unit (AEU)
Covering 115 projects. The AEU was established in April 2007 and is responsible for developing policy on cross-modal accessibility issues, focusing on the transport needs of disadvantaged people, and DfT's Equality Duties. It also focuses on reducing transport crime.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=112
DfT - Chief Scientific Adviser's Programme
Covering 120 projects. Sub-programmes include Central Initiatives, DfT Horizons, LINK Future Integrated Transport (FIT) and LINK Inland Surface Transport (IST).
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=87
DfT - Civil Aviation
Covering 4 sub-programmes, 12 projects. Most aviation research of interest to the Department is carried out by other organisations, often in international forums. There are few substantial aviation research projects commissioned exclusively by DfT. The Department has, however, commissioned research projects addressing issues of aircraft noise, health, emissions and climate change.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=66
DfT - Cleaner Fuels and Vehicles
Covering 71 projects. The CFV programme aims to help the Department to meet its environmental PSA targets through measures targeting fuels and vehicles.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=75
DfT - Freight Logistics
Covering 4 sub-programmes, 73 projects. Aims to support the implementation of a sustainable distribution policy, stimulate academic research and industry uptake of logistics best practice, identify ways to increase supply chain resilience, and explore future logistics scenarios to inform policy development.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=70
DfT - Transport Technology and Standards
Covering 14 sub-programmes, 241 projects. This programme contributes to three of the Department's generic research themes: Safety, Congestion and Environment. In addition to the vehicle technology research, there are sub-programmes on Intelligent Transport Systems, Road User Charging and Smart Cards.
www.dft.gov.uk/rmd/programme.asp?intProgrammeID=74
Devolved National Administrations
Scottish Government / Riaghaltas na h-Alba
Among the research areas funded by the Scottish Government that include some aspects of transport research are: Transport, Environment, Equalities and Tourism. Publications relating to transport research sponsored by the Scottish Government can be found at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Research/by-topic/transport/publications
Transport Scotland
An agency of the Scottish Government, which works in partnership with Scotland's seven Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs), private sector transport operators, local authorities and the Government.
www.transportscotland.gov.uk
Welsh Assembly Government / Llywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru
Department for the Economy and Transport / Adran yr Economi a Thrafnidiaeth
Policies relating to transport are encapsulated in The Wales Transport Strategy; major areas covered include public transport, integrated transport, freight, rail and roads. There is no formal research programme devoted to transport issues, so funding of transport research takes place on an ad hoc basis.
http://wales.gov.uk/topics/transport
Northern Ireland Executive
Department for Regional Development (DRD) / An Roinn Forbartha Réigiúnaí / Männystrie fur Kintra Pairts Fordèrin
Some ad hoc transport research is conducted by the DRD, which has responsibility for transport, water, strategic planning and development policy, as well as being responsible for Roads Service, which is the sole road authority in Northern Ireland.
www.drdni.gov.uk
Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency
Collects information on Northern Ireland's population and socio-economic conditions, but also has a remit to collect transport and travel statistics.
www.nisra.gov.uk
Research Councils
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
The UK Government's leading funding agency for research and training in engineering and the physical sciences. EPSRC invests more than £800 million (approximately Û925 million) per year in research that contributes to future economic development in the UK. EPSRC also actively promotes public awareness of science and engineering.
www.epsrc.ac.uk
Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC)
The ESRC funds research and training in social and economic issues. It is an independent organisation but receives most of its funding through the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.
www.esrc.ac.uk
Other Organisations
Rail Research UK
The universities' centre for railway systems research, whose objective is to provide an engineering science base for such research in the UK, located in a number of universities. Main research areas are engineering interfaces, Whole System Performance, users, the community and the environment.
http://portal.railresearch.org.uk
In addition, several charities and campaign groups commission and conduct transport research in the UK, including the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, the Rees Jeffreys Road Fund, the Campaign for Better Transport, Sustrans, the Campaign for National Parks and the two main motoring organisations, AA and RAC.