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- How to communicate uncertainty?
- How important is rail coverage versus road coverage, and are there industry targets to provide improved rail coverage?
- How does the mobile network landscape differ by quality and capacity across the UK for rural and urban areas? Additionally, how does this differ for transport specific contexts?
- What are the factors that affect electrified vehicle battery performance and degradation? What are the methods for assessing battery health?
- What is the effect of planning apps (or Mobility as a Service) on transport mode choice?
- How lasting is behaviour change on transport mode choice over time?
- How are EVs changing the nature of the ‘kerbside’; what technologies are available to meet the needs of parking, charging, home-deliveries, rideshare pick-ups/drop-offs, pedestrian, and cycle lanes?
- What is the potential decarbonisation benefit that maritime autonomy can offer?
- If/what/how existing standards should be modified to ensure acceptable levels of safety and environmental protection from highly automated control systems in maritime?
- What are the opportunities and constraints for maximising carbon savings from low carbon fuels across different transport modes? This could include in-depth research into potential future feedstocks and their competing uses across the economy or how existing infrastructure might need to be adapted for future production and distribution.
- How can we best support the scale up of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) industry and DfT’s chosen strategic ambitions for the UK SAF sector?
- What is the best way(s) to solve the issue of electric vehicle charging for those without off-street provision?
- What information do consumers find most helpful at the purchase point of a new vehicle?
- How does access to off-street parking vary by local areas? What proportions of households regularly park their vehicle off-street, in front of their house, on their street and how does it vary by local authorities?
- To what extent will changes in behaviour as a result of Covid-19 (e.g., remote work, online grocery shopping) affect EV charging routines?
- How are energy and fuel price trends affecting people's purchasing intentions, attitudes to EVs and driving behaviours?
- What factors, if any, may prevent households with private driveways installing home chargers?
- How can a Whole Life Carbon Assessment for AI be established?
- What environmental and logistical improvements, including those related to road freight emissions, urban air quality and congestion, could we expect to see if the planning approval decision making process were more technocratic and gave more weight to wider improvements?
- What is the potential market and benefits (emissions savings, fewer journeys, etc) from longer and heavier vehicles (>44 tonnes GVW) and how do we manage technical concerns and safety risks?
- What are the current and future clean maritime growth opportunities for the UK (including green jobs)? What is the expected growth for green shipping in the UK and what are the environmental and economic implications?
- What is the current level of maritime emissions and how is this expected to change in the future?
- What are the most cost-effective measures for reducing shipping emissions both domestically and internationally? What are their costs, benefits, risks, technological readiness, and applicability? What are the barriers and other challenges to reducing maritime emissions?
- How can maritime and shipping contribute to the UK goal of net zero GHG emissions by 2050 and the goals of the UK Clean Air Strategy, while capturing the green-growth potential?
- What works to increase light rail usage? What are the enablers and barriers to this? How and why has this differed across geographic regions, including internationally?
- What are the impacts of introducing zero-emission buses (for bus operators, passengers, and areas)?
- What local transport interventions are the most cost effective in reducing carbon?
- What is the relative effectiveness of different incentives to promote active travel?
- What future electric vehicle charging technology will be available? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And what groups of electric vehicle users will it mostly benefit?
- What are the strengths and limitations of advanced and emerging vehicle designs and technologies, from personal electric vehicles through to automated shuttles, and how can we enable their safe and secure use on roads?
- How can information on the safety of motorcycle helmets and new cars be used to assist consumers to make better choices and choose safer products? Which regulatory compliant motorcycle helmets and cars on the UK market offer the best, and which offer the poorest levels of safety in the event of a road collision?
- What are the risks associated with new vehicle lighting technologies and can these be mitigated? What are the risks and benefits of allowing the use of red flashing lamps by road recovery operators?
- How are attitudes to car ownership changing over time?
- How can we support enhanced access to public transport, shared mobility, and active travel in rural areas?
- How can we support businesses and employers to take action on decarbonising the commute?
- How can we incentivise greater use of shared transport modes?
- What interventions are most effective to increase average rate of road vehicle occupancy?
- What behaviour change will be required by the public and industry to adapt to the impacts of climate change on transport infrastructure.
- What are the skills, capabilities, and knowledge gaps within the transport infrastructure industry to effectively implement adaptation to climate change now and in the future?
- What impact do linear transport infrastructures have on the connectivity and genetic diversity of species, how can we quantify and map this impact and are there any benefits of linear transport infrastructure as corridors for urban biodiversity?
- What are the most effective and equitable transport related actions that can be taken to reduce emissions of (and exposure to) transport related air pollution (from particulates and NOx) in vulnerable communities, while helping growth, access to jobs and accessibility in more deprived areas?
- What evidence exists to enable the DfT to further enhance its ability to forecast aviation GHG emissions and non-CO2 impacts and model the impact of potential policy action?
- How can we develop a more detailed understanding of the benefits that modernising UK airspace will bring, including carbon reductions, noise impacts, reduced delays, increased resilience, and increased capacity to allow for growth?
- How are/should place-based programmes focus on improving active and sustainable travel infrastructure to improve town centres?
- How are models of shared transport developing and evolving? What are the motivators for people to share transport?
- What is the user experience of charging infrastructure (and how does this interact with the decision to opt for an EV)? What are the social and distributional issues around access to charging?
- What are public expectations about changing costs and affordability of EVs relative to other cars and how are these changing over time? What are the social and distributional impacts around EV adoption?
- How do people think about their environmental transport footprint? Are their perceptions of carbon emissions for different journeys accurate? What role does local air quality play in sustainable transport perceptions? How can the provision of information/knowledge about the environmental impact of travel choices bring about behaviour change?
- What has the overall impact of Covid-19 been on sustainable travel behaviour? And what are the implications of more flexible/hybrid working and reduced commuting patterns; how can this work best for part-time commuters?
- How do we reduce dependence on cars amongst demographic groups which are most reliant on them, through, for example, increasing access to public transport?
- Which demographic groups are most car reliant? And which are public transport reliant?
- Do people who switch to active travel see benefits in broader health and wellbeing? Can longitudinal research establish or disprove a connection between outcomes?
- How much does active travel for recreational purposes lead to people using active travel for work and other non-recreational purposes?
- What are the key behavioural influences (either drivers or barriers) on active travel?
- To what extent has the UK’s competitiveness in transport infrastructure changed relative to other countries? And what lessons can we learn from short-term changes internationally that can be implemented long-term domestically? For example, how has UK’s transport WEF Competitiveness Index scores increased/decreased compared to other countries?
- What will be the impact on maritime and shipping infrastructure, skills and careers as international trade evolves? What are the opportunities for UK costal shipping?
- How does the UK transport infrastructure compare to the infrastructure of other countries?
- What are the key routes for UK trade? What makes them key routes?
- What are the key disruption risks to UK maritime? What are the most effective mitigations at the local and global level to ensure the safe and reliable passage of goods and passengers to, from and around the UK?
- How do we ensure UK continues to be recognised as the global leader in maritime safety? What is the safety culture in the industry as it stands?
- What is the space market outlook and where should DFT prioritise its efforts to enable the UK's role in the space industry?
- How is spaceflight in the UK developing and what evidence exists to inform DfT’s role in the National Space Strategy?
- How can aviation best facilitate trade?
- How important is transport to trade flows? How might international trade evolve and how might this affect our transport network requirements?
- What is the predicted impact of micro goods vehicles to congestion, accidents, and accessibility?
- How do we increase cycling and walking in groups who cycle less?
- How can behavioural science be applied to enhance the capability and capacity of transport system workers to deliver improved security outcomes and transport experience?
- How can new technologies and approaches be applied to enhance the cyber security of transport systems, including points of interconnection, autonomous transport, and commercial space flight? How does increased cyber-reliance in transport systems reduce our resilience to or increase the impact of an attack or major catastrophe?
- How can models be used better to understand and respond to security and resilience risks regarding transport systems?
- How can throughput of goods and people be increased cost-effectively through transport security systems?
- How can the risks that emerging technologies pose to transport systems be identified and quantified?
- How can emerging technologies be deployed in a safe and secure way to enhance the protective security and resilience of transport systems?
- How will consumer preference and demand for sustainable modes and products develop?
- What are the best ways we can support the opinions ensure the views of non-users and vulnerable groups are properly understood and built into the planning and design of new forms of transport such as e-scooters and connected and autonomous vehicles? How can we ensure that changes to transport (for example through e-scooters and autonomous vehicles) are realised safely?
- What is the impact of trends in key societal and economic changes on the future transport system? Including travel patterns, working from home, attitudes to the high street, the distribution of population i.e., dispersed vs concentrated living decisions. How do these changes affect the demand for transport and how have the needs of the user changed?
- How has the delivery of goods changed and what is the impact of this?
- What does recent data tell us about possible long-term demand for private cars, electric vehicles, carpooling or public transport as a substitute and how might this impact decarbonisation?
- How can/should network management for each mode develop to also communicate with autonomous mobility?
- How can new technologies, digitalisation and data analytics be utilised to improve transport networks, user experience and create more effective and cost-efficient transport systems?
- What are the key considerations for sustainable (all three pillars) and lawful deployment of pavement robots?
- How do we ensure that autonomous mobility is accessible and equitable?
- What are the options for reducing our reliance on space-based Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) systems? What is the most cost-effective way of ensuring adequate resilience and redundancy of PNT across transport systems?
- How can we best share the research being conducted on traffic technology investments with the wider community?
- How have the introduction of new technologies such as micromobility impacted transport users and the requirements of the broader transport system?
- How can we best measure the value of interventions to increase the accessibility of transport?
- How will new and emerging technology change travel patterns and demand on the Strategic Road Network?
- What represents good value for money to passengers and potential passengers? How does the perception of value for money vary across passenger groups and how are different factors prioritised?
- What is the latest evidence on how passengers respond to changes in services and fares?
- How much flexibility do commuters expect to have in their travel behaviours in future e.g., to commute at off-peak hours? How will that affect their travel choices, if at all?
- What are passengers’ needs and priorities e.g., ticketing options, accessibility? How well are these being met?
- Have perceptions of crowding on public transport, including rail, changed following COVID-19? How and to what extent is this likely to change passenger behaviour?
- What is the profile of rail use following COVID-19? Will observed changes to travel behaviours, and particularly commuting, endure?
- What are the key priorities for increasing rail resilience, including freight and supply chains?
- What evidence is there on the impact of initiatives to encourage greater use of rail, or grow rail’s share of journeys, including freight volumes?
- What determines how safe passengers feel on the railways? What concerns do passengers have in relation to personal safety? How can personal safety and perceptions of personal safety on the railways be improved?
- What journey-related mobile connectivity needs do passengers have now and in the future? How best can these needs be met, and what role could government play to support delivery of these outcomes?
- What is the best way to collect and analyse, and promote reporting of, incident data to inform technical and policy development concerning the safety of dangerous goods transport?
- How can we encourage those who have begun walking and cycling more during the pandemic (when traffic levels were lower) feel safe as traffic levels return to normal?
- Are traffic standards and guidance still appropriate and relevant considering technological and environmental changes?
- What are the needs of road users, and how can existing and new traffic systems be utilised/ developed to respond to these needs?
- What is the feasibility, benefits and road safety risks of relaxing driving licence regulation and training qualifications so people can drive certain heavy vehicles with less additional testing or professional development?
- How does the use of telematics improve road safety and how can it be used to help both safer and more fuel-efficient driving?
- How can we reduce casualties when there are greater numbers of more vulnerable older adults using our roads? How can we enable greater numbers of older people to stay safe on our roads? How can and should existing interventions be adjusted to cater for an ageing population?
- Which road safety interventions have had the greatest impact in casualties in recent years?
- What is the relationship between road safety interventions, including enforcement and reductions in casualties and killed or seriously injured (KSI)?
- How could modern materials and construction techniques be used to improve both the safety and, through weight reduction, the productivity of dangerous goods tanks?
- What are the rationales for both passengers and those moving freight when choosing different modes of transport? Is it simply cost or are environmental and security concerns considered? What could be done to influence which modes are chosen?
- With respect to journeys, what is the relative value for people of speed, cost, journey experience, well-being benefits, social interactions, and other factors?
- What are the future scenarios for demand at UK ports and how might the behaviour of passengers and freight users change over time?
- How have local transport needs changed as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic? How can we expect them to change going forward?
- What works to increase mode shift towards bus usage? How does this differ by region or across different demographic groups?
- What is the impact of the digitisation of information on transport services on disabled passengers?
- How can we quantify wider health benefits from active travel beyond what’s already quantified in DfT’s Active Mode Appraisal Toolkit -including morbidity benefits, health benefits to children and cost savings to the NHS.
- What are user needs and expectations for making bus stations and stops accessible?
- Why do other countries have higher levels of cycling? How is it related to history, socio-economic and demographic factors, and financial and other incentives? What is the role of culture in facilitating / obstructing shift towards active travel (and particularly cycling)?
- How can technologies such as demand responsive transport (DRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) support the delivery of effective bus services?
- Where have bus services been a success (either in the UK or internationally) and why were they successful? How is it related to history, socio-economic and demographic factors, alternative travel modes and financial and other incentives?
- What is the current audience understanding and levels of awareness, attitudes and claimed behaviour of the It’s everyone’s Journey campaign? How has campaign activity impacted on KPIs?
- What is the current audience understanding and levels of awareness, attitudes and claimed behaviour of the THINK! road safety campaign, as well as brand recognition. How has campaign activity impacted on KPIs?
- What are the most effective technologies that will reduce collisions on the UK road network (vehicle to vehicle and vehicle to other road users)?
- What are the impacts of shared mobility, for example on congestion, productivity, and cost to the user?
- What are public/industry perceptions of emerging aviation technologies/services and how can these help inform government interventions?
- What is the best way to capture the value to transport users and the wider population from improvements in the quality of the urban realm?
- What are the benefits and risks of new and emerging aviation technology (e.g., unmanned aircraft, advanced air mobility, etc.) to transport users?
- What are the definition and groups of new and emerging aviation technology? How will or could new and emerging aviation technology change travel patterns and demand, and fit in with the wider future of transport scenarios of seamless connectivity and living local?
- What are the long-term drivers for aviation demand as we recover from Covid-19 and are they different from pre-pandemic drivers?
- How can we best use passenger charters & passenger representation to improve standards of service and improve passenger experience for aviation?
- How can we improve the provision of information; set standards; and use new technologies to improve aviation safety and security?
- How far does journey time matter? Are their social interventions that enable public and active transport to compete with faster car transport alternatives?
- How do we ensure that the aviation sector is accessible and diverse - in terms of workforce skills and the passenger experience?
- Are younger people deferring car use or are many of them never going to become drivers, unlike older generations? Are social norms for younger age groups changing?
- How can we develop a better understanding of what people want and need from their entire journey – their end-to-end journey from the moment they leave the house to the moment they arrive at their destination – covering rail, road and bus, parking, ticketing, etc? What are the implications for the transport system?
- How have people's expectations and demands of public transport, active travel, road transport and aviation changed due to the pandemic and how durable are these changes? Is there a cohort effect - are young people's aspirations and values different to older generations?
- What can we learn from the pandemic to help inform responses to future pandemics? And what are the implications of the pandemic for people’s current and future travel behaviour?
- What can be learnt from experiences in the pandemic that informs the design and operation of future transport investment?
- How can we ensure technologies and technology-based services are both developed around users and realise their wider social and economic benefits? Including autonomous vehicles; Mobility as a Service; new shared services; new business models for car ownership; and the use of data in transport.
- How can we embed better evidence into our investment decisions, the impacts of investment on transport users and communities (including vulnerable and protected groups)?
- How do people perceive reliability, punctuality, and variance in journey time?
- How can we better capture the impacts of transport, including improvements to the appraisal of active modes, freight, and values of time in congested conditions and how these vary for different groups?
- What are the possible costs and benefits to urban tram solutions?
- How can maritime information (including navigation) be digitalised to allow machine reading alongside human inter-operability, is different information required by autonomous systems?
- What is the necessary port infrastructure needed for the safe operation of MASS in Smart Ports and as part of a multi-modal transportation chain? For example, sensor validation and docking.
- How is the transition to net zero transport impacting the jobs market and how can we ensure the Government continues to maximise the employment opportunities available, including through monitoring green jobs as they are delivered and providing the workforce with the necessary skills to drive progress?
- What are the economic and societal impacts of potential lower service levels?
- What will be the appetite and ability of future transport sectors to invest in innovation/R&D?
- How will societal and economic changes vary regionally and how will they affect the financial health of the transport system? What do these changes mean for the funding model of public transport? Will a fundamentally different approach be required to funding public transport?
- How can the social and economic disparities from the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic be mitigated through transport investment schemes?
- To what extent do we have evidence on the impacts of transport investment on specific areas such as the spatial distribution of productivity or social mobility and inclusion?
- Has the role of transport in economic growth changed with increased digital substitution? What type of transport interventions are most effective from an economic stimulus / job creation perspective?
- What are sustainable business models for autonomous/highly automated transport for each mode?
- How can quantum sensors contribute to improved road traffic management and maintenance?
- How can quantum processing benefit analytical approaches to modelling and simulation of transport data?
- Can quantum optimisation algorithms improve efficiencies/provide optimal routes for public transport and fleet operators?
- What is required to ensure quantum technologies (i.e., gravity sensors) can provide a reliable alternative to GNSS for maritime and other modes of transport?
- How will new and emerging technology assist in the operation, maintenance, and renewal of the Strategic Road Network?
- What are safe speed profiles for trains that optimise capacity, comfort, and energy efficiency?
- What data sharing platforms, protocols and operational practices are needed to enable MASS? How could this be regulated/standardised?
- How can the operational safety performance of a maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) or its elements be confirmed?
- What are the connectivity performance and protection requirements in ports and on sea? Can there be specific international connectivity corridors?
- What is the role of local government or cities in autonomous aviation?
- How can we use digital twins to increase resilience, responsiveness, and integration of our network (cross modally)?
- What approach should central Government take to best manage and organise road freight / logistics in the UK to make it more efficient, resilient and reduce its environmental impact and what would be its likely impact on costs and competition in the supply chain?
- How is freight demand likely to change in the future? What impact will reduce transport costs of delivery have?
- What needs to be true of demand modelling for the estimates produced to capture long run changes in demand for road schemes that may change the spatial distribution of economic activity? To what extent do estimates from conventional user benefits approximate the total welfare impacts of transport schemes on users, considering the impacts of changing land use?
- How do standards in appraisal and modelling practices of road schemes in the UK compared to international practices?
- How should the lifespan of a new road enhancement be measured?
- What are the wider economic benefits of rail travel to urban centres?
- How do new or improved rail services and stations affect employment, numbers of businesses, and property prices? What are the impacts of new or improved rail services for towns and smaller cities?
- What are the opportunities for improving cost efficiencies and enhancing financial sustainability of rail?
- How has COVID and EU exit affected the movement of goods between Ireland, the UK and the rest of the EU? Are these impacts short or long term?
- What are the most relevant emerging technologies for maritime and shipping (e.g., autonomous vessels)? What are the risks and opportunities for the UK across economic, social, and environmental dimensions?
- How can we improve modelling of UK port activity and the impacts of possible policy measures on the maritime sector?
- How can drones and other new technology be used safely and securely to open new opportunities; develop new markets; and deliver aviation services to realise their full potential in the UK and to deliver economic growth?
- What are the enablers of building and maintaining an integrated local transport system? How does this benefit local communities?
- How can transport investment release additional land for housing and deliver wider economic benefits?
- How does the capability and capacity of Local Transport Authorities influence the delivery of transport policy developed by central government?
- What is the relationship between transport improvements and local economic growth?
- What role can transport play in levelling up left-behind places in the context of changing travel/commuting patterns?
- What are the infrastructure, airspace, regulatory and skills requirements for the emerging aviation technologies and what are the impacts of existing government interventions?
- How should the way airports slots be allocated be reformed to make more efficient use of constrained airport capacity and support achievement of the Government’s wider objectives?
- How has Covid-19 impacted the financial resilience of UK aviation companies as well as the wider aviation supply chain, and what impact will this have on the Government’s strategic objectives? Have these impacts modified the market structure or associated labour markets?
- What is the evidence of the emerging use and impact of novel/real time data sources to address transport issues at local or national levels, such as decarbonisation and levelling up?
- What evidence is there of the value of Government or transport operator investment in transport data assets or data projects?
- What tools can we best use to reflect Levelling Up objectives within transport appraisal: for example, improved data visualisation, local prosperity metrics, place-based analysis, or distributional weights.
- How can we robustly model and value changes in land-use arising from transport interventions?
- What are the micro mechanisms that underpin how workers move across space due to better transport connections?
- What conditions need to be in place for transport investments to transform local economies? These conditions may relate to demographic factors, complementary investments, or government policies for example. What are the micro mechanisms that underpin how workers move across space due to better transport connections?
- How can shipping and freight data be used to complement our understanding of the Rotterdam effect and trade flows international hubs?
- What sustainable vehicle alternatives can policing turn to that are capable of meeting requirements for performance and weight?
- What is the expected growth of the UK's maritime autonomy and remote operations sector and what impact will this technical change have on the workforce?
- What is the best way to assess the resilience of tank vehicles, tank waggons, portable tanks, and tank containers under conditions representative of typical impact situations?
- What are the risks of avoiding early adoption of quantum technologies in UK transport?
- What are functional and operations performance and training requirements for remote-control/operation centre/station - with a focus on Human Element?
- Are the modelling techniques used in appraisal current and robust? Is this reflected in the department's guidance and tools that it provides to users?
- What factors influence haulier choice between UK ports?
- What are the practical benefits and are there and risks associated with allowing HGV platooning on the UK strategic road network?
- How do we define a near-miss?
- What is appropriate time and notification for a transition event? How could that impact different demographics?
- What are maritime passenger views and experiences on board ferries, accessing to ports, passenger safety perceptions and confidence to travel?
- What is the relationship between bus usage and walking?
- Could autonomous vehicle shuttles be used on legacy transport, such as a replacement for closed rail lines?
- What requirements should apply to navigation bridge sensors and controls for use in MASS, in particular human and machine interfaces, update rates, and data representation?
- What communication standards between vessels and infrastructure need to be standardised?
- How do surveyors and inspectors interact with MASS whether through Port State Control or regular survey?
- Should there be specific parking/waiting/docking areas for micro goods vehicles?