Background to the project

The "Vision 2030" project was tasked with the objective of developing visions for the future mobility needs of people and goods for a thirty year time horizon. The project was commissioned by the Highways Agency in response to a growing recognition that issues such as traffic congestion, global warming and environmental sustainability highlight the need to plan ahead - beyond the typical 5-10 year horizon.

The specific remit for the Vision 2030 team was to identify the potential roles of strategic highways in meeting future mobility needs and to influence the long-term agenda for strategic (inter urban) highways.

The general approach taken was to identify the key drivers and factors that will have an influence on these mobility needs - specifically social issues, technology, political and regulatory aspects, and macro-economic drivers - all of which can combine to shape and mould our approach to travel in the future. This in turn will have a bearing on the Highway Agency's future business strategy and scope of service.

In order for the study to deliver on the objectives, the team used tools and techniques appropriate for the corporate boardroom - visioning and scenario planning, SWOT analyses and "backcasting". All were valuable techniques that allowed the project to take shape.

Twelve "Transport Visions" of the possible future of inter-urban transport emerged from this process, which now provide a constructive basis for long-term strategy development within the Highways Agency.