InnovateUK Transport Vision 2050

Publishing date: August 2021

Transport is fundamental to the daily movement, trade and communication of people, organisations and goods across the globe. Transportation and transport manufacturing generated over £109 billion added value for the UK in 2019, 5.5% of the total UK output. Transport also accounted for 27% of the UK’s Green House Gas emissions in 2019. Digitalisation, greater connectivity, the journey to net zero, changing customer needs and new ways of getting about and delivering goods are all placing fresh demands on transport.

The importance of transport means the UK must respond to the challenges and opportunities are presented by these significant changes. Innovate UK and our partners have invested £4.5 billion in innovative transport projects since 2007. This investment will continue to shape transport in the UK for many years.

This vision document has grown out of extensive research into the future of transport and out of consultation with our partners in both the public and private sectors. It takes a view of where we will be by 2050 and outlines the likely steps along the way to achieving this. Our aim is to gather UK government and industry around a single vision that will inform the way we all invest in the future of transport to deliver economic growth and societal benefit. It is also to provoke debate. We recognise that this is one vision and others may come to a different conclusion. We welcome challenge that leads to constructive conversation and we will update the vision to reflect the latest thinking as time goes on.