DARe hosts workshop addressing transport challenges in Cambridgeshire

Transport is a cornerstone of the UK’s economic, social, and environmental landscape. However, the sector faces multifaceted challenges, including ongoing climate impacts and evolving travel patterns, which affect a wide range of stakeholders.

In June, the DARe team at the University of Cambridge hosted a co-creation workshop focussed on the Cambridgeshire case study the Hub is developing. Bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders including transport operators, local council representatives, consultants, and researchers, the workshop was designed to help the DARe team identify and explore the region’s key transport-related challenges.

Participants included representatives from AtkinsRéalis, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridgeshire County Council, Camcycle, the Department for Transport, East-West Rail, England’s Economic Heartland, the Environment Agency, Greater Cambridge Partnership, PTV Group, and Voi.

Structured around a collaborative and interactive approach to tackle pressing regional transport challenges, the workshop was organised into three key sessions: (1) exploring regional contextual factors, (2) mapping data and information needs, and (3) envisioning current and future transport challenges. These sessions were complemented by key presentations that set the stage for discussion, including an overview of recent climate events, an introduction to Cambridgeshire as a region, and insights into travel patterns in the area. 

Bringing together this diverse group of stakeholders has been vital to ensuring the DARe Hub’s work is grounded in real-world challenges and opportunities. The insights and perspectives shared during this collaborative workshop help to pinpoint region-specific challenges, and will directly inform the ongoing research and development of the Cambridgeshire case study to help to shape decision-making strategies for a transition to a decarbonised, adaptable, and resilient transport system. Co-creating research with stakeholders is a core principle of the DARe Hub, ensuring that its outputs are not only academically robust but also practically relevant and impactful for communities, the wider transport sector, and policymakers alike.