The DARe Hub met online with the newly elected Mayor for the North East Combined Authority (NECA), Kim McGuinness, and Tobyn Hughes, Director of Transport at NECA.
NECA is a DARe Project Partner and as the former Transport North East (the region’s local transport authority), it has been involved with the Hub’s mission from the very beginning, helping to shape its programme and priorities by providing valuable insights into the North East’s most critical challenges.
Professor Phil Blythe, DARe Hub Director, led the discussion with the Mayor, which included an overview of DARe’s research programme, its objectives, and the opportunities to explore real-world transport scenarios in the North East of England. In line with the Mayor’s aims to progress towards a net zero, climate resilient transport system, the group discussed other areas for collaboration and useful case study development, with particular regard to active travel and electric vehicles.
Further meetings will be arranged so that DARe can work closely with, and feed into, the work being planned by the Mayor across the region. We look forward to a continued collaboration with the North East Combined Authority.