Wednesday 4 & Thursday 5 November
The Milner Hotel, York
Hosted by:
Headline Sponsor:
Gold Sponsors:
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Welcome to the 10th annual Local Transport Summit
LTT is delighted to announce that the 2026 Local Transport Summit
will be held in York on November 4th and 5th at The Milner Hotel.
The Local Transport Summit is the UK's leading residential retreat for senior transport professionals, policymakers, political leaders and industry partners.
Now in its tenth year, the Summit provides a unique opportunity to step away from the pressures of day-to-day delivery and take a broader view of the future of transport, place and public policy.
Held under Chatham House Rules, the Summit creates an open and trusted environment where delegates can discuss the challenges facing the sector, test ideas, challenge assumptions and learn from one another.
Across two days, attendees will take part in conference sessions, facilitated roundtable discussions, interactive workshops, a walking tour, networking reception and dinner, all designed to encourage meaningful conversations and lasting professional relationships.
The Summit attracts leaders from across local and regional government, transport authorities, central government, academia, consultancies, operators and the wider transport ecosystem.
As transport becomes increasingly central to economic growth, housing delivery, public health, climate resilience and place-making, the need for strategic thinking and collaborative leadership has never been greater.
Place, People and Partnerships
The Department for Transport’s Better Connected: a strategy for integrated transport is built around three organising principles: people, place and partnership. These are intended to shift transport policy away from a purely infrastructure- or mode-led approach towards a more integrated, outcome-focused system.
Transport is no longer simply about moving people efficiently from A to B. Increasingly, transport is expected to support economic growth, unlock housing, improve public health, tackle climate change, strengthen communities and help create places where people want to live, work and invest.
Key issues include:
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A new political landscape for transport
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From mobility-focused transport policy towards place-focused transport policy
At the same time, transport leaders face growing tensions:
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Economic growth versus carbon reduction
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National priorities versus local delivery
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Housing growth versus transport capacity
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Affordability versus financial sustainability
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Speed of delivery versus public consent
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Technology optimism versus behaviour change
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Major infrastructure investment versus everyday reliability
The 2026 Local Transport Summit will explore how leaders can navigate these competing pressures and build transport systems that genuinely support thriving places.
Why this Summit matters
The transport sector finds itself at a pivotal moment.
England's devolution agenda is reshaping how transport decisions are made. Combined Authorities are gaining new powers and responsibilities. Government is encouraging places to develop integrated business cases and place-based investment strategies. Meanwhile, expectations around growth, housing delivery and environmental outcomes continue to increase.
Yet despite broad agreement on many objectives, delivering transport change remains difficult.
Why is it so hard to build consensus?
Why do successful international models often appear difficult to replicate in the UK?
How can leaders balance evidence, politics and public expectations?
And what kind of places do we actually want to create – and how can inclusive, accessible and affordable transport networks support the vision and the delivery ambition?
The Local Transport Summit exists to explore these questions openly and honestly.
Hosted by York & North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Few places illustrate the relationship between transport, place and economic success better than York and North Yorkshire.
Home to a growing Combined Authority, internationally recognised heritage assets, thriving visitor destinations and significant housing and economic ambitions, the region faces many of the same opportunities and challenges confronting places across the UK.
Throughout the Summit delegates will hear directly from regional leaders and explore how transport investment, planning, growth and place-making are being brought together across York and North Yorkshire.
A guided walking tour will provide delegates with an opportunity to experience the city first-hand and explore some of the opportunities and challenges facing the area.
Key highlights
24 hour retreat
Networking dinner
Conference
High level discussion
Walking Tour
Previous Local Transport Summits
Oxford 2016
Manchester 2017
Letchworth, Hertfordshire 2018
Bradford 2019
Brentford, West London
2021
Cardiff 2022
Sheffield 2023
Bedford 2024
Derby 2025
Focus for 2026
Key themes for 2026:
Delivering Transport in a Devolved Nation
How can Combined Authorities, local authorities and national government work together more effectively?
Place-Based Business Cases
Moving beyond individual schemes towards integrated investment strategies that support wider outcomes.
Housing, Growth and Infrastructure
How can transport support ambitious growth plans while maintaining quality of place?
Rural and Less Populated Areas
What does successful transport planning look like beyond major urban centres?
Leadership, Skills and Diversity
Building the workforce, leadership and organisational capacity needed for the future.
Connected and Automated Vehicles
Looking beyond the technology to understand the social, economic and human implications.
Public Confidence and Communication
How do we build trust, navigate polarisation and create support for change?
Learning from Elsewhere
What can the UK learn from international examples of funding, governance and infrastructure delivery?
Networking dinner
Continuing the Conversation
The networking dinner is an integral part of the Local Transport Summit experience.
Taking place on the evening of 4 November, the dinner brings together speakers, delegates and partners in a relaxed and informal setting, providing opportunities for conversations that simply cannot happen during a normal working day.
The evening will include a drinks reception, three-course dinner and after-dinner speaker.
Many delegates regard the networking dinner as one of the most valuable aspects of the entire Summit.
Places are limited and early booking is recommended.
Who should attend?
The Summit is designed for senior professionals with an interest in the future of transport, places and public policy, including:
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Combined Authority leaders and officers
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Local authority transport and planning professionals
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Central government officials
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Elected members and political leaders
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Strategic transport bodies
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Consultants and advisers
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Operators and infrastructure providers
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Developers and regeneration specialists
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Academics and researchers
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Professional bodies and think tanks
Expect to leave with:
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New perspectives on the biggest challenges facing transport
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Practical insights from other places and sectors
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Stronger professional networks
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A deeper understanding of emerging policy and funding directions
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Fresh ideas to take back to your organisation
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Greater confidence to tackle complex transport challenges
Celebrating ten years of the Local Transport Summit
Since its launch in 2016, the Local Transport Summit has become one of the most respected gatherings in the UK transport calendar.
Over the past decade it has brought together thousands of professionals from across the sector to discuss the issues that matter most and to help shape the future of transport policy and practice.
As we celebrate the Summit's tenth anniversary in York, we invite you to join us for two days of discussion, debate, learning and collaboration.
Because the future of transport depends on the conversations we have today.
Programme - Wednesday 4 November
10:00
Optional Walking Tour of York
Further details to follow
11.30
Registration and Networking Brunch
Registration with brunch served
12:15
Welcome from hosts York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Host: Claire Hoskins, Director of Transport, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Keynote: David Skaith, Mayor, York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
Followed by Q+A
13:00
Session 1: Demonstrating delivery capability
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Local Transport Plans as the government's key delivery vehicle - align plans with regional growth and place-based visions
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Capacity and capability and resource / skills for delivery
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Spatial development plans – the Local Transport Plan needs to inform spatial development strategy
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Fiscal devolution
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Transport devolution – why transport is the servant of the place vision
14:30
Networking break
Tea and coffee served
15:00
Session 2: Interactive roundtable discussions
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High speed rail in Europe – how can it be so much cheaper?
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Local transport funding in France – why it works
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Delivering new development in Netherlands - the Dutch model
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Public or private? Should nationalisation go further?
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Thinking inside or outside the box? Is constraint a good thing?
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Is ignorance better than too much knowledge?
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How to communicate with a polarised public
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Do we need national information campaigns and what might they look like? For example, road danger reduction
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Capacity within public and private section transport planning
16:00
Networking break
Tea and coffee served
16.30
Session 3: Place-Based Business Cases
Government is encouraging places to produce integrated business cases showing how multiple interventions work together to unlock growth and wider outcomes:
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Reduced emphasis on Benefit-Cost Ratios (BCRs)
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Transformational change appraisal
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Portfolio-based rather than project-based appraisal
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Integration with Local Growth Plans and devolution
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Funding, devolution and policy landscape – Green Book changes, fiscal devolution, and evolving funding models
17.30
Networking break
Tea and coffee served
17.45
Focus on York & North Yorkshire
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Why developing and delivering LTPs is a key objective
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Role models and exemplars for county-based combined authorities
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Dijon - a comparative case study to York and North Yorkshire
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Rural challenges
19:00
Networking Drinks Reception
19:45
Networking Dinner
21.00
After-Dinner Speaker
21.30
Day 1 Close
Programme - Thursday 5 November
09:00
Registration
Tea and coffee served
09:30
Reflections on Day 1 - live polling
Further details to follow
09:45
Session 4: Agreeing and delivering a vision in a polarised world
Presentation: How do we engage to deliver schemes in a polarised political environment?
Leigh Bramall, Director: Transport and Sustainability, Counter Context
Followed by a panel discussion and audience Q+A.
Key issues include:
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Can evidence ever lead the way in innovation?
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Decisions should be evidence-informed, but should leaders set the vision and take the big decisions?
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Expert-led planning and democratic local politics
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How should decision-makers manage tensions between evidence-led strategy, political acceptability and community identity?
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National consistency and local flexibility
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Who defines success, what metrics matter and do national frameworks constrain innovation?
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Regional transport investment and local policy-making powers
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Short term political thinking and long-term reality
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Prioritising short-term wins over systemic long-term outcomes
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Communication and public confidence – how we engage effectively and demonstrate impact in an increasingly politicised environment
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Can we / should we have both national and local perspectives?
11.00
Networking break
Tea and coffee served
11:30
Breakout Sessions
Choose from three parallel discussion streams
A focus on less populated areas
Further details to follow
All about people: listening, leadership, diversity and skills
Further details to follow
CAVs – beyond the tech: the real questions around Connected and Automated Vehicles
Further details to follow
12.30
Closing panel: Delivering in a devolved nation - just how differently do we need to do things?
What do we want from an enhanced devolution arrangement in order to fast track projects – especially for Combined Authorities without a pipeline?\
Panel discussion and audience Q+A
13:30
Closing remarks and event close
Published programme subject to change
Speakers
Speakers will appear here once confirmed.
CLAIRE HOSKINS
Director of Transport
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
MONTA DROZDOVA
Policy Manager
Urban Transport Group
GRAHAM JAMES
Technical Director
Parking Perspectives
LAWRENCE PENN
Senior New Mobility Consultant
Steer
KEITH BUCHAN
Director of Skills/Policy
Transport Planning Society
DAVID SKAITH
Mayor
York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority
JONATHAN FOSTER-CLARK
Director
AtkinsRéalis
LEIGH BRAMALL
Director: Transport and Sustainability
Counter Context
PROF KATE PANGBOURNE
Chair of Transport Transitions
Institute for Transport Studies, Leeds
ANU CAREW
Senior Economic Advisor (Head of Bus, Planning & Housing Analysis Team)
Department for Transport
NICOLA KANE
Director
Steer
NEIL CHADWICK
Director
Steer
SANDRA WITZEL
Co-Founder
Women in Mobility
MICHAEL SOLOMON WILLIAMS
Head of Campaigns
Campaign for Better Transport
STEPHEN FIDLER
Director of Local Passenger Transport and Inclusion
Department for Transport
Delegate rates
2 day access, dinner & hotel
Public Sector
£545 + VAT
Private Sector
£695 + VAT
2 day access
& dinner
Public Sector
£380 + VAT
Private Sector
£545 + VAT
Day 1
& dinner
Public Sector
£300 + VAT
Private Sector
£375 + VAT
Day 1 ONLY
Public Sector
£175 + VAT
Private Sector
£250 + VAT
Day 2 ONLY
Public Sector
£140 + VAT
Private Sector
£200 + VAT
10% discount on all rates if booked before Friday 14 August 2026,
simply enter promocode: LTS2610 when prompted at checkout