Hosted roundtables programme
In depth conversations with diverse groupings
Running across both days of Interchange, roundtables provided in-depth conversations and brought together diverse groupings of industry experts.
Roundtable output reports coming soon
4 March
11.45-13.00 sessions
Egis
Delivering better-integrated transport – lessons learned from Europe
This roundtable explored how European cities have successfully delivered integrated transport systems, offering valuable insights for the UK to look beyond transport infrastructure and explore its potential to transform cities. The discussion focused on wider urban integration and placemaking strategies, highlighting approaches to overcome challenges and unlock long-term socio-economic benefits.
RSK
The future of social value: how to leave a truly positive lasting legacy
Delivering against your social value commitments doesn’t come without its challenges. But what does ‘good’ look like, and how can we ever expect to achieve ‘great’ if we don’t have a standardised approach to measurement and reporting. Participants discussed industry’s biggest social value challenges, opportunities and how to unlock potential solutions.
Siemens
Would a ‘connected railway’ transform the case for regional investment in rail?
Examining the opportunities that a connected railway offers the UK’s regions, as well as the obstacles that stand in the way of making it a reality. This discussion explored whether the rail and transport industry is making a compelling enough case to regions across the UK for investment in the connected railway.
Systra
Personal mobility data: a game changer for urban transport optimisation
This roundtable looked at how personal mobility data is transforming urban transport and improving user experience by looking at innovations, challenges, and opportunities in data-driven transport optimisation.
Tarmac
Water management: stormwater, pollution, wastewater and the strain on road infrastructure
Our road infrastructure is struggling to cope with increasing runoff and urban growth. Stormwater can overwhelm drainage systems, while wastewater treatment systems face pressure from growing populations. Using a recent Waltham Forest project in East London as an exemplar the group looked at innovative solutions to creating climate resilient infrastructure.
Ancoris
A discussion on 2025 trends: Agentic AI, why POCs fail, and optimisation opportunities for the transport industry
In this session, participants looked at the growing role AI is playing in how transport organisations - both public and private - engage with citizens and each other. Using real-life examples the discussion looked at what’s next in the ever evolving AI landscape and covered how new technology solutions can solve critical challenges and how to avoid becoming another failed AI POC statistic.
14.00-15.15 sessions
Arcadis
Accelerating infrastructure delivery to unlock homes, jobs and skills to improve the quality of life within our city regions
As a key area of focus for the Mayoral authorities, participants assessed the role of public and private sector collaboration and how the Mayoral Authorities can support infrastructure investment that is growth based.
AtkinsRéalis
How systems thinking unlocks the holistic value of biodiversity
In this roundtable, AtkinsRealis led the conversation on how considering nature-based solutions as a critical part of the system can help you protect your assets, create savings and generate revenue.
City Science
Regional evidence delivers economies of scale for local strategies & plans
Strategies and plans generally commission data collation, modelling and literature reviews from scratch. But what if they were available and collated at a regional level? How would this deliver downstream economies of scale and improve consistency and alignment. What are the underlying barriers and how can we overcome them?
Connected Places Catapult
From disruption to delivery: how data can transform new infrastructure development
Does the breadth of data and the capability of AI now available provide new opportunities for innovation to improve how people live and travel in the future? Will innovative solutions deliver the significant steps forward in infrastructure capability that we need to meet the country's needs? The Connected Places Catapult session brought together perspectives from the whole innovation lifecycle across sectors including energy, water, transport and telecoms.
Stantec
Reducing the car-dependency of housing and urban regeneration developments
When it comes to maximising the placemaking contribution of sustainable transport initiatives how do we get the timing of delivery right? Many new housing developments continue to be car-dependent. Participants discussed the barriers to sustainable transport connectivity and how we do it differently to succeed in the future?
TRL
What does a well-managed highway mean? And what does it look like for the users?
TRL’s roundtable brought together experts from diverse sectors, representing a variety of needs and perspectives. This session explored what well-managed highways truly mean, fostering collaboration to share innovations, redefine standards, and create more efficient, sustainable, and resilient road networks for the future.
15.45-17.00 sessions
Amey
Technology, collaboration, and funding’s role in delivering climate resilient infrastructure and accelerating net zero
This roundtable discussion explored the challenges and opportunities for delivering more climate resilient infrastructure, the unique role of technology in fast-tracking towards net zero goals, and the growing importance of strategic cross-sector collaborative partnerships in delivering a more sustainable future for all.
Crown Commercial Service
Will new procurement rules help deliver growth in the UK rail sector?
In conjunction with Rail Supply Group and the Department for Business and Trade, this session brought together key rail industry stakeholders to build consensus around procurement challenges and opportunities under the new Procurement Act while introducing the rail sector Innovation Charter.
Hitachi Rail
Driving the mobility transition: the role of sustainable, cost-effective light rail solutions in our cities
This roundtable explored the role of Light Rail Transit (LRT) in enhancing urban mobility. Discussion considered advancing last-mile solutions through LRT to create seamless, accessible, and sustainable urban transport networks; driving public-private sector collaboration; and everaging technology and innovation
RHA
Ending freight blindness: what can local government do to help the logistics industry serve our economic, community and net-zero goals?
Despite its importance to our economy and wider national life, the lack of consideration for freight and logistics in our local planning and transport documentation is often called freight blindness. With various planning reforms and national government strategies on the horizon, RHA’s session looked at what local and regional government bodies should be doing to end freight blindness, and what infrastructure the industry needs if it is going to be able to support wider policy objectives into the future.
Sweco
How do we bring stakeholders and industry partners on the journey to plan and deliver people-orientated, inclusive and integrated places
Highlighting successful and international case studies and exploring how to achieve sustainable and equitable urban development, participants discussed experiences of working with and engaging stakeholders and industry partners to ensure diverse perspectives are included.
Department for Transport
How can LTA's, franchises and MCA's utilise open data and data analytics to improve the accuracy and reliability of bus services?
This roundtable covered the potential of open data sources and open-source analytics to enhance the quality of open data, unlocking new opportunities for an improved passenger experience through a more efficient and user-friendly public transportation system.
5 March
11.00-12.15 sessions
Frazer-Nash Consultancy
People-centric? Can we prove it?
Participants discussed the reality of delivering a people-centric multi-model transport system. How reliably, demonstrably, and robustly are we designing a system that considers and is designed to support the psychological and physiological capabilities and limitations of its users? What are we doing to prove that these means are resulting in the desired outcome?
Mott MacDonald
Mott MacDonald x CIHT CLIMATES road and rail
CIHT CLIMATES is a new initiative that is exploring possible futures for transport and the environment and their implications for professionals and organisations in the highways and transportation sector. The roundtable tested some of the early CLIMATES recommendations with both the road and rail sectors; two sectors who face similar challenges but may be tackling climate change in slightly different ways.
PA Consulting
The challenge for UK transport providers in delivering multiple agenda – is the customer always right?
As UK transport providers navigate a rapidly evolving landscape, the tension between meeting customer expectations and delivering against multiple agendas (organisational, regional, national, etc) has never been more pronounced. This roundtable convened industry leaders, policymakers, and regional leaders to explore the complex dynamics of balancing customer-centric services with the demands of place-based planning.
Pascall+Watson
Transport infrastructure designed to catalyse better communities, environments, and economies
Transport infrastructure is uniquely positioned to drive societal, environmental, and economic progress. This roundtable reimagined the role of transport infrastructure, illustrating the benefits from thoughtful design and innovation including reshaping the communities they serve, redefining their environmental footprint and supporting economic prosperity.
tmc3
AI-powered cyber threats & next-gen security
In a discussion looking at key priorities, strategic investments, and executive buy-in for UK organisations, participants addressed what security technology and services will allow UK organisations to react and respond to automated and AI cyber threats.
Tony Gee
Do project teams have the capacity to deliver better outcomes from infrastructure projects?
This session tackled the challenges of delivering value outcomes in infrastructure projects by exploring priority value outcomes, the Value Toolkit, and innovative solutions to deliver value beyond the project's core purpose.
12.45-14.00 sessions
National Highways
Towards integrated transport networks and wider outcomes
What are the steps the roads sector needs to take, to collaborate with other networks and partners to achieve integrated transport networks that deliver wider benefits of improved places and decarbonised journeys?
Heathrow Southern Rail
Heathrow Southern Rail: removing the pain from catching the plane
In the context of the Government's 10-year infrastructure strategy and the drive for growth, net zero and devolution this session explored how access to airports can be made more efficient, less congesting and respectful of communities and the planet.
Freewheeling
Fast track: practical tools for moving faster and getting things done
Want to make faster progress? Thomas Ableman ran this session as an interactive, board game-style session to discover no-nonsense tips and tricks for faster decision-making and agility, packed with practical ideas to help you drive real change—fast.
BT Active Intelligence
Using Real Time Data to manage our towns and cities
This roundtable explored how real-time data enables authorities to respond efficiently to operational challenges. From managing congestion and coordinating diversion routes to deploying dynamic traffic management interventions, participants discussed practical solutions for improving urban mobility.
Deloitte
Shaping the Future of Regional Transport
Vernon Everitt, Transport Commissioner for Greater Manchester, and Deloitte hosted a roundtable attended by leaders across the regional transport to discuss future trends and to launch the report Regional Transport Success Stories | Deloitte UK.
Skanska and the Rail Supply Group (RSG)
Collaborative innovation for sustainable value
How might we better realise sustainable value through collaborative innovation Structured around the RSG "Rail Sector Innovation Charter" participants unpicked the potential of innovations in procurement, collaboration, IP & data and diversity, culture & industry learning.
14.30-15.45 sessions
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM)
Delivering bus passenger improvements whilst also achieving Streets for All objectives
In constrained urban environments, how can we provide bus passenger journey improvements such as shorter journey times, enhanced reliability and growth in bus patronage and customer satisfaction, within the context of delivering streets which work for all users and uses?
Young Mobility Network
Empowering diversity: nurturing the growth of young professionals in the UK mobility industry
This roundtable explored how we can foster greater diversity within the UK mobility industry by focusing on the growth and development of young professionals including strategies to empower the next generation, enhancing inclusion, and creating more opportunities for diverse talent to thrive and lead in the sector.