Reimagining transport: UK Transport Vision 2050

The second edition of Innovate UK’s Transport Vision 2050 has now been published. The updated document reflects a rapidly evolving sector which is having to decarbonise, respond to customer demands and adapt to changing lifestyles.

The document will help to inform our investments: between April 22 and March 2025 Innovate UK and our partners will invest £2 billion, shaping the future of transport and demonstrating the significance of this sector to the UK.

This fundamentally important industry is also one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK (see statistics from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero) and decarbonisation is a top priority. In parallel with this, we know that over the coming years it must become more resilient and it must adopt digital technology.

Innovation in transport will help the sector to achieve these changes, maximising economic and social benefit. Technological advances will improve safety and efficiency and offer new business models as the sector adapts to changing lifestyles and responds to customer demands.

Key takeaways

Our vision for 2050 is a transport system that enables the movement of people and goods from one location to another through safe, seamless, net zero, connected, cost effective, accessible and reliable means. The UK will increasingly meet transport and traveller needs with a transport system that embraces innovation to be:

• net zero by scaling-up manufacturing to deliver net zero products
• digitally enabled to deliver greater efficiency and new products and services
• resilient and responsive with continuous, safe and secure operation

The majority of the vision has been revalidated and the overall themes and trends from version one that were so well received remain. The notable changes are the ever-increasing importance of digital, as well as better understanding of the role for battery electric for HGVs and methanol for shipping.

Feedback

If you would like to offer feedback to help us further shape and inform the UK Transport Vision 2050, please use our feedback form to submit your comments.