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Return to all Resources Involve | Public Participation and Deliberation Resources A package of free resources available from Involve, an organisation whose stated aim is to make public participation and deliberation an everyday part of our democracy Associated skills:

Return to all Resources Department for Transport | English Devolution Presentation Resource from the Department for Transport outlining the latest information on English Devolution as of May 2025. DfT English Devolution Presentation .pptx Download PPTX • 2.22MB Associated skills: Policy, Statutory Planning

Return to all Resources TAG Forthcoming Changes seminar - May 2025 This is the presentation document from the Department of Transport about the upcoming changes to the Transport Appraisal Guidance (TAG) as of May 2025 TAG Forthcoming Changes seminar - May 25 .pdf Download PDF • 595KB Associated skills: Appraisal, Developing Business Cases, Evaluation, Policy

31/03/2025 Back to News & Blogs March 2025 Newsletter Policy and Strategy Development Training In March, TfSE’s Centre of Excellence delivered two pieces of training on policy and strategy development. On 10 March, we hosted an in-person Masterclass covering vision-led planning, turning a long list to a deliverable plan, and stakeholder engagement and co-creation. Thank you to those who attended, we hope you found it useful. For those that were unable to attend but interested to know more, we have published the slides used for the session here: TfSE, Steer & Arup - Policy and Strategy Development Masterclass If you would like to see more of these types of training days or have suggestions for future topics we could cover, please get in touch by clicking the ‘Got Feedback’ button on the Centre of Excellence (CoE) website, or emailing coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk   DfT Funding Announcement 25/26 We are pleased to announce that the Department for Transport (DfT) has shown strong support for TfSE’s CoE, by approving TfSE’s Business Plan for 2025/26 and providing additional funding for the CoE. This financial commitment reflects DfT’s confidence in the value and impact of the CoE's work and will enable us to deliver even more comprehensive support and services to the sector.   Shaping Next Year's Support We are committed to creating real value for TfSE Centre of Excellence users by producing content that directly addresses your needs. By responding to the upcoming survey, you will help us build an up-to-date picture of the challenges you face, enabling us to deliver targeted support that makes a tangible difference to you and your residents. This will go live from 1 April – 22 April. We are keen to obtain views from all officers within your authority, across all roles and grades - anyone can complete the survey, there is no limit on responses from each local authority.   Transport Related Social Exclusion We are pleased to confirm that we will be hosting webinars in April, May and June focusing on transport related social exclusion. These will look at: Understanding the needs of diverse transport users Engaging with diverse transport users to support the development of an inclusive transport network Policy co-creation tools and techniques To see all events, please visit the Events page on the Centre of Excellence website.

30/04/2025 Back to News & Blogs April 2025 Newsletter Excellent response to our Capability Survey A huge thank you to everyone who took the time to complete our recent Capability Survey. We received feedback from a wide range of officers across the region, and your insights will play a vital role in shaping the Centre of Excellence’s support programme over the next 12 months. This includes: Targeting expert support where it’s needed most Co-developing practical tools and resources that reflect real-world challenges Sharing knowledge and lessons learned across the South East Supporting you and your teams to strengthen future funding submissions We’re now reviewing all feedback and will present the proposed support programme to your authority’s representative at TfSE’s May Steering Group.   Centre of Excellence to support bus priorities We’re pleased to confirm that Arup has been commissioned to support Local Transport Authority officers across the South East on three key bus-related topics. These focus areas have been requested by users of the CoE, and shaped by emerging priorities and the implications of the government’s English Devolution White Paper: Bus Devolution: Provide clarity on the impacts of devolution for buses, helping officers understand the broader implications for decision-making, including infrastructure delivery and cross-subsidy arrangements. Cross-Boundary Infrastructure: Explore how authorities can manage and fund bus infrastructure that crosses administrative boundaries – particularly as rising costs continue to challenge local delivery. Cross-Subsidy Planning: Support officers to better understand cross-subsidy planning within a devolved context, and what this means for sustainable network management and funding decisions. We welcome any input or suggestions you may have for these areas, particularly insights, examples, or challenges you’d like the work to reflect during development. You can do so by emailing coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk or clicking on ‘Got Feedback’ on the CoE website.   TfSE Centre of Excellence Nominated for National Award We are delighted to have made the shortlist for the CIHT Awards for 2025, which celebrate excellence and innovation within the industry.  TfSE has been nominated in the highly competitive Collaboration award category for our Centre of Excellence, an online platform which we co-designed with our local authorities to best meet their needs. This nomination is testament to the hard work and genuine collaboration shown by all our partners in the project. We’d like to extend our thanks to our 16 constituent local authorities, the Department for Transport, universities and professional institutes, as well as Arup who played a key role in helping to establish the Centre of Excellence. The winners will be announced at the CIHT award ceremony in London in June.

Back to News & Blogs January 2025 newsletter We have an exciting pipeline of work for users of the Centre of Excellence to look forward to over the next few months. Please read below to see what we have coming, and how you can get involved. Introduction to Transport Policy and Strategy Webinar 6 February 2025, 13:30-14:30 Kickstart the year with this webinar designed for junior staff, or anyone seeking a refresher on transport strategy development. Hosted by James Gleave, Transport Strategy Manager at TfSE, and John Collins, Associate Director at Arup this session will: Explore the development process for effective strategies Highlight key success factors and influences Offer a Q&A session to tackle your specific challenges A follow up session for a senior/technical audience is also in the works. If you have ideas for topics you’d like covered, let us know! Forecasting the Impact of Active Travel Interventions Blog - coming in February Responding to your requests for support in modelling and forecasting, Joshua Jiao, TfSE Analysis Manager will be: Sharing insights on forecasting for active travel interventions Exploring trade-offs, costs/benefits and multimodal modelling An optional Clinic The Clinic will compliment the blog, and to make it as useful as possible, we invite you to share your case studies, past, present or future, by emailing coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk . Please let us know if you are interested in us holding this. Transport Related Social Exclusion 4 March 2025, 10:00-12:00 This interactive webinar will focus on one of the most pressing issues raised by our stakeholders. Split into two parts, it will cover: The methodology, findings, and lessons learned from TfSE’s own Transport Strategy. Practical guidance to apply these principles in your own work. We hope you will find this session both insightful, and actionable. Carbon Assessment Playbook (CAP) Tool support Following the successful launch of the CAP tool in August 2024, we have received requests for tailored support. If you would like to be involved, please, get in touch at coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk Bus franchising and Enhanced Partnerships As bus services rise on the government’s priority list, we’re developing a support package for local authority officers. This will be supported by the Bus Centre of Excellence, and will focus on: Delivering franchising/enhanced partnerships in varied contexts Cross-subsidy planning: examining approaches to balancing commercially viable and unviable routes to ensure network sustainability Cross-boundary bus infrastructure: clarifying responsibilities for managing and funding infrastructure that crosses authority boundaries Want to share your expertise, or get involved in this area? Send an email to coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk Secretary of State We’re proud to share that our work at the Centre of Excellence has been recognised by Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport, who requested further information on our progress and successes. Find out more here . Another great reason to get involved! Get Involved Your input is invaluable! If you have suggestions, questions, or contributions to any of the above, we’d love to hear from you. The Centre of Excellence is here to support capacity-building in the transport sector, and we welcome ideas from everyone—whether you’re a transport officer, academic, professional institute member, or STB colleague. Email us at: coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk Join the Chat Forum on our website.

Back to News & Blogs November 2024 newsletter Data Hub A new ‘Need for Intervention’ report has been uploaded to the CoE Data Hub. This evidence base has been created as part of TfSE’s Transport Strategy Refresh, which outlines the need for intervention across the South East. The Data Hub is available for all local transport authorities to use. It includes information such as Datashine Census Data, Origin-destination Data, and more. Access the hub here: Data Hub | CoE Women in Mobility Olga Anapreyenka, an Associate at Steer New Mobility Team, and Sandra Witzel, an experienced Chief Marketing Officer and Board Director and SkedGo, will be hosting a 60-minute online lunch and learn panel next week. The event will discuss key topics around personal development. Olga will open with the topic of importance of self-empowerment and explore the ways to overcome imposter syndrome. Sandra will talk about how to leverage the power of LinkedIn . The session is open to all women+. There will be plenty of opportunity for Q&A and a lively discussion. Join us on the 3rd December Modelling 101 training webinar Join our Modelling 101 training webinar where TfSE’s Analysis Manager, Joshua Jiao, will take you through the Department for Transport’s business case preparation modelling and appraisal self assessment form. This webinar is for you if you are a project manager looking to become a better-informed client when tendering a modelling commission, managing consultants within a scheme, or using modelling when developing business cases. Join us on 6th December 12-1pm Business Case Development The final two Business Case Development webinars have taken place. This concludes this package of introductory level support. Click the links below to watch the videos back and share with your colleagues. Arup & Steer | Business Case Development - Deep dive on decarbonisation and climate resilience – 13th November – Decarbonisation Arup & Steer | Business Case Development - Treatment of future uncertainties in benefits - 22 November – Treatment of future uncertainty in benefits To view previous training sessions click here: Webinars | CoE Analyse Bus Open Data Service (ABODS) Training Triumph Okojie, Digital Projects Manager at the Department for Transport, delivered training on Analyse Bus Open Data Service (ABODS) tool, through the Regional Bus Forum. Access the training here: Department for Transport (DfT) | ABODS training Thank you! Thank you for your responses to the recent survey which sought further detail on your top ten skills gaps. We have created a pipeline of work to support you. Keep your eyes peeled for announcements in our monthly newsletters.

13/11/2024 Back to News & Blogs October 2024 newsletter Shaping the next six months We are now halfway into the year, so we would like to understand how we have been able to support you in dealing with your recent challenges, and what more we can do to help you over the next six months. This survey will enable you to shape our upcoming provision of bespoke content. Back in April, many of you identified areas for skill-building — now we’re asking for specific input to ensure our resources and support hit the mark. Whether you’d find more value in practical case studies, focused webinars, or other formats, your responses will directly guide our next steps. Survey Details Closes: Wednesday, 6 November Link: Survey Details | TfSE - Centre of excellence - Shaping the next six months How to Include Socially Excluded Groups in your Transport Planning Our latest blog delves into how transport planning can better serve vulnerable and socially excluded groups. By engaging directly with those affected by transport-related exclusion, we have identified practical ways to improve accessibility, affordability, and inclusivity across the South East. This blog, written by our Transport Strategy Manager, James Gleave, highlights insights from workshops, such as policies addressing affordability and safety, and challenges faced by diverse groups in urban and rural settings. Read about how TfSE is planning for a more accessible transport system for all here . Supporting your business cases So far we have hosted five webinars focused on Business Case Development, with guest speakers including TfSE's Analysis Manager, Joshua Jiao and TfSE's Scheme Development Manager, Mat Jasper. All of the webinars and their respective slides are available on the Centre of Excellence website, alongside answers to all of your questions on Modelling Approaches. We have two more webinars coming up! By attending, you get the opportunity to engage directly with subject matter experts and ask questions in real time. If you'd like to submit questions in advance, please email us at coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk . Don't miss these valuable sessions! Stay up to date with all our events here: Events | CoE Have you signed up yet? To be able to view all the latest content and information, sign up today.

31/07/2024 Back to News & Blogs July 2024 newsletter Chat Forum We have launched two new sections in our chat forum, following LTA requests. These are: - Modelling - Travel plans These are both LTA only spaces, and will be useful for officers to share best practice and tackle challenges they may be facing together. TfSE recently launched a modelling and Appraisal Forum, which meets quarterly. We will post updates in the Modelling section of our Chat Forum. Read more here: Summary of the first TfSE Modelling and Appraisal Forum. Relating to this, our Analysis Manager Joshua Jiao has produced a blog on the importance of data. Read more here: Transport modelling. Tools and Training The Carbon Assessment Playbook is now available for officers. A training session will be held on 23 August, 10:00-12:00. Not able to make it? The session will be recorded and hosted on the site. STB EV Charging Infrastructure Framework is now available via the Centre of Excellence under key tools. Training for this will be advertised on the site. The Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation are inviting you to join an introduction to FHRG Carbon Calculation and Accounting Standard (CCAS.) Training on TfN's EVCI Locate tool will be available in due course. Resources Bespoke content is being developed for the Centre of Excellence. One of the first pieces of content focuses on business case development, which was presented to attendees of the 18 June launch event. The slides that were used for the session are now live. These slides help officers identify where to start when planning a business case, by examining ‘why’ and ‘when’ you need a business case. Read more here: Business Case Development We will have a number of Webinars on Business Case Development over the coming weeks, giving officers the opportunity to deep dive into every aspect of the Business Case process. The first will be on Funding and Financing – the options for leveraging the private sector. You can sign up and see our forward programme of Webinars on the events page: Events | CoE New Case Studies Newhaven Port Access Road Business Case Our Head of Analysis, Sarah Valentine, has produced a case study on the development of the Newhaven Port Access Road business case. This was recently selected as an example of best practice by the DfT (Capturing Local Context in Transport Appraisal). A Pre-Feasibility Study that looked at opportunities and constraints of Strood station, to explore how this would improve connections and regeneration. New Webinars A presentation from Dr Tim Heath, Arup's Global Director of Data Science and AI on 'Equipping the workforce for the AI era'. Equipping the Workforce for the Artificial Intelligence Era. Procurement Training Webinar - This webinar outlines how CECA can drive best practice in the procurement space and an overview of legislative reform.

30/09/2024 Back to News & Blogs September 2024 newsletter In Case you Missed it Training for the STB EV Charging Infrastructure (EVCI) Framework tool took place on the 19 September. We have made the training available for you to revisit, or catch up if you couldn’t join us live. Feel free to share with colleagues who may find this useful. You can access this here – National STB EV Charging Infrastructure Visualisation Tool training . The EVCI Framework uses quantitative and qualitative evidence, to display a wide range of helpful information, such as forecasted annual charging demand. Find out more about the tool here: STB EV Charging Infrastructure Framework tool . STBs will continue to make the EVCI Framework better by identifying new enabling capabilities, initiatives and applications. If you have any feedback, use the feedback form to let us know. Business Case Development support We are continuing to develop a series of webinars to support you on specific topics related to business case development. Thank you to those of you who attended the 11 and 24 September webinars . You can sign up to future webinars on the Centre of Excellence website. How to ask the right questions to get an appropriate and proportionate modelling approach Costs, funding and uncertainty: the use of optimism bias, contingency and Quantified Risk Assessment (QRA) and how to plan for costs changing TAG Spending Objective Analysis and coordination between the strategic and economic cases Deep dive: decarbonisation/climate resilience T reatment of future uncertainty in benefits - scenarios, sensitivities (covid scenarios) Attending the webinars is your opportunity to ask the experts questions about challenges you may be facing, or have experienced. To register, simply click the links and download the appointment to your calendar. For information on all events, please visit the Events Page on the Centre of Excellence. Get Involved If you would like to connect with fellow LTA Officers, explore best practice amongst colleagues, or discuss challenges and opportunities within the sector, check out the LTA Chat Thread . It's your go to local authority safe space, perfect for getting real advice. Other chat threads include Active Travel , Public Transport , and New to the Sector . For those who are new to the sector, if you would welcome a networking teams call for new starters in the industry/ in their team, please email coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk

19/12/2024 Back to News & Blogs December 2024 newsletter Looking back: Six months of the TfSE Centre of Excellence As 2024 comes to an end, we’d like to take a moment to reflect on the milestones we’ve achieved together through TfSE’s Centre of Excellence (CoE). Launched earlier this year, the CoE was co-designed by local transport authorities in the region to support officers with critical tasks, including business case development, updating Local Transport Plans, and reducing carbon emissions. At its core, the CoE is here to enhance your capacity and capability, providing valuable resources to assist you in your work. Whether by sharing case studies, highlighting upcoming opportunities, engaging in forum discussions, or suggesting bespoke content, there are plenty of ways to get involved and shape the CoE to meet your needs. Key achievements in 2024 A Growing Community Since our launch on 18 June, we have received over 250 registrations from a diverse range of stakeholders, including local transport authorities, the Department for Transport, national agencies, Sub-national Transport Bodies (STBs) and professional institutions. An Extensive Content Library Over 220 pieces of content have been uploaded to the CoE, providing comprehensive support across a wide range of skills, including policy development, appraisals, future technologies and statutory planning. Tailored Support Responding to feedback and local authority requests, we’ve delivered a variety of bespoke support, including: Presenting eight business case development webinars between June and December to enhance local authorities' capability. Launching the Carbon Assessment Playbook Tool in August, accompanied by a well-received training webinar to support its application. Introducing the Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Tool in September, which continues to gain traction and significant visits on the platform. Knowledge Sharing A key principle of the CoE is sharing best practice and lessons learned. To date, 25 case studies have been uploaded, providing valuable insights and fostering collaboration across the region. Please get in touch if you have any examples of your work that you’d like to share with us. A Thank You... Thank you all for being a part of the journey None of this would have been possible without your input – whether you’ve uploaded case studies, contributed content, attended training, or completed surveys to help us improve. Your feedback has been instrumental in shaping the platform into what it is today. Please continue to share your thoughts via the Got Feedback button on the website or by email. Together, we can keep building a CoE that meets your needs and drives impactful change. If you haven’t signed up yet, register here and become part of the TfSE Centre of Excellence community. We look forward to your continued engagement in the year ahead. Looking Forward More packages of support are in development in your recently requested areas. These include securing government funding, policy and strategy development, active travel modelling, and bus franchising. These will be delivered in the new year, and we will keep you updated as they are published.

Back to News & Blogs August 2024 newsletter Business Case Development support We are developing a series of webinars to support you on specific topics related to business case development. You can now sign up on the Centre of Excellence website. Funding and Finance: options for leveraging the private sector How to review a business case (and the key questions to ask!) How to ask the right questions to get an appropriate and proportionate modelling approach Attending the webinars is your opportunity to ask the experts questions about challenges you may be facing, or have experienced. To register, simply click the links and download the appointment to your calendar. For information on all events, please visit the Events Page on the Centre of Excellence. Created for You In addition to the webinars, in response to the capability survey issued in April 2024, we have created some bespoke content for your use: Development Consent Orders – the process, tips and tricks. Lowering Carbon and Improving Sustainability – a combination of guidance and case studies to help you. Chat Forum Got something on your mind? Jump into the LTA Chat Thread to connect with colleagues who may have been there too. It's your go to local authority safe space, perfect for sharing challenges and getting real advice. Make sure you stay in the loop by clicking ' follow ' on the threads that are relevant to you. Feedback If you have any suggestions for new content or improvements, please contact us through the ‘Got Feedback’ button on the site, or by emailing coe@transportforthesoutheast.org.uk Sign up To be able to view all the latest content and information, sign up today .