"It is the job of councils to plan the future shape of our towns and cities and we hope this guide will serve as a useful primer to get local politicians and senior officers thinking about the impact on their area.”
The LGA has launched a new publication which explores the major transition in cars and road vehicle technology that could eventually see our current vehicles replaced by transportation that is fully electric, automated and connected.
This combination of technologies will bring about the most significant change in how we travel since the invention of the internal combustion engine and it is important that local government is part of the discussion.
The LGA said the discussion paper - ‘Clean, connected and in-control: What tomorrow’s transport technology could mean for councils’ - will examine developments we can expect; how innovative councils are getting involved in trials and the issues that all councils will need to address in the future. It is also a call for engagement from different groups with an involvement in the area to feed ideas in and help better understand the potential of future transport technologies.
The role of local government will be pivotal in shaping how this technology fits and develops in our communities and decisions taken now could have a profound impact on the future.
Cllr Martin Tett, LGAs Transport spokesman, said:
“Local government needs to be active in the conversation about the future of transport technology. If we are able to work in partnership with business, manufacturers and regulators, this technology could be harnessed to solve some of the most complex issues that we face.
“From a local leadership perspective, the potential for public good from this technological revolution is significant, but the opportunities need to be grasped and challenges overcome.
“Decisions taken now could have profound impacts on the shape of our communities. The role of local leaders is to reflect on how technological trends could affect their area and how these developments could be harnessed to solve other problems. It is the job of councils to plan the future shape of our towns and cities and we hope this guide will serve as a useful primer to get local politicians and senior officers thinking about the impact on their area.”