The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in the UK has welcomed the publication of the Department for Transport’s Integrated National Transport Strategy, describing it as a meaningful move toward a more coordinated transport system. At the same time, the organisation has warned that the strategy’s real value will be determined not by policy language alone, but by how effectively it is delivered in practice.
CILT(UK) said the strategy marks an important shift away from treating transport as a collection of separate modes and toward viewing it as a connected system. The institute said that direction is consistent with a position it has long supported, particularly in relation to aligning infrastructure, planning and operations.
Daniel Parker-Klein, Director of Policy, Communications and Insight at CILT(UK), said the strategy is a significant step in recognising that transport must function as a whole. But he stressed that integration does not happen through strategy alone and depends on how networks are planned, funded and operated on the ground.
He added that freight and logistics must be included from the outset, warning that the movement of goods underpins economic activity, supply chain resilience and daily life. Without that recognition, he said, there is a real danger that integration will be designed primarily around passengers and fail to deliver its full economic potential.
CILT(UK) said the success of the strategy will ultimately depend on how well it works across networks, places and supply chains. In its view, integration is not simply about interchange between modes, but about ensuring transport systems work together coherently to support the dependable movement of both people and goods.
The institute also backed a place-based approach, arguing that transport planning should reflect the way people and businesses actually use the system in different parts of the country. Better data use and stronger coordination between organisations, it said, will also be essential if the strategy is to function effectively, while a longer-term framework should provide more certainty for planning and investment.
Even so, CILT(UK) said there are still important gaps that need greater emphasis. Freight, it argued, should not be treated as a separate or secondary issue, but embedded directly into system design, planning and operation. It also stressed that while passenger and freight movement are distinct, they are interdependent, meaning planning frameworks must properly account for both.
That includes practical matters such as loading, servicing and deliveries on streets and transport networks. The institute noted that while the strategy addresses walking, wheeling and cycling around hubs, it offers only limited recognition of how freight-related activity will be accommodated alongside passenger movement.
CILT(UK) also said integration will only become real if policy, funding, planning and operations are aligned across national, regional and local levels. It called for greater clarity on how that alignment will be achieved, as well as more robust performance measures covering reliability, economic productivity and freight efficiency. As implementation begins, the institute said clearer delivery mechanisms and defined responsibilities will be essential.
