High Volume Transport

Vital transport research to ensure accessible, affordable and climate friendly transport for all.

HVT sponsors Southern Africa’s leading Transport Conference

HVT was proud to sponsor the Southern African Transport Conference, Africa’s foremost transport conference held in the South African capital, Pretoria this month. The annual event, now in its 42nd year, facilitates discussion and information exchange on the implementation of transport policy, strategy and technology applications for all aspects of transportation, and is recognised as the key forum for the debate of current transport issues.

South Africa’s new transport minister, Barbara Creecy, delivered the opening plenary address for the conference who’s theme this year was “Upskilling and Reskilling the Transport Industry for Current and Future Challenges”. Outlining the many serious challenges facing the transport sector, she said the South African government was committed to addressing those challenges.

Our roads and rail networks are arteries of our nation, and should move people and goods safely, speedily and affordably across the length and breadth of our country, and facilitate our connectivity with Africa and the broader world, she said.

HVT’s ambassador, Joseph Haule, Chairman of the Tanzania Roads Association, spoke to the transport professionals and experts present at an HVT-sponsored session. He outlined HVT’s new body of research aimed at helping inform the decisions of policy-makers and planners to make road and rail transport greener, safer and more accessible, affordable and inclusive, and to ultimately make good investment decisions that will help drive economic development and poverty reduction.

Having robust evidence is absolutely critical when decisions need to be made, he said. Without it, decisions are less informed (or even uninformed) and can lead to general misinformation and costly mistakes. He explained the three ways in which HVT research powers change:

  1. We create an understanding for decision makers and practitioners of the issues and challenges to creating sustainable and resilient transport.
  2. We build the knowledge, skills and attitudes of researchers, policy makers and others involved in our work.
  3. Our research leads directly and indirectly to instrumental changes in policy, programme and transport practices.

Other sessions at the four-day conference included infrastructure, urban and public transport; urban mobility; traffic management, safety and security; aviation, freight and logistics; engineering for safe systems; maritime; public-private partnerships and critical thinking through project development. Alongside the presentation of research and technology transfer papers, capacity building in the form of courses was also an important focus, as was the enabling of better cooperation between public and private sector stakeholders.

Attracting delegates and exhibitors from 18 countries, the conference presented a picture of an industry committed to growth and upskilling, with a positive vision for the future.