As we near the end of the HVT programme, we’ve been reflecting on the key themes of our work with stakeholders in the programme.
Here, Susanna Zammataro, Director General at the International Road Federation, explains how HVT’s work has supported infrastructure developments and the legacy the work will leave behind.
Road transport and road infrastructure have long been a cornerstone of economic prosperity and the foundation for vibrant, prosperous communities. They are essential for connecting people to jobs, schools, hospitals, and markets, fostering opportunities and improving quality of life. While roads bring immense social and economic benefits, it’s equally important to address their externalities: traffic deaths and injuries, environmental impacts and air quality primarily.
The challenge is to develop road networks and road transport in a way that maximises their benefits while meeting our sustainability goals. How can we ensure that the significant investments required for road development, upgrades and rehabilitation are spent wisely, creating infrastructure that not only meets today’s needs but also anticipates and adapts to the realities of climate change? How can we design and manage roads and transport systems that actively move us closer to a net-zero future?
These are crucial questions—and ones that the IRF is addressing every day. Thanks to innovative research, like the insights generated through the HVT programme, we now have the tools and knowledge to empower many of our members with evidence-based approaches for shaping impactful projects, plans, and policies.
Road infrastructure takes time to materialise, but the HVT programme’s influence on sustainable development is already being felt and will only grow in the years to come. For example, climate adaptation measures introduced in the updated Road Note 31 are already being applied in numerous countries, and the revisions to the Highways Design and Maintenance Standards Model, supported by HVT, are ensuring that millions of dollars of investment are directed toward building sustainable, resilient roads.
Perhaps one of the programme’s most inspiring legacies is its commitment to innovation and collaboration. Meeting today’s transport challenges requires bold ideas and collective action. Our partnership with HVT during the COVID-19 pandemic is a testament to this, as we rapidly developed the gTKP platform to provide quick access to critical knowledge, resources, and best practices during an unprecedented time. Support from the HVT program also allowed IRF and the Global Alliance of NGOs for Road Safety to review policy and practice in terms of Africa’s response to the pandemic and its impact on transport and mobility of goods.
The legacy of the HVT programme lies not just in its outputs but in its ethos of forward-thinking and partnership. I am confident that these contributions will continue to support and inspire the transport sector as we work toward a more sustainable future.