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Transport: Skilled Workers

Asked by Joe RobertsonConservativeDepartment for TransportTabled Answered 17 June 2026UIN 8403

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps her Department is taking to support public sector transport authorities to develop digital, data and engineering talent.

Answered by Simon Lightwood

While local authorities are responsible for the management of talent in their own workforce, the Department for Transport made a number of commitments in our recently published Data Action Plan to support skills, culture and leadership across the transport sector, including in local government, as well as endorsement of industry run initiatives to train young people and increase the workforce pipeline. We also provide:

  • Funding for the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning and Transport (ADEPT) to support innovation within the sector.
  • The Structures Fund, which as well as funding repairs and replacements for local highway structures, gives authorities access to a Technical Advisory Body to help them develop schemes.
  • The Better Value Rail Toolkit which provides guidance on the early-stage design and planning of new transport projects, especially those that employ a rail-based mode.

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