Great British Innovation: a journey into the UK's transport technology landscape
This session provides an overview of the policy, technology, and innovation shaping the future of transport in the UK. It brings together perspectives from government, industry, and technology providers to highlight how collaboration is modernising the transport system. Key topics include national transport strategy, the Connected Vehicle Framework, developments in V2X and digital infrastructure, progress in autonomous vehicle legislation and trials, road safety innovation, and the growing role of AI and data in traffic and network management. Together, these insights offer a snapshot of current priorities, emerging opportunities, and how policy and innovation are evolving to support safer, more efficient, and sustainable transport across the UK. Come and join us.
Speakers
Darren Capes has over 35 years’ experience working in local and central Government. He is a Chartered Engineerand Fellow of the IET and IHE, and has worked in most areas of municipal engineering with emphasis on design, construction, evaluation, transport planning, and technology development and implementation. He is currently Head of Road Infrastructure Technology in the Department for Transport. Darren has a particular interest in data, connected services and emerging transport technologies and is Senior Vice President of the IHE and past chair of the Transport Policy Panel of the IET. He manages the Transport Technology Forum for the DfT and speaks regularly on the challenges of emerging transport technology in the UK and internationally.
Max Sugarman is Chief Executive of Intelligent Transport Systems UK, the national voice of the transport technology industry. He manages the strategy and direction of the organisation, representing the sector to government and stakeholders and making the case for the value of intelligent transport.
He has around a decade of experience working in transport, innovation and communications. He has previously worked at the Catapult Network, where he supported the nine Catapult innovation centres on cross-cutting policy issues and political engagement, and as Public Affairs & PR Director at the Railway Industry Association (RIA), the leading UK trade body for rail suppliers, where he led an award-winning communications function.
He has previously worked at the Institution of Civil Engineers, at a corporate communications agency in the City, at London City Hall and at the House of Representatives in the US. He has a diploma in professional PR, is a Chartered PR Practitioner and was Chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Public Affairs Group from 2021 to 2023. In 2023 he was recognised as one of the Outstanding Leaders of the Year in the CIPR Volunteer Awards. Max is passionate about transport and the role it plays in people’s lives, in supporting economic growth and reaching net zero.
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Irfan Shaffi is the Operational Control Manager within Streets & Network Operations at Transport for London (TfL), where he leads the strategy and roadmaps for the operational technologies that underpin the management of London’s surface transport network. Among other activities, Irfan oversees TfL’s operational readiness for Autonomous Vehicles and Automated Passenger Services, ensures robust operational technology cyber security, and conceived the Surface Intelligent Transport Systems (SITS) programme, which has already transformed the organisation’s operational capabilities. A transport professional for over 34 years, Irfan began his career as a civil engineer before moving into operational and technology‑focused roles. His career highlights include digitising London’s traffic signalling systems, delivering a world‑leading traffic management and optimisation capability, and embedding a transformational incident management system within TfL’s Surface Control Centre. With broad experience across all areas of Intelligent Transport Systems, Irfan brings deep operational and technical insight to the sector. Outside work, he is a keen cyclist and has completed numerous challenging rides, often in support of charitable causes.
