Skip to main content

Business Secretary opens UK centre for smart transport technology

UK Business Secretary Vince Cable today opened a new innovation centre for smart transport technology that will transform the movement of people and goods around the world, generating up to £90 billion per year for the UK by 2025. Based in Milton Keynes, the Transport Systems Catapult’s ‘Imovation Centre’ will help make journeys more seamless, smart, and efficient. It will support business growth in this emerging market, positioning the UK as a global leader in Intelligent Mobility products and services
June 12, 2014 Read time: 3 mins
UK Business Secretary Vince Cable today opened a new innovation centre for smart transport technology that will transform the movement of people and goods around the world, generating up to £90 billion per year for the UK by 2025.

Based in Milton Keynes, the 7800 Transport Systems Catapult’s ‘Imovation Centre’ will help make journeys more seamless, smart, and efficient. It will support business growth in this emerging market, positioning the UK as a global leader in Intelligent Mobility products and services -- from driverless vehicles and improved airport data systems to integrated logistics, sentiment mapping and smart traffic lights.

The centre is part of the Government’s industrial strategy – a long-term plan to deliver high-skilled jobs and growth.

Speaking at a special media preview of the Centre in Milton Keynes, Vince Cable said: “Britain has a long history of transport innovation; from the shipbuilders who paved the way for globalisation, to the railways, that underpinned the industrial revolution. This new innovation centre will ensure the UK is well placed to profit from the increased demand for high-tech transport solutions- creating jobs, supporting businesses, and driving economic growth.”

Operated by the Transport Systems Catapult, the Imovation Centre (combining Intelligent Mobility and innovation) is a world-class collaboration space for innovators, entrepreneurs, research organisations and businesses using the latest technological developments to improve the transportation of people and goods. It will also offer modelling and testing facilities, allowing new products to be properly trialled and demonstrated.

Steve Yianni, chief executive of the Transport Systems Catapult said: “Intelligent Mobility harnesses new technologies to create seamless journeys, where transport is smart and connected, and delays and congestions are a thing of the past. The Imovation Centre will take the brightest solutions to the most pressing transport challenges, and help make those ideas a commercial success.”

The Transport Systems Catapult is one of a new network of elite technology and innovation centres established by the 2231 Technology Strategy Board as a long-term investment in the UK’s economic capability. Applying business-led research, Catapults help businesses transform great ideas into valuable products and services to compete in the global markets of tomorrow.

It is estimated that the global market in Intelligent Mobility will be worth around £900 billion a year by 2025, and the Imovation Centre aims to help the UK secure at least a ten per cent share of that market. The Transport Systems Catapult will directly contribute £712 million in economic value to the UK during its first five years (2013-2018).

Related Content

  • May 15, 2024
    USDoT invites transportation agencies to get Smart for third year in a row
    Established under Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, scheme funds $500m in grants over five years
  • May 8, 2014
    Swarco acquires British traffic group
    Austrian traffic technology group Swarco has acquired the APT group of companies, creating one of the largest traffic and parking management systems businesses in Europe.
  • July 30, 2015
    Canada invests in new Asia-Pacific Gateway transportation infrastructure projects
    The Canadian government has announced an investment of approximately US$12 million for nine Asia-Pacific Gateway transportation infrastructure projects in British Columbia that support Asia-Pacific trade and boost the competitive advantages of Canada's Asia-Pacific Gateway. These new projects will create jobs and economic growth by reducing bottlenecks, addressing capacity issues and enhancing the efficiency of the transportation system in moving goods, services and people to and from the fast-growing As
  • June 12, 2014
    Global smart cities market expected to reach US$1,265.85 billion by 2019
    According to a new market report published by Transparency Market Research "Smart Cities Market - Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013 - 2019", the global smart cities market is expected to reach a value of US$1,265.85 billion by 2019, growing at a CAGR of 14.0 per cent from 2013 to 2019. Increase in migration from rural to urban areas is the major factor responsible for the growth of smart cities market, globally. North America was the largest contributor to the smart ci