Joint Q&A

Professor Phil Blythe FREng, CEng, FIET is Professor of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) at Newcastle University and was Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department of Transport for six years until he stepped down at the end of May 2021. In his role at the DfT he provides a challenge function to the Department on the use of science and engineering evidence in policy making and also ensuring the Department is best informed on new innovations and technologies that may impact on the delivery of transport schemes. Through the CSA network he also ensures that there is significant cross-government cooperation on science, engineering and technology issues. Phil led on the science and evidence that guided how transport operated in the UK during the Covid Pandemic and the on-going recovery phase. Phil portfolio covers many strategic areas such intelligent transport, connected and autonomous vehicles, electro-mobility, smart cities/big data/digital twins; age friendly and accessible mobility; and the bringing together of the energy and transport systems to deliver on net zero transport. He is leading the thinking on Future Transport in the NE region and is a Vice President and Trustee of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Isobel has recently joined as Head of the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles. Previously, she has held several roles in the UK’s Department for Transport and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, including leading on delivery of air quality improvements, a programme to join up the delivery of housing and transport, airspace policy and regulatory delivery policy.