The first week of September began at full pace with the latest STREETWISE group meeting in Belfast. STREETWISE, managed under the DfT’s Transport Technology Forum (TTF) banner, brings together representatives from across nations, major road operators, and the Department for Transport to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and ensure infrastructure technology works seamlessly across borders. The group includes the DfT, Welsh Government, National Highways, Transport Scotland, Transport for London, the Department for Infrastructure (Ireland), and the Department for Infrastructure (Northern Ireland Executive).
For over three years, LCRIG has supported the DfT in managing this important group. Meetings rotate between nations and serve as both an essential forum for collaboration and a formal post-Brexit mechanism to safeguard seamless travel. To make the most of each gathering, the host nation or road operator also arranges site visits, technical insights, and policy discussions.
This year’s meeting took us back to Belfast, last visited two years ago, with the added opportunity – thanks to the support of the Department for Infrastructure (Ireland) and SWARCO – to spend a day in Dublin. DfT’s Darren Capes and I began with Dublin City Council before exploring the Wayfinding Centre – an impressive facility created by Vision Ireland. The centre offers people with impairments direct access to a range of transport modes – bus, tram, airplane, train, taxi, as well as varied street environments. It was an inspiring showcase of how inclusive design can open up mobility.
We were also joined by Mark Elmore from SWARCO, who not only helped with logistics but enriched our discussions by guiding us through key developments in Dublin – from floating bus stops to the ongoing progress at the Wayfinding Centre. His insights sparked conversations about technology today and the innovations ahead. For a closer look at the Wayfinding Centre, my LinkedIn vlog offers additional detail on this excellent initiative.
In Belfast, we revisited the Grand Central development, which we had last seen as a construction site. Looking back at the group photo taken on 8th September 2023 alongside our most recent one on 3rd September 2025 highlighted just how much progress has been made. Yet the moment was tinged with sadness, as we were missing a valued STREETWISE colleague from Transport Scotland who sadly passed away from cancer.
The trip concluded with a visit to the Harlander project, an important trial exploring autonomous vehicles in and around Belfast Port. It was a fitting end to a packed agenda, underlining once again the value of STREETWISE as a platform for collaboration, innovation, and shared progress across borders.
Paula Claytonsmith, CEO