Stephen is Director for Buses & Inclusion at the Department for Transport – leading the directorate responsible for DfT’s overall approach to accessibility and equality and its work on buses, taxis and coaches. He and his team also lead across DfT on championing the importance of people and places in the department’s work.

Stephen has worked in government on transport issues for over 25 years, including in the then Department for the Environment and the No 10 Policy Unit. His previous roles in DfT include Director for Local Transport – with responsibility for City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements and local roads policy and funding – and leading DfT’s client team for the first Road Investment Strategy.

Stephen is a former UK First Delegate to the World Road Association, of which he was recently made an honorary member.

Sue Percy is the Chief Executive Officer of the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation. CIHT is a charity, learned society and membership body whose members are mainly engineers and transport planners, operating in the UK and internationally.

Sue’s interests include improving the way transport infrastructure – including roads – is planned, funded, designed, built, managed and operated to meet societal needs, environmental imperatives and supporting a strong economy.

She has a deep interest in changing the image of the transport infrastructure industry and making it a more diverse and inclusive career for all.

Sue holds several voluntary Trustee and non-executive Director roles. She has worked in the built environment sector for over 30 years in allied professions, Higher Education and in local government.

Sue was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s birthday honours in June 2019 for services to transport.

Kamran has worked in the not-for-profit sector for his whole career and, for the last 20 years, led Disabled People’s Organisations (DPO). He worked for the Spinal Injury charity Aspire and was CEO of Action on Disability for 13 years. In 2017, he joined Disability Rights UK as its CEO. DR UK is the only UK-wide DPO. Kamran contracted polio as a child and is a wheelchair user. His experiences at special and mainstream schools showed him that inclusive education for all children is essential. He is driven to ensure younger disabled people have better opportunities than he did. He is passionate about creating an inclusive society, one that works for everyone and benefits from the rich diversity of experience that Disabled people bring. An influential leader in a highly politicised area of disability rights, he has represented the UK disability movement at the United Nations, working with a coalition of civil society organisations.

Kamran serves on the boards of the Lloyds Bank Foundation and is Chair of Wheels for Wellbeing. He is a former chair of Candoco Dance Company and board member of Inclusion London and Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. He is also a member of the Gatwick Independent Disability Advisory Group and a former member of Transport for London’s Independent Disability Advisory Group.

Kamran is listed in the Shaw Trusts 2018 Power 100 list of Britain’s most influential disabled people and was listed in the top 10 in 2020. He was recognised on Green Park’s 2019 BAME 100 Business Leaders, runner-up in the Vodafone Diversity Campaigner Award 2017 and winner of the Celebrating Diversity award from the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham in their inaugural Civic Honour Awards 2017. He is a contributor to the Fairness Foundation, an Ambassador for the Design Council and the Digital Poverty Alliance.

Sean Rooney is a distinguished professional in the field of Highway and infrastructure maintenance and management, with a career spanning over three decades. He currently serves as a key member of the Local Council Roads Innovation Group (LCRIG) Board, where he contributes his extensive expertise to drive innovation and excellence in local road networks.

Sean’s career began with a strong foundation in civil engineering, having earned his degree from a prestigious university. He quickly rose through the ranks, demonstrating exceptional leadership and technical skills. His early career saw him taking on various roles in both the public and private sectors, where he managed significant infrastructure projects and developed a reputation for delivering high-quality results.

In addition to his professional achievements, Sean has been an active member of several influential industry organizations. He has served as a Council member of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), where he plays a pivotal role in advancing the profession and advocating for the highest standards of practice.

His leadership extended to the Local Government Technical Advisers Group (LGTAG), where he currently holds the position of President, contributing to the development of policies and strategies that have shaped the future of local government engineering. A key focus for his Presidential theme is “Collaborative Research- From Research to Reality” is to work with sector colleagues to promote research and raise awareness of research funding and academic opportunities and to connect organisations to drive research forward in the Highways Sector.

Sean’s commitment to the industry is further exemplified by his involvement with LCRIG. As a Board member, he has been instrumental in fostering collaboration and innovation among local councils, ensuring that road networks are safe, efficient, and sustainable. His vision and dedication have made a significant impact on the way local infrastructure is managed and maintained.

Lizzy is an experienced Stakeholder and Contracts Manager and has worked at Transport for London for ten years. She has a track record of delivering innovative projects and managing complex stakeholder networks. She has been working on micromobility at TfL for the past four years, including on the launch of the first new mode of transport on London’s streets in over a decade, London’s E-Scooter Trial. Her current role involves working closely with operators, boroughs and stakeholder groups to run an effective transport service that works for everyone. Lizzy is passionate about promoting micromobility and active travel.

Ersilia Verlinghieri is Senior Research Fellow at the Active Travel Academy, University of Westminster. Her research interests focus on transport governance and planning, with particular emphasis on issues of social and environmental justice in low-carbon mobility transitions. Recent research has focused on working conditions in the cargo bike sector, the governance of transport decarbonisation, and the evaluation of social impacts of transport interventions. She has published over 30 academic articles in leading peer-reviewed journals, book chapters, and policy reports.