The Chartered Institute of Highways and Transport (CIHT) is offering research grants for improving understanding of current transportation challenges and opportunities.

Applications from academics, researchers and charities are being invited under the new CIHT Research Grant Programme. According to the CIHT this will “provide a number of small to medium scale projects with funding, communications support and technical review.”

The CIHT statement continued, “The Institution is particularly looking to fund high quality research that contributes to the development of evidence and best practice in the field of highways engineering and transportation, and has the potential to influence policy and practice.”

“Bids are sought that are innovative in nature and which fit with CIHT’s research themes. These include the societal contribution of transport; accessibility, integrating planning and transport; delivering better infrastructure and services for people; and network resilience”.

“The role that transport plays in the economic, social, and environmental development of the UK are not well understood and are rarely well articulated,” said CIHT policy officer Theo Naidoo. “This programme is an opportunity to bring evidence to that discussion.”

‘Exceptional’ or ‘innovative’ applications that fall outside of the key priority areas will also be considered, “if they meet the broader objectives of the programme.”

The statement from the CIHT concluded, “In addition, CIHT will consider exceptional or innovative applications that fall outside of its key priority areas, Projects will be funded in a typical range of £5000 to £20,000. The application process will include an initial outline stage, for which the deadline is 30 September, followed by a more detailed application stage and finally the approval stage. Successful applications are expected to be confirmed by the end of January next year.”