Seeing beyond white male privilege in the transport sector – my submission to the Transport Committee.

Shaping the future of transport is not just about emerging technologies. Judgements are everywhere: judgements about what to invest in; judgements in analysis that supports judgements about what to invest in; judgements about who should judge what to invest in; judgements about which entry to this Transport Committee’s ‘Our Future Transport Appeal’ should be taken forwards.

Judgement comes from perspective and perspective comes from a person’s characteristics, circumstances, experiences and values. This is why diversity matters when we are addressing judgements that will shape the future.

Sadly, the transport sector is not known for its track record on diversity. Around 80% of people working in the UK transport sector are men. Our transport system has been shaped by white men based on their judgement. White men are in the minority in the population as a whole. Yet they benefit from white male privilege in a system they have substantially shaped. Thankfully, the Department for Transport is showing leadership in terms at least of gender – 46% of people employed in DfT, as a family of organisations, are women (as at 2021). This varies across grades though 45% of employees at senior civil service grades are women.

Of the 11 current Transport Committee members, 10 are white males. Yet this is an appeal to look at OUR future transport, which presumably refers to matters that affect all our futures. According to the 2021 census, 18% of the population in England and Wales is not white (up from 14% in 2011) and 51% are women. Over a quarter of a million people identify with a gender different from their sex registered at birth.

I wonder how many members of the Committee have read the acclaimed book ‘Invisible Women – exposing data bias in a world designed for men’. It is a shocking indictment of the need, both within and beyond transport, to do better – much better – when looking at issues shaping OUR future.

When focusing on emerging technologies – if indeed that should be the focus of future Committee interest – this should be through a lens of diversity and inclusion. Let’s remind ourselves of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, two women murdered in 2021 when out walking. Let’s remind ourselves of the millions of women who use the transport system but who may not feel safe and secure. Who is taking care of their future?

We continue to perpetuate an ignorance of the implications that judgements made by the few have for the many in shaping our future transport. I do not believe it is acceptable. I would very much like to see the Transport Committee lift its gaze and consider how serious a problem white male privilege is for the future of our sector and how steps can be taken to ensure a greater diversity of perspective and judgement is routinely brought to bear on research, innovation, investment and policy that affects our future transport.