To support strategic UK interests in advancing digital twinning technologies and to co-create workforce skills aligned to the needs of UK critical national infrastructure and strategic emergent technologies.
TransiT is a national research hub focused on accelerating the decarbonisation of UK transport through digital twinning technologies. This £46 million initiative, led by Prof. Philip Greening (Heriot-Watt University) and Prof. David Flynn (University of Glasgow), brings together 8 leading universities and 67 industry partners in the largest transport consortium of its kind in the UK.
At the heart of TransiT’s mission is the development of a Federated Transport System of Systems (FTSoS), comprising interconnected digital twins spanning road, rail, air, and maritime transport modes. This comprehensive approach aims to address the complex challenges of transport decarbonisation holistically, considering passenger and freight movements across all sectors.
The hub leverages cutting-edge digital twinning capabilities to create virtual replicas of physical transport systems. By integrating real-time data from sensors and infrastructure monitoring systems, TransiT enables rapid testing and optimisation of various decarbonisation scenarios. This innovative methodology allows for the exploration of future transport configurations, including electric road systems and alternative fuels, without the time and cost constraints of real-world trials, while ensuring resilience and stakeholder inclusion.
Key challenges in interoperability, security, resilience, human-centred design, and data management will be addressed to enable scalable solutions for transport integration and decarbonisation, providing crucial insights for planners, operators, and policymakers.
Key objectives include: identifying the lowest-cost, least-risky pathways to net-zero emissions in transport enhancing the accessibility and efficiency of transport services reducing uncertainty and risk for time-critical investments in sustainable infrastructure developing new business models and policy frameworks to support the transition.
By combining expertise in logistics, digital engineering, transport policy, and sector-specific knowledge, TransiT seeks to create a blueprint for rapid decarbonisation that can be applied beyond the transport sector. This ambitious project promises to position the UK at the forefront of sustainable transport innovation and climate change mitigation efforts.