Since 1995 when it was founded by John Whitelegg in England, the Journal of World Transport Policy & Practice (WTPP) has been a place to share ideas that transform the purpose and vision of transportation to enhance its social and environmental benefits. As we look to the next quarter-century and beyond, the Journal’s articles will continue to build bridges between research and implementation, serving and inspiring a vibrant community of practitioners in the transportation field who recognize that transportation research, policies, and practices are integral to building sustainable and equitable communities around the world.

WTPP has a commitment to sustainable transport that embraces the urgent need to cut global emissions of carbon dioxide, encourage the efficient and effective use of existing instead of building new transportation infrastructure, and highlight the importance of future generations, the poor, those who live in degraded environments, and those deprived of human rights by planning systems that put a higher importance on economic objectives than on the environment and social justice. 

WTPP embraces a different approach to science and through science to publishing. This view is based on an honest evaluation of the track record of transport planning, engineering and economics. All too often, these interrelated disciplines have embraced quantitative, elitist or mechanistic views of society, space and infrastructure and have eliminated people from the analysis. Therefore, the Journal explicitly encourages and promotes human-based transportation solutions and will continue its mission to directly address the ways in which transportation can benefit water and air quality, biodiversity, social spaces, social justice, and quality of life in both rural and urban areas, rich and poor countries alike

The Journal is a place to share ideas that transform the purpose and vision of transportation from a social detriment to a social benefit, in light of both climate change and the persistent incidence of auto-related deaths worldwide from both crashes and air pollution. The articles will build a bridge between research and implementation in order to build a vibrant community of practitioners in the transportation field who recognize that transportation corridors must not only be multi-modal but must also address stormwater, biodiversity; social spaces, equity, and that they contribute immensely to the quality of life in both rural and urban areas in both rich and poor countries.

To help it to reach a wide readership, encompassing advocates and activists as well as academics and advisors, WTPP is available free of charge as PDF files on the internet.