The TSU's 50th anniversary

The Transport Studies Unit was founded in 1973 when an endowment by the then Chartered Institute of Transport allowed Dr Ian Heggie to be appointed as Reader in Transport Economics at Nuffield College. Under Ian and subsequent Directors, the TSU flourished and became a globally renowned centre of research excellence in travel demand analysis and transport planning. Over time the TSU's research portfolio and strengths have evolved in response to changes in the challenged faced by the transport sector. In 2023 we will celebrate both past achievements and the TSU's future.

Our research

Transport has the power to transform lives for better and for worse.


From injustices to impracticalities, TSU research can often uncover the unforeseen consequences of transport innovation, investment and policy. By advancing understandings of the systems, processes and practices that shape the way we move, the TSU hopes to inspire and inform change towards a more sustainable, just and accessible transport system.

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