On 16 November 1926, the Institute of Transport was granted its Royal Charter, and this issue marks that centenary. It celebrates the people and the standards that have shaped our profession ever since. We chart every President since 1919: wartime organisers, D-Day planners and the architects of London's transport network. Chief Executive Helen Hardy reflects on 100 years chartered and what the next century should look like. We also revisit the Institute's voice in the Channel Tunnel debate, and meet Rising Star 2026 Sam Shirley, whose family story spans three generations of logistics.
Alongside the centenary, we bring you a rail special. With Great British Railways due in 2027, rail is going through its biggest shake-up in decades. Dan Mann, co-CEO of Rail Delivery Group, speaks exclusively to Focus about data, collaboration and what quality customer service really looks like. Martin Fleetwood, Chair of our Strategic Rail Policy Group, explains what renationalisation means for private operators, freight capacity and the workforce, and where the gaps in the plan remain. After this summer's red-warning heatwave, we ask whether the railway is finally moving from firefighting to genuine climate resilience, and Suzanne Grant tells us how she keeps Merseyrail moving & why rail careers rarely follow a straight line.
Taken together, these pieces show a sector that is changing fast but still depends on the professionalism our Charter was created to uphold.