Archived

How can we better monitor and evaluate the impacts of road schemes, and other large-scale infrastructure projects, on cultural heritage sites and their users?

Background

Government is committed to ‘levelling up’, so that every corner of the country can benefit and share in future prosperity. Transport connectivity is an essential input into the efficient functioning of markets, reducing the costs of doing business and supporting linkages between key sectors of the economy. More efficient and faster delivery of major projects are fundamental to job creation and so a key lever for economic growth and our recovery from Covid-19. We are therefore enhancing the national strategic transport network, shifting the focus of DfT investment towards major projects that link the towns, cities and left behind places outside of London and the South East.

Key areas of focus are:
• More productive cities and towns
• Support local growth and regeneration
• Support jobs and skills
• Improve networks between major economic centres, and with international gateways
• Strengthening the Union

Delivery of major programmes such as HS2, the Integrated Rail Plan, TransPennine Route Upgrade, the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail and the Roads Investment Strategy are fundamental to job creation and a key lever for economic growth and our recovery from Covid-19. Further commitments are outlined in the UK R&D Place Strategy which is being published this year as part of the UK R&D Roadmap. The research and evidence needs set out below are critical to supporting DfT deliver these major programmes and key areas of focus to grow and level up the economy.

Next steps

Get in touch with BridgetoResearch@dft.gov.uk

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

Areas of research interest 2021

Related UKRI funded projects


  • The Landscapes of Post-War Infrastructure: Culture, Amenity, Heritage and Industry

    This research aims to understand the value of the landscapes created around infrastructure projects in post-war Britain. As these landscapes are altered, it is important to understand their cultural value, amenity value ...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: Lancaster University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to understand the value of landscapes created around infrastructure projects and develop guidelines for assessing and making decisions about these landscapes.

  • Transformation and resilience of our landscapes, archaeology and built heritage: defining responses to societal and environmental pressures

    Cultural Heritage will, in the near future, be subject to substantial transformation in response to changing climate. Mitigation and adaptation measures will affect economic governance, and introduce sustainability press...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University of the West of Scotland

  • Integrating Lifetimes in Heritage Capital

    ITHACA aims to articulate the economic value of caring for heritage. This project brings together an interdisciplinary team, including Associate Prof. Josep Grau-Bove (expert in damage prediction in heritage), Dr. Ricky ...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University College London

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project partially answers the question as it focuses on the economic value of caring for heritage and how the prevention of change brings value to society, but it does not specifically address the impacts of road schemes and other large-scale infrastructure projects on cultural heritage sites and their users.

  • World Heritage Sites for the Nation: the preservation of World Heritage Sites in a national context

    This project will evaluate the implementation of the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (the Convention) in ten countries (Australia, China, France, Germany, Italy...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Kent

  • Interdisciplinary approach for the management and conservation of UNESCO World Heritage Site of Historic Cairo. Application to Al-Ashraf Street.

    Egypt is very rich with archaeological sites. These sites contribute significantly to the tourism industry which is one of the main income sources for the Egyptian economy. However, the management and conservation of the...

    Funded by: Newton Fund

    Lead research organisation: Imperial College London

  • Bringing the Past to the Present: measuring, maximising and transforming public benefit from UK government infrastructure investment in archaeology

    Archaeological investigation is a crucial component of infrastructure projects (including rail, road, airports, energy and aggregates), employing hundreds of archaeologists from across the EU. In the UK over £200m ...

    Funded by: FLF

    Lead research organisation: Museum of London Archaeology

    Why might this be relevant?

    Partially relevant as it focuses on measuring and transforming public benefit from government infrastructure investment in archaeology, but does not directly address monitoring and evaluating impacts on cultural heritage sites and users.

  • Heritage Opportunities/Threats within Mega-Events in Europe

    In the past, many cities used mega-events to support capital and revenue investments and boost tourism while harnessing their competitiveness on a global scale. Until recently, the emphasis has been placed by and large o...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Hull

  • Cultural Heritage Through Time (CHT2)

    Temporal studies are central to cultural heritage research for the investigation of change, from landscape to architectural scales. Temporal analyses and multi-temporal 3D reconstruction are fundamental for safeguarding ...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: Newcastle University

  • AHRC Infrastructure Policy and Engagement Fellowships - Heritage Science and Conservation Research

    The aim of the AHRC Infrastructure Policy and Engagement Fellowships is to undertake research and engagement around three thematic areas, to inform and facilitate the design of a national research infrastructure in herit...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: Manchester Metropolitan University

  • Assembling Alternative Futures for Heritage

    Assembling Alternative Futures for Heritage (AAFH) is an interdisciplinary research programme which aims to develop a broad, international and cross-sectoral comparative framework for understanding 'heritage' in its most...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: University College London