As we count down to the National Modeshift Convention, we’re sharing a thought-provoking guest blog from Damian Greenfield and Alistair Ryder of National Highways, who will be joining us for the Cleaner, Greener, Safer Journeys session on Wednesday 26 November.
In their blog, Damian and Alistair explore the heart of what travel really means – not just the movement of people, but the moments of connection that happen along the way. They remind us that behind every data point lies a story, and behind every journey lies a person.
This inspiring reflection challenges us to think differently about how we design, support, and experience everyday travel – to lead with empathy, curiosity, and courage as we shape a future of cleaner, safer, and more connected mobility.
Read on!
Connecting the country beyond the road: safer journeys and shared futures for everyday travel
If you stand on any street corner in Britain long enough, you’ll notice something magical. It’s not the traffic, or even the buses. It’s the moments between the movement. A smile shared between a cyclist and a pedestrian. A driver who pauses to let a parent cross the road. A stranger helping an older member of the community with their shopping.
These micro-moments remind us of what travel is really about: connection. Not just A-to-B, but person-to-person.
Our theme this year: ‘Connecting the Country Beyond the Road’, asks a big question: how do we create safer and more sustainable journeys, not just through infrastructure, but through behaviour? How do we make walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport not just viable, but vibrant? And crucially, how do we build a shared future where travel feels like belonging?
The happiness of everyday travel.
We tend to talk about travel in terms of data, modal shift, emissions, infrastructure but behind every statistic is a story. A parent walking their child to school. A bus driver greeting their regulars by name. A commuter who swaps the car for a bike and rediscovers their local high street.
If we want to shift travel behaviour, we have to shift emotion. Because people don’t change because of graphs; they change because something feels right.
Storytelling is our most powerful mode of transport. It carries empathy faster than any vehicle. When we share the why behind safer journeys; cleaner air, calmer communities, more joy, we turn policy into possibility.
Curiosity is the new connectivity.
The biggest barrier to progress isn’t resistance, it’s assumption. We assume we know why others don’t walk, cycle, or take the bus. We assume what success looks like. But as I often say: “certainty closes doors; curiosity opens them”.
What if, instead of asking; “How do we convince people?”, we asked: “What might we learn from them?” That small shift opens doors. It turns campaigns into conversations and strategy into empathy. Because if you listen long enough, you’ll find that people want to travel differently, they just need to feel seen, heard and supported.
Braver together.
When we talk about connection, we don’t mean ‘let’s-all-get-along’ teamwork. We mean to be brave, the kind that survives tension, difference and disappointment.
Creating safer, sustainable journeys demands courage from all of us: planners, campaigners, engineers, and communities. Courage to admit when something needs attention. Courage to listen to lived experience. Courage to make small changes that add up to huge cultural shifts.
We don’t need perfect plans; we need people who care enough to keep showing up.
Practical magic.
Here’s what that looks like in action:
- Start with stories. Invite bus users, wheelchair users, and cyclists to share what a good journey feels like for them. It humanises the data.
- Build trust one promise at a time. When communities see transparency, and consistency, they lean in rather than tune out.
- Celebrate progress, not just perfection. Every child who walks safely to school, every new cycle lane, every “thank you” to a bus driver is a step toward the shared future we’re building.
When we focus on relationships, not just routes, we discover that people are the true infrastructure of change.
Purpose over position.
In the end, we’re not just connecting roads, we’re connecting values. Cleaner air, safer streets, stronger communities.
Yes, we need policy, funding, and design. But what we really need is purpose. The understanding that travel isn’t just a logistical act, it’s a social one. Because when journeys are inclusive, they become meaningful. And when they have meaning, they become habitual.
An invitation to connect.
So, as we gather for this year’s Modeshift Convention, I invite you to come with curiosity. Bring your passion and your humanity. Share your successes, your lessons learned, and the questions that keep you exploring. Let’s learn from one another and keep inspiring the journey forward, together.
Let’s build brave connections, not just between roads and regions, but between hearts and minds. Because the future of everyday travel isn’t just about moving people. It’s about moving people, emotionally.
And that, my friends, is how we start connecting a country beyond the road.
