Geography in practice: the connectivity tool - a data-led approach designed to achieve better spatial outcomes

Join us for an insightful webinar with Robert Singleton, Greg Haigh and Marco Picardi from the Department for Transport (DfT), as we explore how transport and spatial planners, built environment professionals and geographers can use the DfT Connectivity Tool to unlock sustainable development opportunities and analyse the spatial connectivity of an area.

The DfT Connectivity Tool helps planners understand how well a place connects people to jobs, services and everyday destinations. It uses national transport and land-use data to show how accessible a location is by walking, cycling, public transport and car helping identify truly sustainable places.

About the speakers

Robert Singleton FCIHT MRTPI: Head of Planning and Head of the Planning Professions Robert Singleton is Head of Planning at the Department for Transport, where he leads work on integrating transport, land-use planning and sustainable connectivity.

He plays a key role in developing national planning policy and national tools and evidence that help planners understand how well places connect people to jobs, services and everyday destinations.

Robert is the Head of the Spatial and Transport Planning Professions at DfT and its Arm’s Length Bodies creating the first Spatial, Transport and Environmental Planning Professionals (STEPP) network in Whitehall.

Marco Picardi MRTPI: Deputy Head of Planning Marco is a chartered town planner working as the Deputy Head of Planning at the Department for Transport. He works across the team’s projects, collaborating closely on infrastructure, environmental and planning policy with other government departments as well as the Department’s arms-length bodies.

Marco is also a visiting lecturer on urban design at the Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, and previously worked for the Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service and before that in the private sector.

Greg Haigh: Head of Data Science, Department for Transport Greg has been a senior leader in government data science for a decade. He oversees development of the DfT’s Connectivity Model and serves as technical lead for the department’s Internal AI programme.

Booking information

• Advance booking for this event is required. In order to book you will need an account on our website. If you already have an account you will be prompted to log in when you click 'book now'. Please create an account if you do not have one yet (you do not need to be a member of the Society to create an account).
• This event will be held on Microsoft Teams and joining instructions will be included in your confirmation email.

If you have any questions or require assistance with your booking, please email events@rgs.org