Our Principal and CEO, Janet Smith, was invited to attend a transport roundtable led by the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, on 1 April. Janet attended as the education sector representative and in recognition of the strategic importance of the City Hub, both in terms of student access to public transport and its role within the planned regeneration of Broadmarsh.
Hosted by Nottingham City Council, the roundtable focused on the importance of strategic transport planning for the city and wider region. Discussions covered a range of key themes, including the future of Nottingham’s tram network, targeted investment across public transport, the integration of carbon‑neutral ambitions, and the recently launched Ride App.
The event brought together senior regional and local leaders, with contributions from the Mayor of the East Midlands, Claire Ward; the MP for Nottingham South, Lilian Greenwood; and representatives from Nottingham City Council, including Council Leader Neghat Khan, Chief Executive Sajeeda Rose, and Councillor Linda Woodings, who holds the portfolio for regional development, growth and transport.
During the discussion, Janet highlighted the critical role public transport plays in removing barriers to learning for students in further education. She also explained the strategic positioning of the City Hub, located at the meeting point of key tram, bus and rail routes, and its importance in supporting student access and participation.
As part of the visit, the Secretary of State travelled on one of Nottingham’s fully electric buses from the Council House to Broadmarsh, where she learned more about the Council’s plans for city centre regeneration and was able to see the City Hub firsthand. The bus was driven by Zohra Rani, Nottingham City Transport’s Driver of the Year 2025 and winner of the Top National Bus Driver award in the UK.
