The International Conference on Urban Transport and the Environment has been successfully held annually for more than 20 years. It first started in Southampton in 1995, continuing in Barcelona (1996); Acquasparta, Italy (1997); Lisbon (1998); Rhodes (1999); Cambridge, UK (2000); Lemnos, Greece (2001); Seville (2002); Crete (2003) Dresden(2004); The Algarve (2005); The New Forest, home of the Wessex Institute (2006); Coimbra (2007); Malta (2008); Bologna (2009); Cyprus (2010); Pisa (2011); A Coruña (2012); Kos (2013); The Algarve (2014) and Valencia (2015).

The conference attracts delegates from all over the world and is well-established as the premier event of its type. Transportation in urban areas, with its related environmental and social impacts, is a topic of significant concern for policymakers in both municipal and central government and for the urban citizens who need effective and efficient transport systems. Urban transport systems require considerable studies to devise and then safeguard their operational use, maintenance and safety. Transportation systems produce significant environmental impacts and can enhance or degrade the quality of life in urban centres.

The research goal to which the conference contributes is to devise and implement transportation systems that contribute to a sustainable urban environment through minimising the negative environmental impacts whilst improving the socioeconomic and cultural development of the urban environment. The depth and breadth of topics covered by this conference allows for robust analysis of the complex interactions of urban transport and the environment and provides opportunities for establishing practical action strategies for resolving urban transportation problems.

A distinctive element of the Urban Transport and the Environment series is the interaction between academic and practical perspectives where theories and ideas are debated and their practical applications rigorously tested. Clearly the issue of providing effective and efficient transport systems in the urban settings remains an acute challenge with financial, political and environmental constraints limiting the ability of transport system planners and operators to deliver the high quality outcomes expected by the public.

The papers presented at the series of conferences are widely disseminated throughout the world in digital and hard copy format. They are also stored in the Wessex Institute eLibrary (www.witpress.com/elibrary) where they are permanently available to the international community.