Should appraisal guidance be relaxed to reduce hurdles for scheme implementation?

In June 2025 the government published its latest review of the Treasury's Green Book – which outlines the core principles on evaluating investment decisions – with the promise that a new version of the Green Book will be available in early 2026, and will hopefully lead to revisions to the Department for Transport’s own appraisal guidance. Whilst this review has been underway, the Department for Transport (DfT) has been consulting on its new Appraisal Modelling and Evaluation Strategy (AMES), which will set out the priorities for improving its Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) over the next five years. Together, these events present an important opportunity for positive change, and this webinar will both explore the opportunities and ask if appraisal frameworks should be relaxed –in a time when growth is urgently sought by Government – to reduce hurdles for scheme implementation. Chair: Nick Benbow, Regional Market Director, SYSTRA Speakers include: Tom van Vuren, Chairman, Modelling World and co-author, The Green Book Review, Transport Planning Society John Allan, Director Northern England, SYSTRA Renos Livadiotes, Principal Consultant, SYSTRA Sarah Valentine, Head of Analysis and Appraisal, Transport for the South East