Director General Road Transport Group

Emma Ward

Biography

Emma Ward is Director General Road Transport Group at the Department for Transport (DfT). Her current role encompasses investment in:

  • road infrastructure across England
  • vehicle and motoring regulation
  • vehicle decarbonisation
  • vehicle autonomy and responsibility for the motoring services agencies and Active Travel England (ATE)

Emma joined DfT as Director General for Roads, Places and Environment Group on 17 March 2020.

Emma has extensive experience working with businesses, local leaders and stakeholders, as well as on place-based approaches to growth and devolution.

Emma was previously the Director General responsible for domestic planning and implementation at the Department for Exiting the European Union. She was also the founder Director of the cities and local growth team, a Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government cities and local growth joint team.

Director General Road Transport Group

To contribute to the collective leadership of  the Department for Transport (DfT ) as a Board and Executive Committee member and lead the Roads Transport Group. The main areas of responsibility are: 

  • ensuring the department’s resources and plans align with our business plan
  • development of policy in relation to roads, motoring, road and vehicle safety, vehicle autonomy, vehicle decarbonisation, traffic, sustainable travel, logistics, supply chains and the border
  • managing the government funding of, and relationship with, Transport for London
  • client management of National Highways and its Roads Investment programme
  • sponsorship of  DfT’s motoring agencies (VCA, DVSA and DVLA)
  • sponsorship of Active Travel England, an agency of the DfT

Department for Transport