This paper explores the wealth of options available to national transport policy-makers who wish to support more compact and connected urban development, and provides clear inputs on how to prioritise, broadening the focus from facilitating movement, to achieving true accessibility.

Realising the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement will require a coherent and self-reinforcing policy programme to deliver compact and connected urban development.

This paper provides an overview of the available evidence on the link between the effectiveness of transport systems and economic, social and environmental performance.

Urbanisation is one of the most important drivers of productivity and growth in the global economy. Between 2014 and 2050, the urban population is projected to increase by around 2.5 billion people, reaching 66% of the global population. By 2030, China’s cities alone will be home to nearly 1 billion people.

This paper focusses on one central aspect of urban development: transport and urban form and how the two shape the provision of access to people, goods and services, and information in cities. The more efficient this access, the greater the economic benefits through economies of scale, agglomeration effects and networking advantages.