Kent -Strategic Transport Priorities

What: Strategic Transport Priorities in Kent and implications of forthcoming governance changes’

When: 7th October 2026, 18:00 (Registration at 18:30) - 20:00

Where: DHA Planning, Eclipse House, Eclipse park, Maidstone ME14 3EN (Close to J7 of M20) and Online.

Speaker: Joseph Ratcliffe,Transport Strategy Manager, Major Capital Project Team, Kent County Council Highways and Transport and Stephen Gasche, former Rail Project Manager, Kent County Council

Stephen Gasche, former Rail Project Manager at Kent County Council with many years experience within the transport industry, both in London and Kent will give an overview of Government proposals for the devolution of powers and funding to the regions of south-east England, and of the separate process of proposed Local Government Reorganisation that will affect every one of our local authorities in our region.

Joseph Ratcliffe, Transport Strategy Manager at Kent County Council will give an overview of the strategic transport priorities in Kent, including a look ahead at potential delivery of pipeline schemes and what the future might hold in the context of local government reorganisation, devolution and spatial development strategies.

About Stephen and Joseph

Stephen Gasche was employed by London Transport between 1971 and 1979, firstly in the bus schedules department and subsequently in the Transport Planning department, where he provided support for the senior transport planners working on public transport developments in the capital. During this period he also studied at the City of London Polytechnic for the Chartered Institute of Transport exams, and in 1976 was elected as a councillor in the London Borough of Bexley where he became Chief Whip and vice-chair of the finance committee. Stephen returned to local government in 2002 with Shepway District Council in Folkestone, and he became the council’s Transport Officer in 2004. During the following four years he was the lead officer on Shepway’s Rail for Folkestone Group which led the campaign for the delivery of High-Speed domestic rail services to Folkestone. In 2008 Stephen was appointed as Public Transport Team Leader (East Kent) with Kent County Council (KCC), where he worked closely with stakeholders in the rail industry on plans to improve the rail services in Kent. In 2012 he was appointed Principal Transport Planner – Rail in the new Transport Strategy Delivery Team at KCC, where Stephen's final appointment was as Rail Project Manager in 2019. Having retired from KCC in 2021, Stephen spent the next three years working part-time for Otterpool Park LLP as the lead officer for the development of Westenhanger Station with the aim of securing High-Speed services for the planned Otterpool Park Garden Town. Stephen is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and is a member of the institute's Strategic Rail Policy Group.

Joseph has eighteen years’ experience with Kent County Council, the largest County Council in England, with the last eleven years as the Transport Strategy Manager responsible for two statutory Local Transport Plans that set the Council’s priorities for transport for the last decade. He led the delivery of a new railway station from concept through design, consultation, planning, funding and delivery and has worked with government departments, National Highways, Network Rail and other partners including the sub-national transport body to shape transport policy and strategy through consultation, developing transport business cases, securing funding and delivery of major transport infrastructure projects for road and rail. He has also represented the Council in response to major transport infrastructure proposals including the Lower Thames Crossing Development Consent Order Examination and airport proposals.

Note: If you are not a current Member of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport, please be aware our membership team may be in touch with you using your email address provided regards membership opportunities. If you do not wish to be contacted please email and let us know at [email protected]

Competencies;

• TP1.1 Transport Infrastructure and Network Resilience
• TP2.1 Policy Planning for Transport
• TP2.3 Transport Planning