TGIS
RIDE Programme
Research on Infrastructure in Developing Economies — a UK International Development / FCDO programme (2025–2030).
RIDE Programme
Research on Infrastructure in Developing Economies Catalysing change through science & innovation in a decade of action on sustainable transport
What RIDE Is
RIDE is a five-year programme (2025--2030) that funds applied research, tests early-stage transport solutions, and builds partnerships to strengthen transport systems in low- and middle-income countries. It succeeds the HVT and ReCAP programmes and runs in parallel with the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026--2035).
The programme is funded by UK International Development / FCDO as primary funder, with co-financing from Shell Foundation and BMZ (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development). Delivery is carried out by implementation partners GIZ, WRI, TRL, and Shell Foundation, who lead on science, innovation and technology activities.
- Website: ride.transport-links.com
- Total budget: GBP 38 million (70% sustainable transport / 30% mobilising private finance for infrastructure)
Five Central Themes
Evidence-based Research & Innovation -- Generating policy-relevant insights and testing early-stage transport solutions through the Transport Innovation Hub.
Sustainable Transport Transitions -- Supporting LMICs to implement inclusive, resilient, and low-carbon infrastructure.
Partnerships & Collaboration -- Working through expert networks, Communities of Practice, and multi-stakeholder engagement across governments, MDBs, and research institutions.
Bridging Research and Finance -- Mobilising private and public investment to address underinvestment in transport infrastructure.
Global Impact & Alignment -- Contributing directly to the UN Decade for Sustainable Transport (2026--2030) and promoting inclusive economic growth and climate action.
Programme Structure
RIDE operates as a platform programme with three pillars:
| Pillar | Focus | Lead |
|---|---|---|
| Partnerships | Communities of Practice, capacity building, knowledge management, comms | GIZ |
| Research | Evidence-based research for transport policy; open calls + agile response | WRI (transport) / SOAS consortium (MPF-infra) |
| Transport Innovation Hub | Early-stage ideas, proof-of-concept, seed grants, patient capital | Shell Foundation |
A 6-month inception phase covers detailed programme design, governance, recruitment, and partner consultation.
Transport Research Themes
Transport and Trade -- Freight costs and logistics barriers, digitisation of supply chains, last-mile rural connectivity, and food security links.
Productive, Efficient Urban Transport -- Formal and informal transport services, urban transport finance (taxation, land value capture, e-vehicle impacts), and mass transit decision-making.
Transport Adaptation and Resilience -- Climate-resilient infrastructure, maintenance modelling, shipping and rail decarbonisation (green hydrogen pathways), and accessing climate adaptation finance.
Cross-cutting -- Data and digitalisation (AI for traffic management, real-time services); gender, safety and inclusion; accountable infrastructure (anti-corruption, transparency through digitisation).
Design Principles
- Southern-led -- Communities of Practice driven by LMIC decision-makers; ambassadorial roles for advisory councils; capacity building for LMIC researchers
- Adaptive management -- Phased approach with course correction, responsive to CoPs and FCDO priorities
- Open access -- Research data and results published in downloadable formats
- UN Decade alignment -- Designed to feed into the UN Decade for Sustainable Transport (2026--2035)
- AI and knowledge management -- Explores a "transport-informed" AI tool for knowledge access and dissemination
- Builds on predecessors -- HVT, ReCAP, and CCG programme lessons carried forward