Second National Report Shows Progress Has Stalled and in Key Areas, Reversed
A new national report from Women in Transport warns that the UK’s transport industry is not only failing to make progress on gender equity it is now actively losing ground. The 2025 Women in Transport Equity Index, based on the organisation’s second sector-wide survey, reveals that key indicators of inclusion, pay equality and leadership progression have stagnated or worsened since the inaugural Index in 2023.
The findings paint a worrying picture for a sector that is not only vital to national mobility but also a cornerstone of the UK economy. The UK transport and logistics sector contributed at least £268.5 billion GVA in 2024, a core driver of national output supporting upwards of 2.8 million jobs and enabling nearly £1 trillion in trade.
These unprecedented figures underscore why gender equity in transport is not just a fairness issue; it’s an economic imperative.
Key Findings: A Sector in Regression
Drawing on data from 100 public and private organisations across rail, roads, logistics, maritime, cycling, consulting and government, the Index was developed in partnership with global equity platform WORK180. Women in Transport selected a tailored set of mandatory and optional questions from WORK180’s inclusive employer survey, including repeat questions from the 2023 Index to enable survey-by-survey comparison.
The sector’s overall DEI score has fallen from 50% to 47%, putting it at a “foundational” level.
59% of organisations report a gender pay gap of 11% or more and have no real improvement since 2023.
Alarmingly, 65% now have no plan to close the pay gap, up from 44% in 2023.
Provision of mental health days has declined, from 22% to just 16%.
Paid parental leave remains unchanged, with most organisations still offering five weeks or less of leave.
Only 36% of women in leadership roles are in core transport functions.
“The Equity Index is an important step forward in our mission to create a more inclusive and representative transport sector. By measuring where we are and holding ourselves to account, we give ourselves the tools to drive real change. I’m proud to support this report and the role it plays in shaping a more equitable future for the industry.” Elsie Blundell MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Women in Transport
“This isn’t just slow progress. It’s policy in reverse,” said Sue Terpilowski OBE, Co-founder of the Equity Index. “When fewer companies have pay gap plans and mental health support, shrinks, that’s not stagnation, it’s systemic neglect. Equity isn’t a side project. It’s the foundation of a sustainable workforce.”
Sonya Byers OBE, CEO of Women in Transport, added: “We can’t keep celebrating good intentions while real-world conditions worsen. These results must be a rallying cry, not just for transport leaders but for ministers, regulators and suppliers.”
Gemma Lloyd, CEO of WORK180, said: “The data is clear: too many women in transport are stuck in support roles, underpaid, and excluded from leadership pathways. Unless accountability is embedded into governance, the sector will continue leaking talent it cannot afford to lose.”
Deborah Layde, Chief Executive of The Seafarers’ Charity, commented: “Long term problems, like the gender pay gap and lack of women in front-line roles, should be fading out of view. Instead, they’re standing still or even getting worse. This should be a wake up call across transport. Whether maritime, road or rail, lip service is not enough. To bring about equity in transport jobs, we need real plans with strong investment, that improve all working lives. Women are crucial to the success of the global transport sector – we cannot afford to ignore the contributions of 50% of the population any longer.”
2025 vs 2023: Regression in Critical Areas
Indicator 2023 2025 Trend
% with no gender pay gap action plan 44% 65% +21 pts
Mental health day provision 22% 16% -6 pts
Avg. paid parental leave 8 weeks 8 weeks No change
DEI sector score (WORK180) 50% 47% -3 pts
Women in leadership (non-transport roles) 47% 36% not improved
Sector Leaders Setting the Standard
While the majority of the industry continues to underperform, the 2025 Index highlights a group of standout organisations that are delivering measurable progress on gender equity. These eight sector winners have implemented targeted policies, improved internal structures, and committed to long-term cultural change, offering a blueprint for the rest of the sector.
Rail – London North Eastern Railway (LNER) is recognised for the second consecutive year as the rail sector’s leading performer. The company has demonstrated sustained progress on female leadership, with women in visible, transport-specific executive roles and strong progression pathways.
Bus & Coach – First Bus impressed with rising representation of women in operational and senior roles, along with a culture shift driven by improved flexible working, employee voice, and accountability mechanisms.
Consultancy – Steer earned top marks for introducing formal sponsorship, mentoring and equitable recruitment pathways, ensuring more women progress through technical and leadership roles.
Cycling – Sustrans has embedded anti-discriminatory policies into its culture, championed inclusive working environments, and invested in equity-focused leadership development. (Sadly, we recognise that many women have been impacted by active travel funding cuts and the mass redundancy in this financial year at Sustrans.)
Cross-Sector – Campaign for Better Transport stood out for its public advocacy, inclusive hiring practices, and policy engagement that champions gender equity across multiple modes of transport.
Logistics – Wm Armstrong led the logistics sector with a strong showing in flexible working, career development, and retention, an especially significant achievement in a male-dominated field.
Maritime – Mintra demonstrated innovation in inclusive hiring and was one of the few maritime companies to implement bold gender targets and transparent performance tracking.
Government/NGOs – The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was the top-performing government body, recognised for applying equity standards across commissioning, recruitment, and regional leadership.
“These organisations prove that change is not only possible, it’s already happening,” said Sonya Byers OBE, CEO of Women in Transport. “But excellence cannot remain isolated. To achieve sector-wide progress, we must move from recognition to replication. We need these practices to become the norm, not the exception.”
National Call to Action: Treat Equity as Critical Infrastructure
Women in Transport is calling on government, regulators, operators and industry leaders to urgently:
Mandate gender and ethnicity pay gap audits, with annual public action plans.
Standardise 20+ weeks of paid parental leave across the sector
Link procurement, franchising and funding eligibility to DEI performance
Formalise leadership pipelines and sponsorship for women in operational roles
Restore and expand mental health and wellbeing provision, including support for menopause and domestic violence.
“This isn’t an HR issue, it’s a national infrastructure problem,” said Terpilowski. “A future-proofed, inclusive transport system cannot be built on outdated structures and broken promises.”
The 2025 Women in Transport Equity Index is now available, including sector-level analysis, comparative benchmarks and practical recommendations. Download the Full Report from the Women in Transport website.
Source: cyprusshippingnews.com
