UK Transport Sector Falling Behind on Gender Equity

July 17, 2025

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, but it is now actively losing ground.

The 2025 Women in Transport Equity Index, based on the organization'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 USD$360.2 billion (£268.5 billion) GVA in 2024, a core driver of national output supporting upwards of 2.8 million jobs and enabling nearly USD$1.34 trillion (£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 organizations 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 organizations 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 organizations still offering five weeks or less of leave.
Only 36% of women in leadership roles are in core transport functions.

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 organizations 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)
Bus & Coach – First Bus
Consultancy – Steer
Cycling – Sustrans
Cross-Sector – Campaign for Better Transport
Logistics – Wm Armstrong
Maritime – Mintra

Government/NGOs – The West Yorkshire Combined Authority was the top-performing government body, recognized for applying equity standards across commissioning, recruitment, and regional leadership.

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
Formalize leadership pipelines and sponsorship for women in operational roles
Restore and expand mental health and wellbeing provision, including support for menopause and domestic violence.

The 2025 Women in Transport Equity Index is now available, including sector-level analysis, comparative benchmarks and practical recommendations.