Born in 1940, Richard Allsop rose to become a highly respected and stellar figure in the field of transportation. From Cambridge he graduated with a first-class degree in mathematics in 1962 and from UCL he earned a PhD in 1970 and a DSc in 1995. Richard began his career at the renowned Road Research Laboratory. In 1967, he joined UCL as a Research Fellow and became a Lecturer in 1970. Under the supervision of Professor Reuben Smeed, he completed an influential PhD dissertation on mathematical optimization of traffic signal control. From 1973 to 1976, he was the founding Director of the Transport Operations Research Group at the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. He held the position of Professor of Transport Studies at UCL from 1976 to 2005 and served as Director of the Centre for Transport Studies at UCL from 1976 to 1997.

For two decades, Richard directed UCL's Centre for Transport Studies. His research, teaching, and advisory work covered road safety, traffic management, and various aspects of transport policy and planning. He made original contributions to transport research, including the development of a mathematical programming approach to traffic signal control, and was a pioneer in evidence-based road safety and policy.

Richard served as the convenor of the International Advisory Committee of the International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory (ISTTT) series from 1981 to 1996. In 2019 he received the Kometani-Sasaki Award for his contributions to the ISTTT series. Aside from academia, he contributed significantly to the professional community and society. Notably, he served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety. His seminal works in transportation earned him some top awards and recognition, including being appointed as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to traffic management and road safety in 1997. He was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering as well as the Royal Statistical Society.

Richard's steadfast and invaluable support for HKSTS spanned over three decades and his impact on our community has been incalculable. He actively participated in HKSTS activities by sharing his knowledge and offering guidance. Richard delivered a keynote speech at the 4th HKSTS International Conference in 1999 and attended the 18th International Symposium on Transportation and Traffic Theory in Hong Kong in 2009. He also conducted seminars regularly for HKSTS members on a wide array of topics.

Since its inception, Richard served on the important International Advisory Committee of the HKSTS annual conference, helping to shape its direction and scope. His expertise was also sought after in his role as a Consulting Editor for Transportmetrica A: Transport Science.

Richard has been an unwavering source of support and encouragement for the HKSTS community and we are deeply saddened by his passing. He is fondly remembered for his clear and engaging talks. He had a knack for providing cogent and timely feedback to both seasoned and budding researchers alike on their presentations.

His wide intellect and friendly demeanor made him an approachable scholar to discuss contentious public policy issues. Richard's kindness, modesty, and respect for others were evident to all, and endeared him to everyone he came across.

His loss is deeply felt by all of us who have had the privilege of knowing and working with him; his legacy shall live on through the many lives he has touched and even those he has not.

We are immensely grateful for Richard's mentorship and will sorely miss him. May he rest in peace.

Professor S.C. Wong
President of HKSTS
Doctoral student of Professor Richard Allsop
On behalf of the HKSTS community
https://www.hksts.org/

March, 2024

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Last Updated March 31, 2024.