This paper assesses the Birmingham Integrated Transport Study (BITS) and some of its findings and results; it attempts to identify the factors which led to success, because many other places could benefit from a similar approach. The issues faced by Birmingham were so broad and complex that the city sought a transport strategy within which a series of decisions could be taken over several years. A key feature of this approach was that transport strategy was viewed as one aspect of a broader urban policy context including social, economic and environmental concerns. BITS has a study period of 6 months, and was asked to: (1) cover all modes and purposes of transport; (2) examine and broadly quantify interrelated economic, demographic and transport trends in a range of scenarios; (3) recommend a 20-year strategic overview, with a derived 5- to 10-year transport strategy; and (4) examine costs and financial resources. In the authors' view, the BITS exercise showed that the largest urban authority in the UK could review its whole transport policy within a year, and produce very practical findings. Paradoxically, extending its time horizon produced quicker results. The main lesson learned from BITS is that transport needs to be examined in a way that integrates it with its wider societal purposes. (TRRL)