Each year, the Transport Planning Society presents the Transport Planner of the Year Award to an individual who has made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the transport planning profession.
What the award recognises
The award recognises those who have demonstrated leadership, innovation and commitment to advancing the profession, whether through the delivery of influential projects, the development of new approaches and ideas, thought leadership, or wider contributions to professional practice and public debate.
How nominations work
Nominations are invited from members of the Society each year, with the recipient selected by the TPS Board following consideration of the nominations received.
When and where it is presented
The award is presented annually at the Transport Planning Day event in London each November. As part of the honour, the successful recipient is invited to deliver the Annual Guest Lecture following the Society’s Annual General Meeting.
The Transport Planner of the Year Award is one of the Society’s most respected honours and reflects the high regard of peers across the profession.
Previous recipients
The list of recipients runs from 2003 onwards.
David Wilson – Transport Planner of the Year 2025
As the chief architect for the Lambeth Kerbside Strategy, David has worked on a ground-breaking project that has radically transformed the use of the public realm in an iconic London Borough. The energy David brought to the development, adoption and latterly implementation of this strategy is hugely inspiring, and a real testament to his ability to lead the progressive conversation in favour of a more balanced approach to the use of our streets and public realm.
All finalists for this year’s Transport Planner of the Year award.
Nicola Waight – Transport Planner of the Year 2024
Team Leader of Transport Planning Services at Hampshire County Council
Nicola was nominated for her outstanding work in establishing the Fixing Transport Assessments National Working Group. She has been instrumental in holding transport assessment guidance accountable, ensuring it prioritises sustainability while remaining adaptable to evolving policies. Presented to the Department for Transport (DfT), her work promises to be transformative for the transport planning sector.
All finalists for this year’s Transport Planner of the Year award.
Will Pedley – Transport Planner of the Year 2023
The Transport Planner of the Year 2023 was presented to Will Pedley, Senior Transport Planner at Oxford County Council, for his work creating Oxfordshire County Council’s Decide & Provide transport planning guidance, making Oxfordshire County Council the first local authority in the UK to produce and adopt such guidance.
All finalists for this year’s Transport Planner of the Year award.
Jillian Anable – Transport Planner of the Year 2022
The Transport Planner of the Year 2022 was presented to Jillian Anable, Professor of Transport and Energy at the ITS, University of Leeds, for her brilliant work studying the ongoing impact of the pandemic on patterns of travel and car ownership and its future policy implications for the Centre for Research into Energy Demand Solutions (CREDS).
All finalists for this year’s Transport Planner of the Year award.
Stephen Bennett – Transport Planner of the Year 2021
The 2021 Transport Planner of the Year Award was presented to Stephen Bennett, Director, Arup Consulting and past Chair of TPS. Even in an exceptional field of candidates this year, Stephen stood out for all the work he did in 2020 – largely in his own time – to keep TPS going during an exceptionally difficult time. The award also recognises his work whilst at the Society as a founder of Transport Planning Day, and in the development of TPS’s first stocktake of the industry in Great Britain – the State of the Nations report. All this on top of ongoing success in his day job as a Director of Transport Consulting at Arup, where he has made particular contribution to multi-modal transport studies and local transport decarbonisation. Stephen is a fabulous ambassador for the industry and a worthy addition to the Transport Planner of the Year hall of fame!
To see who else was nominated download TPOTY Nominations 2021.
Sally Gibbons – Transport Planner of the Year 2020
The 2020 Transport Planner of the Year Award was presented to Sally Gibbons, Head of Traffic Signs and Street Design Policy at the Department for Transport, for for her work in producing the government’s guidance on ‘Reallocating road space in response to COVID-19: statutory guidance for local authorities’. This guidance has played a significant role in supporting the recovery from the COVID-19 emergency through encouraging safe and active travel.
To see who else was nominated download TPOTY Nominations 2020.
Susan Claris – Transport Planner of the Year 2019
The 2019 Transport Planner of the Year Award was presented to Susan Claris from Arup for the important part she has played in raising the profile of transport planning and particularly of active travel, as well as being a champion for diversity in the profession. Transport Planning Day was her idea originally and she is a worthy recipient of this annual award. She is a great ambassador and role model for the profession.
To see who else was nominated download TPOTY Nominations 2019.
Anne Graham – Transport Planner of the Year 2018
The 2018 Transport Planner of the Year 2018 was presented to Anne Graham, Chief Executive of the National Transport Authority, Ireland for her role effecting a significant shift in the governance of Public Transport in Ireland. Under her stewardship, the NTA delivered the first statutory transport plan for the Greater Dublin Area, a Transport Strategy for Galway and a Transport Strategy for Cork. These achievements and her public leadership have led to a substantial increase in capital funding for all forms of public and sustainable transport in the recent National Development Plan.
To see who else was nominated download TPOTY 2018 Nominations.
Nicola Kane – Transport Planner of the Year 2017
The winner of the Transport Planner of the Year 2017 was Nicola Kane, Head of Strategic Planning and Research at Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) for her work leading the production of the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040, published in February 2017. Nicola is a chartered town planner (MRTPI) and qualified transport planning professional (TPP) and joined TfGM in 2014 after 15 years of working in consultancy. She has wide-ranging experience in transport strategy and policy development, development planning and travel behaviour change and is now enjoying the opportunity to help shape the future of transport in Greater Manchester.
To see who else was nominated download TPOTY 2017 Nominations.
Stephen Wood – Transport Planner of the Year 2016
The 2016 Transport Planner of the Year Award was presented to Stephen Wood, Head of Transport Planning and Modelling within the Department for Infrastructure (NI) for his work in leading the introduction of four-stage multimodal models for NI and for Belfast to facilitate an ongoing and integrated approach to transport planning in the Province for the first time.
He has also promoted the application of transport planning processes more widely within the Department through establishing a Managed Services Framework covering modelling, scheme appraisal, strategy formulation and local public transport scheduling. He has devised and implemented local transport studies to support Council-led local development plans.
Stephen was the first transport planner in NI to be awarded TPP.
Lucy Saunders – Transport Planner of the Year 2015
The Transport Planner of the Year Award 2015 was presented to Lucy Saunders, Transport for London, in recognition her leading role in producing TfL’s ” Transport Action Plan for improving the Health of Londoners.
Frank Baxter – Transport Planner of the Year 2014
Southampton City Council
For setting up the Centre for Excellence for Smarter Choices.
Emma Osborne – Transport Planner of the Year 2013
Transport for London
For an outstanding contribution to the success of the 2012 London Olympics.
Ian Drummond – Transport Planner of the Year 2012
Leicestershire County Council
For a significant contribution to raising the profile of the profession and skills.
Tony Wilson – Transport Planner of the Year 2011
Transport for London
For outstanding work on the cross-Thames cable car project.
Martin Knowles – Transport Planner of the Year 2010
Surrey County Council
For promoting three major transport schemes in Surrey – Guildford Hub, Reigate-Redhill Hub, and Airtrack.
Colin Brader, ITP & Dr Anthony Mobereola – Transport Planner of the Year 2009
ITP Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority
For their work in delivering the Bus Rapid Transport system in Lagos, Nigeria.
Barry Horne – Transport Planner of the Year 2008
Nottingham City Council
For the implementation of the Work Place Levy Charge.
Michele Dix & Malcolm Murray-Clark – Transport Planner of the Year 2007
Transport for London
For the implementation of the Central London Congestion Charge Western Extension
Ali Clabburn – Transport Planner of the Year 2006
Liftshare
For setting up the ridesharing system Liftshare.com
Andrew Forster – Transport Planner of the Year 2005
LTT
For Local Transport Today
Keith Mitchell – Transport Planner of the Year 2004
PBA (now Stantec)
For the Transport Planning Skills Initiative
Derek Turner – Transport Planner of the Year 2003
Transport for London
For implementation of the Central London Congestion Charge