• TPS-sponsored research provides solutions to transport policy challenges

The Transport Planning Society has made three £500 awards to young transport planners who have completed original research papers under the TPS’s bursary scheme.

The awards have gone to:

Stephen Canning, a consultant at MVA. His paper is entitled: Sustainable Transport, Unsustainable Politics.

Laura Price, a Masters student at Leeds University ITS. Her paper is entitled: What is the Role for Buses in Britain’s Future Low Carbon Economy?

Ian Bruce, a consultant at MVA. His paper is entitled: Delivering Economic and Environmental Benefits: An Assessment of a UK High Speed Rail network.

"These research papers have not only shown some substantial challenges for government policy but put forward novel suggestions on how to overcome them," TPS chairman Victoria Hills commented. "The bursaries confirm the talent that exists in the transport planning profession and the papers should be considered seriously by the relevant government departments."

The Transport Planning Society’s bursary scheme is designed to allow young transport planners (usually under 30 years old) time to conduct a piece of structured research which would not otherwise be undertaken. In 2009 applications were invited on a single 
’hot topic’ - Sustainable Transport Planning’s role in Rebuilding the UK Economy. It was recognised by TPS that the scope of the topic was very broad and this is reflected in the awards.

Notes to editors

To request interviews and copies of the papers, please contact Hannah Curtis on 0207 665 2238.

Stephen Canning’s paper argues that politics should be taken out of transport by setting up an independent transport agency tasked with ensuring a significant shift to more sustainable modes of transport. In doing so it would deliver policies to meet targets set by government. It would follow the precedent set by the independence given to the Bank of England. Stephen pointed out that the political system has resulted in long term sustainable development objectives being continually sacrificed as the government focuses on achieving short term political objectives. He suggests only an independent transport agency can break this cycle before change is forced by a cataclysmic environmental disaster or huge rise in oil prices.

Laura Price’s forensic examination of the government’s Low Carbon Transport Strategy demonstrates that the government has ignored the potential of buses to help achieve a significant reduction in CO2 emissions. Her paper shows that current government policy of relying on improvements in car technology to reduce CO2 emissions is hotly disputed. More emphasis on using buses as a means to reduce emissions would provide much greater
confidence in the government’s ability to meet targets but would require a considerable political shift.

Ian Bruce’s paper argues that only a new high speed line can deliver capacity capable of meeting demand many decades into the future. Although the environmental advantages derived from shifting car journeys to a new high speed line would be marginal, greater benefits could be gained from the line’s potential to reduce air travel. In addition the benefits to the UK economy would be considerable. The alternative of investing in improving the existing network would not provide the necessary rail capacity the country requires and could therefore prove to be a false economy.

About the Transport Planning Society

TPS is the country’s leading professional body for transport planners and provides the only skills development programmes and qualifications dedicated to the profession.