Policies 2020

February 

Letter to the Secretary of State for Transport from the TPS Chair 

In a letter to the Secretary of State, TPS Chair, Stephen Bennett urged the new government  to realise the value of good transport planning, and to ensure that transport investment decisions are based on sound evidence. 

Read  the Letter to the SOS from TPS here

March 

DfT's Transport Decarbonisation Plan 

 DfT's Transport Decarbonisation Plan was published on the 26^th March  2020 which TPS members will be interested to see at the following link:

DfT's Transport Decarbonisation Plan  

TPS is currently studying the report and will be responding to it  together with other professional bodies. In addition we will be seeking to be part of the dialogue DfT is suggesting over this summer. Part of our response is likely to say that there needs to be improved integration of planning and transport if the decarbonisation strategy is to achieves its goals which is currently missing from the 6 strategic priorities listed.

April 

COVID-19 Response 

COVID-19 is having an unprecedented impact on how we get around, how goods are transported, and how transport planners do their work. This project will allow transport planners to share their stories, thoughts, and feelings about transport planning and its future in this uncertain time.  Contributions will be published on our Blog page  on the TPS website at 

https://tps.org.uk/tp-day-2020-announced/read-our-blogs

You can see the complete rationale in this Google Doc.

What are we trying to find out?

The answer to 4 key questions:

1. How do you feel about transport planning right now?
2. What issues and opportunities for transport planning do you see posed by the COVID-19 crisis?
3. How do you feel about the future of transport planning, and why?
4. What should transport planners and the TPS be doing about this?

What is this project all about?

This is a collaborative discovery project being led by the Transport Planning Society. But it will be driven by you.

We are taking a discovery approach to the project. Our approach will adapt as the circumstances change and as we discover more through our conversations with you.

July 

DfT Consultation on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans

TPS responded to the DfT’s consultation on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans. We recommended hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles be included in the phase out plans and the date be brought forward to 2035.  The Government should also introduce an in-use emissions based registration charge for new vehicles as soon as possible, and raise it year on year, to accelerate the shift away from the most polluting vehicles in advance of the ban.  However, a wholesale switch to electric vehicles will not deliver the ambitions of a sustainable transport system. The aim now, and in the future, should be to minimise the need for private vehicle ownership.  This can be accomplished by integrating land use and transport planning to deliver communities where people can access the places they need using active and sustainable modes.

To read the TPS response download here 

DfT Consultation on ending the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans

DfT Consultation on the Future of Transport Regulatory Review 

TPS responded to the DfT’s call for evidence in three areas as part of its  future of transport regulatory review: micromobility vehicles (MMV); flexible bus services; and mobility as a service (MaaS). We recommend: MMVs should be regulated in a similar way to electrically-assisted pedal cycles; operators of conventional and flexible bus services should be compelled to work together to deliver cost-effective, comfortable and convenient services; and government can support MaaS development through the delivery of infrastructure and services required by active and sustainable modes.

The full response submitted to the DfT can be downloaded here  DfT Transport Regulatory Review: TPS submission

Following the consultation the  DfT published its report with a summary of responses and recommendations

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/938347/FoT-Regulatory-Review-Summary-of-Responses-Accessible.pdf

October 

State of the Nations: Transport Planning for a sustainable future

TPS Policy Report

Published: 19^th October 2020

Authors: Stephen Joseph, Visiting Professor; Alexandra Buckland-Stubbs, PhD Student and Visiting Lecturer; Sue Walsh, Principal Lecturer & Smart Mobility Unit, Project Manager; Scott Copsey, Director Smart Mobility Unit

Transport Planning Society Steering Group: Stephen Bennett, Chair; Justin Bishop, Board Director; Lynda Addison OBE, TPS Planning & Transport Lead; Keith Buchan, Skills Director; Andy Costain, Business Manager

The State of the Nations 2020 report report reviews travel trends and behaviours, current government policy, regional transport planning, spending and investment and transport taxes and  charges to enable the Transport Planning Society to make clear recommendations to government and the sector.

The report concludes that the way transport is planned and integrated into society will be key to the UK’s ability to address the major challenges of today, particularly the decarbonisation of transport. Transport spending and taxation needs to support decarbonisation, with objectives set out in transport strategies and spending priorities to address these important national aims.

Governments should give transport planners, especially in local and sub-national authorities, the policies, tools, funding, data and freedoms to improve the transport system for all users to provide a better quality of life for people and communities across the nations. Transport for London should serve as a model for well-resourced local and regional authorities, combining spatial and transport planning and with their own revenue raising powers, but with requirements for setting pathways to cut CO2 emissions.

Download the full report (PDF, 2.8 Mb) TPS State of the Nations

Coronavirus Implications for Transport 

The events of 2020 and the COVID-19 pandemic is having an unprecedented impact on how we get around, how goods are transported, and how transport planners do their work.

In April 2020 at the height of the national lockdown, the Directors of the TPS recognised the need to look into the effects of the pandemic on the industry as a whole and James Gleave and Joanna Ward support from others set up a project to allow transport planners to share their stories, thoughts, and feelings about transport planning and its future in this uncertain time.

The results of that project have been submitted to the Transport Select Committee’s call for evidence on the Coronavirus Implications for Transport. 

To read the submission download the report here Coronavirus Implications for Transport

November 

Planning White paper: "Planning for the Future"

The Transport Planning Society has responded to the government’s consultation on the Planning White Paper, Planning for the Future.  With such major reforms proposed, the TPS put in a significant effort to ensure that we provided a full response that covered our general view on the need for more of a focus on the integration of planning and transport, the likely outcomes from some of the proposals, and that also answered the specific questions.

The response was led by Lynda Addison, our former Chair and leader of our Planning and Transport group, with support from TPS members in that group, particularly Ben Harvey and Nicola Waight. We would like to thank them all for their huge efforts to produce the response document.

We also worked closely with our counterparts at the CIHT and RTPI on the response, to discuss key issues and ensure that the organisations were aligned. By working together as organisations and responding with similar views we believe we can have much more influence with government and stakeholders. Following our responses, we are currently arranging a meeting with MHCLG and the DfT to discuss our concerns and identify opportunities to ensure that any of the reforms are effective in achieving the outcomes sought.  We hope we can work with these departments as constructively as possible to get the outcomes we all want.

You can download and read the response here.