The TPS was actively involved in a number of aspects of the two day event: speaking at one of the plenary sessions as well as at a number of the lecture sessions; hosting the drinks event on the evening of the 28th; and awarding the prizes for the Best Paper at the Conference by a Young Professional to Edward Dawes of Arup, and Transport Planner of the Year to Nicola Kane. ( see separate news items).  It was a very successful and interesting two days with lots of lively debate and good networking opportunities which will hopefully bear dividends later in the year.

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Lynda Addison, TPS Chair at the Reception hosted by TPS

Photographs  supplied by Kitty Wheeler Shaw Photography

www.kittywheelershaw.co.uk

The title of the plenary sessions held on each of the 2 days was “Death to Transport Planning. Long Live Transport Planning!”  What would be your response be to such a question? Both sessions were challenging but the outcomes were similar. Transport planning has a long life in front of it but needs to evolve to deal effectively with the future; it needs a rebirth and to develop some new skills and methodologies.  Many speakers highlighted the uncertainty of the future and the scale of the challenges facing us and society. There was substantial agreement to the need to: better reflect society’s diversity; improve our engagement with communities; be more influential at political level both nationally and locally; plan for uncertainty and flexibility; evolve our techniques to maximise the benefits of new technology but also always to ensure we assess the unintended consequences of new technology upfront; and to ensure we look forward not backwards using good research and evidence to maximise the way transport planning can contribute to resolving the social, economic and environmental issues of today and tomorrow. Our conclusions from the plenaries were neatly summed up by Professor Glenn Lyons supporting a “Paradigm SHIFT” which he outlined as:

The TPS was actively involved in a number of aspects of the two day event

S – for stewardship of the future

H – for horses for courses

I – for innovation that is responsible

F – for forceful

T – for transport or its not just transport, stupid!

It is intended that the outcomes from the TPM will be taken forward so the TPS will be working with other partners to support and evolve the “Paradigm shift” required.  All members are invited to contribute!

TPS Director, Stephen Bennett (pictured below) presented a paper on ‘Planning for the future of transport: how to plan today for an uncertain future’.  This was a thought piece inspired by debates at recent TPS events which highlighted the current challenges that cities face and the uncertainty in predicting and forecasting the implications for transport.  He highlighted that we need to ask how we can improve the human experience of cities, rather than how we simply accommodate new technologies.  His research amongst colleagues at Arup highlighted four key themes for planning today for an uncertain future: 1) Plan for data and information, 2) Plan for flexible streets, 3) Plan for adaptable infrastructure, and 4) Plan for quality of life.  He concluded that ‘the future is about better planning (and delivery) as well as new technology’.

Stephen Bennett

 
 
 
 

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