The Transport Planning Society (TPS) has opened nominations for the People’s Award to mark the official launch of Transport Planning Day 2019.
The TPS People’s Award looks for the UK’s best community focused transport initiatives that have made a real difference to people’s access to services, quality of life and wellbeing.
It forms part of the Transport Planning Day campaign, which showcases the role of transport planners in improving everyday life across the UK.
TPS aims to have communities tell professionals about the transport projects that have made a significant difference and improved their day-to-day lives.
Individuals, community groups, campaigners, Parish Councils and Town Councils are invited to nominate transport initiatives for the award. Local authorities and transport professionals can nominate initiatives that have engaged local communities.
Nominations are open via the Society’s website until 2nd August 2019. Nominated initiatives must have been in operation for at least one year. Entries must be able to show how the outcomes have made a positive contribution to the principles of transport planning.
The Society is also working with the Transport for New Homes project to develop new awards focusing on the importance of sustainable transport for housing developments.
Stephen Bennett, Chair of the Transport Planning Society, said: “We are thrilled to announce the return of Transport Planning Day 2019 after the success of last year.
“Transport Planners should always engage with communities from the beginning of the planning process, listening carefully to communities and finding solutions that balance everyone’s needs.
“The People’s Award is where we ask communities to showcase what they think successful transport planning looks like.
“It’s there to highlight the projects that have made a genuine contribution to improving quality of life and wellbeing from a community perspective.
“We’re inviting people from all over the country to nominate projects that have excelled.”
Commenting on the partnership with Transport for New Homes, Stephen said: “With national and local governments across the country concentrating on delivering new housing, we will highlight the role transport planning plays in building successful communities.
“Proper planning means residents can move in to a new home and find themselves well connected to shops, jobs and services without the need for a car – good for our health, the environment and for the cost of living.
Stephen Joseph, Chair of the People’s Award judging panel , said: “The judges had a really difficult task last year in picking a winner from the many good entries we received, and we are hoping that we will have an even more difficult task this year with more great projects to choose from”
Victoria Hills, Chief Executive of Royal Town Planning Institute and a former Chair of TPS, said: “We’re delighted to support the return of Transport Planning Day in 2019.
“We have long campaigned for the better integration of transport with land use. Any initiative to highlight the importance of integrating transport and land-use planning to help shape better places and enable people to make sustainable transport choice is welcome.”
The Transport Planning Society will announce the People’s Award finalists in the autumn, before an awards ceremony on Transport Planning Day 2019.
Transport Planning Day will be on 20th November at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London.