PTRC’s Annual Transport Practitioners’ Meeting 2026 was held on Wednesday 15 and Thursday 16 July at Manchester Metropolitan University. The event attracted over 200 transport professionals from across the country to share knowledge, debate strategies and network within the industry.
Across the two days, over 80 sessions, eight workshops and two panel discussions were led by transport planners, highway engineers, and urban transport designers – sharing the latest ideas in the field.
Day One kicked off with Nicola Kane, Chair of the Transport Planning Society, asking the crucial question: Who will plan our future? Her keynote speech stressed the importance of addressing the key social challenges that act as blockers to innovation, as well as the need to inspire the next generation of transport managers.
This was then topically followed by a panel discussion regarding the value that apprenticeships bring to the transport sector and the importance of inspiring the next generation to join our profession. The panel was chaired by Leora Wilson, Transport Planner and recent apprentice at Mott MacDonald. Leora was joined by Anthony Impey, Chief Executive at Be the Business, Sarah Carter, Project Manager for Transport Planning Technician Apprenticeships at the Leeds College of Building, Steven Carmody, Managing Director at Carmody Infrastructure, and Taylor Nash, a current apprentice at the Leeds College of Building.
Throughout both days of the conference a wide range of topics were covered, enabling over 120 speakers to showcase new findings and approaches to ongoing challenges and projects. Sessions ranged from inclusive and accessible transport, promoting active travel, the journey to net zero, designing safer streets, and understanding demand and public behaviour. Interactive workshops also took place across both days, where our delegates got the opportunity to engage in sessions on project development, inclusivity, micromobility, generative AI and road user hierarchies.
An enthusiastic group of Day One delegates joined either a walking or cycling tour around the city centre in the early evening to learn more about Manchester’s transport network. The walking tour was led by Claire Stocks, Senior Strategy Officer for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, and the cycling tour was organised by Senior Transport Planner Giselle du Toit and her team at Transport for Greater Manchester.
On the evening of Wednesday 15 July, the TPM26 Awards Ceremony and Dinner took place at the VOCO Hotel in Manchester city centre. Congratulations to this year’s winners:
Emily Thompson, Podaris – 'Best Paper by a young practitioner' – sponsored by Mott MacDonald
Patrick Lingwood, Cycle Futures - 'Best Paper demonstrating sustainable transport solutions' - sponsored by the PTV Group
Josef Whitfield, Manchester City, and Daniel Bowditch, PJA - 'Best Paper at the Conference' – sponsored by Citisense
Michelle Wood - PTRC's Lifetime Achievement Award
‘Walking Routes in Faversham, Kent’ - Urban Movement's 'Urban Transport Design' Award
Day Two began with a PTRC fireside chat with Beate Kubitz, Director at Beate Kubitz Associates Ltd, Tim Steiner, Divisional Director at Jacobs, Kateryna Kryshkevych, a Lecturer in Transport Engineering & Planning at The University of Salford, and Laurence Chittock, Associate Director at the PTV Group. This panel discussion, led by Glenn Lyons, the Mott MacDonald Professor of Future Mobility at the University of the West of England, and co-founder of the series, debated the future of transport policy and planning - including what challenges we might face and what skills we can use to overcome them.
Day Two concluded with a series of PechaKuchas lectures. A PechaKucha is a fast-paced presentation in which speakers get to present 20 slides that proceed every 20 seconds. This was such a fun and interesting end to a fantastic two days filled with learning, enthusiasm and collaboration.
“TPM26 has been a fantastic two days with passionate professionals coming together and sharing their ideas about transport planning. CILT (UK)’s charitable objectives - advancing our sector and developing professional standards - is enhanced by PTRC's yearly flagship event that combines expertise with community.”
If your paper was not selected for this year’s TPM, we encourage you to apply for 2027TPM. PTRC are particularly interested in papers on innovative technology and AI, and decarbonisation and net zero. Submitting a paper to TPM is a great way to enhance your continuing professional development and public speaker skills. Keep an eye out on PTRC’s LinkedIn page for the call for papers and TPM2027 announcements, and if you are interested in joining the Selection Committee please get in touch.
With thanks to the sponsors and exhibitors:
Headline Sponsor - Mott MacDonald - www.mottmac.com
Programme Sponsor - Jacobs - www.jacobs.com
Drinks Reception Sponsor - Podaris – www.podaris.com
Exhibitors:
Citisense – www.citisense.com
CILT TDM Forum – www.ciltuk.org.uk
HDR Inc – www.hdrinc.com
TRICS – www.trics.org
Love to Ride – www.lovetoride.net
PTV Group – www.ptvgroup.com
If you wish to discuss sponsorship opportunities for 2027TPM, please contact Shania McCalla-Radcliffe, the Learning and Events Manager at PTRC, by emailing Shania.mccalla@ptrc-training.co.uk.
PTRC is an international, multi-disciplinary training organisation specialising in transport and travel planning, and part of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) in the UK. They deliver expert-led, practice-focused learning through short courses, lecture series and bespoke in-house training for professionals across the sector, with courses and events running year-round.