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Understanding behaviour change, harnessing new technology and pushing national and local policy makers to trial new ways of working were key themes of this year’s Annual Transport Practitioners Meeting held in Nottingham on 29^th and 30^th June.

No it doesn’t, but now that I have your attention, I do have some spoilers about the upcoming 14^th Annual Transport Practitioners’ Meeting (TPM) taking place 29-30 June in Nottingham. This is certainly one TPM not to be missed, as from start to finish the conference will be packed with opportunities for lively debate, networking and knowledge sharing.

Like many transport planners, I am always on the lookout for ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ when it comes to transport schemes. Given the nature of our profession, we can never truly get away from our work and I’ve found it’s impossible to be simply a user of any highway or public realm scheme. I’m sure you’re familiar with your holidays always turning into a ‘busman’s holiday’; admiring or balking at a scheme as your loved ones try to shuffle you on to the next ’proper’ tourist attraction.

PTRC’s Principles of Traffic and Transport 20-week evening lecture series began in 2004 with the simple but unique aim to provide a platform for experienced transport professionals to share their knowledge with newer industry recruits and those wanting to broaden their understanding of the transport planning sector. 

After two decades of incremental change – quality bus corridors, voluntary and statutory partnerships, Better Bus Areas – more radical changes to the market place for local bus services are on the way.  The proposed Buses Bill, which DfT expects to present to parliament this year, would enable local authorities to shape local bus networks and service levels in a way not seen since the Transport Act 1985.

Alongside perennial favourites such as “they all run red lights” and they “don’t ring bells/annoyingly ring bells” a key complaint about cyclists is that they “always ride on the pavement”. Both motorists and pedestrians complain about such apparent bad behaviour. 

When first writing a textbook on public transport planning many years ago, it was difficult to avoid the generally-accepted notion that these modes (bus, rail, metro, etc.) were in an inevitable decline, prompted by the continued growth in car ownership, and in some cases by population decline in older cities. Today, however, while decline continues in some cases, the overall picture is much more positive.

Having attended TPM for a number of years including events in Manchester, Reading, York, Birmingham, Liverpool and for the past two years in London and having presented a dozen papers and chaired various sessions I can say that it has been a very worthwhile event to attend.  The conference is less formal than some with a strong emphasis on participation by younger professionals alongside those of us who have been around a bit longer.  

Season’s Greetings from PTRC! This is the time of year we reflect on past glories – it’s the ’10 best this’ and ‘top unusual animal friendships of the year that’- it is no different at PTRC, as I take this newsletter as an opportunity to reflect both on PTRC’s year and its connection to my infrequent lunchtime exercise regime.