Overview

Hear from some of the best emerging talent in the South West as they present on a wide and diverse range of topics to see who can make the final of the presentation competition in May.

In this session, we will hear from three emerging professionals as they present and provide perspectives on an industry topic of their choice.

Looking to attend the other heat?

Why you can't miss this event?

• Fantastic CPD opportunity
• Support Emerging Professionals new to the industry
• Hear about a wide range of topics

Who is this event for?

Anyone is welcome to join the event and it is free for all.

Speakers

	Greg Neil - Assistant Transportation Planning Officer, Devon County Council Reflecting on Five Years of Active Travel Funding: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Direction The last 5 years have witnessed significant fluctuations in the national political, social and economic landscape. In Summer 2024 research was conducted asking individuals working in the transportation planning to reflect on delivering active travel schemes during this period from the introduction of the emergency active travel fund during the Covid-19 Pandemic through to the inauguration of the current administration. This underlined the key opportunities and challenges of scheme delivery processes from inception to implementation. Experiences shared helped to develop a series of recommendations that if applied would be valuable in supporting the improvement of the bidding and delivery processes of active travel interventions. Since this research was carried out, the current government has revealed more about their transport policy. This has provided the opportunity to look back on the recommendations produced and explore how closely recent government actions align with the priorities of transportation planning sector.
	Tom Lewis - Graduate Transport Planner, Arup Urban Proximity The concept of urban proximity is an exploration into how the urban fabric and street morphologies of our towns and cities shape our travel patterns and behaviours. It is underpinned by the notion that a destination can appear closer or further away from an origin point than it may appear. This is a notion that is dictated by how we perceive distances and travel times in relation to our surroundings. The significance of the impact of this idea on how we explore, relate to, and experience our urban surroundings is wholly unexplored and misunderstood.   This discussion will present our current understanding of urban proximity as a concept, what factors are at play in influencing urban proximity, how urban planning may have misinterpreted the concept of proximity, and how acknowledging and tapping into human behaviour and patterns may help to inform and guide the decision making process for urban planning.
	Ahmed Ferdous Nafis - Masters Student, University of the West of England Evaluating the Implementation and Impact of Separated Bicycle Lanes in a Developing Urban Context This study evaluates the feasibility of implementing a dedicated bicycle lane in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a city facing severe traffic congestion. In key intersections such as Kakoli, Gulshan 2, and Notun Bazar, bicycles account for a 9% modal share, indicating strong potential for cycling infrastructure. Using a simulation model, the study compares existing roadways with configurations incorporating separated bicycle lanes, focusing on level of service (LOS), greenhouse gas emissions, travel time, and queue length. Results show that separated bicycle lanes enhance roadway efficiency by reducing congestion, improving LOS, and significantly lowering vehicular queues and emissions. Removing non-motorized vehicles from motorized lanes leads to smoother traffic, reduced stop delays, and decreased fuel consumption. A logit model predicts that introducing bicycle lanes increases cycling adoption probability by up to 23%. The study also offers design recommendations to guide the development of effective, context-sensitive cycling infrastructure in urban areas.

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Help & Support

For more information, please contact southwest@ciht.org.uk.