This year’s Transport Planning Day Campaign is being run completely online from now until the autumn, given the ongoing Coronavirus situation.

The ‘virtual campaign’ is run by the Transport Planning Society to focus on the role of transport planners in tackling climate change and helping to create a sustainable, healthy future.

The society hopes to host its usual Parliamentary reception in October and the Transport Planning Day itself on 16 November, but if this is not possible the events may also be held virtually.

Content for the campaign will be informed by stakeholder feedback gained from research that the Transport Planning Society is to launch shortly. It is likely to include blogs, podcasts and webinars showcasing successful transport planning projects and policy initiatives within the campaign theme.

TPS chair Stephen Bennett said: “We are all aware we need to move people and goods in a far cleaner and greener way to achieve a net zero future. Cities have seen air pollution drop during the health emergency of the Coronavirus crisis, due to reduced traffic. It shouldn't take these extraordinary circumstances to improve our air quality.

“In order to address the climate emergency, we need the UK Government to pick up the pace with supporting the integration of spatial planning and transport planning, and reducing the need to travel, with a clear focus on decarbonising the transport system while improving accessibility.”

Stephen added that with the Coronavirus outbreak creating a period of uncertainty for everyone, the difficult decision has been taken not to run the People’s Award this year given the pressures the transport industry is under.

“However, we will be providing lots of opportunities for our industry partners to offer support in kind and we would welcome feedback from our stakeholders on the most beneficial way to give you a virtual celebration of transport planning.”

(Photograph: John Bennett and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence)