Bursaries
TPS Bursaries 2010
The Transport Planning Society’s bursary scheme aims to encourage transport planners at an early stage in their career to produce a piece of structured thought on a topic of current relevance to transport planning.
The Society is focusing the call for bursary applications on our theme for 2010:
'Getting sustainable transport planning right into an age of public sector austerity'
The credit crunch and current economic recession are just beginning to affect transport planning, which is often led by public sector spending. As well as the perennial issue of whether sustainability is an add-on which can only be afforded if the economy is strong, new issues arise if public money is tight. It is clear that this will very much be the case in the next five years. There are many issues worth exploring. What is the balance between investment for the future and maintaining what we have? Are opportunities created to “think outside the box” when funding is limited? In a constrained financial climate, what should our priorities be?
Applicants are asked to frame a specific title and subject for their bursary paper, of their own choice, relevant to the theme and to transport planning in the UK. Applications sceptical of the assumptions implicit in the theme are also welcome!
The value of the bursary is £500 and up to 5 awards will be made. This year, the best paper will be awarded a prize for 'Bursary of the Year', to be presented at the TPS AGM on 23 February 2011.
The required output will be a paper 3-5,000 words in length, and associated presentation to the TPS Board, requiring about 7 days work. The TPS will provide a mentor for each successful applicant, to assist with the technical content of the work. The completed work will be disseminated by the Society, who will also assist presentation of the findings more widely, if appropriate. The bursaries provide a great opportunity to develop as a transport planning professional.
The application form can be downloaded here or requested at tps@ice.org.uk . A flyer can be downloaded here.
Please note the deadline for applications is Friday 9th July 2010.
You can read about our 2009 Bursary Award winners below.
TPS Bursaries 2009
In 2009 the Society focused on a single hot topic 'Sustainable transport planning’s role in rebuilding the UK economy' and 6 bursary papers are currently being undertaken. You can read here those that have been awarded so far - keep a watch out for further bursary papers over the next few months.
Ben Staite, Swindon Borough Council - An investigation into the role express coaches could play in supporting a sustainable economic recovery
Since summer 2009 there has been a renewed focus from the privatised passenger transport groups in the UK long-distance ‘inter-urban’ coach market. An express coach network would support wider government objective of establishing a low carbon economy.
This paper has sought to promote the role, challenges and considerations that would be necessary to promote an inter-urban commuter coach vision. The benefits offered by coach transport are considerable and not widely recognised from the flexibility of routes, innovation in seating and travelling environment to service quality and affordable fares.
To read Ben's paper please click here.
Laura Price – What is the role for buses in Britain’s future low carbon economy?
The paper examines the Government’s Low Carbon Transport Strategy (DfT, July 2009), in particular examining the role for buses it sets out, and the balance in the strategy between engine technology improvements and behaviour change (mode shift) in the delivering the target reductions in carbon emissions. The finding is that the strategy gives relatively little role to buses in helping to meet carbon reduction targets by changing the way we travel, as part of a wider Smarter Choices agenda.
An alternative approach is exemplified by the bus industry’s ‘Greener Journeys One Billion Challenge’ initiative, which looks to switch 1 in 25 existing car journeys to bus, and which would achieve 50% more carbon savings by 2012 than the Government’s target for 2020. The paper concludes that there is potentially a much bigger role for buses in delivering a low carbon economy than that currently envisaged by the Government, and that such a policy would bring congestion and equality of opportunity benefits too.
To read Laura's paper please click here and for the presentation here.
Niall Baker, MVA - Sustainable Transport: Securing Jobs
The past twelve months has been, without question, a challenging time for the UK economy. The country entered recession and unemployment levels grew. This paper discusses how unemployed people are often faced by a number of transport barriers, which prevent them from accessing many job opportunities. It also describes and assesses the performance of a number of transport schemes which have been introduced by local authorities and PTES in recent years.
The evidence shows that these schemes have been very successful at addressing some of the issues contributing to the country’s economic problems, as well as assisting in its efforts to improve environmental sustainability. These schemes are needed now more than ever, however, their long-term financial stability remains unclear. This paper also details efforts to encourage central governmental to provide greater support to mainstream such schemes.
To read Niall's bursary paper please click here.
To see Niall's presentation please click here.
Ian Bruce, MVA - Impact of the recession on the case for High-Speed Rail
The paper assesses the extent to which a UK high-speed rail network could generate economic and environmental benefits and whether the significant capital investment required to construct the network can be justified.
The five objectives of the Government's Sustainable Transport Strategy are used as a framework to examine the evidence supporting the sustainability of high-speed rail, focusing on its potential for delivering economic growth, whilst simultaneously reducing carbon emissions.
Potential mechanisms for funding a high-speed network are also reviewed in the light of the recession and its impact on public spending on transport infrastructure.
To read Ian's bursary paper please click here.
Stephen Canning, MVA - Sustainable transport, unsustainable politics
This paper considers the relationship between transport and politics in the context of sustainable transport policy. Transport policy has historically been a short-term ‘political football’, with policy closely reflecting the prevailing political and economic thinking of the day. However, the threat posed by climate change and peak oil has become an increasingly prominent long-term issue facing the transport sector.
While initial steps have been taken to address these issues, the long-term nature the problems and the solutions conflict with the short-term nature of politics. While the current recession could act as a stimulus for sustainable transport, political short-termism is instead magnified by this economic crisis, where the key focus of politicians is on tackling the short-term symptoms of economic weakness. In short, sustainable transport is undermined by unsustainable politics.
To read Stephen's bursary paper please click here.
