The Transport Planning Society (TPS) yesterday opened nominations for the award, which will remain open for entries until 2 August. To enter, visit tps.org.uk

The People’s Award looks to honour the UK’s best community focused transport initiatives that have made a real difference to people’s access to services, quality of life and wellbeing. It forms part of the Transport Planning Day campaign, which showcases the role of transport planners in improving everyday life across the country.

Individuals, community groups, campaigners and Parish and Town councils are invited to nominate transport initiatives for the award. Local authorities and transport professionals can nominate initiatives that have engaged local communities.

Nominated initiatives must have been in operation for at least one year and entries must show how the outcomes have made a positive contribution to the principles of transport planning.

TPS is also working with the Transport for New Homes project to develop new awards focusing on the importance of sustainable transport for housing developments.

Transport Planning Society chair Stephen Bennett said: “We are thrilled to announce the return of Transport Planning Day 2019 after the success of last year.

“Transport planners should always engage with communities from the beginning of the planning process, listening carefully to communities and finding solutions that balance everyone’s needs.

“The People’s Award is where we ask communities to showcase what they think successful transport planning looks like.”

Commenting on the partnership with Transport for New Homes, Stephen added: “Proper planning means residents can move in to a new home and find themselves well connected to shops, jobs and services without the need for a car – good for our health, the environment and for the cost of living.”

Chair of the People’s Award judging panel Stephen Joseph said: “The judges had a really difficult task last year in picking a winner from the many good entries we received, and we are hoping that we will have an even more difficult task this year with more great projects to choose from”.

Former TPS chair and chief executive of Royal Town Planning Institute Victoria Hills said: “We have long campaigned for the better integration of transport with land use. Any initiative to highlight the importance of integrating transport and land-use planning to help shape better places and enable people to make sustainable transport choice is welcome.”

The Transport Planning Society will announce the People’s Award finalists in the autumn, before an awards ceremony on Transport Planning Day 2019, 20 November at the Institution of Civil Engineers in London.

(Pictured: Last year’s People’s Award went to the Sevenoaks Town Partnership Vintage Bus Service and the Sevenoaks Route 8 Bus Service)