Transport Planners make sure there is a safe, economical, reliable and environmentally friendly transport system within a defined area. This type of position involves preparing strategic transport plans for local authorities, studying road accidents and developing policies and schemes to reduce them. Transport Planners will design and implement congestion charging, parking control schemes, traffic management and traffic calming schemes. They may also decide on pedestrian priority schemes and cycle routes.
On a larger scale, Transport Planners prepare transport impact studies for airports, design car parks, road junctions or one-way traffic systems and manage projects and contracts. Professionals also use simulation models to manage travel demand and change travel behaviour in line with government guidelines, such as the reduction of car use.
Working hours for Transport Planners are usually 9 am to 5 pm and office-based, combined with site visits to look at the possibilities for individual proposals. Self-employment and part-time work is also possible for Transport Planners.
Transport Planners should have an understanding of the movement of people and goods from place to place, have practical skills to be able to assess plans and proposals. They will be able to oversee the implementation of agreed plans, be confident in dealing with clients, councillors or local groups and have good problem-solving skills.
Transport Planner opportunities and salary expectations
There is a serious skills shortage for transport planners at the moment. Transport planner jobs are available throughout the UK and transport planner jobs are typically employed by central, city and local government authorities.
Transport planner jobs often work for firms of professional consulting engineers and planners. They are also used by bus and train operating companies, freight companies, universities, research establishments and large companies with transport problems.
Many of the larger consultancies and some local authorities offer graduate training schemes for transport planner jobs, typically lasting two years.
Salaries for transport planner jobs range from around £25,000 to £75,000 a year.
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