Event Feedback Request: due to a technical issue at the end of the day that stopped the link to the feedback survey being shown, we would be grateful if anyone who didn’t get a chance to feedback on the day could do so via the link here.
We were very pleased to welcome almost 100 participants from across local and central government, consultancies, advocacy and research for our annual symposium. In this blog post we share with you a summary of the key take-aways from the event, as well as links to available recordings and slides of the different sessions.
CTS Director Professor Graham Parkhurst and Professor Enda Hayes, Director of Research and Enterprise for the School of Architecture and Environment welcomed delegates on behalf of the University, and set out our vision for how transport can contribute to a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Keynote speaker: Councillor Sarah Warren (BANES)
Our first of two keynote speakers was Councillor Sarah Warren, Deputy Leader of Bath and NorthEast Somerset Council (BANES) and Liberal Democrat Councillor for Bathavon North ward and representative on the BANES Climate Panel and West of England Combined Authority (WECA) Planning and Transport Board.
Sarah presented two case studies relating to the difficult realities of implementing sustainable transport schemes. Sarah’s talk highlighted some key lessons learned in relation to citizen engagement and participation; the challenges of spending allocated funds when agreement on schemes is limited; navigating social media; the successes of the Bath Clean Air Zone and importance of evidence and evaluation to support future projects.
Click here to access slides from Sarah’s Keynote presentation
CTS’s research showcase – Parallel sessions
Our first Keynote was followed by two parallel sessions in which CTS staff shared insights from our latest research projects.
Session 1 – Transport Futures
It was kicked off by CTS Director Graham Parkhurst examining the challenges in delivering low impact aviation and the potential role of hybrid aircraft. Following this, Dr Evita Papazikou examined the use of technology to detect events in road safety surveillance. Dr Caroline Bartle discussed findings from research examining the lasting effects on public transport ridership due to changes in attitudes to germs. Prof Kiron Chatterjee closed the session by giving an overview of ongoing work on the role of Demand Responsive Transport in connecting rural communities.
Click the relevant link below to access presentation slides:
Graham Parkhurst – Greener Skies Ahead
Evita Papazikou – Detecting events on road safety surveillance
Caroline Bartle – Everything is really germy
Kiron Chatterjee – Transforming rural lives
You can also find a video recording of the Session 1 here.
Session 2 – Shaping Everyday Transport Choices
It was kicked off by Prof Glenn Lyons introducing the Chartered institution of Highways & Transportation (CIHT) CLIMATES report. Dr Arundhathi brought us down to earth discussing her recent work on the complex ways in which gender and women only carriages shape train travel experiences in Mumbai. Doctoral student Mel Cairns gave an overview of her current doctoral work on the role of nature in cycling decision making. Finally, former UWE MSc student Mabel Still presented work on a recent study examining supply and demand side attitudes to cargo bike deliveries in the Bristol area.
Click the relevant link below to access presentation slides:
Arundhathi – Commuting Solidarities
Mel Cairns – Nature and cycling
You can also find a video recording of the Session 2 here.
Keynote speaker: Dr Daniela Paddeu
After a short coffee break, leading us into the lunch break we had the second of our keynotes by Dr Daniela Paddeu.
Associate professor of Sustainable Freight Futures, Dr Daniela Paddeu used her talk to highlight the dichotomous centrality and impacts of urban freight system to modern life alongside their relative invisibility in planning, policy and the public imagination. In particular she highlighted disjointed governance; and a lack of readiness for new technologies like drones.
Click here to access slides from Daniela’s presentation and a video recording here.
Inclusive transport panel discussion
Following a quick scene change, Professor Justin Spinney chaired a Panel of inclusive transport with a focus on ageing and impairment. The panel included Prof Charles Musselwhite (Aberystwyth University); Florence Grieve (Bristol Climate and Nature partnership/ Sustrans); Rebecca Posner (Research Institute for Disabled Consumers); Dr Luc Pellecuer (Specialist in inclusive infrastructure design, UWE). The panel began by discussing key developments and drivers of inclusive transport in the last 10-15 years, highlighting the lack of change on the ground despite advances in policy and funding. Panellists then discussed some key successes in specific projects and finished with a round-up of their ‘wishlists’ for the near future including much greater representation of different groups in transport projects; greater recognition of different physical and neurological impairments; and faster attitudinal change in government and industry.
You can find a video recording of the panel here (from min 16:38).
NET walk
Even lunch at the CTS Symposium is no time to rest, with Dr Jonathan Flower, Dr Ben Clark, Dr Asa Thomas and Mel Cairns leading not one but two ‘NetWalks’ where participants walked and networked around routes that also showcased either the good and bad of neighbourhood planning and design or tour the Frenchay Campus, including a visit to and informal Q&A session about the new mobility hub near the bus interchange. During the walk, participants got a chance to meet other attendees in an informal setting, expanding their networks beyond the familiar faces one might gravitate towards on the conference floor. At designated stops there was a chance to switch walking partners and make another connection.
If the Netwalk was too pedestrian for your tastes, representatives of Dott were on campus showcasing their shared E-scooters and Electric bikes for participants to try.
Afternoon Workshops
This year’s symposium had three workshops running in parallel, with around 20-30 participants in each.
Workshop 1 – Planning New Neighbourhoods for Active Travel – was facilitated by Dr Jonathan Flower, Dr Ben Clark, and Alex Painting (Phil Jones Associates). Building upon ongoing work with Active Travel England, the workshop delved into the challenges of developing new planning guidance on cycle parking, planning new schools, and using the street adoption process to deliver better places for active travel.
You can find the presentation of Workshop 1 here.
Workshop 2 on The Future of Rural Transport was facilitated by Prof Kiron Chatterjee, Dr Eda Beyazit, Dr Asa Thomas, Dr Muhammad Adeel and Tom Main (Gloucestershire County Council). After the research team’s presentation on rural transport and inequalities, Tom Main from Gloucestershire County Council discussed the challenges they encounter in rural areas and the strategies GCC has implemented. The workshop drew upon experiences from the recently completed Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) project and asked participants to think about the key principles and options to address the transport challenges currently faced by rural communities.
You can find the presentation of Workshop 2 here and here.
The final workshop 3 – Why Are E-scooters Getting Sidelined? – was facilitated by Leire Elejalde, Prof Graham Parkhurst, Dr Daniela Paddeu. The workshop began with a presentation exploring international e-scooter regulations, legal grey areas, the everyday realities of sharing public space, and examples of regulatory changes — including complete bans in some locations. Participants then took part in an engaging role-play, critically examining three policy challenges related to e-scooter deployment across different urban contexts. Each participant assumed a specific stakeholder perspective, and groups worked together to select from a range of regulatory options—or propose their own—to resolve these real-life challenges. Mark Atkins, a representative from Dott, offered valuable insights from the operator’s perspective, further informing the discussions.
You can find the presentation of Workshop 3 here.
Closing
Dr Ben Clark (MSc Transport Engineering and Planning Programme Leader) alongside Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation presented a prize for the best dissertation submitted by Alex Painting, an outstanding student on the programme in the previous academic year (2023-24).
Following this, Prof Graham Parkhurst brought the symposium to a close, thanking participants, speakers and organisers for their contributions, and inviting those who could stay on for a well-earned drink before departure!
We very much hope that many of you can join us again next year at our 2026 CTS Symposium!
Keep an eye on the CTS LinkedIn Group for updates.