blog: Remember to celebrate your milestones as you prepare for the road ahead
Friday 14th October 2022
Nine ITP team members have celebrated their 5, 10, 15 and 20-year work anniversaries over the past two years so we thought it might be a good idea to ask them why they like it here so much…
We caught up with five of the team and also asked them about their career progression, favourite projects they’ve worked on and more!
- Jamie Wheway - Operations Manager (20 years)
- Neil Taylor - Managing Director (15 years)
- Ian Stott - Associate Director (15 years)
- Stephanie Meyers - Associate Director (10 years)
- Mark Lever-Green - Associate (5 years)
Congratulations on your ITP work anniversary!
After so many years at the company, our first question is: Can you remember the first project you worked on, if so, what was it and what was your role?
Steph: During my first year at ITP, I worked on a project to explore the need for an interchange in Ely. I was a fieldwork researcher conducting surveys with users and non-users of Ely station. I distinctly remember being on the station platform in the freezing cold and howling wind trying to get people to do a survey with me. I quickly learned that I needed proper outdoor clothing for site visits as a jacket was not going to cut it!
Mark: I think it was a holiday park, which was a good induction to what would become somewhat of a specialism for our development planning team over the following five years. We were a smaller team back then so I was probably responsible for pretty much all the elements that make up a Transport Assessment.
Neil: Nottingham Workplace Parking Levy business case – I was responsible for a comparison between WPL and other forms of demand management/revenue generating measures (including road user charging) that Nottingham City Council considered as part of the process for developing its WPL proposals. Really proud that this continues to generate much-needed revenue for sustainable transport improvements and services across Greater Nottingham over 15 years later.
In your several years of ITP service what is your favourite place that you have visited as part of completing project work or attending a conference etc (can be internationally or in the UK)?
Jamie: So many to choose from, including Kumasi in Ghana, and all of the team trips to Barcelona, Munich and Utrecht. But I’d go for Stockholm, which wasn’t a city I’d been to before, and it is certainly a beautiful place, with great restaurants and bars, including the Ice Bar, which we all enjoyed!
Steph: I spent three years working on a behaviour change project for Suffolk County Council called ‘Lowestoft Local Links’. It involved working with 150+ businesses in the seaside town to encourage more sustainable commuting. Being from the Midlands it was nice to be by the sea, but more than that, the local project team were so great to work with, the businesses were really invested in the project and the outcome was more people travelling sustainably. Even now it’s still one of my favourite projects and have fond memories of working there.
Ian: Port Moresby in Papua New Guinea, working on a project for UN Women. I was lucky enough to visit twice, spending a total of around three weeks there. I got to know the city fairly well thanks to our local consultants being excellent guides and introducing us to the culture and way of life. We held focus group discussions in communities which you would not have the chance to visit and experience as a tourist.
During the time you have been at ITP, in your opinion what has changed the most in the world of transport?
Mark: I have seen the braver local authorities take big steps towards increased focus on sustainable transport modes and away from an embedded car culture, which helps us to deliver more people-focussed schemes. A lot of this is down to increasing environmental awareness by the general population, which has filtered its way into planning policy and strategic planning.
Neil: Digital comms – smartphones have radically altered the way we plan (Google Maps / Citymapper) and make (Uber, e-scooter, contactless payment for public transport fares) so many journeys in urban areas.
Steph: I’ve noticed a shift in the industry recently to acknowledge the impact that transport choices can have on local air quality and climate change and the importance of sustainable travel. It’s great to see this and the targets towards net zero, but as a profession need to be doing more, and faster, with funding ringfenced to really create change in how people travel.
What do you hope to have accomplished by your next milestone ITP anniversary?
Jamie: To have just one week when everybody submits their timesheet on time?
Mark: I would like to have embedded a true vision and validate approach to transport assessment within our daily work. Whilst our focus must rightly be on helping our clients to achieve planning consent, I feel strongly that we have a responsibility to inform and guide schemes based on our knowledge and best practice.
These are definitely not mutually exclusive outcomes and often the most sustainable solutions are also the most cost-effective. It is really rewarding to reach the end of the project, knowing you have delivered a great outcome for your client and the wider community.
Neil: To have established a mechanism that ITP can use to demonstrate the impact our collective efforts (across all projects) are having on carbon reduction and climate change. In my view, this is THE professional challenge for our generation, and one that I am totally committed to addressing through the work I do.
What do you enjoy most about working for ITP and what has made you stay for so long?
Jamie: It’s a cliché, but it’s got to be the people. ITP is full of people with an eclectic mix of skills and personalities who bring different viewpoints and experiences to create a supportive, friendly and progressive working environment. Oh, and we remember to have fun, too!
Ian: The flexibility the company offers you as an individual. I have been fortunate to work out of two offices in the UK, spend a year working abroad, and split my time across UK and international projects, all of which have been choices I have made and ITP has supported me through.
Steph: There is a huge amount of variety in the projects you can work on and I’ve spent time in each of ITP’s teams experiencing different transport planning disciplines. The people are also a huge part of ITP, it’s a really supportive team, encouraging you to progress with your career in whichever direction interests you.
Does this sound like a team you’d like to work for? If so, you can view our latest vacancies here.