Darren Kirkman, an Associate Director with SYSTRA’s consultancy business in the UK & Ireland, has been appointed a Board member for the Transport Planning Society (TPS). Darren has been a TPS member for six years and a former North West of England regional representative for the society.
At SYSTRA, Darren is currently part of the team advising the Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on its ‘Levelling Up Fund’ development, as well as conceptualising mobility hubs for England’s Economic Heartland. Darren recently developed the London Borough of Newham’s sustainable transport strategy.
On his appointment at the TPS AGM earlier this month, Darren said: “I’ve worked in transport planning for almost 20 years and felt it was a good time to give back to the profession.
“I would like to use my TPS role to make the case for a net zero future and a less car-dependent society. I believe that continuous learning is required across the profession and technological changes like AI provide challenges as well as opportunities for transport planners, and we need to be able to respond and adapt quickly.”
Sebastien Dupont, Managing Director (Consultancy) at SYSTRA, added: “Darren is a highly motivated transport planner and project manager focused on urban development and infrastructure projects.
“Darren’s understanding of policy and strategy development gained from his time at MerseyTravel and Transport for Greater Manchester are second to none; his proven success in supporting authorities on business case bids are testament to his expertise.
“We are extremely proud of Darren’s appointment as the TPS plays a vital role in shaping the future of transport planning and its impact on society.”
To find out more about SYSTRA’s Signature Team for transport planning, visit: www.systra.com/uk