Rosie Ward

I currently work as a Transport Planner at Andrew Moseley Associates. My role is predominantly in the private development field, which means that I help clients (house builders, supermarkets, fast food restaurants etc.) with their planning applications to local highway authorities.

As a Transport Planner in the development industry, I produce reports such as Transport Statements, Transport Assessments and Travel Plans to demonstrate the impact that a development may have on the local road network. As part of writing these documents I produce origin – destination spreadsheets, research the sustainability of the area, replicate the junctions into models (Junctions9 and LinSig), and assess the impact that the development will have on the junction.

My experience at ITS has 100% helped me get a job in the first place and also helped my career in multiple ways. The multi-national nature of ITS, from my peers to course modules, has provided me with a wider understanding of transport. It’s very easy to just think of transport from your own views and own country but studying at ITS encourages you to understand issues from other perspectives. 

During my undergraduate course at Keele University I gained summer work experience with a Transport Consultancy in my home town. I really enjoyed working as a Transport Planner in the private sector and wanted to pursue this as my career. The Institute of Transport Studies at Leeds is recognised in the industry as a leader in transport studies and seemed like the perfect place to further my studies.

Although transport planning sounds like a very niche industry there are many routes to follow; private sector like myself, public sector with a local council or even specialise in an area such as strategic modelling! Of my peers from my year group all of us have different job roles but still call ourselves ‘Transport Planners’.

My advice to other students is to take a range of courses that are of interest to you and when in the lecture theater try to apply the course examples to real life situations in the working environment. 

I personally did not take part in the employer visits but many of my peers did and were successful in receiving a job offer. I would 100% recommend taking part. It is also a good way to understand the ethos of each company and what would appeal to you as a future employee!

There have been many highlights in my career so far; from working on the LPTIP scheme with WSP and Leeds City Council, to joining the CIHT and FFT committee, to being a Travel Plan Co-ordinator on a number of sites across the UK. I’ve really enjoyed the fast pace nature of my job and also getting the opportunity to network with other young professionals in the built environment.