Matthew Kilpatrick is a fresh faced Transport Planner who has worked with Palmerston North City Council for one year. Having recently graduated from the BRP degree of Massey University, Matthew currently has a portfolio in active transport, public transport, parking, and behaviour change and education.

I spent most of his working life in the maintenance trade both as a tradesman and maintenance planner. As a passionate cyclist I commuted to work, enjoyed mountain bike adventures and cycle toured with my wife on our tandem. In 2012 I began assisting with delivering cycle skills to children and adults as a volunteer and completed training as a Cycle Skills Instructor and Cycle Coach. In 2013 I began my journey with Sport Manawatu as Active Transport. I now deliver cycle skills to children and adults throughout the Manawatu, Tararua and Horowhenua regions and I am just as passionate now about seeing these people develop the skills to choose cycling for transport and recreation as I was when I first started volunteering over6 years ago.

I am a traffic and transportation engineer with nearly 25 years’ experience and have a particular interest in cycling and design for people; design which is effective, practical, intuitive, sustainable and adaptable. This is probably why cycling and walking are of particular interest to me. I biked to school from a young age and have continued to do so. I have cycled in Wellington and Auckland, prior to any significant infrastructure. I am not sure I would say that I am fearless on a bike but consider myself pretty confident. My commitment to my family has meant that I have spent most of time working from Palmerston North. Mostly for the City Council but also as a consultant; I am currently an employee of Beca, working in Palmerston North as a Senior Associate in Transportation. I have been involved in pedestrian facility and cycle design; as separate facilities or integrated with other infrastructure. This, for example, has included separate and shared paths, cycle lanes, shared spaces, roundabouts and traffic signals. I have also been involved with the planning, strategic and development aspects of transportation. The Transportation Section of the District Plan is currently under way and includes proposals to reduce parking standards, introduce cycling infrastructure and improved pedestrian facilities on private developments. I am an advocate for getting it right, thinking it through, and trying something new where it might have a better outcome. I am looking forward to the conference to see what new developments are being made to better enable us to provide better leadership; promote facilities for people and the community, and encourage active transport.

John Lieswyn has designed active transportation monitoring programmes for numerous US and NZ cities. He is a specialist in data collection, analysis, economic evaluation, and using the key takeaway data to support a multi-modal 'complete streets' system. Sandi Morris led active transport and parking management programmes for over a decade at Palmerston North City Council. She has been a longstanding contributor to the Active Modes Infrastructure Group. Glenn Connelly is one of the most experienced transportation engineers in New Zealand and has pioneered several innovative cycleways in Palmerston North.