January 2009
Halcrow has announced it will undertake a major study on behalf of Transport Scotland to help determine the future of sustainable transport in Scotland. Halcrow’s role is to review and develop approaches and practical tools to help integrate sustainability and climate considerations into Transport Scotland's management and technical procedures.
Covering road and rail, the study will include a review of transport infrastructure development and Trunk Road maintenance processes and consider how carbon emissions will be managed.
The study underlines Halcrow’s position as the leading consultancy in sustainability and environmental transport, following previous work with the Highways Agency, Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government.
Mark Baynham, market sector director for national roads (UK and Europe), said:
“This is a milestone study which fits superbly with the group’s objective of Halcrow being lead consultant in the sustainability sector.”
“Halcrow will utilise its existing knowledge of Transport Scotland processes and procedures and review these against current best practice and future objectives of the Agency and Scottish Government. This is a very exciting opportunity to use a combination of international best practice, delivered locally. We are delighted to be able to assist Transport Scotland, one of our key global clients, with this task.”
Steve Morgan, the consulting business group environment leader in the transport sector, added:
“This commission helps to confirm Halcrow as a leader in the environment and transport sectors and adds to our sustainability work for the Highways Agency, Environment Agency and Welsh Assembly Government.
“With the announcement of the Scottish Climate Change Bill (SCCB) the current Scottish Government administration has made clear its primary aim; to increase sustainable economic growth. Breaking the link between growth and emissions is emphasised by the Government’s recent commitment to set statutory targets to reduce Scotland’s overall greenhouse gas emissions burden by a challenging 80% (against 1990 levels) by the year 2050, a significant challenge with a higher target than other UK devolved governments.”
The report will focus on making sustainability an operational reality rather than simply an aspiration by looking at a wide variety of areas including Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road network management processes and will make recommendations, develop approaches and practical tools designed to integrate sustainability into Transport Scotland's management and technical procedures.
This will include the development of a carbon management framework and support the integration of sustainability into the Fourth Generation (4G) contracts for trunk road network management and maintenance. Halcrow will also develop a bespoke carbon accounting tool to aid decision making.
The consulting and transport business groups within Halcrow will jointly deliver the project through its on-going work for Transport Scotland.