Using Virtual Reality to Design Level Crossings

Using Virtual Reality to Design Level Crossings

We believe that virtual reality technology can help improve operational and site engineering works safety through 360º design features including aerial and sub terrain views.

Virtual Reality technology nicely demonstrates visually all the proposed plans or improvements as well as constraints, helping decision-makers, transport operators and local communities better understand design and investment decisions.

In essence virtual reality used in rail engineering can help Network Rail and importantly other transport authorities to:

• Design comprehensively through identifying potential blind spots and physical constraints
• Encourage buy-in from stakeholders and local communities during consultation
• Identify underground utility or landscape constraints and conflicts

SYSTRA’s dedicated level crossing design team based in York has a significant portfolio of comprehensive design of all types of level crossing from successful delivery of level crossing for major rail schemes across the UK and Ireland..

Specific work for Level Crossings involves Ground Plans, Draft Level Crossing Orders, Suitable and Sufficient Risk Assessments, 3D design, user census and speed surveys, our in-house specialist team has the know-how.

SYSTRA supports clients in securing over £120m for bus service improvements

The Government’s National Bus Strategy set out an ambitious vision to improve bus services in England outside London and encourage passengers back to bus, an ambition which was underpinned by £3billion of new funding. To secure funding, Local Transport Authorities and bus operators were required to submit an ambitious Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP) outlining improvements that would support delivery of a fully integrated bus service with simple, multi-modal tickets, more bus priority measures, with better turn-up-and-go frequencies that keep running into the evenings and at weekends.

SYSTRA worked with several Local Transport Authorities to assist them in the production of bold and ambitious BSIPs with measures that will help to increase passenger numbers, improve bus punctuality, reliability and journey times, and increase levels of customer satisfaction.

When producing the successful BSIPs the SYSTRA consultants helped clients to analyse the current bus offer in their area, seek customer and stakeholder views, set challenging but realistic targets and propose a range of measures that will help to deliver a step change in local bus service provision.

One local authority supported by SYSTRA was Luton Borough Council. Steve Lain, Highways & Transport Product Service Manager at Luton Borough Council, said, “Luton Borough Council are pleased to confirm that working with SYSTRA we have secured £19.1m funding from the Department for Transport towards our Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). This award is a very welcome start to the new financial year and shows how the collaborative working between our team and that of SYSTRA has secured a very significant level of funding that will give passengers in Luton a better experience when using the public transport network.”

SYSTRA are now looking forward to helping clients with delivery of the plans which have been set out – providing expert advice and assistance in delivering BSIP measures and carrying out network sustainability reviews.

SYSTRA Ltd sets out route to Net Zero by 2035

Working within Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol guidelines, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has put in place carbon measurement to calculate the business Carbon Footprint related to Scope 1 emissions (covering fuel combustion for business vehicles), Scope 2 emissions (covering purchased electricity) and key operational elements of Scope 3 emissions (covering upstream fuel and energy-related activities, business travel, employee commuting and energy use related to working from home).

Using these carbon emission calculations, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has achieved carbon neutral certification by supporting a programme to conserve rainforest in Peru. The programme will help local farmers transition to sustainable cacao production in the margins of the protected area ensuring that degraded land is restored, reducing the effects of deforestation, and providing local communities with forest-friendly and sustainable livelihoods. The programme also supports SYSTRA’s commitment to diversity, with 27% of farmers being women, and the role SYSTRA takes in promoting human rights, ensuring consideration of the social and political impact of the projects they support.

Recognising that this is just a first step, SYSTRA UK & Ireland has also committed to becoming Net Zero for its entire carbon footprint by 2035 and published its Carbon Reduction Plan, detailing past and future initiatives designed to minimise the company’s carbon footprint and contribute to achieving the global objective of restricting climate change.

SYSTRA’s Carbon Reduction Plan also has a short-term target to reduce Scope 1 and 2 carbon emissions by 80% by 2025 and is built around 6 key areas.

• Office energy – reducing overall energy use and setting up zero carbon tariffs for all offices in UK & Ireland.
• Staff Commute and Business Travel – the introduction of initiatives to reduce travel especially using car-based modes through travel planning and other initiatives.
• IT Equipment – focusing purchase of new hardware on low energy solutions and replace current high energy items. Investigate using offsite communications and storage companies that are carbon neutral.
• Working from home – exploring initiatives to increase lower carbon energy in staff homes.
• Purchasing – introduction of climate change considerations into procurement decisions.
• Subcontractors and suppliers – encouragement of suppliers to also address the Climate Emergency

Avonmouth ERF Facility

The plant, which is currently receiving non-recyclable waste including from Somerset Waste Partnership (up to 120,000 tonnes) and the West of England Waste Partnership (120,000 tonnes), has been designed to divert 320,000 tonnes of this residual waste away from landfill. The ERF will also generate up to 307GWh of electricity annually which will power the facility itself and export enough energy to power the equivalent of 84,000 homes.

SYSTRA, have been the civils design lead on the Avonmouth ERF project for over three-years. In this time, we have delivered the detailed design for the structural, architectural, highways & drainage, environmental and the electrical & mechanical services throughout the building. Initially, these works were delivered to Clugston, and later CNIM for the delivery of the outstanding design works, and to support with any additional design works.

SYSTRA are pleased to confirm the completion of our design commission, following the completion of the construction works. SYSTRA continue to support CNIM with the remaining Post Construction BREEAM accreditation (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), which follows the completion of the main works and handover into operational use.

The construction site has remained open throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, implementing the required government guidelines around social distancing for construction.

Viridor CEO Kevin Bradshaw said the company was pleased to have achieved this important milestone following other significant achievements at the site, including the first export of electricity to the grid in July.

Iain Thomas, Project Lead at SYSTRA Ltd said: “I’ve been in control of this scheme for circa 18-months, taking over from James Xieilleon. It has been a challenging yet rewarding scheme, as we have witnessed the facility emerge from the ground, developing into a prominent structure on the Avonmouth skyline. I would like to thank the team for their continued commitment to the delivery of this project through a challenging period.”

Hubberts Bridge Modular Platform for Network Rail

Working directly for NWR, SYSTRA developed the Civil, Geotechnical, M&E and Modular design for the platform, which is supported on piles. These piles were installed in advance of our works by AMCO Giffen, our construction client.

On Tuesday night of the 14th April 2020, all of the 7.32m long platform sections and 2no Ramp sections of our 6 Bay frame were transported from the adjacent Siding and lifted into position by a Road Rail Vehicle (RRV) supplied by SYSTRA. The platform was also set to Gauge during this possession.

Following the initial install of the 6 bay steel frames installed using RRVs, we proceeded to install the remainder of platform which included-

• Installation of all steelwork including/ surface deck pans, rear fence line and end fence and gates.
• A waterproof membrane was then applied over the platform surface.
• A front white facia was secured to the front of platform which then allowed us to install all coper and tactile units.
• We then used one of our approved asphalt contractors to install the tarmac surfacing.

All works were completed at night when no trains were running and all activities were completed in 3 weeks.

This was a high priority project due to the existing platform being decommissioned in January because its foundations were failing, and the TOC/NR required a replacement as soon as reasonably practical. NWR believed the ideal solution would be SYSTRA’s product which led to our commission.

The platform is now complete except for the waiting shelter. Due to Covid-19 this item has yet to be installed, however the platform was entered into passenger service on the 1st June 2020. All works were undertaken in line with the requirements of Social Distancing and our COVID 19 risk assessment for this project.

SYSTRA supports Midlands Connect transport strategy development

Since 2017, we have been leading a team in the development of a multi-billion pound transport strategy that connects all parts of the East Midlands region to the HS2 station at Toton, the jobs at the adjacent Innovation Campus development and the wider growth areas, to maximise the predicted economic benefits of the High-Speed Rail network in this region. The strategy also ensures that the growth opportunities are fully inclusive of all communities in the area, including the deprived areas of the East Midlands region.

The study involved the assessment of options from a viability and engineering perspective, the identification of the strategy in consultation with the local authorities and other stakeholders, and the development of a set of business case documents and supporting evidence (which is the basis of the overall strategy and is being used to influence the DfT and the HS2 Hybrid bill by the councils).

This resulted in a multi-modal transport strategy that includes heavy and light rail, bus rapid transit, active mode and highway schemes that have been unveiled by East Midlands Councils and Midlands Connect.

Midlands Connect press release and BBC coverage.

Interest in walking and cycling increases as exercise is encouraged and people switch from public transport

Increasing demand for wider pavements and new cycleways is likely to continue, even after travel restrictions are lifted, reports SYSTRA Ltd in a new representative research study of 1,500 UK residents.

Many people are choosing to walk and cycle as part of their daily exercise ‘allowance’ and are swapping to active travel for other daily journeys during the current lockdown. Roughly four in five (80%) of them expect to continue this change.

One in five people expect to use public transport less once restrictions are lifted, and whilst ‘fear of getting ill’ is the main reason given, one in seven people say it is because they have found a new way to travel.

• Of those whose walking for leisure/exercise has increased (36%), 81% think they will continue this change.
• Of those whose cycling for leisure/exercise has increased (9%), 74% think they will continue this change.

The research study also reveals a wider shift in working patterns as one in six (17%) of UK full or part time workers believe they will work from home more once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. This is primarily to save the commute time and cost, and to provide a better work-life balance.

This predicted change in working location is the reason behind a quarter (24%) of the predicted reduction in public transport use. In addition, two-thirds (67%) believe virtual meetings will replace some or all business trips or meetings, further reducing the need to travel.

Passengers say they could make fewer trips after pandemic

We found that 20% are predicting a decrease in their public transport use after COVID-19, compared with before the travel restrictions were put in place. Passengers also told us that this was because of concerns over getting ill, and because some commuters will be changing their working travel habits.

KEY FINDINGS INCLUDE:

• 20% predict making fewer trips by public transport after travel restrictions are lifted, rising to 27% for those who use rail to commute.
• Of those expecting to reduce their use of public transport, 49% will do so because of concerns over getting ill; 24% said they will work from home more; and 14% said they have found another way of making their journey.
• 17% of full and part time workers believe they will work from home more once COVID-19 travel restrictions are lifted. Reasons cited were saving the commute time and cost, and wanting a better work-life balance.
• 67% believe virtual meetings will replace some or all business trips or meetings.
• The survey covered the following regions: London, South East (excluding London), South West, West Midlands, East Midlands, Yorkshire and Humberside, North West, North East, East, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.

We are undertaking further behavioural modelling to understand the wider travel impacts on life after Covid-19 for UK cities and regions. More results will be added to this page, and our experts will be considering what the results could mean for wider society, climate change, different transport modes, different users, and across the different UK regions.

ICE Supervising Civil Engineer, Delegated Engineer & Mentor Forum

Supervising Civil Engineers (SCE), Delegated Engineers (DE) and Approved Mentors were invited to attend this forum which was an opportunity to receive an update on ICE approved training and professional development activities.

Employees who are currently mentoring, or planning to mentor others towards their professional qualification with the ICE (at EngTech, IEng or CEng) but are not formally registered as such, were also invited to attend.

The event took place after Elizabeth Thompson (Membership Development Officer for Yorkshire and the Humber) met with a group of our apprentices and degree apprentices in the morning.

SYSTRA awarded contract to deliver Rail Carbon Tool training

This web-based tool has so far been used on over 140 projects and allows users to undertake carbon footprint calculations of UK rail infrastructure projects. The results from the tool can be used to identify and select appropriate low carbon solutions, reducing whole life carbon with the potential for significant cost savings.

In line with the recently updated Network Rail, Environmental and Social Minimum Requirements, all rail infrastructure projects over £1 million will need to demonstrate that they have used the Rail Carbon Tool to identify opportunities for carbon reduction and to influence the specification of low carbon design and construction methods.

SYSTRAs’ Environment, Ecology and Sustainability team have used the tool successfully on projects in the past such as Oxford Station and Plumstead Depot and have an excellent working relationship with the RSSB, completing a research project for them last year and taking active roles in the Railway Industry Sustainability Forum and Carbon Management Working Group, both sponsored by the RSSB.

If you would like more information on the Rail Carbon Tool or the training course, visit the RSSB website.