First platforms installed at Old Oak Common

First platforms installed at Old Oak Common

Engineers are installing platform slabs in the underground box, which will form the platforms passengers will use when boarding or alighting high-speed trains in the future.

There will be six platforms for high-speed services, used by HS2’s fleet of 400-metre trains, as well as eight surface-level platforms for Great Western Mainline, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express services.

All six high-speed platforms, laid out as three ‘island’ style blocks, are being installed at the same time, with construction taking place from either end of the station box.

Nizar Awad, Old Oak Common Project Director at SYSTRA, said: “Milestone after milestone, the progress is amazing on this megaproject.

“Following on from the base slab being completed earlier this year, the station box is a hive of activity as it is readied for the fit-out, with lifts, escalator shafts and equipment rooms, as well as these platforms, continuously filling the massive cavern that will form the below-ground high-speed station.

“Above ground, the superstructure rising above the hoardings is now visible to the passing public.

“I couldn’t be more proud of our team’s contribution to this iconic project.”

The station is being constructed by HS2’s station construction partner, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA (BBVS JV), which began permanent work after the Transport Secretary gave the thumbs up to the station in June 2021. The structure of the huge 850m-long underground station box at Old Oak Common was completed this year, including the 45,000sq/m base slab.

The BBVS JV team is also working a level above the base slab where the platform construction is taking place to construct the ground floor level of the station. From there the superstructure of the station can be built, creating the vibrant station environment.

SYSTRA sets out vision for transport at Future 2050 

SYSTRA’s vision focuses on creating solutions that enhance urban mobility and improve quality of life.

SYSTRA is at the forefront of that thought leadership in transport planning. Our specialist teams are focused on shaping a vision for multimodal networks across the UK and Ireland. 

We remain proactive in developing a deliverable vision for the future – one that addresses social and environmental challenges whilst promoting inclusivity, equity and the platform for strong economic growth. 

SYSTRA at Future 2050 Summit

The Future 2050 Summit is a new event organised by Landor LINKS Live and Local Transport Today, in Partnership with SYSTRA. 

The day-long conference and summer reception will bring together leading thinkers, policymakers, and innovators to explore how transport systems can drive a sustainable, equitable, and thriving society by 2050. 

SYSTRA will be presenting a range of potential future scenarios and outcomes that will result from hypothesised trajectories. Where will transport be in 25 years? From today’s starting point, where will demand pathways take us? 

We want to develop these themes and perspectives through rich debate and expert insight. Bringing thought-leaders together from across sectors and industries is a fantastic way to generate discussion and provide diversity of opinion. 

We hope Future 2050 will set the foundations of a future direction – one that will be taken forward by future leaders and technical staff within SYSTRA. 

Across all aspects of our consultancy and engineering offer, we are committed to developing the skills of our colleagues to futureproof our specialisms and insights. 

It’s our aim to ensure our teams continue to lead in the transport planning space through providing robust evidence bases and clear direction. Our colleagues have the opportunities and abilities to work beyond the current constraints of transport thinking. It’s our shared vision to deliver a prosperous future for all. 

SYSTRA Speakers at Future 2050

Breaking the mould of current thinking

The Future 2050 event in London will explore the likely context for transport decision-making over the next 25 years.

To help spark conversation and set the scene, some of our specialists have put forward their scenarios for scrutiny. They don’t cover all avenues of human development, but provide an insight into routes society may find itself heading down. 

Future One considers a life lived local, Future Two looks at a direction where technology takes the lead, and Future Three explores a draconian world shaped by environmental collapse and political centralisation. 

These articles will feature in Local Transport Today over the coming weeks, but you can read short summaries from the May edition by clicking the link below. 

Learn more about the event and how to subscribe to LTT by visiting: lttmagazine.co.uk 

SYSTRA Limited selects TomTom to enhance transport planning and consultancy solutions

TomTom (TOM2), the location technology specialist, today announced it has been selected by SYSTRA Limited, a leader in multimodal transport planning and modelling consultancy, as a key supplier of maps, traffic data and location-based services.

This collaboration supports SYSTRA’s transport and modelling professionals across the UK and Ireland in designing, visualising, and assessing proposed infrastructure modifications. As such, SYSTRA helps ensure transport solutions improve urban mobility and citizens’ quality of life, while advancing sustainability and enabling economic growth.

SYSTRA’s transport and modelling professionals across the UK and Ireland join their colleagues from various other countries, who are already using TomTom’s location technology products to inform their work.

Leveraging TomTom’s Orbis Maps and comprehensive suite of traffic analytics products, SYSTRA is able to build highly accurate transport models that replicate real-world traffic conditions. These models are used by SYSTRA’s teams to perform in-depth analyses on the potential impacts of infrastructure investments, schemes, and policies. Using TomTom’s advanced location technology, SYSTRA’s UK and Ireland teams will also be able to provide enhanced support to clients in evaluating the impacts of proposed schemes and policies.

Chris Judge, Director of Consultancy at SYSTRA, said: “We recognise the critical role that accurate and reliable maps and movement data plays in effective urban transport planning and design.

“Partnering with TomTom allows us to utilise their market-leading technologies to enhance our modelling and appraisal work on behalf of our clients, assisting us in developing sustainable infrastructure and mobility solutions that help communities and economies thrive.”

Benoit Joly, SVP Sales at TomTom, added: “We are proud to partner with SYSTRA Limited and collaborate on driving innovation and digital transformation across the public sector.

“By harnessing our maps and traffic data, SYSTRA will be well-equipped to deliver transformative improvements to infrastructure in the UK and Ireland, easing congestion and enhancing environmental sustainability.”

Find out more about SYSTRA’s transport planning services and expertise.

Chris Judge appointed as Director of Consultancy

Chris has spent the last 23 years working in the rail and transport industry, including for Halcrow, CH2M and Mott MacDonald, and holds a Master’s degree in Transport Economics at the University of Leeds Institute for Transport Studies.

He joined SYSTRA in 2022 as the Business Director for the Consultancy Rail Team, and since then has played a significant role in the Consultancy Senior Leadership Team to deliver growth across all markets and support the wider business objectives.

Nick Salt, CEO of SYSTRA Limited, said: “I am delighted to welcome Chris into this role. Chris has been an integral part of our leadership team over the past few years, and his experience will help drive our business forward on our journey of sustainable growth.”

Carbon at SYSTRA: Emissions down, task force set up, and more!

Reduction in overall Scope 1, 2 and 3 carbon emissions

Scope 2 market-based office electricity decreased from 23,000 kgCO2e to 7,000 kgCO2e due to the introduction of renewable energy tariffs, and Scope 1 business travel kgCO2e almost halved.

For further information, please see the Carbon PPN 06/21 Carbon Reduction Plan document. 

Carbon Task Force created

We have set up a Carbon Task Force, a cross-organisational group with the aim of supporting emission reduction and energy efficiency throughout the business. The group will understand climate change risks to the business, and work to eliminate greenhouse gases from our direct/indirect operations.

SECR Financial Carbon Reporting signed off

Our Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) Financial Carbon Reporting has been signed off, which increases our awareness of energy costs. In turn, this should enable improvements in energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions.

New standard adopted

SYSTRA Ltd has adopted PAS2080, which is the world’s first Carbon Management Standard. This focuses on how we use carbon data to inform decision making, how we collaborate and share information to encourage decarbonisation, and how we account for carbon performance through procurement.

Joining Sustainability West Midlands

We have become members of Sustainability West Midlands, a regional group which aims to bring stakeholders together to contribute to the West Midlands’ Sustainability Roadmap to 2030 across eight focus areas including clean and active travel, natural environment, and sustainable growth.

“I’m really proud that SYSTRA has embraced carbon reduction in such a thorough way,” Riona said. “Collaboration, innovation and challenge are crucial in tackling climate change and promoting sustainability, and everyone across the business is playing their part.

“There has never been a greater need for us to take action on carbon, and as we embed these actions and initiatives into all aspects of our work I am confident that SYSTRA will continue to play a vital role in creating sustainable transport and infrastructure solutions for the future.”

Find out more about sustainability at SYSTRA.

HS2’s heaviest bridge – designed by SYSTRA and Mott MacDonald DJV – in place ahead of schedule

The huge, 14,500-tonne, concrete box structure was designed by the SYSTRA and Mott MacDonald Design Joint Venture (DJV) working on behalf of Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV) for their client, HS2 Limited.

It was built alongside the A46 and then slid into place in the newly excavated cutting with teams working around the clock over a period of just 18 days thereby avoiding more than two years of speed restrictions, lane closures and traffic disruption that a conventional bridge design might need.

Ian Johnson, Project Director at SYSTRA, said:

“To see the design brought to life and the successful slide of the bridge into position is a fantastic moment for the whole team.

“The collaborative approach between Mott MacDonald and SYSTRA is key to delivering these innovative, technical solutions for BBV and HS2, and ensuring minimal disruption and safe installation.

“Delivering such a complex design in challenging circumstances required a wealth of expertise and absolute dedication from our teams over the past few years, and we are incredibly proud of the successful slide.”

Find out more about SYSTRA’s work on HS2.

TRU Colton Junction OLE works completed successfully, bringing better journeys a step closer

Over the course of a weekend in March, SYSTRA colleagues and others from the alliance partners – Network Rail, Murphy, VolkerRail and Siemens – carried out work on a unique and complex section of overhead line equipment (OLE).

In additional to this, with all lines closed and the high voltage power de-energised, they also completed:

• Replacement of two sets of points south of York
• Laying new track
• Signalling upgrades and drainage improvements
• Installing new overhead line foundations and masts 

This is all vital enabling works towards ensuring electric passenger trains can begin running between York and Church Fenton later this summer, bringing benefits to passengers and the environment.

Steph Whiteley, Project Director, commented: “The on-time and safe completion of another piece of essential work on TRU is once again testament to the efforts of everyone across the alliance.

“Great effort was made in the planning and carrying out of the works, and it really showed in the quality and efficiency in which it was completed.

“Our proactive approach to these works, and the technical expertise we provided, were integral to the successful completion of this work.”

As part of the wider TRU benefits of line speed increase and more frequent services, SYSTRA’s new tangential wiring across a diamond track crossing, is designed to mitigate operational risks of the existing wiring geometry and therefore improving the asset and pantograph performance.

This unique design was not available in the Network Rail legacy design range, which resulted in the SYSTRA design team going back to first principles and working alongside the University of Huddersfield to undertake iterative design and dynamic modelling. Following the weekend works, highspeed image corelation was undertaken, proving the design and modelling which validated the simulations becoming reality.

Find out more about our work on the TRU project.

Arup SYSTRA JV set to support Network Rail in breathing new life into the rail network across Northern England

Arup and SYSTRA, in a 50/50 joint venture (JV) with strategic delivery partner Skanska, have secured a position on Network Rail’s prestigious Eastern Region Development and Design Partnership Framework (DDPF).

The £300 million framework, which spans five years with potential for a three-year extension, will oversee multi-disciplinary design and development services, including the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) portfolio, the Integrated Rail Plan and other enhancement projects across the Eastern region.

Arup and SYSTRA collectively bring a wealth of experience and geographical knowledge across the framework area, from their complementary involvement in the West and East Alliances of TransPennine Route Upgrade and the East Coast Main Line Power Supply Upgrade, in addition to the insights and relationships built during previous work for Network Rail and sub-national transport body Transport for the North. Skanska further enhances the JV through their experience of delivering large scale rail projects such as HS2 (alongside Arup).

Phil Harrison, UKIMEA Rail Leader at Arup, said: “Our JV will help Network Rail create a future-ready transport system for Northern England, offering more sustainable travel choices through well-designed schemes.

“This programme will deliver quicker, more frequent rail services; connect people to more job opportunities and improve connectivity between key northern cities creating an impact for generations to come.”

Nick Salt, Chief Executive of SYSTRA Limited, said: “This is a significant strategic placement for SYSTRA, Arup and Skanska, putting us at the forefront of rail improvements for the region.

“Our combined expertise; dedication to delivering value for our client; and our passion for improving connectivity for the communities in which we live and work, will help bring these critical infrastructure programmes to life, with benefits for people, the environment and the economy.”

James Corker, Skanska’s Rail Operations Director said: “It’s hugely encouraging to see such commitment to improving rail connectivity across the region. Through bringing together design and construction expertise, we can improve how projects are developed and delivered – benefitting communities, the public purse and the safety of our people.”

Find out more.

SYSTRA relocates in Glasgow signalling strong growth across the UK

SYSTRA has moved its Glasgow office to Bothwell Street in the city centre, driven by exceptional local growth and a commitment to attracting top talent in the west of Scotland. As a leading specialist in transport planning, engineering and infrastructure, SYSTRA continues to deliver solutions to address complex client challenges in the city and beyond.

The 30-strong Glasgow based team advises many national and local organisations, including Transport Scotland, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), NHS Scotland; local authorities; energy, EV and solar charging companies; and housing developers. The team in Glasgow is also working on projects across the rest of the UK and internationally, including in Ireland and the Middle East.

Seb Dupont, Managing Director of Consultancy at SYSTRA, added: “Glasgow is an exciting city and we are immensely proud of our presence here. Our new vibrant office demonstrates our ambition to be the specialist team of choice for transport, energy and infrastructure services in Scotland. The Bothwell Street location is within striking distance of Central Station and Queen Street Station making it highly accessible by train, bike and bus for our colleagues, clients and partners.

“We are excited to expand our portfolio of work in Glasgow and across Scotland while welcoming new talent to the business. Our colleagues in Glasgow will continue to support our clients on delivering solutions to complex projects in the UK, Ireland and throughout the world.”

SYSTRA’s new Glasgow office is located at S2.1, 25 Bothwell Street, Glasgow, G2 6NL. The historic location, nestled within Glasgow’s iconic ‘grid layout’, dates back to the late 1700s – a design so influential that it inspired the street plans of major American cities including New York and Philadelphia.

SYSTRA’s 4D virtual design tool wins at the SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards

Our specialists were recognised for using SYSTRA Vision to proactively manage safety risks on the TRU East project by integrating 3D models with time (the fourth dimension) to digitally rehearse complex activities in a controlled, virtual environment. The tool allows for early identification of potential hazards and inefficiencies, helping to reduce unforeseen risk, improve safety, and streamline planning and execution.

As part of the TRU East Alliance with Network Rail, Murphy, Siemens and VolkerRail, the SYSTRA digital engineering specialists have used SYSTRA Vision on a number of activities along the route, all ultimately helping to improve connectivity in the North.

Once such example of its use is the Osmondthorpe Lane bridge replacement in Leeds, which was delivered successfully on time at the end of 2024.

Rob Dale, Technical Director for SYSTRA, commented:

“It was great to attend the SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards, and even better to come away with such prestigious recognition. The team have been working very hard to build SYSTRA Vision and support our clients to deliver their projects more safely, quickly and efficiently, and it’s wonderful to share this success.

“The recent TRU East work to replace the Osmondthorpe Lane bridge is a fantastic example of how we can use technologies to better integrate and inform our work, improving project and construction delivery and safety.

“Our implementation of SYSTRA Vision on the TRU project, and winning the SPOTLIGHT Rail Awards, showcases our commitment to innovation and safety leadership, demonstrating our expertise in combining cutting-edge technology with our in-depth engineering expertise.”

Find out more about SYSTRA Vision.