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

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.

SYSTRA secures two wins at Institution of Civil Engineers Awards 

Consultancy colleagues were presented with the Sir John Fowler Award for our research alongside Sheffield City Council on championing ED&I in active travel across the city. By engaging with ‘seldom heard’ groups across the community, our team gained an insight into the potential barriers for those who don’t normally engage with forms of active travel.

Having gathered data from over 1000 participants, the research will serve as evidence for future cycling and walking developments throughout the city.

As the TRU East Alliance’s principal designer, we’re also proud to share that the Osmondthorpe Lane bridge replacement won the Smeaton Award. Judges were impressed by the project’s approach to sustainability and community engagement, commenting on the impressive measures taken to minimise carbon.  

Peter Edwards, Associate, commented on his team’s accomplishments on the Sheffield active travel research: 

“We are absolutely delighted to have been awarded the John Fowler Award at the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE) Yorkshire and Humber awards for our work for Sheffield City Council to improve the diversity of their community engagement in relation to walking and cycling in the city. 

“Our innovative research and engagement approach was recognised by the judges as having a community focus and ensuring those who might not ordinarily engage on active travel engagement had their voices heard.  The research has been used to underpin the development of the upcoming walking and cycling investment plan in Sheffield.” 

SYSTRA celebrates cross-group collaboration with International Production Month

Throughout February, we celebrated all aspects of International Production from onshoring and offshoring to best practice when working globally.

Asked about how International Production Month came to be, Ludwig Cueff, International Delivery Director, said it was a chance to showcase skills and explore pathways to growth – both in careers and in the wider business. “We have decided to launch this for the first time to promote the culture of international production and to communicate its benefits to the UK and Ireland business,” he said.

“We have very strong foundations, and we will continue to build a bright future in international production.”

Offshoring at SYSTRA 

When delivering projects across the UK and Ireland, we make the most of our group expertise by working closely with colleagues in other countries. We spoke to our colleagues about their experiences when collaborating with internal teams as well as stakeholders and partners.

When asked about the key benefits of collaborating with teams in Brazil and Poland on the Transpennine Route Upgrade, Sam O’Sullivan, Engineer (Bridges), said: “The major benefit is being able to deliver a higher volume of work, across multiple business centres. Having access to multiple offshore resources enables knowledge sharing, such as best practice design methods and previous successful examples.”

Onshoring at SYSTRA

Another key part of our international production involves engaging our UK and Ireland based teams to support projects globally. Our colleagues shared the international experience they’ve gained at SYSTRA and how it’s developed their careers.

Reflecting on her experience working alongside teams in Sweden, Gemma Watts, Planner, said: “The Swedish team have been extremely supportive throughout my time working on the project, taking time to guide me through the language barrier and sharing best practices that they have established. This has helped to increase my understanding of project delivery in an international context.”

Project Manager Michael Bryan shared his tips on working as part of a global team. He said: “Appreciate the different cultural/ways of working with different entities and be willing to change from ‘the normal way of working’.”

Working alongside Ludwig, our Business Transformation Director, Charlotte Rogers, drove engagement throughout the business through informative webinars and collating insightful colleague testimonials.

Looking back at the successful launch of International Production Month, she said: “This past month has truly celebrated all aspects of international production and highlighted the champions within our business who are fully embracing our strength as a group.”

Learn more about starting a career at SYSTRA and see our latest jobs here.

RIA North and Huw Merriman visit SYSTRA Manchester for regional rail updates

The session was an opportunity for the rail industry to come together to highlight the importance of rail connectivity to the region, and discuss how infrastructure and services must develop to open up access to opportunities for our communities, enable economic growth and ensure sustainability in transport.

Following an introduction to SYSTRA by Andrew Dugdale, Market Director for Rail, the group heard from Huw Merriman, Chair of the Liverpool-Manchester Railway Partnership Board, and Liz Goldsby, Head of NPR and High Speed Development at Transport for Greater Manchester, on proposals for improving connectivity between the two cities, and beyond.

Huw Merriman outlined his strong belief in the Liverpool-Manchester Railway, saying that the ambition we see today takes inspiration from the birth of the railway 200 years ago. He highlighted the vast potential that improved rail connectivity can unlock, directly for passengers and freight, and more widely for skills, housing and jobs.

Andrew Dugdale said: “We’re proud members of RIA and know that collaboration across the industry is crucial to making the case for rail investment, and delivering the enhancements, that will benefit our people and businesses for generations to come.

“The updates and discussions in the meeting really brought to life the passion that RIA members have for improving rail connectivity, and their determination to work in partnership to realise our regional and national ambitions for connectivity.”

Find out more about our work.

Growing green: SYSTRA enhances Ireland expertise

The global engineering and consulting group, which has offices in Dublin and Cork, has launched a raft of new jobs to help deliver on the connectivity ambitions of stakeholders, clients and partners.

It follows the recent announcement that SYSTRA has been awarded a Single Party Framework Agreement alongside Egis to provide consultancy services to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) in a joint venture, and the appointment of Ian Byrne as Business Director for Ireland Consultancy.

SYSTRA was also appointed to the National Transport Authority’s BusConnects Client Partner team in support of Jacobs and Arup. Delivered over a ten-year programme, the team will oversee the delivery of over 230km of bus priority corridors, active travel routes and public realm enhancements in the city. The delivery of the BusConnects infrastructure works will provide a step change in sustainable mobility in Dublin, supporting economic growth and the transition to a carbon neutral city.

Further recent success across Ireland includes the appointment of SYSTRA to deliver a range of active travel and Safe Routes to School projects across the country along with the development of a number of regional Electric Vehicle Charging Strategies. These new projects, along with the support SYSTRA is currently providing to local authorities to develop Local Transport Plans for several towns across Ireland, will all support the delivery of a low carbon, sustainable transport system for the future.

Andrew Archer, Regional Market Director for SYSTRA, said: “This is a really exciting time to be joining our growing team.

“The projects we’re working on here in Ireland are leading the way towards a more connected, sustainable network for all communities – bringing people close to opportunities and providing the catalyst to wider economic growth.

 “We’re looking to build a team of engineers and consultants who share our vision for a low carbon transport future, where everybody has access to work, healthcare, education and leisure activities.”

The latest roles include a number of senior and graduate consultant and engineer positions across our transport modelling, rail, transport planning and development and infrastructure teams.  

Candidates will work with organisations such as the National Transport Authority, Transport Infrastructure Ireland, Irish Rail, Port of Cork, local authorities, educational and private developers. on developing strategies and designing infrastructure for the future to create sustainable solutions for generations to come.

Alison Pickett, Director, added: “Delivering on projects on time and on cost for our clients in Ireland is crucial to building a better future.

“By joining our team, specialists across a range of disciplines will have the chance to shape the future direction of our important work and collaborate with stakeholders who are focused on optimising outcomes.

“The work we do and the progress we achieve throughout 2025 as an Ireland-based team will make a huge difference for communities now, and into the future.”