Team celebrates completion of foundations at HS2’s Old Oak Common high speed station

Team celebrates completion of foundations at HS2’s Old Oak Common high speed station

The reinforced concrete base slab covers 45,000 square metres – equivalent to more than six football pitches – and reaches nearly two metres thick at its deepest point. 

This latest phase of construction, which began in April 2023, required 1.3million m³ clay to be excavated for the structure, consisting of 76,000 cubic metres of concrete and 17,000 tonnes of reinforced steel.

Nizar Awad, Old Oak Common Project Director at SYSTRA, said: “We’re delighted to have reached this important milestone. It once again showcases the fantastic collaborative efforts of all those on HS2, Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA and our supply chain partners – bringing together multi-discipline specialists to efficiently deliver the latest stage in the development of this major transport superhub.

“With more than 90% of the low-carbon CCOPact concrete used for the base slab being manufactured on site, we have reduced lorry movements and CO2 emissions. This process contributed to the station being recognised as BREAAM outstanding, meaning we’re very proud to be recognised as being in the top 1% of environmentally friendly buildings in the UK.

“Work is already underway on the six HS2 service platform which is an exciting stage as people passing the site will really start to see this station take shape.”

The station is being delivered for HS2 by the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA joint venture (BBVS JV). Once completed, it will be one of the best-connected stations in the UK, with the six underground platforms allowing new high-speed services to run between London and the West Midlands, and eight surface-level platforms providing an interchange to the Great Western Railway, Elizabeth Line and Heathrow Express.

The latest phase of construction follows the excavation of the box which was completed in the summer of 2024.

Find out more.

SYSTRA supports Welsh Government with net-zero goal

As part of its commitment to ensure every single person in Wales can be part of the solution, the Welsh Government introduced a Public Engagement Strategy in 2023. This provides a framework for working with people across the country to act on climate and nature emergencies and ensuring a range of views are captured. 

SYSTRA’s Social and Market Research Team was chosen to bring their expertise and experience, including from previous work for Transport for Wales on a range of sustainable transport initiatives, to evaluate how the strategy is contributing to the net zero target in a new report published today, Thursday 6^th February 2025. 

To do this, our team of professional researchers and evaluators developed a Theory of Change (ToC) logic model for the strategy. A ToC is an established evaluation tool for outlining what an intervention aims to achieve and how, by breaking down each component into its inputs, activities, outputs, outcomes, and impacts. By integrating the COM-B model of behavioural change, used by the Welsh Government for the Public Engagement Strategy into the Theory of Change, the Theory of Change demonstrates what changes in public participation outcomes would need to be measured to say it is the strategy specifically that has led to positive change. 

Sally McNamara, Project Director at SYSTRA, said: “All nations need to achieve their net zero targets to create a sustainable society, and our Social Market Research Team is proud to be helping the Welsh Government with their approach. As they continue to deliver on their engagement strategy, the Theory of Change model will be vital to understand what is working, why, and how, to maximise the positive environmental impacts. It is now a live document and will develop as the strategy evolves. 

“This project was also personally insightful. I’ve always been passionate about active travel and recycling, but this work made me realise I’m doing a lot of things in isolation, and there is so much more I can do. Due to this project, I’ve joined a couple of local community groups and am going to give our next monthly repair café a go rather than dump a speaker that isn’t working. I’m also trying to do more than simply model green behaviour to my daughters but get them involved in volunteering, including our next community litter pick, and working in a community garden.” 

SYSTRA’s Social and Market Research Team worked with colleagues Prof Wouter Poortinga and Dr Caroline Verfuerth from Cardiff University and the Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST), who contributed to the evidence review and advised on the theory of change logic model.  

Read the SYSTRA report for the Welsh Government ‘Theory of Change for Climate Action Wales: Public Engagement Strategy 2023-2026’ in English or Welsh.

SYSTRA appoints consultancy business director for Ireland to help drive growth

Ian Byrne has this month been appointed Ireland Consultancy Business Director and will be fully dedicated to the market moving forward.

Ian has more than 27 years’ professional experience in sustainable transport planning, strategy development and transport modelling.

He has been with the business, based in Dublin, for more than 19 years, and throughout his career has demonstrated an excellent understanding of the interrelationship between transport modes, particularly in the context of transport strategy preparation and implementation.  

Most recently, Ian has been Business Director for Data Modelling & Analytics (DMA) at SYSTRA, leading on projects for clients including the National Transport Authority, Department of Transport and Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) in Ireland whilst leading SYSTRA’s DMA sector across the UK and Ireland. 

Ian said: “I’m delighted to take on this role, which offers a fantastic opportunity to lead and work alongside a talented team committed to delivering sustainable transport solutions for our clients right across Ireland. 

“In today’s world, addressing the challenges posed by climate change is more crucial than ever, and transport plays a pivotal role in this effort. 

“I look forward to contributing to our mission of advancing active travel, public transport and rail systems, ensuring sustainable and efficient mobility for everyone while reducing our carbon footprint.” 

SYSTRA has seen significant growth in its consultancy business in Ireland over the past couple of years, which positions the business to make the most of strong opportunities in 2025, and beyond. 

Working closely with colleagues from SYSTRA’s engineering business, Ian will help build a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team ready to make the most of the potential in the Ireland market across rail, highways, active travel and wider transport planning. 

SYSTRA has offices in Dublin and Cork, has recently secured work on the NTA BusConnects Client Partner project in Dublin, and has been awarded a Single Party Framework Agreement, alongside Egis, to provide consultancy services to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail) in a joint venture.

SYSTRA specialists to support National Transport Authority on connecting Dublin

A multi-disciplinary team of specialists from SYSTRA will be working to enhance connectivity for people and places across Dublin as part of the BusConnects project.

The BusConnects Dublin, Core Bus Corridors Infrastructure Works Program, is a critical 10-year program comprising 12 core bus corridors. Delivered by the National Transport Authority (NTA), the aim is to deliver a substantial upgrade to walking, cycling and bus infrastructure across Dublin. This will not only seek to enhance accessibility and resilience for critical infrastructure, but will also help address climate change.

SYSTRA consultants will provide multi-disciplinary technical expertise and major programme management capability working for the NTA’s client partner Jacobs, alongside Arup and Chandler KBS. 

Together they will work on approximately 230 kilometres of continuous bus priority corridors and approximately 200 kilometres of cycle paths and improved pedestrian facilities. 

For SYSTRA, the work follows previous significant involvement in BusConnects schemes since 2018, including supporting the delivery of the Dublin and Cork BusConnects Environmental Impact Assessment Reports, a project at Liffey Valley including a bus interchange and other bus priority projects and active travel enhancements. 

Ian Byrne, Business Director for Ireland Consultancy at SYSTRA, said: “We’re delighted to be supporting the NTA on this significant transport infrastructure project which will bring a wealth of benefits to people in Dublin and the Dublin Greater Area.

“Our local and global experience in delivering sustainable solutions that seamlessly connect people and places will inform our work as part of a collaborative team, with shared goals of reducing public transport journey times, reducing climate impact, and supporting growth and access to opportunities.

“We look forward to working with our colleagues from all the partner organisations to boost Dublin’s connectivity.”

NTA Head of BusConnects Dublin Infrastructure Aidan Gallagher said: “BusConnects will deliver a better-connected Dublin with improved public transport, cycling and pedestrian infrastructure along the 12 spines. This will lead to greater reliability and improved journey times with better access to housing, employment and essential services such as healthcare and education, while also investing in our local economy.”

Find out more about SYSTRA in Ireland.

SYSTRA-designed bridge replacement completed on time for Transpennine Route Upgrade

The five-day operation saw the new 200-tonne bridge in Osmondthorpe Lane, Leeds, moved into position and installed through a collaborative effort among all partners in the TRU East Alliance. It brings customers one step closer to faster, greener and more reliable journeys between Manchester and York. 

The bridge, designed by SYSTRA specialists, weighs 200 tonnes and was moved into position in one piece by a self-propelled modular transport (SPMT) vehicle. Once in place, new tracks and more than 270 tonnes of ballast were laid, before the railway was handed back – on time – for passenger services to resume. 

SYSTRA also supported the safety and assurance of the project through the use of SYSTRA Vision software. The 4D planning tool enabled a dynamic virtual rehearsal to be developed, helping to identify and reduce risk, and streamline planning and execution.

SYSTRA’s Practice Director, John Oldridge, said: “The Transpennine Route Upgrade East is really important to the region, to the network, and to our business.

“It’s something we’re really proud to be part of – it will transform the journey for passengers between York and Leeds, and beyond, support the future capacity of rail services, and also enhance the wider economy.” 

Sekoura Benissad, Operations Director, added: “It’s fantastic to see the culmination of years of work successfully delivered for the TRU East Alliance with the Osmondthorpe Lane bridge replacement.   

“The skill, expertise and commitment the SYSTRA design team bring to the Alliance to support the delivery of innovative solutions is second-to-none, and we are delighted to be part of this highly successful collaborative approach to delivering significant rail infrastructure projects.”

SYSTRA is part of the TRU East Alliance alongside Network Rail, Murphy, Volker Rail and Siemens to deliver increased capacity, quicker journey times and more reliable journeys between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. 

Find out more about our work on the Transpennine Route Upgrade.

SYSTRA Scott Lister UK transfers to SYSTRA Limited, bringing human factors expertise to the UK and Ireland

They bring substantial consultancy expertise in the fields of human factors and ergonomics, systems engineering, Reliability, Availability, Maintainability and system Safety (RAMS), conventional and metro signalling.

These colleagues are already active on key projects such as HS2 and the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU), and the Human Factors Team has recently been accredited for their record of exceptional delivery with the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors.

Nick Salt, SYSTRA Limited CEO, said: “We’re delighted to complete the transfer of SYSTRA Scott Lister UK to strengthen our team of specialist engineers.

“They bring with them many years of experience, including on major rail projects in the UK, and have been working closely with our management structure over the past few months to ensure a smooth transition.

“We look forward to working together on many more sustainable transport and infrastructure projects as SYSTRA Limited.”

Jordan Smith, Principal Human Factors Consultant, added: “We’re excited to become part of SYSTRA Limited, bringing over 50 years of highways, aviation and diverse railway experience to the projects that SYSTRA is currently embarking on.

“Incorporating human factors – which examines the way people interact with and are affected by transportation and other systems – not only helps support the safe and efficient delivery of complex engineering projects; it also ensures each system is designed with the end user in mind, encompassing passengers, operational roles and maintenance roles.

“Offering these services to the UK and Ireland markets as part of SYSTRA Limited gives us the leading-edge in developing and delivering innovative and effective solutions for our clients and communities.”

Read our insight to find out how our human factors specialists are working to improve level crossing safety.

2024: a year in review

As we approach the end of another year, we’re shining a spotlight on just some of our most impressive achievements. From project milestones and sustainability victories, to progress on our equality, diversity and inclusion goals, we’ve been very busy!

Sustainability and social value

It is more important than ever to act collectively to address the challenges facing society, the economy and our planet. In every project and solution we deliver, we aim to create economic and social wellbeing, and to make a lasting positive impact on the environment. Sustainability is embedded into our business approach. This year, we continued to take strides forward in creating sustainable value for all our stakeholders, and our own business.

At the start of the year we appointed David White as our new Director of Health, Safety, Security & Sustainability to lead on our commitment to keeping colleagues safe and well, and lowering the carbon impact of our UK and Ireland activities. Riona Ainge later joined David in the newly created position of Sustainability Lead, which focuses on reducing carbon footprint and broadening social value. The role was created to support the delivery of our four key sustainability mission pillars – social purpose, climate action, responsible business and environmental stewardship.

But these weren’t the only big sustainability successes for the business this year. We were very proud to join the specialist Net Zero Bridges Group and sign the ‘UK Civil Engineers Declare Climate & Biodiversity Emergency’ declaration. The group are committed to helping the industry reduce its carbon footprint as quickly as possible, through shaping best practice, and sharing knowledge and ideas. As bridges are one of the most carbon intensive elements of infrastructure, we were very keen to join and engage with other companies that are part of the group.

Our colleagues also took part in some intensive but rewarding carbon literacy training led by Positive Planet. The training left the participants feeling incredibly motivated and hopeful, and everyone who undertook the training came away with a pledge to reduce their individual carbon footprint – an important commitment made by the whole business in order to achieve carbon net zero emissions by 2050, as per our Carbon Reduction Plan.

Speaking of carbon reduction, during December we agreed our carbon net zero targets with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), further enhancing our commitment to becoming carbon net zero by 2050. The reductions will cover everything from office lighting and heating to supply chain emissions!

Our sustainability milestones weren’t just limited to the business itself – the progress we made on projects embodied our commitment to making a lasting positive impact too.

Back in April, the Greater Manchester ‘Places for Everyone’ plan, which will provide jobs, new homes and sustainable growth, was formally adopted. Between 2019 and 2024, our specialists were very proud to support the work as technical advisor to Transport for Greater Manchester, providing a wide range of expertise across planning; transport planning; strategic; micro-simulation and junction modelling; preliminary public transport; active travel and highway design and costing; and ‘examination in public’ work.

And, we had a knockout year for our work with electric vehicles. With an increase in the use of low-carbon vehicles likely to be a critical component in the delivery of a net zero carbon economy, our specialists are at the forefront of innovation in mobility and low-carbon transport solutions.

Our teams worked with Hull City Council and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, along with Stagecoach Bus and East Yorkshire Buses to secure ZEBRA2 funding, which will support the delivery and operation of 40 new electric buses serving key routes across Hull city centre.

Our framework appointment (alongside partners KMPG and Savills) to the Welsh Government’s Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy was an exciting advancement for the business, opening up a significant new workstream that supports our bold decarbonisation growth initiative. The strategy aims to increase public confidence in the availability of charging infrastructure in Wales, which will in-turn facilitate increased ownership.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are leading the way in championing equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) in the engineering and transport sectors. Our commitment to ED&I is proactive and ongoing, as we work to build diverse and inclusive workspaces that respect, value and optimise the contribution of all our colleagues. Through creating and celebrating the diversity that reflects our communities, we in-turn enhance our capabilities and capacity for innovation and optimum performance.

This year we worked as hard as ever on our ED&I strategic pillars.

We entered into a game-changing partnership with Women in Transport – an organisation that empowers women by creating opportunities for networking and professional development in the transport sector across all modes and disciplines. Through the partnership, we look forward to taking further positive steps towards closing the gender pay gap by actively engaging with women in our industry and better understanding their experiences.

We also became Level 2 Disability Confident. Our position on the UK government scheme highlights the business as having gone the extra mile to improve recruitment, retainment and development for those that have disabilities.

The health, safety and security of our people and the solutions we deliver is our priority. Ensuring that we offer appropriate, well-fitting personal protective equipment for our colleagues’ on-site visits is absolutely crucial to this, whether it be maternity or women-specific fit. This year we took our commitment to the next level and signed the Inclusive PPE Campaign Pledge and Protection for Everyone Charter, which upholds that all workers deserve and require access to well-fitting PPE to work comfortably. As part of our commitment, we will be leading by example and sharing best practice with our contractors and suppliers.

Our wide-reaching ED&I initiatives target many diverse areas, including training in LGBTQIA+ awareness. Over the summer, our colleagues celebrated our dedication to LGBTQIA+ ED&I in the loudest and proudest way possible – at Leeds Pride. We showed up in force for the SYSTRA-sponsored event, alongside friends and family, to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Enhancing our work environments

We have been through monumental growth in recent years, and our offices are exciting, ambitious, stimulating places to work. We’re keen to make sure our spaces reflect the personal and professional needs of our leading thinkers, keen collaborators and supportive peers. By creating a comfortable, positive and inspiring environment, our colleagues thrive and their work reflect this.

Throughout the year we’ve been on a mission to continue enhancing our workspaces to ensure we retain and attract top industry talent.

We upgraded a number of our offices to bigger, better spaces. In March we expanded our presence in the North East of England with a larger Newcastle office due to our growing client base, and also relocated our Edinburgh office as part of our long-term commitment to Scotland, in direct response to strong growth across the UK. Less than a month later we moved our Leeds office location, further bolstering our commitment to developing talent in the city and across the Yorkshire region. We also redesigned our York office to be a more welcoming, visually appealing space for our colleagues, to match our other amazing office locations. The new office features a wellbeing room, book nook, collaboration areas, luscious green planters, and artistic York themed wall designs by our very own graphic designer!

In November we were thrilled to welcome our Group CEO Jean-Charles Vollery to both our Manchester and York offices, where he held fantastic Q&A sessions and shared his exciting vision for the business.

Colleague Success

Excellence is at the heart of everything we do, and the technical expertise and experience of our colleagues is unrivalled. Within the business we love to celebrate our colleagues’ wins – external recognition is really the cherry on top.

Our expertise was highlighted through a number of colleague successes this year, from a Transport Planning Society official board appointment to multiple CIWEM accolades, fellowships with the Institution of Civil Engineers, accreditations, and even a visiting professor in cybersecurity appointment.

On top of this, so many of our specialists have won prestigious awards over the past 12 months – too many to list in fact! To name but a few:

• Geotechnics Discipline Lead Charlotte Woodhall-Jones was named among the Top 20 Women in Ground Engineering for her work helping to foster a more inclusive and sustainable ground engineering sector.
• Jenny Jefferies, Consents Technical Expert, was selected as one of The Planner Magazine’s Women of Influence for her “remarkable grit and resilience”.
• Emily Rose-Maule (Assistant Engineer) was awarded the Lighting Industry Association (LIA) Advanced Exterior Lighting Design Certificate for Outstanding Student of the Year and the Lightmongers LIA Award 2023/2024.

The hard work and dedication of our Signature Team never fails to impress us. Our people are our most valuable asset, and we’re always on the lookout for more team members who want to work on ground-breaking and innovative projects that have a tangible impact on the world.

Standout market successes

Here at SYSTRA we’ve been specialising in infrastructure and mobility solutions, creating, improving and modernising infrastructure for more than 50 years – and 2024 was certainly no different.

2024 saw yet another year of working in partnership with our clients to deliver inspirational places and systems that connect people seamlessly, enhance wellbeing, stimulate economies, and provide a sustainable legacy for future generations. Our multi-disciplinary Connected Teams supported the delivery of major projects across the transport, energy, environmental and built-environment sectors through their expertise in design, consultancy, project management, engineering and construction supervision.

There simply isn’t the time to list all our market successes throughout the year, so below are some of the standout wins.

Conventional rail

Alongside Balfour Beatty, Mott MacDonald and Skansa, we were thrilled to announce our place as design partners in the Midlands Rail Alliance. The alliance will put forward a joint bid to deliver the upcoming Midlands Rail Hub, which is set to transform connectivity for the region. Should the Midlands Rail Alliance be selected, we will bring innovation and best practice across all areas, particularly in Modern Methods of Construction and through our industry-leading testing and commissioning skills.

We also signed a new contract with Costain to develop the ES1-3 initial high-level design and feasibility for the Bradford Forster Square station upgrade. Our specialists will provide consultancy services for the Business Case; Architecture team-led engineering expertise; and programme management. The project is a critical step toward enhancing the station’s infrastructure and its connectivity to central Bradford.

Water and environment

Securing our place on the United Utilities framework to improve river quality across the North West of England, was a major win for our specialists this year. Our teams will provide their expertise in nature-based solutions to cover a range of requirements such as rain gardens, green and blue roofs, constructed wetlands and swales.

Highways

This year we celebrated a host of impressive new bridge openings and installations:

• Official opening of the Dighty Bridge and reopening of the National Cycle Network (Route 1) coastal path route from Broughty Ferry to Monifieth – funded by the Scottish Government, the project aims to create a better, safer environment for people to walk, wheel and cycle, and to encourage healthier lifestyles through active travel. Since 2019, SYSTRA supported Dundee City Council and Angus Council with stakeholder and public engagement, behaviour change, and monitoring and evaluation on the £18 million upgrade
• In May we saw the official opening of the new permanent River Clyde crossing in South Lanarkshire. Our Signature Team led on the design, substructure works, highway alignment, flood modelling and geotechnical design – it’s the second longest ‘Mabey’ bridge in the UK!
• We achieved a major milestone on the Grovehurst Junction project, as a new bridge over the A249 was installed as part of the roundabout works between Iwade and Kemsley. The new bridge will enable a much larger roundabout gyratory system to be implemented over the top of the A249, which will assist with increased future traffic flows due to expected population growth in the area.

Our work, alongside Frontier Economics, on The National Bus Strategy Evaluation for the Department of Transport took huge strides in 2024. The project’s first interim report was published as part of a wider £1 million, 3-year evaluation piece. The report involved the technical excellence and collaboration of our social and market research, data science and transport planning specialists, who took the scheme from concept and feasibility design stages, to planning submission, public consultation, detailed design and construction.

Just recently we secured £43.5k from Transport Research and Innovation Grant (TRIG) for AI research into road safety incidents. We are excited to develop an innovative new AI application that can classify: the physical environment surrounding road collisions, identifying where risks of serious and fatal collisions exist on the road network; what type, quantity and severity of incidents are associated with different physical environments; and how the existing physical environment could be changed to improve road safety. The application will provide invaluable road safety risk insights for road and urban designers, prior to work beginning on the ground.

Ireland

Towards the latter end of the year, we were thrilled to be awarded a Single Party Framework Agreement, alongside Egis, to provide multi-disciplinary consultancy services to Iarnród Éireann (Irish Rail). The services will support Irish Rail with the planning, design and execution of railway and related infrastructure projects, involving all stages of project development from strategic planning and policy development to design, procurement, and construction.

Signing the contract with Galway County Council for the design of two major new active travel schemes in Athenry and Tuam, was another big win for the business. Funds from the National Transport Authority will facilitate the design of new and improved walking and cycling infrastructure and traffic calming measures in both towns. Our specialists will take the schemes through the preliminary design and planning stages – we’re already looking forward to the commencement of construction later in 2026!

International

Throughout the year, our skills and expertise hasn’t just been limited to the UK and Ireland – it’s also been recognised on global scale.

In March we were appointed for the detailed design work of Canada’s exciting new Surrey Langley SkyTrain (SLS), in collaboration with SYSTRA International Bridge Technologies (SIBT). The transformative project, which will extend the Expo Line by 16kms (primarily along Fraser Highway, connecting King George SkyTrain Station in Surrey to Langley City), aims to enhance regional connections and provide fast, frequent and reliable transit services across Metro Vancouver.

Through the SkyLink Guideway Partners (SLGP) group, our detailed design will provide elevated guideways, including superstructure, substructure and foundations.

HS2

We are a key player on the HS2 project as part of two joint ventures. In 2017 we were selected by the Balfour Beatty VINCI JV to provide the civil engineering design of lots N1 and N2, in a 50:50 design JV with Mott MacDonald – the Main Works Civils Contract (MWCC). Later in 2019, as part of a Tier 1 JV with Balfour Beatty and VINCI, we won the contract as Construction Delivery Partner for the new Old Oak Common station – the largest railway station to be built in London for a century.

Our work on HS2 to date showcases our digital design solutions and impressive expertise in providing robust and efficient services to maximum value. And, over the past 12 months there have been countless successes on both of our HS2 joint ventures.

MWCC

• In February we saw the moving into place of the first Delta Junction Viaduct over the M42/M6, in just 11.5 hours!
• In March planning approval was granted for two major aspects – the green tunnel in Burton Green and the River Blythe Viaduct.
• We reached another two milestones in April. The second Delta Junction Viaduct section over the M42/M6 was moved in to place, and the first completed sections of the Curzon Street station viaducts were revealed.
• In July Bellingham Bridge began to take shape with the completion of the piers on the Curzon 2 Viaduct, and the first span of the 472-metre-long single-track viaduct (River Tame West Viaducts) was built using a specialist cantilever process – the first time it has ever been used in the UK!
• August saw the completion of the A542 Kenilworth Road bridge, and the launch of the Aston Church Road bridge. On top of this, the tunnelling work into Birmingham reached the halfway point.
• September was another busy month for milestones, as the project celebrated its first completed viaduct (Highfurlong Brook Viaduct), the final deck segment was installed on the Colne Valley Viaduct, and the first viaduct structures were completed at Delta Junction.

Old Oak Common

• In January the tunnel boring machine (TBM) ‘Lydia’ broke through into the station box, completing the Atlas Road Logistics tunnel.
• In February the electrical system at OOC became diesel free.
• June saw the first phase of piling at the Conventional Station and SAB were completed!
• During July we saw a huge milestone achieved – the completion of the box excavation, with 1.3 million tonnes of London Clay having been removed over the course of three years! The team also began dismantling the conveyor system, removing the 57-tonne, 60 metre-long conveyor gantry that spanned across Old Oak Common Lane.
• In September all excavation was completed!
• And to round off the year the giant tunnelling machines are ready for an impressive 4.5-mile drive to Euston.

TRU East

As part of the TRU East Alliance (alongside Network Rail, VolkerRail, Siemens and Murphy), we’re very proud of our work as Principal Designer on the largest conventional rail project in the UK, which aims to decrease journey times and increase reliability, capacity and safety.

This year, the TRU East project moved forward with quite some pace:

• In June, the first of 12 major bridge works were completed with the reconstruction of the London Road Bridge.
• During July we achieved the energisation of the new electrification system in North Yorkshire.
• September welcomed in some major milestones – the first electric trains successfully completed test runs along the electrified section of railway between York and Church Fenton, and the track section cabinet at Neville Hill was commissioned.
• In October, the Secretary of State for Transport approved a Transport and Works Act Order, granting permission for further major upgrades between Leeds and Micklefield. This enables plans for 5 level crossings with safer alternatives, reconstruction and removal of bridges to allow electrification, and installation of small-scale infrastructure.

ECML PSU

This year marked a lot of progress for the East Coast Main Line (ECML) Power Supply Upgrade (PSU) project. Alongside our REAL Alliance partners Jacobs, J Murphy & Sons, Network Rail, Siemens Mobility and VolkerRail, we celebrated a lot of significant milestones, moving us closer towards faster, quieter and more environmentally friendly electric trains on the ECML:

• To kick the year off, the largest rail Static Frequency Convertor system in the world was commissioned at Hambleton Junction in March. We also finalised the protection system installation, and Entered into Service successfully and safely at the Biggleswade Mid-Point Track Sectioning Cabin.
• Later in April, the Alliance successfully entered Northallerton TSC into service.
• In June we also entered Tursdale TSC into service.
• July was another big month for milestones, as we welcomed the installation of twin track cantilevers in Chester-le-Street (the last two structures to be installed on phase two), and Aycliffe MPTSC was also successfully delivered to the site.
• In October we celebrated both the Entry into Service for the Doncaster Track Sectioning Cabin, and also the successful completion of the final ASG delivery at Chester-le-Street.

Spotlight on our project awards

Our colleagues have once again worked incredibly hard this year across the board. Below is a selection of awards we’ve won for outstanding delivery on our projects. These accolades are truly a testament to our colleagues and culture, and remind of us of the pride we feel for our positive contribution towards society, and creating places that thrive.

• Network Rail Safety / Health / Environment / Leadership / Team Awards – we won the Construction Safety Award for our 4D construction planning and visualisation initiative, as used on TRU East.
• Institution of Structural Engineers’ Midland Counties Structural Awards – as part of DJV with Mott MacDonald on HS2, we won the Profession Award for raising design standards and inspirational work on the A452 Kenilworth Road Overbridge. We also won the Process Award for the minimisation of traffic disruption using a push and pull technique for the launch of the Delta Junction viaducts.
• Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation Awards 2024 – the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA JV won the CIHT and WSP Sustainability Award for the work carried out at HS2’s Old Oak Common station.
• Green World Awards – further to winning the Green Apple Environment Award in November 2023, the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA JV won bronze for both Building and Construction and Carbon Reduction at this year’s international Green World Awards.
• Tekla BIM Awards – the Gatwick Airport Station redevelopment won in the Infrastructure Project category.
• Institution of Civil Engineers Yorkshire & Humber Awards – the TRU East NOC/23 culvert replacement took home a certificate of commendation in the Smeaton Awards category.
• National Rail Awards – the ECML PSU REAL Alliance won the Innovation of the Year award.
• Chartered Institute of Building Awards – the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA JV took home the team award in the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion category for HS2’s Old Oak Common station.
• Considerate Constructors Scheme National Awards – the Balfour Beatty VINCI SYSTRA JV won the Community Enrichment award for HS2’s Old Oak Common station.

And that’s a wrap on another epic year!

We’d like to wish our colleagues, partners and clients a very happy new year, we can’t wait to work on more innovative, award-winning projects in 2025!

If you’d like to work with us in any capacity, please get in touch with our experts.

SYSTRA agrees carbon net zero targets

The targets will support SYSTRA’s commitment to becoming carbon net zero by 2050, and cover reductions in everything from office lighting and heating, to supply chain emissions.

They are:

• Reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by FY2030 from FY2022 base year.
• Reduce absolute scope 3 emissions by 25% by FY2030 from FY2022 base year.
• Reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions across the value chain by FY2050.
• Reduce absolute scope 1, 2 and scope 3 emissions by 90% by FY2050 from FY2022 base year.

SYSTRA has published a Carbon Reduction Plan which sets out the full details of the baselines and targets, and outlines some of the progress made so far.

Actions already taken include sourcing electricity from renewable sources wherever possible, integrating carbon considerations into significant purchasing decisions, and introducing policies to reduce emissions from car travel, such as EV car hire and purchase schemes.

Riona Ainge, Sustainability Lead at SYSTRA, said: “Sustainability is embedded right across SYSTRA, not only in the work we deliver for our clients but in the way we do business.

“The validation of our SBTi targets is further proof that we are committed to climate-friendly processes and practices, and that we are proud to play our part in protecting our planet.”

Find out more about sustainability at SYSTRA.

Double win for SYSTRA at the Institution of Structural Engineers Awards

Winning the Profession Award for raising design standards and inspirational work, the A452 Kenilworth Road Overbridge showcased how the team (working over 8 countries) worked together to deliver the longest and highest box structure on the entire HS2 project. 

The M42/M6 Link East and West Viaducts were overall winners for the Process Award, with the design team impressing judges by minimising traffic disruption to two of Birmingham’s busiest motorways. A UK-first push and pull technique was used to launch the viaducts making up the complex Delta Junction. 

Alan Eaton, Senior Technical Director, commented: “It was a wonderful evening showcasing the capabilities of the whole team and celebrating the innovative and collaborative approach that has been brought to life on the A452 and M42-M6 work for HS2.

“I’m proud that these awards reflect SYSTRA’s global excellence and connected teams approach, demonstrating how we work together collaboratively to develop sustainable solutions to overcome some significant technical challenges.”

SYSTRA / Egis JV secures prestigious multi-disciplinary consultancy framework with Iarnród Éireann

The framework success underscores SYSTRA and Egis’ capabilities in delivering high-quality, strategic, technical, and contract advisory services across complex infrastructure projects.

The framework covers a wide range of consultancy services aimed at supporting Iarnród Éireann in the planning, design, and execution of railway and related infrastructure projects. It includes all stages of project development from strategic planning and policy development to design, procurement, and construction. Turner and Townsend will supply services to projects under the framework as subcontractors.

Under the agreement, SYSTRA and Egis will provide expertise in three main service categories:

• Strategic and policy advisory services: SYSTRA and Egis will assist Iarnród Éireann in shaping future rail operations and project management protocols, offering key insights and guidance on rail strategy development, policymaking, sustainability initiatives, and infrastructure management.
• Technical and design advisory services: The partnership of SYSTRA and Egis will lend its expertise to crucial areas of railway infrastructure, including permanent way enhancements, station designs, signalling and telecom upgrades, and the integration of new technologies. This service category will also help Irish Rail comply with the latest sustainability and climate change standards.
• Contract advisory services: SYSTRA and Egis will provide comprehensive advisory services related to procurement strategies, contract drafting, and management of infrastructure projects, ensuring the best practices are employed for cost efficiency and project delivery.

Jim Meade, Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann, said “Iarnród Éireann is working to be the backbone of Ireland’s sustainable transport network. Through our existing investment programme, and through the pathway outlined under the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, we are in the midst of a transformative era for rail transport in Ireland. Under this framework, we look forward to working with Egis and SYSTRA across a range of projects and programmes, and benefiting from their expertise and insight.”

Nick Salt, Chief Executive Officer of SYSTRA (UK & Ireland) said: “We are pleased to be working in collaboration to support Iarnród Éireann in enhancing its network to benefit both people and goods. Experts from SYSTRA’s Ireland and UK offices, across our consultancy and engineering teams, will be working alongside their Egis counterparts to provide a range of services, always with a focus on sustainability and innovation.

“As we continue to grow our service offering in Ireland this represents a significant strategic opportunity for our business and builds on our existing excellent relationship with Iarnród Éireann.”

Andrew Doyle, Director of Rail Egis in Ireland, said: “The framework agreement represents a critical milestone for Egis as we continue to strengthen our position in the transportation sector. Through this collaboration with Iarnród Éireann, Egis and SYSTRA will contribute significantly to the modernisation and expansion of Ireland’s rail network, helping to deliver more efficient, sustainable, customer-focused, and forward-thinking infrastructure solutions.

“We are thrilled to have been chosen for this prestigious opportunity. The framework highlights our commitment to delivering excellence across all aspects of consultancy, from strategic planning to technical execution, and we look forward to contributing to the success of Iarnród Éireann’s vital projects.”

SYSTRA and Egis work in collaboration on a number of projects worldwide. In Morocco, for example, Egis has partnered with SYSTRA and Novec, an African engineering company, on the development of a high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech. The project is part of Morroco’s preparations for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which the country is co-hosting with Spain and Portugal.