TfSE awards area-based study contract

Studies

Transport for the South East (TfSE) has appointed a joint team of consultants Steer, WSP and Atkins to deliver five area-based studies that will help define investment priorities.

Three studies will focus on radial corridors broadly running north-south and connecting the region with London and other parts of the UK. Two studies will look at orbital or east-west connectivity, including along the south coast.

TfSE hopes to conduct the studies over two years. It currently has sufficient funding to launch one, which will be the outer orbital study of the south coast corridor. 

TfSE is still awaiting news  about whether the DfT will provide a grant for 2020/21, which could allow further studies to commence this financial year.

The area studies will inform a strategic investment plan (SIP) setting out a prioritised programme of investments up to 2050. The procurement process for a consultant to prepare the SIP will commence later this year, subject to DfT grant funding. 

Consultants WSP and Steer  are preparing a future mobility strategy and action plan for TfSE.

Procurement of a freight, logistics and international gateways strategy is also proposed to take place this year, subject to DfT funding. Consultant AECOM has prepared a scoping report that includes a draft brief for the strategy.  

Consultant Steer has completed work on carbon emissions assessment, including updating the South East Economic and Land Use Model (SEELUM) to enable the impact of different fuel types, energy sources, fuel efficiency levels and changes in the vehicle fleet mix to be assessed. Steer has also created an interface for transferring highways data from SEELUM into a carbon emissions factors toolkit that has been developed jointly by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the DfT.