Connecting communities
AECOM Streets, UK & Ireland, provides our clients with the advisory, design and construction support services to improve their strategic and local roads, active travel and public transport networks. Our client organisations are working to decarbonise, adapt to climate change, address air quality, grow safe, vibrant local economies and improve community health and wellbeing by addressing physical inactivity and improving public spaces.
We pride ourselves in working collaboratively with our clients and project stakeholders to deliver quality schemes with a positive legacy for community, environment and economy.
Our services
- Strategy Planning for all modes of transport
- All stages of Design
- Junction and network modelling
- Stakeholder Management
- Construction Management
- Road safety and safety auditing
- Event management
Working towards a more active future
Encouraging modal shift to walking, wheeling and cycling is one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing transport emissions, and decarbonising transport.
Infrastructure and services which facilitate safe and accessible transport including; cycleways, cycle parking, improved footways and cargo bike facilities as well as Mobility Hubs are the key to this transition.
Timely, inclusive and ongoing public engagement is vital to successful schemes, and this is a vital aspect of our services.
Project: Assessing cycle hangar locations in the West of England
Our streets team was appointed by the West of England Combined Authority to conduct a feasibility study for cycle hangars in the Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire Council areas, incorporating project management, reviews of existing practice, and suitability assessments.
Very happy with both the level of work and communication as well as the emerging outputs from AECOM and the proactivity shown in addressing the core aim of the commission.”
Project Manager – Capital Delivery, West of England Combined Authority
The project’s aim was to determine a number of suitable locations for on-street cycle hangars by assessing the environmental and social factors of over 7000 streets in the designated areas.
Our assessment of street characteristics was the first study of its kind for cycle hangars and as such will lead the way when it comes to implementing more sustainable and active travel options.
Project: Creating a new way of living in Bath and North East Somerset
Liveable Neighbourhoods are areas which reimagine the typical residential area in order to benefit local communities and reduce the dominance of vehicles. This often includes reallocating road space to pedestrians and cyclists in order to facilitate a move away from vehicle reliance, with an emphasis on accessibility as well as the introduction of more green spaces for rest and play.
We are working with B&NES (Bath and North East Somerset) Council to deliver 15 Liveable Neighbourhoods within B&NES, providing project management services, concept design and co-designing workshops for public consultations.
Our co-design workshops position residents at the core of projects affecting their communities and we’ve developed a variety of collaborative exercises to allow local people the opportunity to tailor their Liveable Neighbourhood to meet their own needs.
Experimental pilot schemes include the use of planters and removable bollards in order to limit the flow of through traffic in three areas commonly used by motorists who perceive the route as a way to avoid congestion on nearby main roads.
Project: Using traffic modelling to prioritise active travel
To support the Mayor of London’s Transport Strategy and Transport for London’s Healthy Streets outcomes, we were commissioned by the London Borough of Newham to develop a suite of traffic models to support the design process, and assess the impact of proposed active travel, public transport, and urban realm measures in the Royal Docks region of East London.
We assessed and refined proposals to prioritise active modes by reallocating road space and providing segregated cycling and new pedestrian facilities. We then communicated the scheme impacts as per TfL’s requirements and supplemented this with easily digestible non-technical summaries for wider distribution, including a 3D video fly through at public consultation.
The team I worked with were professional and friendly. I appreciate that whilst the scope of work changed during the project, they did not issue unnecessary compensation events and worked within the agreed budget. This holistic approach to delivery and sticking to budget is welcomed within the industry.”
Head of Engineering, London Borough of Newham
The scheme aims to promote both active travel and public transport modes by creating new public spaces, wider pavements, separated cycle lanes, better crossings and connections to local destinations, and more greenery and planting. These changes will create safe and attractive streets for everyone to enjoy, improving air quality, and encouraging people to be more active and healthier.
Project: Town centre transformation in Bandon, Ireland
AECOM was appointed by Cork County Council as lead designer and Employers Representative during construction for the redesign of the streetscape and public realm within Bandon town centre in West Cork, Ireland. Designed to be sympathetic to the significant historical setting, our Ireland based Streets team has transformed the town centre with new kerbing, paving, street lighting, trees, and enhanced pedestrian facilities.
Our integrated model of street design promotes more equitable interaction between users, creating a more connected, traffic-calmed street network with reduced car dependency and increased use of sustainable modes of transport.
We found AECOM to be professional, committed, and innovative. The feedback from the public from the recently delivered first phase has been very positive and we look forward to working with AECOM on future phases of the project.”
Senior Engineer, Cork County Council
With sustainability and inclusivity at the heart of our designs, we included nature-based drainage solutions such as rain gardens. We also consulted with several disability representative groups to include the provision of landmark paving along a clear strip of the footways, which was kept clear of any obstructions.
Public transport priority & connectivity
The AECOM Streets team works closely with central government(s) on guidance documents and delivers schemes which are in tune with the direction of travel evidenced by our involvement in Sprint which is the current CIHT’s Infrastructure Project of the Year.
We provide evidence-based decision making through multi-modal, microsimulation modelling of strategic public transport corridors to support route selection and stakeholder engagement. Specialist teams provide signal and control services. Focusing on the importance of the first and last mile of a trip, we deliver successful Mobility Hubs schemes and bus stop accessibility audit and design.
Project: Future proofing our public transport
In order to reduce travel time, ensure ongoing priority for carbon reducing public transport, and meet the employment needs of the local population, Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) embarked on its landmark Sprint bus priority project.
Phase 1 of the project consisted of a 20km long cross city bus corridor, featuring extended bus lanes and priority signalling. The end goal of phase 1 was to reduce journey times and increase the reliability of bus services. Results from the first 6 months of the project show a reduction in journey times of 5-6 minutes for up to 50,000 passengers a day.
AECOM worked on the scheme from concept to detailed design and have planned and designed over 9.3km of dedicated bus lanes, enhanced the priority of over 40 traffic signals, and included provision of 100 new accessible stops.
To ensure the best collaborative working experience possible, we co-located with both TfWM and a number of their contractors which made for closer communications to meet delivery timescales and led to greater client satisfaction.
I’m so pleased that we can now see that we have delivered in terms of both quicker and more reliable bus journeys for local residents.”
West Midlands Mayor
Project: Greater Manchester Bee Network
The Bee Network is a long-term plan to develop active travel infrastructure within Greater Manchester. It aims to create a high quality and comprehensive sustainable travel network, connecting all areas of the region. The plan includes building 1,800 miles of routes and 2,400 new crossings, linking neighbourhoods, school streets and public transport hubs.
Our Manchester Streets team has been directly involved with eight of the ten Greater Manchester boroughs, developing the Bee Network’s infrastructure design proposals at all stages, from feasibility through to implementation on site.
The panel felt that this is a very strong scheme overall – one of the strongest Bee Network schemes that it has seen.”
We have worked on over 65 miles of cycle routes and 80 signal-controlled junctions and crossings within Greater Manchester. These schemes include Cycle Optimised Protected Signal (CYCLOPs) junctions, sparrow crossings, physically segregated cycle routes, school streets, side road treatments, quiet streets, and bus stop bypass arrangements.
Having the team based in Greater Manchester is a great advantage to the projects. It allows for easy ad-hoc site visits to assist with our designs, and the opportunity to visit completed infrastructure, to gain an understanding of how it looks and operates.