New services consultant

[The Ham]

I wonder if anyone on here can help.

We have a client at work who is looking to look at the feasibility of a new rail commuter service which is likely to involve infrastructure improvements to a relatively lightly used branch line. As such we are looking for someone who would be able to provide professional advise on this proposal.

We would be looking for, (ideally isn't part of a large private company) someone who is able to:

- advise on what is required and the likely costs of infrastructure work
- work out the maximum number of paths that currently could exist and what the infrastructure works could allow
- work out a basic timetable
- provide general costs of running trains

As such it is likely to be akin to some of the early GRIP stages, but would only be for our client to determine if it is worth their investment.

There maybe other tasks that could be needed but that should give you an idea as to what is required. Given that it we are looking for professional advise our client would be paying for these services.

Location shouldn't be too much of a problem as the site is fairly central within the UK, but the project would likely involve some project meetings which could involve visiting the line in question.

If anyone knows of anyone or could do this themselves could they please PM me contact details then that would be great. Thanks.

 

[telstarbox]

Some initial thoughts/questions:

Is this to support new development? If so, has the site been 'allocated' by the local authority and does the allocation make any reference to transport services?

Has the client approached the transport team at the local authority (or PTE if there is one)?

Has the client approached the relevant operator - would it need additional rolling stock?

 

[The Ham]

Some initial thoughts/questions:

Is this to support new development? If so, has the site been 'allocated' by the local authority and does the allocation make any reference to transport services?

Has the client approached the transport team at the local authority (or PTE if there is one)?

Has the client approached the relevant operator - would it need additional rolling stock?

It is to support new development and at this stage it has not been allocated. However, the developer is considering public transport options, which is why this has come about.

The current operator along the line has been met with and is aware of the proposal and is investigating what they think is needed. However the developer would like an independent report to reassure them that the operator is correct in what is needed so that neither of the following happens:
- the service can't be run because there is lack of paths because not enough capacity is provided
- the operator over engineers the design so that the developer is paying for a lot more than is needed.

 

[telstarbox]

I would send the above (with details of the site) to a few different transport consultants* and ask for a fee proposal or initial discussion.

*One with experience in rail projects as some mainly deal with highways - should be mentioned on their website.

 

[The Ham]

I would send the above (with details of the site) to a few different transport consultants* and ask for a fee proposal or initial discussion.

*One with experience in rail projects as some mainly deal with highways - should be mentioned on their website.

We are looking at that too, we just thought that it was worth asking on here if anyone knew anyone.

One person had messaged me and given details that we otherwise wouldn't have likely found, so it was worth doing.

 

[telstarbox]

Excellent.

 

[edwin_m]

If the developer employs one of the big consulting firms for other purposes it would be worth asking if they can provide this sort of service. My employer works both for developers and on transport projects similar to what you mention (in which I'm often involved personally) and it may be contractually easier as well as more likely to be approved if they use a firm they already have a relationship with.

 

[The Ham]

If the developer employs one of the big consulting firms for other purposes it would be worth asking if they can provide this sort of service. My employer works both for developers and on transport projects similar to what you mention (in which I'm often involved personally) and it may be contractually easier as well as more likely to be approved if they use a firm they already have a relationship with.

The consultants being used are smaller organisations, which is partly why I initially asked for someone who is not part of a large organisation.

The problem is sometimes page organisations don't always provide the best service because the people doing each part of the project may not know the full picture. As an example a different client had a road that had to pass over a high pressure has main which had to a structural design undertaken to protect the main, yet the drainage was initially designed to pass straight through the structure. All those elements were being designed by the one (large) company.

That still happened even though the concept design drawings (done by others) had all the elements shown with suitable levels of detail (such as drainage levels, to of slab levels, road levels).

That's not to say that large organisations don't do good work, but it can be that the structure segregates different skill sets so each element is done in isolation rather than having a more coordinated design process makes this harder to achieve.