TRANSPORT PLANNING
Transportation can significantly influence a community's economic health and quality of life. Effective transportation planning makes the difference in bringing these benefits to reality. HKK's customer-focused approach has made us a leader in transportation planning. Our staff has international experience in urban, suburban, and rural environments. We provide a full range of transportation planning services: Transportation planning; Intelligent transportation systems; Traffic Engineering; GIS and Data Management; Transit and Multimodal Transportation; Transportation Finance and Economics; Integrated Land Use and Transportation Planning; Sustainable Transportation Planning.
Bus rapid transit
Our bus rapid transit (BRT) experts employ bespoke technologies and techniques to provide a step change in the quality of bus service provision – to provide a faster, more reliable and seamless experience. BRT schemes are increasingly viewed as a vital part of the transport tool kit, offering future-focused solutions for easing congestion, improving accessibility, and enhancing social inclusion in towns and cities.
Features of BRT systems can range from network-wide initiatives to junction priority and corridor-specific enhancements – including dedicated track and guidance. Guidance can include mechanical (carob or slot guidance), electrical or optical guidance systems. Key attributes include:
Reliable and rapid journey times
Integrated design of infrastructure and vehicles for comfort, quality and improved access
Silent, high performance and low/no emission at source propulsion, including diesel-electric hybrid, fuel cells and trolley bus traction
Close tolerance docking is allowed passengers to board and leave the buses without a significant step
Reliable real-time information advising waiting times for the next bus
Readily identifiable and visible product enhancing the quality of the public transport offering
cable cars
Although thousands of cable car systems are in operation worldwide, only a handful are used to provide urban transport. The urban cable car is a relatively new idea, but as it utilizes existing technology in a new application, it is also proven reliable.
HKK’s expertise in all rail, bus, road and personal rapid transit (PRT) systems means we can effectively integrate cable cars within a transport network at minimum cost. Our extensive knowledge of site conditions and links to the different manufacturers means we can select the correct cable car system to suit your specific needs. We deeply understand the need to meet geometrical and structural constraints, such as maximizing cable gradients and aligning the system between end or intermediate stations. We can also help you meet regulatory requirements, such as the EU Cableways Directive.
Our specialists undertake risk assessments and prepare safety cases considering safety critical systems/resilience, the hierarchy of response and evacuation methods. We match capacity to demand, influenced by system selection, code safety requirements and maximum span. The business cases we produce include patronage forecasting, funding, fare revenues, corporate sponsorship, and benefits such as regeneration. We also collaborate closely with stakeholders to foster support and understanding.
Our cable car specialists can provide a complete service for feasibility right through to delivery. Key services include:
Project and design management
Full design service, including civil, structural,
Mechanical, electrical and utilities, engineering
Environmental impact assessment
Site investigations
Securing planning approvals and consent
Stakeholder consultation
Quantity surveying and procurement
Design assurance
Construction supervision
Demand forecasting
Although demand forecasting can never be an exact science, our highly experienced practitioners can help minimise risk.
Demand forecasting draws on evidence from the past and seeks to use mathematical models to predict the future. These may be complex multi-modal transport models using software such as CUBE, VISUM or EMME, or they may be simpler models based on spreadsheets. What is as important as the models themselves are the people behind them and their ability to make the best use of the available data to optimise the models, quantify risks, and ensure that these are managed.
We recognise the risks in predicting the future and have developed a comprehensive suite of best practice papers to instil a high degree of conformity and robustness into our approach. Our experts provide objective and considered demand forecasts. They are used to working across continents and adapting their approach to local conditions.
Light rapid transit(LRT)
Light rapid transit (LRT) vehicles can negotiate sharper curves and steeper gradients than central line railways. They blend seamlessly into the urban environment and create no street-level pollution using electrical power. Good acceleration and short stopping distances allow stops to be placed in convenient positions while the system provides a fast and frequent service. LRT systems are beneficial in that they: Provide reliable and efficient service, avoiding traffic congestion; Often offer easy access to city centres, running right into pedestrianised areas without the hassle of parking requirements; Offer a quiet, smooth and comfortable journey in an aesthetically-pleasing vehicle; Are environmentally friendly (there are zero emissions at street level); Provide a safe, affordable, high capacity service; Often have interchanges with other forms of public transport; Can operate underground, overground, at ground level, on steep gradients and around tight corners; Offer close tolerance docking, to allow passengers to board and exit quickly and fully comply with disabled passengers' access requirements
We deliver leading-edge LRT expertise. We've amassed an impressive track record in providing LRT projects which means we’re well positioned to advise on all aspects of the development and integration of projects, from conceptual planning and application for powers through to contract preparation, construction, commissioning and post-maintenance. Our commitment is reflected in our ongoing success and award wins.
The scope of services we provide includes Asset audits; Business case development; Contract and procurement advice; Detailed design and system specification; Demand and revenue forecasts; Due diligence; Feasibility studies and design development; Funding agreements and applications; Operations and maintenance, including depots; Promotion of planning applications; Project and program management; Rolling stock; Scheme costing and appraisal; Strategic area-wide planning; Traffic engineering, transport planning and modelling.
Mobility & accessibility
HKK delivers efficient and reliable transport systems that offer more excellent connectivity, helping more people move more easily to access the range of services and facilities they need.
Barriers preventing access to transport may be physical – as often seen with disabled or older people – or financial, in relation to the cost of transport or fears over safety and security – or they may arise from a failure of a system to provide services needed. Our mobility and accessibility experts provide leading solutions to resolve these challenges.
The mobility and accessibility solutions we offer take into account all physical and operational limitations, making access to essential services seamless and efficient.
At the outset, we use GIS tools and pedestrian models and site audits to review facilities in order to assess the degree to which barriers may be imposed on potential travelers. In addition, we may undertake market research both with existing travelers, but more importantly with non-travelling in order to assess the degree to which demand may be suppressed and the potential benefit of improvements.
Our skill set covers the design of new facilities such as railway stations and airports and the ability to retrofit mobility needs into smaller facilities to meet equality legislation. We also undertake strategic reviews on legislative compliance.
Our team provides accessibility modelling and non-motorized user audit services as tools to assess accessibility and mobility. We are also skilled at working with groups vulnerable to social exclusion to establish their needs and to ensure that the transport development is included.
Traffic strategy management
Our traffic management consultants offer realistic and sustainable solutions that help clients manage the challenges and changes experienced from congestion, providing improved road networks with environmental, economic and social benefits.
Our management and control measures help ensure road networks operate at the maximum level of efficiency. Traffic management and control comprises measures such as traffic signals and other junction layout improvements which help optimize traffic circulation. In more complex urban areas, urban traffic control systems can be provided which link traffic signals to other transport management systems.
Increasingly, more innovative solutions such as managed motorways are being developed where road space can be reallocated automatically and speed limits varied in order to maximize road capacity.
We have traffic engineers with extensive expertise in the design of individual junctions and signal experts who can develop complex urban traffic control systems using SCOOT and MOVA. We also have a range of system integration tools which help ensure urban traffic control systems are linked to variable message signs, car park management.
We also use micro-simulation tools including VISSIM, PARAMICS and AIMSUM to replicate traffic conditions and enable alternative scenarios to be tested.