Design and Technology
Designing for people and places demands a multi-disciplinary approach and the links in the projects below show how we have built teams able to delivery successful solutions across the country:
Streets and Place Making
- Regenerating Towns with Local Rewards and Incentives (2013) – DHC has developed a towns toolkit which is being promoted under the Loop Connections branding and has been deployed in Linlithgow.
- Joint Retail Loyalty and Smart Ticketing in Wigan (2013) (PDF, 549 KB) – After 5 years the research into integrating retail rewards and smarter travel in Wigan was completed. The Project Summary Report shows that targeted integration of transport has great potential for the future.
- Smarter Choices Smarter Places Surveys (2012) – DHC managed surveys of over 10,000 households, 20 focus groups, and a large programme of other surveys as part of the monitoring and evaluation of the Scottish sustainable travel towns.
- UK Travel Time Maps and Data (2011) – DHC has pioneered accessibility modelling and mapping and now offers off the shelf indicators and maps to suit every budget. Loop Connections retails products for travel planning, development planning and local transport planning.
- Rural Employability (2009) – This analysis for Loughborough University and the Commission for Rural Communities is looking at the relationship between transport provision and employment opportunities in different types of rural areas.
- Swestrans Equalities (2009) – To support the regional transport strategy in south west Scotland survey work was undertaken on behalf of the regional transport partnership, Swestrans. This work is helping to understand the travel needs of diversity groups to ensure equality of travel opportunities in the area.
- Recommendations for Improving Local Transport Policy and Delivery (2007) (PDF, 206 KB) – This work for the British Council of Shopping Centres involved formulating and drafting their response to the 2007 UK White Paper.
- Pedestrian Crossing Assessments in West Lothian (2005) – This project reviewed the location and design of zebra and pelican crossings in the West Lothian area to ensure that pedestrians of all ages could walk safely to shops, school and other local services and activities. Various changes were recommended and implemented to improve efficiency and safety.
- Crime Reduction on and around Public Transport in Middlesborough (2004) (PDF, 322 KB) – Analysed and mapped by DHC as part of a project by the University of Westminster for DfT. This investigated how crime and the fear of crime could be better understood, researching piloting measures to tackle barriers to travel as part of a local accessibility plan.
- Value of Cycling in the Highlands and Islands (2004) (PDF, 110KB) – For Highland Cycle Forum and Highland Council. This project involved analysis of the economic benefits of cycling for health, transport, and tourism sectors. Recommendations were made on ways to take forward action to improve the value of increased cycling.
- Review of School Travel (2001) (PDF, 214 KB) – For the Scottish School Travel Advisory Group, this project examined best international practice to help inform the recommendations of the Advisory group to ministers.
- Review of Scottish Cycle Challenge (2000) – This research for the Scottish Executive reviewed the technical, legislative, policy and administrative lessons which could be learned for developing cycling in Scotland based on 35 demonstration projects.
- Review and Guidance on Safer Routes to School (1997-1998) (PDF, 90KB) – This research for the Scottish Executive recommended a more integrated approach to planning school transport and developed national guidance on how to achieve best practice.
Also see Streets and Place Making News and Features.
User-centric Technology Design
- Party at the Palace (2014-2019) – This major music festival is seeking to make connections with local communities and the work includes ticketing, loyalty schemes, travel planning and rewards to integrate the event locally, regionally and nationally.
- Joint Retail Loyalty and Smart Ticketing in Wigan (2013) (PDF, 549 KB) – After 5 years the research into integrating retail rewards and smarter travel in Wigan was completed. The Project Summary Report shows that targeted integration of transport has great potential for the future.
- Lost Lines 2013 – With Deveron Arts this project explored the interactions between arts and transport through the uses made of art at railways stations.
- Review of Evening Bus Services (2012) – Our analysis for the Highlands Council helped to identify the benefits of evening bus services to assist with service planning and rationalisation. The work included surveys of users, analysis of service usage and appraisal of social and economic benefits.
- Smart Ticketing for the Mobile Generation (2011) – DHC has developed a pioneering approach to make connections between information, payment and sustainable travel choices.
- Rail Station Choice (2009) – To assist DfT, Atkins, Mott MacDonald and Jacobs with their PLANET modelling of rail network capacity, travel times to rail stations across central and northern England were calculated by car, cycle, bus and walking. This showed the choices that customers face when deciding which station to use when accessing the national rail network. The work ensures that access to the rail network is included more accurately resulting in more robust modelling of rail travel demand.
- TACTRAN Regional Transport Strategy (2008) – Together with SDG, DHC are advising TACTRAN on developments to their Regional Transport Strategy. DHC are identifying how Community Transport (CT) and Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) services can be developed to fill gaps in conventional Public Transport networks.
- Safe Routes to Public Transport (2008) – In this work for SPT, DHC looked at how a partnership approach can be developed to improve access to bus stops and railway stations.
- Review of Invernet Rail Services (2007) – This project for the Highland Rail Partnership is reviewing the impacts of the Invernet commuter rail services to Inverness, and suggesting how further changes could help to grow the market for rail travel.
- Alternative Methods for Assessing Eligibility for Concessionary Travel (2006) – The Mobility and Accessibility Committee for Scotland commissioned DHC to identify areas, or other services, which could demonstrate where social models of disability were being used to assess a disabled person’s eligibility for access to free/assisted services.
- Park and Ride Evaluation and Development in Aberdeenshire (2005) – For Aberdeenshire Council as part of the SustAccess initiative. This project reviewed park and ride options and opportunities covering both theory and practice. It included user and operator surveys and made suggested for future development.
- Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (2005) – For Transport Initiatives Edinburgh Ltd./Scott Wilson Consultants. Economic and location impacts, and accessibility and social inclusion impact effects were analyses and appraised for this £500m scheme. The work also involved consulting with relevant agencies, developing an accessibility model and testing the economic, social and distribution of various approaches to the project delivery.
- Multi-Operator Ticketing (2004-2006) (PDF, 80KB) – To identify the value that users place on the availability of multi-operator tickets (MOTs) for DfT, the project reviewed best practice on the provision of MOTs and the evidence from take up and sales. Operators, PTEs, councils and other agencies were consulted to identify a practical way forward.
- Accessibility audit for public transport plan in Aberdeen (2004) – This work, for Aberdeen City Council, examined the accessibility impacts of an interchange at Foresterhill healthcare campus. The accessibility implications of potential changes to bus services and the development of a major new interchange were analysed.
- Appraisal of Laurencekirk station reopening (2004) (PDF, 146KB) – DHC assisted Scott Wilson in the appraisal of the reopening of this station in Aberdeenshire, by developing an accessibility model for North East Scotland and appraising economic development and accessibility impacts.
- Crime Reduction on and around Public Transport in Middlesborough (2004) (PDF, 322 KB) – Analysed and mapped by DHC as part of a project by the University of Westminster for DfT. This investigated how crime and the fear of crime could be better understood, researching piloting measures to tackle barriers to travel as part of a local accessibility plan.
- Public Transport Coverage in Greater Manchester (2003) (PDF, 127KB) – For Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive and DfT this project reviewed approaches for quantifying the utility that local public transport networks provide in getting people to places to which they need, or want, to travel, with a particular emphasis on the needs of socially excluded and “travel poor” groups and communities.
- Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine Railway Re-opening (1999-2001) – This project for Clackmannanshire Council reviewed stakeholder perspectives on funding and delivery options. The work involved cost benefit analysis and preparation of funding proposals.