Public Sector Transport Schemes

The Traffic and Transport TeamThe role of consultants in providing services to the public sector has come under scrutiny as town halls are forced to review their spending. Press articles have appeared questioning whether it is right to engage consultants at a time when budgets and services are being cut. The potential difficulties for public sector clients who commission consultancy services are well known;

  • Higher unit costs than in-house staff leading to financial pressures,
  • Need for more intensive management of external staff,
  • Difficulty in keeping clear lines of communication with external staff who are based outside of council offices,
  • High turnover rates of external staff resulting in loss of continuity,
  • In-house staff lose the opportunity to develop skills and become de-motivated.

However a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Interserve, which assessed feedback from 101 council chief executives and senior managers, shows that councils predict that the level of work outsourced will increase by 70% from 2011 to 2014. At Scott White and Hookins we have seen how our public sector clients have benefitted from using our services;

  • A relatively small investment up front can save money in the long run by looking at the feasibility of different options before committing resources,
  • We can provide specialist services and expertise which the client only needs occasionally and therefore gains no value from maintaining an in-house team,
  • We have experience of working on similar projects with different authorities and can share this knowledge with our clients,
  • We offer a comprehensive range of skills and services. Clients can concentrate on delivering those services which they or their framework private sector partners specialise in and utilise us to fill in any gaps.

Our success is due to the way we manage our projects; crucially we appreciate that the needs of the public sector are very different from those of our private sector clients. The Traffic and Transport Team draws on the experience they gained while working for local government in previous periods of employment to ensure we deliver precisely what the client requires.

Public sector clients are accountable to elected members and have to adhere to strict financial controls and democratic processes, which needs to be appreciated by the consultant. Technical solutions to problems may appear obvious but the consultant has to understand the political and financial constraints that determine what can be achieved.

Often different departments within the council will have their own priorities and objectives which are not always compatible. All transport schemes have to address the needs of residents, businesses and the travelling public. A balance has to be struck where there are conflicts, such as those between safety and convenience, or sustainability and economic vitality. Planners, engineers, urban designers, network managers, public transport planners and elected members have different requirements and their views need to be taken into account by the consultant.

Our Services

Traffic and Transport BollardsWe are proud of the successful range of services we provide to our public sector clients. These have included;

  • Town centre accessibility studies,
  • Parking strategy and management studies,
  • Transport option feasibility studies,
  • Route and Area network management studies,
  • Bus Priority schemes,
  • Cycle route and priority schemes,
  • Pedestrianisation schemes,
  • Direction signing strategies,
  • Traffic Regulation Orders.

Our Approach

At Scott White and Hookins we know that the success of all our public sector schemes depends on relationship between the client and the consultant. Our clients can expect;

  • The personal attention of a dedicated project manager who provides a single point of contact to ensure clear lines of communication. We will keep the client informed of progress and provide regular feedback to ensure the project develops exactly as the client needs it;
  • Flexibility
    Sometimes our preliminary studies reveal issues or problems which the client was not fully aware of at the commencement of a study or scheme. Regular discussion with the client as the project develops means we can adapt to meet changes in circumstances;
  • Added value
    Clients use us again and recommend us because we try to solve problems and create improvements. We look for opportunities for the client to achieve more for less. Sometimes we find that our role expands to address the wider issues associated with a project or study.

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