Bristol Airport Transformation Proposals

February 28, 2024

Bristol Airport Transformations Proposals

Over the past couple of years, TMS has carried out numerous design stage Road Safety Audits on Bristol Airport’s proposed transformational public transport hub and new multi-storey car-park. The £60m project will enable the airport to increase its capacity to 12 million passengers a year (an increased capacity of two million).

Bristol Airport Improvements 3D model representation

The scheme involves creating an enlarged coach and bus interchange, together with a dedicated drop-off and pick-up location, on the top level of the new 2,000 space car-park. Pedestrian access will also be improved by providing a glazed bridge link to the airport from the car-park.

TMS has carried out Road Safety Audits on the new perimeter road, internal car-park layouts, car-park ramps and pedestrian routes. It is important that these areas can be negotiated safely by all users, especially as many people travelling to airports can be unfamiliar with the area and need clear information and guidance.

Image source: BBC News – Bristol Airport Invest £60m in transport hub and car park

Due to the increase in demand for more international travel over the last decade including the need for more flights and longer operating hours, the redevelopment of existing airport terminals forms a fundamental part of their long-term strategy for development. Over the past ten years, TMS have also been involved in carrying out a variety of Road Safety Audits and Assessments on improvements at some of the other UK major airports including:

London Luton

Phased construction of a new link road associated with the brand-new Terminal 2 proposals, known as the Luton Rising Project. The project also involves several major junction upgrades within the towns of Luton and Hitchin. Proposed new public drop off zone at the original terminal, incorporating a reconfigured road layout to bus / coach station, taxi ranks and service areas.

Manchester Airport

Highway works associated with the transformation of Terminal 2, including access road reconfiguration and development of new car-park accesses.

London Heathrow Terminal 2

Major reconstruction of terminal with multi-storey car-park, transport interchange and reconfiguration of central roads within the airport.

If you have a scheme of this nature that requires a Road Safety Audit, then please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or alternatively please email Lorna Styring.

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Road Safety Audits

TMS Host Engineers from Hong Kong

February 2, 2024

TMS Host Engineers from Hong Kong

Over the past 18 months, TMS played host to Joseph Wong and Wallace Soh from Ho Wang SPB Limited, who are based in Hong Kong, to enable them to gain experience in road safety auditing.

The aim was to be able to apply their skills learned in the UK for similar work in Hong Kong. On their first visit to the UK in August 2022, Joseph and Wallace completed our 10-day RoSPA Road Safety Engineering course whilst attending various Road Safety Audit site visits as Observers.

Three people in yellow vests talking to a man on the side of the road.

Three people standing on a pavement near a road.

On their return to the UK in summer 2023, Joseph and Wallace observed the road safety audit process in more detail and attended numerous site visits in West London and in the counties of Gloucestershire, Northamptonshire, Leicestershire and Yorkshire.

The schemes ranged from junction improvements including roundabouts, traffic signals and priority junctions, new link roads and streets within commercial and residential developments. By visiting a diverse range of highway schemes, Joseph and Wallace were able to experience different types of schemes at varying stages of the audit process.

For one highway scheme at Prologis Park, Uxbridge, our audit team had the pleasure of having Joseph and Wallace join them for the Post Construction Stage 3 Road Safety Audit, a scheme they were also involved in at detailed design stage during their first visit. Not only was it good for them to revisit a site they had previously been involved with, but to meet back up with the initial audit team and be included as Team Members.

Joseph Wong and Wallace Soh from Ho Wang SPB Limited on-site observing street furniture damage as a result of vehicle strikes due to incorrect sign face mounting – see photo (right)

TMS Technical Director, Hammy Aulak, commented:

“It was a pleasure to host Joesph and Wallace, who were both very keen to learn and engage fully in the Road Safety Audit process. I am confident that the knowledge and experience they have gained will help them to identify road safety hazards and suggest improvements to schemes in Hong Kong. We look forward to working collaboratively with them in the near future.”

Joseph Wong also commented:

“We are most grateful for allowing us to join as external team members for the five audits that give us a variety of experience. We enjoyed every one of them particularly the two that we had participated in as night time RSA auditor”.

Road Safety Audits

Parallel Crossings, Solihull

January 17, 2024

Parallel Crossings, Solihull

TMS has recently carried out several Road Safety Audits on Parallel Crossings on behalf of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. These types of crossings are still relatively rare in the UK, and were previously known as Tiger Crossings, as early examples had yellow stripes on black asphalt.

Parallel crossings are similar to Zebra Crossings, except that they feature a dedicated lane for cyclists parallel to the pedestrian crossing area, providing a legal priority to both cyclists and pedestrians. The advantage over Toucan Crossings is that crossing times can be quicker as people do not have to wait for a green man but can cross as soon as drivers stop for pedestrians and cyclists.

There is also less risk of conflict between pedestrians and cyclists as their lanes are separated. Therefore, they are ideal along segregated cycle routes as recommended in LTN 1/20 Cycle Infrastructure Design.

Although not shown in these examples in Solihull, parallel crossings can also be divided into two parts by way of a central refuge. In certain situations this is likely to improve the ease of use and safety, as both pedestrians and cyclists need only watch for oncoming traffic in one direction.

Parallel crossing on a main road in solihull

Three different Parallel Crossings that TMS has audited.

Our teams have audited several schemes in the Solihull area that have featured parallel crossings, at varying stages. Examples include:

Cranmore Boulevard – Off-carriageway cycle route
Stage 3 Road Safety Audit

Whitefields Road – School Safety Improvement Scheme
Stage 3 Road Safety Audit

Monkspath Hall Road – Proposed raised Parallel Crossing
Stage 1&2 Road Safety Audit

If you have a scheme that requires a Road Safety Audit on a proposed parallel crossing, or any other highway scheme, then please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or alternatively please email Lorna Styring.

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Road Safety Audits

London Luton Airport Expansion

January 12, 2024

London Luton Airport Expansion

TMS has recently completed numerous Stage 1 Preliminary Design Road Safety Audits on various highway mitigation and access schemes associated with the proposed expansion of London Luton Airport. It is the UK’s fifth busiest airport and they are proposing to increase it’s future capacity over a number of years, to 32 million passengers per annum, by making the best use of their existing runway.

London Luton Airport’s proposed expansion will take passenger numbers from current levels of 15.6 million to 21.5 million per annum in 2027, 27 million per annum in 2039 and 32 million per annum in 2043. Therefore, capacity will be doubled by 2043 with the expansion involving a phased development programme designed to deliver capacity over time in response to demand.

The airport is proposing to expand the current terminal (T1) and build a new terminal (T2) and associated facilities. The fundamental objectives of this expansion are to ensure improved access to the airport including Luton DART and rail access, car parking and various internal and external road improvements. The proposals are to create a new access road for the airport, which would be introduced for phase 2 of the scheme. There will also be a number of improvements to roads in the wider area around the airport to provide greater capacity in line with the expansion.

A bird's-eye view of a roundabout forming part of the external roads near Luton airport.

The role of TMS was to provide road safety audit services on 16 highway mitigation schemes in the Luton and Hitchin areas and two audits on a new access road to the proposed brand-new Terminal 2 at London Luton Airport.

The schemes in Luton and Hitchin included signalisation of existing roundabouts, conversion of existing roundabouts into traffic signal junctions, highway widening and provision of new junctions. The new access road to Terminal 2 will be a dual carriageway (built in two phases), with large roundabouts and signalised junctions.

TMS Engineers Harminder Aulak and Lee Williams undertook the site visits and commented:

“It was a pleasure to be involved in this high-profile project, which involved a lot of planning and early review of the drawings to ensure we carried out the site visits in a logical and efficient manner. It was interesting to see how the proposals would fit into the existing infrastructure, especially with Luton Airport being on high ground, requiring the construction of bridges and embankments for the Terminal 2 access road. We hope to be involved in the project in the long term and observe the highway works as they evolve in the future.”

If you have a scheme of this nature that requires a Road Safety Audit, then please call us on +44 (0)24 7669 0900 or alternatively please email Lorna Styring.

Request a quote

Road Safety Audits