The four pillars of affordable LRT
PAUL STEPHEN speaks to Systra’s UK Metro & LRT Programme Director NICOLAS PERROT, on the company’s four-pronged approach to cost-effective delivery of tramways in the UK
Systra offers cost-effective advice on construction and operation of light rail transit systems.
Systra is an international transport planning, consultancy and engineering provider, and needs little introduction. Having operated in over 150 countries across the globe, it already has a substantial presence in the UK and Ireland, with more than 400 staff working from 17 offices.
It is also a growing company. Systra has completed the acquisition of two UK-based consultancies: JMP in 2015, followed by SIAS in 2016.
It has also played a key part in leading the delivery of several of the UK’s most highprofile rail projects, including managing the development of the design, procurement, construction and commissioning of Crossrail, EGIP (Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme) and High Speed 1.
But one area in which the company would like to demonstrate more of its expertise is light rail, by importing the lessons learned from its vast portfolio of overseas clients.
“We want to grow considerably in the UK and Ireland. It’s important for us to have our staff close to our clients,” says Systra’s UK Metro & LRT Programme Director Nicolas Perrot.
“We have led the design and construction of 500km of light rail systems across the world. Modern tramways are already working well around the world, and in some UK cities. And there are certainly more opportunities for light rail systems elsewhere in this country.”
It’s easy to see the potential for light rail in the UK when only seven of its cities can boast modern tramways compared with 29 in France, despite both nations having broadly similar populations.
This can be attributed to the significant variance in cost that has been experienced constructing UK tramways, which has subsequently made it an unattractive option to local councils.
Many studies have found the expense of diverting utilities such as gas and water mains as the primary driver of increased costs. But Perrot argues that you cannot apply the same model to each tramway, given the diverse range of factors that can affect cost, for instance running through city centre streets versus utilising a disused railway alignment. Instead, Systra uses the breadth of its global experience to mitigate risk, and control capital and operating expenditure, which it has split into four distinct areas.
“Cost seems to be a big factor in discouraging many cities from progressing in this direction. Market conditions in France are comparable to the UK, but people here seem more afraid. That’s why we are keen to bring our experience of cost control to this country, and also highlight all the ways we can tailor things for each UK city.
“We have a thorough understanding of the problems a light rail project can raise, which is how we came to the conclusion that there is no set formula for making savings.
“You cannot just say ‘beware of track works costs or building stations’ because there is no fixed rule, which makes the cost issue a difficult one to solve. What you do need here is a very broad experience of working in different global cities, and we have that in abundance. The fact that our skilled people have worked on so many projects around the world is what makes us different.
“We work on the principle of four pillars in making tramways affordable. They will never be cheap, but they can be financially viable. Cost is a big turn-off at the moment, but somewhere between £15 million and £ 20m per km is very feasible.
“I understand why cities baulk at the idea, but when you look at the cities that have built a light rail system, such as Manchester, Birmingham or Edinburgh, they now want to extend those systems, because the benefits have made it worth the cost.”
Perrot explains that these four pillars are concept and design, contractual engineering, managing cost control, and project organisation.
Starting with the first, Systra has a lot of sensible advice for clients in the initial stages of planning, in which costly mistakes are frequently made. This includes intensively supervising utility diversion work to avoid unnecessary delays, and designing these diversions to avoid utility maintenance disrupting the tramway once
The fact that our skilled people have worked on so many projects around the world is what makes us different. Nicolas Perrot, UK Metro & LRT Programme Director, Systra
it is operational. Systra will also advise on the use of cost-effective materials, such as deactivated concrete, which can be ten times cheaper for ground surfacing than pavements.
Perrot says that decisions about alignment are equally important: “We have seen lots of projects where technicians encounter problems trying to build a tramway where the alignment has already been fixed, for political or traffic management purposes. Our advice there is to involve technical people in your feasibility study and you’ll save money down the line.
“You can also do things like place substations every 2km instead of every 1.5km, using optimisation techniques, which could save more than £ 2m in a 15km tramway project. It’s not about having one big cost-saving idea, it’s about saving £1-2m here and there - and wherever possible - to bring down the total cost.”
More cost-effective decisions can also be made with rolling stock procurement, and Perrot points to the French cities of Dijon and Brest, which bundled together their procurement of 32 and 20 trams respectively, sharing the same specification, which cut costs by almost 10% compared with the average for projects that procured the same rolling stock. He says that in the UK, transport authorities such as Transport for the North could help facilitate this as a broker between two cities for procurement, but also sharing maintenance and depot facilities in some instances.
The second pillar is collaborative engineering and awarding contracts to those suppliers that share risk and reward for construction - this will ultimately incentivise more efficient delivery.
“The tender phase is key to the project: do it wrong and you’ll never recover,” adds Perrot. “So it is about clear definition of the requirements, and people understanding their responsibilities from early on.”
Cost control is the third pillar, which must come a close second to safety as the main priority when making decisions for new tramways, says Perrot. Focusing on cost is essential, even if it means incurring a delay in the construction sequence, he adds.
“Safety is the first priority, then you must factor in the cost element as the main driver of the project, as focusing on cost is what will enable you to control it. From our own experience, we know that if you focus on cost, you must then allow flexibility in time. If you allow a margin into project schedules you will put fewer constraints on engineers and they will be less likely to make costly decisions.”
Finally, the fourth pillar is project organisation, and while it’s last on Perrot’s list, it certainly isn’t least in Systra’s light rail recipe.
“For a tram project to be a success, you need to maintain a clear, overall vision of its finished state. Tram systems are very complex and if you lack experience or the necessary background then you will overlook important things.
“You must build a multi-disciplinary team who, collectively, understand every aspect of what it takes to build a cost-effective, financially sustainable tramway.”