Infrastructure Planning

Transport Assessments & Statements

At IRES we have considerable experience of producing the transport and highways access related documents for the planning process, which includes Transport Assessments, Transport Statements and Travel Plans.

Working within the framework of the Department for Transport guidance, and liaising with local authority offices allows us to generate reports that provide developers with the robust evidence they need for their planning application to be successful.

Our reports would include

Agreement on the scope of assessment with the appropriate highway authorities;

Procuring baseline traffic data for appropriate locations on the existing network

Analysis of existing transport conditions including pedestrian route audits;

Traffic speed surveys, where needed;

Trip generation and distribution analysis;

Junction modelling;

Public transport analysis;

Identification of any necessary mitigation measures;

Highway access strategy.

IRES welcomes a challenge, so we will look to solve any design problems you may have…

Travel Plan

A Travel Plan is a forward looking document that contains a package of measures which aims to reduce the impact of traffic generated by a new development on the existing network. The report will set out measures to encourage users to use alternative and more sustainable transport methods.

A Travel Plan is an essential element of the planning package for most developments, and here at IRES we can produce a report that will suit you and your development’s needs. We have many years’ experience producing Travel Plans plus Transport Assessments / Transport Statements.

Your Travel Plan needs to be specific to your development and requirements; be it improved bus services, pedestrian and cyclist facilities, green car clubs, safe routes to school, or walking busses. We have experience providing information for these and more smarter choices.

Flood Risk Assessment

The Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) is one of the 3 most commonly produced engineering documents that contribute to a planning submission. With the increasing occurrences of damaging flood events though-out the UK, the FRA is having to evolve to demonstrate there would be no exacerbation of flood risk ever robustly..

IRES Engineers have many years experience of producing FRA reports and have developed good relationships with the EA and Drainage Authority staff, which helps us achieve positive results in the shortest possible timescales.

Often more complex FRAs will require the production of a preliminary drainage strategy and designs, sometimes including the private house drainage if the site constraints necessitate this level of detail.

Where the EA does not hold models of watercourses and thus cannot provide the15 yr plus Climate Change flood levels, IRES can undertake river / watercourse hydraulic models to be able to derive the information needed to complete the FRA.

At IRES we can provide much more than just the FRA report.

Preliminary Design & Master Planning

Drakelow Barton TurnIt is said “a picture paints a thousand words”, which is definitely the case with a preliminary design, as we all know a preliminary design is an essential part of any planning application.

At IRES we also appreciate that striking the correct balance between too much (costly design) and too little information (very little benefit) is critical.

We can rapidly and cost effectively find you the transport and highways infrastructure solutions you need and help you achieve a positive planning outcome far more quickly than you would previously have believed possible.

IRES also assists the Client and their professional team to develop cost effective and buildable master plans for projects by ensuring that the master plan reflects design standards as far as possible from the outset.

Negotiations & Planning Support

IRES we have been helping clients with transport and highways related elements of the Section 106 Agreement and planning process for many years. We can help you with all aspects of the process and have a good track record in achieving cost effective solutions.

IRES is uniquely placed to help developers cut through the infrastructure complexities and achieve approvals from any highway planning authorities involved, due to our unrivaled experience, knowledge, relationships with the authorities and not least our proven ability to achieve a positive outcome.