Energy & Environment

TTR’s services in this area can be split into three broad areas:

Quantitative Assessment

TTR has extensive experience of developing and applying evaluation frameworks particularly in relation to the trial and evaluation of new technologies to establish their energy, environmental and societal impacts. The technology demonstrations we have been involved with include assessments of:

  • clean fuels (LPG, CNG, electricity for transport applications, biodiesel, biogas and water-diesel emulsion)
  • alternative vehicle propulsion technologies (electric and hybrid systems)
  • alternative vehicle concepts (personal rapid transit)

Working in these demonstration projects led us to develop a comprehensive set of energy and emissions modelling tools that are specifically targeted at the strategic assessment of transport measures. Working on behalf of UK-based clients, use of these tools has enabled us to examine:

  • the potential impact of strategies aimed at cleaning up existing vehicle fleets through technology retrofitting;
  • investment decisions for new vehicle technologies;
  • wider impacts of low emission zone and air quality action plan proposals.

We are able to offer services related to the assessment of the air quality impacts of transport-related emissions and have experienced staff trained in strategic environmental assessment techniques. We have previously developed methodologies and software tools for strategic environmental assessment of road, rail, air and waterborne transport modes for the European Commission and our models allow us to take an integrated approach to assessment of local pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.

Emission Reduction Strategies

In addition to the role of technology, demand management such as traffic control and mobility management measures can play a significant part in reducing transport energy use and pollution. This has been highlighted by the results of the STEPs research project for the European Commission, which relates transport strategies to emissions impacts under various scenarios of future, often limited, energy supply.

At the level of local strategy development TTR co-ordinated the UK government’s Clear Zones initiative to reduce traffic and pollution in towns. TTR also worked on Low Emissions Zones (LEZs) for the National Society for Clean Air (NSCA) and the Department for Transport. TTR prepared a report for NSCA that defined the criteria for a LEZ and examined the practical issues concerning LEZ implementation. We produced a toolkit to help local authorities develop the concept, and have since provided further assistance to the NSCA and the Cleaner Transport Forum through a series of specific tasks including, producing a series of factsheets for local authorities, promoting the concept through workshops and presentations, monitoring the progress of local authorities and undertaking research into specific implementation issues. This work has also been taken further through a series of contracts developing and investigating specific LEZ proposals for UK local authorities.

Together with Casella Stanger (now Bureau Veritas), TTR has reviewed the traffic and transport elements of all the Air Quality Action Plans received by DEFRA and the devolved bodies. The review considers the cost-effectiveness of the plans, and their compliance with Government policies and EU legislation. We also have experience of writing air quality action plans aimed at reducing transport emission impacts for local authority clients, which benefits both from our general environmental assessment skill base and from our specific knowledge of the requirements for such plans.

Socio-economic Assessment

Much of TTR’s overall skill base lies within the area of assessing the wider social impacts of the transport system. This has been transferred into the environmental arena as part of the wider assessment of our demonstration projects where we have established a framework for evaluating public attitudes towards transport related environmental issues and user and operator acceptance of new transport technologies and systems.

We have significant experience in market research and scheme consultation, which is of relevance to any area of public policy intervention and has been applied to the issues surrounding implementation of traffic restrictions aimed at reducing transport-related emissions, clear zones and low emission zones.