High Speed Two (HS2) will be the new backbone of the UK rail network, connecting eight out of ten of the largest cities. Cities are drivers of economic growth, but those in the Midlands and the North are held back by poor connectivity. HS2 will help to rebalance the economy. Demand for rail travel has more than doubled over the past 20 years, and continues to grow. Rail lines serving London, Birmingham

The company HS2 Ltd was set up by the UK government in January 2009 with an initial brief to report on options for High Speed Two, a high-speed railway between London and the West Midlands. This was to include access to London and Birmingham city centres, but with the potential for future extension northwards. Options were also required for intermediate stations and connections to the Great Western

The hybrid bill for the first phase of the UK's High Speed Two (HS2) high-speed railway (London to the West Midlands) was submitted in November 2013. This paper outlines the general principles and processes developed for the engineering design over a 22-month period that supported the phase one HS2 hybrid bill. The engineering design and construction planning undertaken during this period enabled the

The environmental statement (ES) for the first phase of the UK's High Speed Two high-speed railway (London to West Midlands) was submitted with the hybrid bill for the project in November 2013. It described the phase one scheme both during construction and operation, detailed the main alternatives considered and reported the likely significant environmental effects and proposed mitigation to avoid

In January 2012 the UK government announced that powers would be sought for a London-to-West Midlands high-speed rail line based on a refined version of a 220 km route that was consulted upon in 2011. At the same time, High Speed Two (HS2) Ltd, the agency responsible for implementing the project, appointed a development partner for the London-to-West Midlands phase (phase 1) to assist HS2 and to manage

Since 2009 the promoter of the UK's High Speed Two (HS2) railway has listened to others’ views on development of the first London-to-West Midlands phase. Initial scheme development required time to think and determine the best response to the remit, working in confidence with key stakeholders. Through the early part of 2011 a major national consultation was undertaken on the strategy for HS2, the approach

The hybrid bill for the London-to-West Midlands phase of the UK's High Speed Two (HS2) high-speed railway weighed half a tonne, and was the largest ever deposited in parliament. Preparation, to strict requirements of parliament's standing orders, took 22 months, using a large part of the country's engineering and environmental resources, and was completed to time and on budget.

The parliamentary process for a hybrid bill incorporates aspects of both public and private bill procedures. The key differences from the process followed by normal government (i.e. public) legislation are a consultation on the environmental statement and select committee (SC) stages in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords. For the bulk of its time in parliament, which typically spans a

An advanced design classification system for bicycle paths, based on geometric features and force equilibrium, can pave the way for improved bicycle safety, accident prevention and the development of design guidelines. A design and classification system does exist for bicycle paths, but the number of accidents has led to ambivalence about its validity and effectiveness. In addition, a universally accepted

In the transport management of aviation networks, uncertain factors and delay propagation are two main sources of flight delays. However, the impacts of uncertainty and the degree of delays are difficult to calculate empirically in daily operations. In this paper, a novel delay propagation model is introduced utilising the mathematical modelling tool coloured–timed Petri nets. This model enables descriptions

The development of the falling weight deflectometer (FWD) in the late 1970s made it possible to determine quickly the in situ modulus and critical stresses/strains in pavement structures, which are generally considered the most important input for the ‘mechanistic’ part of the mechanistic–empirical pavement design method. In 2015, the newly designed FastFWD was released and provided the opportunity

Through analysing the stress and deformation of a longitudinally coupled prefabricated track slab (LCPTS) with cracks at high temperature, an analysis model for the stability of LCPTS with cracks was established based on the finite-element method and was tested by a scale model on-site. The effects of crack status on the stability of track slabs under the action of a temperature rise were studied through

Culverts and bridges are the most common areas on railway lines where abrupt changes of track stiffness can occur. Using auxiliary rails in the transition zone is one option for gradually increasing track stiffness. The study reported in this paper investigated this issue by means of finite-element modelling. A ballasted track with a concrete culvert on the Tehran–Isfahan high-speed railway line in

The paper presents an analysis of the elongation of transition curves in relation to railway track alignment correction and modernisation. The analysis is based on numerical computations for a wide range of parameters describing a typical railway geometrical layout with transition curves. The differences between the horizontal ordinates of the existing layout and the layout with the elongated transition

The basic objective of this work was to identify best-fitting traffic stream models for the varying traffic flows on high-speed urban roads under heterogeneous traffic in India. To this end, traffic data on ten-lane, eight-lane and six-lane divided roadways were collected. An iterative process was developed to fit traffic stream models by optimising constant parameters using optimisation techniques

Bus transit capacities are of two types: operational capacity (OC) and maximum capacity (MC). The OC is estimated based on the empirical failure rate (FR), whereas the MC is estimated considering a 25% maximum FR. The hypothesis of this study is that the maximum FR for a bus rapid transit system (BRTS) station would be more than 25%. The OC for a corridor of the BRTS in Ahmedabad, India was first estimated

The choice of intersection type in a road network is one of the most important decisions to be made in transportation engineering. Capacity and level of service are the two main factors considered in the type of intersection design, but safety and economy should also be taken into account when determining the intersection type since these are equally important. A number of parameters can be used to

Switch & Crossing Maintenance

Novel landslide early-warning signs for were introduced on the A83 strategic road incorporating a standard rockfall/landslide red warning triangle, switchable flashing lights (‘wig-wags’), and a su...

The road safety resource allocation determines the extent to which the combined alternatives of remedial actions can be effective. In this study, the economic appraisal was fulfilled using cost-eff...

Laboratory testing equipment for asphalt mixtures with three different functionalities is introduced. The rotary compactor and wheel tracker (RCWT) not only achieves realistic contact areas of actu...

This aim of this research was to enhance the performance of asphalt binder using multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and wet mixing. Five asphaltic binder compositions were prepared with varying...

The microscopic traffic simulation technique has become a powerful tool to study the complex traffic system when analytical or empirical approaches cannot adequately and accurately define the respo...

Reducing road width can not only save land, but it can also increase traffic safety. However, the traffic flow mechanism due to lane narrowing is not clear and car-following behaviour may also chan...

As traffic on Britain's railways has grown, the system is approaching capacity and moving towards 24/7 operation. This increases wear and tear, and reduces access for maintenance, renewal and enhancement. Increasing costs of renewals and enhancements are also questioned, amid funding scarcity. Alongside predictive and preventive maintenance, improved planning and implementation of renewals and enhancements

Subsidence and collapse of structures supporting overhead line equipment (OLE) due to legacy coal mining can be catastrophic during both the construction and operational phases, causing damage to construction plant, injuries and fatalities to the construction and maintenance workforce, failure of the track and disruption to the operational railway. When applied to linear railway schemes spanning considerable

The Network Rail Anglia region has 1091 km of earthworks, many of which are steep-sided embankments constructed of locally won fill materials in Victorian times. In order to extend the serviceable lifespan and to ensure the safety of the public with the ever-increasing demand on railway infrastructure, understanding the geological and geotechnical risks is of critical importance. Approaches to control

This paper presents direct track deflection data measured using a video gauge (VG) (a digital image correlation (DIC) method) to determine track stiffness characteristics remotely. Two cases are discussed. First, the deflection performance of two novel ballastless trackforms are coupled with an analytical model to assess their stiffness properties for known train loads. Second, the performance of a

London is a megacity with a population of just under 10 million people that is increasing. Investment in major infrastructure projects is required to cope with this growth, including the upgrade of existing rail infrastructure. The West Anglia main line project in north London involves upgrading the railway network to meet the demands spawned by the regeneration of the Lea Valley hinterland, catalysed

Rolling contact fatigue (RCF) damage to rails and low adhesion at the rail–wheel interface remain significant problems in maintaining railway performance, fully utilising network capacity and reducing running costs. A novel approach has been developed to understand these problems through analysis of data on RCF and low-adhesion incidents from the UK rail network. This augments understanding of specific

High-speed railways can move passengers and goods cost-effectively and sustainably. However, there is a need to consider the objectives of high-speed rail (HSR) systems and to analyse eventual public benefits in order to minimise economic risk. Currently, there are three major HSR systems in development around the world – Rail Baltica in northern Europe, California High-Speed Rail (CAHSR) in the USA

Throughout the last decade, the rise of open data in research has led to the release of many scientific datasets. Air transportation data are of particular interest given their high impact on migra...

Fatigue failure is a major problem in pavement layers. When using non-conventional aggregate as a replacement for natural stone aggregate, the probability of pavement distress is high. The fatigue ...

Travel satisfaction expectation for urban rail transit increased with the continuous increasing development of urban rail transit system. Operators provide different transit service by timetable re...

To identify hazardous sections of newly built mountainous highways, decision-makers require assistance to determine the sections that may pose risks to road users, thereby enhancing the level of road safety management and capital utilisation efficiency. In this research, traffic accident economic losses were used as evaluation indices to characterise 30 horizontally curved sections of roadways. These

A Markov switching logit model with spatial dependencies for real-time crash risk assessment is proposed, with the purpose of identifying hazardous traffic-flow conditions with high crash potential. The Markov switching process assumes that freeway segments can switch between two unobserved safety states over time, and that parameter estimates may vary between these two states. The spatial simultaneous

Foggy weather can reduce visibility for drivers and one of the main consequences of this condition can be the change in behaviour regarding choice of speed, which will vary from driver to driver owing to their varying personal and socio-economic characteristics and driving experience. The aim of this study is to assess the effects of adverse weather conditions on speed-choice behaviour of drivers on

The focus of this study was to explore the characteristics of traffic flow as well the behaviour of drivers on the roads and their relationship with accidents in the Jazan region. Data collected over a span of 4 years have been used to achieve the objectives of the study. The most important results were that 85% of the accidents in the sample were attributable to drivers under the age of 40 and the

Natural cracking in unjointed roller-compacted concrete pavement (RCCP) may exhibit poor load transfer efficiency (LTE) across the cracks, leading to the occurrence of faulting, further cracking and excessive deflection, and a dramatic decrease in pavement service life. The aim of this study is to enable pavement designers to make the right decision as to whether or not to saw cut joints for RCCP.

Traffic calming techniques are extensively used as safety tools to reduce the speed of motorised vehicles along any type of paved road. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of is...

Since variations in exogenous factors could cause unpredictable fluctuations/variability of the speed–flow relationship, the aim of this study was to develop probabilistic speed–flow relationships ...

Surrogate safety measures have been recognised as suitable tools for a warning strategy. As one such measure, the time to collision (TTC) is the time remaining to a collision if the collision cours...

Most performance prediction models for asphalt pavements are either based on laboratory data or numerical distress data collected from field surveys. However, these models do not fully reflect the ...

Nepal is progressive in mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion in the rural transport sector. Research studies were conducted using qualitative methods to assess the extent to which peo...

This paper considers the extent to which the full and equal rights guaranteed in Nepal's constitution are reflected in the government's trail bridge programme (TBP). A review of the legal provision...

Road pricing is an efficient instrument to regulate use of roads. In Budapest, Hungary, only cordon pricing has been investigated in detail. This paper reports on a study of the implications of app...

First-class bricks and waste (i.e. overburnt) bricks can be used as a substitute for stone aggregates in asphalt concrete. However, the high porosity of brick aggregate can result in moisture damag...

Improved criteria for the material properties and mix proportions of concrete slabs to enhance the performance of concrete pavements at Incheon international airport (IA) in the Republic of Korea a...

Birmingham New Street railway station in the UK has recently undergone a substantial redevelopment at a cost of more than £600 million. However, the unique underground tunnel geography of the platf...

Drivers usually experience dilemmas in stopping or crossing at the end of a green phase or the first seconds of a red phase. These decisions could be the function of drivers’ behaviour. The severit...

Passenger rejection by taxi dirvers in Bangkok, Thailand has become a serious problem, especially during rush hours. In this work, the factors affecting the passenger-rejection behaviour of Bangkok...

Traditional penetration indices cannot accurately evaluate the performance of asphalt binders at high and low temperatures. A study was therefore undertaken to determine temperature conversion form...

Variable speed limit control (VSLC) is one of the services from the domain of intelligent transport systems applied to alleviate or prevent congestion on urban motorways. The main idea of VSLC is t...

The mega elliptical roundabout is a new idea for intersections on rural multilane highways in the form of an elongated ellipse. Basically, there are no procedures or guidelines for designing the me...

Routing technologies have long been available in many automobiles and smart phones, but the nearly random nature of traffic on road networks has always encouraged further efforts to improve the rel...

A novel station-level vulnerability algorithm that takes both passenger flow and network topology into account to reveal critical stations in a metro network is proposed. A vulnerability-based emer...

The high demand for natural stone aggregate (NSA) in infrastructure development is having an alarming ecological impact. The study of alternative materials thus holds high research interest in term...

Limits to mobility are imposed by geography and the speed, access, energy and ergonomic constraints of travel modes, which cannot be manipulated arbitrarily by design or technology. Achieving ‘sust...

In 2009, a manually pushed device was developed to measure the dry and wet skid resistance of pavement surfaces at walking pace. The device is based on the same principle as a larger trailer-mounte...

In 1963, the corporation of the city of Glasgow approved plans for 96 km of motorways. To date, 2017, 48 km have been constructed. These are on a grand scale, with 5 km of dual five-lane, 2 km of dual four-lane and over 25 km of dual three-lane motorways. Traffic flows as high as 198 000 vehicles/d have been recorded. Savings of time, accidents and fuel have been realised as a result. The main focus