Rail corridor development
It’s vital to get the foundational decisions of how a new rail line will connect cities and regions right.
This means looking beyond the core transport infrastructure itself, to how these choices will shape the economic uplift, urban development and social value of the system long-term.
Our planners, engineers and designers provide a comprehensive place-based approach to assessing and designing railway route alignment options that maximise the social, economic and environmental benefits in line with the rail programme’s vision and objectives.
As part of this work we undertake thorough environmental impact studies to fully understand our impact on nature and communities on the route. We then provide recommendations to mitigate the negative consequences that often come with major infrastructure and devise schemes that increase the potential for positive transformation in the long-term.
Since it opened in 2003, High Speed 1 (HS1, formerly the Channel Tunnel Rail Link) has carried more than 200 million passengers across the Channel, established new links between Kent and London via the East Thames Corridor and, along the way, helped to spark regeneration across its route.
Arup's involvement began in 1989 when we challenged the then proposed route which was to run through South London. The Arup approach was driven by a simple question: how to make the line as useful as possible, picturing a train service that worked well for commuters, local residents, and freight, as well as international travellers.
To build the support required for such a significant new line, local consultation was vital and extensive. With that in progress, we identified unused land in King’s Cross, St Pancras, Stratford, Ebbsfleet and Ashford, connecting them with a route alignment that managed to avoid areas of outstanding natural beauty.
The approach we adopted has since been vindicated. It is estimated that High Speed 1 brings economic benefits of over £400m per year, and has been a catalyst for £8bn worth of development.
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Projects
Explore more rail projects:
Supporting Network Rail’s transformation to meet the challenges of climate change
Weather resilience and drainage asset management transformation, UK
Designing Sydney’s first integrated station development
Sydney Metro Martin Place integrated station development, Australia
Rolling stock procurement for vital new east-west rail line
East West Rail Engineering Partner, UK
Developing a low carbon train specification for ScotRail
ScotRail new train procurement, UK
Transit-oriented development and rail corridors
Our approach to precinct development and the realisation of value along rail corridors is research driven and community focused. By taking a place-based approach to decision-making for rail projects, we gauge every design decision – from the route to station site and design – in terms of its ability stimulate the economy, connect people, and improve life in both the cities and beyond.