Scheme development, case making and funding for metro rail and urban transit
Urban rail linked to wider transport systems (including cycling and walking), enables seamless multi-modal connections that can transform cities.
The enhanced connectivity and place-making dimensions of these schemes boosts economic opportunities and leads to vibrant communities. And as a key component of a low carbon, integrated transport system, urban rail is a long-term investment in a net zero future.
Our expert team of planners, economists, engineers and designers helps clients to assess their current transport networks against existing policy objectives, to develop an integrated strategy so that a planned urban rail scheme can deliver real value for communities and create improved economic opportunities.
We work with clients to develop feasibility studies and build the business case for investment to enable projects to transition from vision to reality. As part of this, we take a forensic approach to rail corridor and station planning, considering all options and trades-off from a costs and benefits perspective for the whole-life of the railway. We draw on our advanced digital modelling to align the project with a city’s economic, social and environmental goals.
By combining future demand, revenue and performance forecasting with the wider economics of rail, our expert advisors support clients to develop the right route alignment options, together with a combination of other key levers, to enable the best whole-life return from the urban rail system.
Our finance and economic experts also work with clients to explore a range of public and private financing models for rail schemes in an increasingly complex market context.
With an extra million people expected to live and work in Sydney by 2030, the CBD and South East Light Rail (CSELR) forms a critical part of the city’s transport future and urban renewal. Transport for NSW (TfNSW) engaged Arup in 2011 to help it achieve its strategic vision for the Sydney Light Rail network.
Drawing on our international expertise, the Arup team of technical specialists worked with TfNSW to develop the preferred alignment and support the procurement and construction stages of the project. Our engineering and operational input incorporated global best practice into the project’s design and delivery. George Street now features one of Australasia’s first ‘wire free’ operations, delivering a visually clean path achieved by de-cluttering the aesthetic of the route through the city centre by removing overhead power wires and poles.
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Explore
Learn more about our work and how our services can support your project:
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
Commuter and mainline rail
Across the world, Arup has been at the forefront of urban transit for more than 40 years, working with clients to unlock the transformative potential rail systems offer. Our international team helps clients to take projects from initial vision to operational reality, whether a completely new urban rail project or a major extension of an existing network.