Consultants galore! Here's what they're for

by DOUG COLLIE

Scottish Borders Council has awarded contracts worth more than £200,000 to consultants who will help shape the region's 'Net Zero' strategy and investigate the development of a so-called Active Travel Route between the railway stations at Tweedbank and Reston.

Three separate contract award notices were published by the council this week although the information posted on the Scottish Government's Public Contracts website was difficult to interpret.

The description given to a £105,900 award for specialist firm Atkins stated simply: "To undertake a feasibility study to support net zero across the region and build the network of active travel infrastructure to support rural accessibility."

So Not Just Sheep & Rugby contacted SBC to request more details as to how the money would be spent.

A helpful SBC spokesman told us: "Scottish Borders Council have received funding from the South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE) to undertake a feasibility study for a new active travel route between the existing Tweedbank Railway Station (Borders Railway) and the new Reston Station (East Coast Railway) – circa 53km.

"The route that has been initially identified for this is the former railway line that originally linked the station locations, and runs through the heart of the region connecting towns and villages such as Earlston, Greenlaw, Duns and Chirnside. This aligns with the Eastern Borders Green Route proposal from March 2021.

"The consultant will undertake a review of this route to identify the adaptation required to create an active travel route for walking, wheeling and cycling based on the best practice standards set by SUStrans.

"The feasibility study will identify and quantify the works required for infrastructure, bridges, DDA access, accommodation works etc, while identifying landownership (including purchase cost) and all permissions likely to be required. The feasibility study will breakdown the route to deliverable chunks between key nodes so that the whole route can be delivered over multiple phases and through multiple funding streams.

"The feasibility study should also identify complimentary routes for active travel connections to Destination Tweed Project, the Coast to Coast cycle route, key tourist destination, key employment zones, key education zones and adjacent towns and villages. Atkins have been appointed and the end date for the feasibility study is fixed at 31 March 2022."

The second and third contracts handed out by the council are linked.

A notice with a £55,000 price tag declared: "To appoint a Project Manager to manage the Consultancy Team delivering a Feasibility study which will provide direct strategic support to all sectors across the region and will lead on to maximising the commercial opportunities for the region and minimising the expenditure for the public sector, business and residents."

And a contract valued at £85,000 has gone to a different firm to "appoint a Consultant to deliver a Feasibility study which will provide direct strategic support to all sectors across the region and will lead on to maximising the commercial opportunities for the region and minimising the expenditure for the public sector, business and residents."

Again we asked SBC for an explanation, and we were told: "Funding has been secured from the UK Community Renewal Fund to develop and deliver a feasibility study on EV [electric vehicle]charging across the Borders.  The approach to EV charging has been fragmented and delivered through the Local Authority, forward thinking businesses and individuals utilising Government funding to stimulate small pockets of EV vehicle use across the region. 

"This project is looking to undertake a region wide, cross sector assessment of supply, demand and commercial opportunities to create a strategic delivery model for EV charging infrastructure.  This Feasibility study will provide direct strategic support to all sectors across the region, which will lead on to maximising the commercial opportunities for the region and minimising the expenditure for the public sector, business and residents.

"With the clear commitments to deliver Net-Zero there are a number of key targets to hit over the coming 24 years.  This will require a significant change in Local Authority, business and citizens travel habits and adoption of sustainable travel options like EV vehicles.  To enable this to be a reality, the Scottish Borders is starting from a very low level of provision and has to undertake a comprehensive review of how demand will develop across the region, how the electricity grid can cater for the demand and the commercial models available to deliver the infrastructure equitably across the region. 

"To deliver Net-Zero across the region we need an overarching strategic feasibility study that provides real opportunity for the region to deliver change, tangible benefits and maximize the private sector opportunities for the region.

 

Turner & Townsend have been appointed as Project Manager for this contract, Mott MacDonald have been appointed as Master Planning Consultant, 6-9m timescale to complete work."