Transport
Transport sector expertise
The transport sector faces many challenges as it evolves to meet the needs of ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and the travelling public in the post-COVID net zero carbon era. Whether it’s changes to rail franchising, the implementation of bus franchising, working within the competition rules, regional self-sufficiency as part of the devolution agenda, regulatory and political frameworks, environmental, health and safety, ensuring your HR and IR strategies are effective or simply managing your estate and assets – our multi-disciplinary Transport Sector team can help smooth the way.
The team acts for a wide range of transportation clients including commercial operators and airlines, government bodies, public authorities, devolved transport bodies, financiers, equity investors, developers, retailers, airports, statutory utilities, infrastructure owners, manufacturers, maintainers and organisations throughout the supply chain.
Additionally, we help clients in all sectors with their transport related needs, including for example, advising statutory utilities and landowners faced with the impact of large transport infrastructure projects such as HS2 and Crossrail. We also work closely with colleagues in our Energy Waste and Sustainability team advising on renewables and energy schemes on transport assets, and development and regeneration schemes near operational railway lines, ports and major transport interchanges.
Watch our short animation below to find out more about our expertise:
The team is led by Michael Bray and Iain Bowler and our lead sector experts are:
- Aviation: Shashi Chambers & Iain Bowler
- Bus & coach operations: Frank Suttie, Michael Bray & Tom Johnson
- Freeports: Jackie Heeds & Frank Suttie
- Highways: Jackie Heeds & Robert Bruce (highways, stations & depot infrastructure)
- Rail: Tom Johnson, Michael Bray & Iain Bowler (heavy rail, light rail, tram infrastructure & operations, rolling stock procurement & maintenance, rail franchising & concessions)
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Rail regulatory: Tom Johnson, Michael Bray & Iain Bowler
Why choose our transport expertise?
Our Transport team includes specialists in heavy rail, light rail/tram, highways infrastructure, station and depot infrastructure, rail franchising and concessions, rail regulatory, bus and coach, and aviation who advise across a broad range of legal practice areas.
Our Transport team advises domestic and international clients on all contractual, infrastructure, regulatory and related matters for the movement of people by all transport modes.
The team has in-depth knowledge of the Transport sector, with particular expertise in rail, highways, bus, coach and airports/aviation. Our teams’ experience includes:
- Significant airport redevelopment and expansion projects
- Concession agreements (retail, advertising, catering)
- Ground transportation and surface access contracts (taxis, coaches, car hire operators)
- Supplier and aviation contracts (IT, PPM, PRM, ground handlers)
- Procurement and tendering processes, including Utilities Contracts Regulations and the Concession Contracts Regulations
- Competition advice and review into mergers, markets and abuse of dominant position
- Drafting airport by-laws
- Defending Health & Safety Executive prosecutions, investigations and inquests
- NSIP/DCO projects
- CPO and compensation
- We are supplier members of the Confederation of Passenger Transport
- Local bus services – enhanced Partnerships and franchising concessions
- Demand responsive services
- DfT grant and other funding schemes
- Licensing and other regulatory matters
- Ticketing schemes
- Technology procurement
- Retail and F&B concessions at bus stations
- Competition and subsidy control
- Fleet and vehicle procurement
- Powers to levy highway tolls
- New roads and highways schemes
- Highways framework agreements
- Low emission vehicles, hydrogen and EV charging infrastructure
- Planning and consenting including NSIP/DCO projects
- Environmental regulation and permitting
- Habitats/ecology
- Long term maintenance arrangements
- Asset stewardship
- Rail depot leasing and redevelopment
- Rail station leasing and redevelopment/major improvement
- Works/construction
- Transport interchange facilities
- Construction of new tramways and tram depots
- Rail franchising and concessions
- Operation and maintenance of tram systems
- Procurement and maintenance of rolling stock
- Dispute resolution in relation to ticketing scheme and revenue allocation
corporate M&A of transport sector companies, including rail transit and ticketing software solutions, and vehicle part manufacturers - Network Rail asset protection and implementation agreements
- Statutory utilities on asset diversions and monitoring regimes to facilitate the construction of rail infrastructure
- Retail and F&B concessions at railway stations
- NSIP/DCO projects and Transport and Works Act Orders
- CPO and compensation
Who we work with
> London Luton Airport
> Bristol Airport
> HS1
> Midlands Highways Alliance
> Merseytravel
> Onur Air
Our accreditations
We are celebrating another year of accreditations and memberships.
Meet our team
Jackie Heeds
Partner & Joint Lead of Major Projects
Related news & articles
Contact us today
Whatever your legal needs, our wide ranging expertise is here to support you and your business, so let’s start your legal journey today and get you in touch with the right lawyer to get you started.
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