Active Travel England (ATE) has appointed a consortium led by WSP, one of the world’s leading engineering, science and infrastructure solutions firms, alongside Mott MacDonald, PJA, Urban Movement, Transport for All (TfA) and Loughborough University to provide design assurance support for a third consecutive term.
Under the three-year appointment, the consortium will provide technical support to ATE in its assessment of active travel schemes funded by Government to assist the agency in its work to improve the quality of walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure across England.
The commission includes scheme design reviews, planning support, LCWIP reviews, funding bid support, development of tools and guidance, monitoring and evaluation, and training activities.
The consortium was first appointed in 2022 to support the shadow ATE as it became established. Since then, the consortium has provided support in the development and application of design assurance tools used to assess schemes submitted for Government funding.
The appointment builds on previous work delivered by WSP across a range of commissions and guidance work. This includes WSP’s role as lead consultant, together with PJA, for Active Travel England’s Rural Design Guide, published in July 2026. The guidance supports local authorities and delivery partners in planning and designing walking, wheeling and cycling routes in rural areas, where issues including social isolation, access to services, road safety and limited transport choice can be particularly acute.
Recent examples of WSP’s work with Active Travel England also includes support to ATE’s Women and Girls’ Safety Programme. and support for development of the Streets for Schools toolkit.
Glenn Higgs, Project Director for WSP’s Active Travel England commission, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed again by Active Travel England. WSP has provided support to ATE since 2022 bringing practical experience, original thinking and specialist knowledge to the development of high-quality active travel infrastructure.
“Our team has developed approaches that have supported important funding decisions, supported the delivery of national guidance and provided practical assurance for schemes across the country.
“We look forward to continuing this work over the next three years and supporting Active Travel England’s ambition to make walking, wheeling and cycling a natural choice for more everyday journeys.”
(Picture – WSP)
