Atkins, a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group, has launched a white paper titled “Reimagining Transport and Mobility for a Sustainable Economic Recovery.” The white paper, which is developed by Atkins’ advisory business arm, Atkins Acuity, outlines the COVID-19 impact on the transport industry and provides a strategic framework to transition from short-term recovery to a medium-to-long-term transformation to achieve resilience and sustainability.
With lockdowns and restrictions on economic and social activity lifting, the challenge is how to maintain reopening safely, restore business and consumer confidence and provide the right economic and fiscal stimulus that will support the early stages of a viable recovery toward the end of the year and into 2021. However, the transport industry in the GCC has the opportunity to reshape its infrastructure, services and operations through the adoption of diagnostic tools, data analytics, planning principles and digital engineering to achieve improved outcomes and a better future.
Johan Hesselsøe, managing director, UAE, at SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins, said: “In the UAE, we have seen an increased focus beyond COVID-19 on creating sustainable infrastructure and transport systems that enhance the well-being of residents and minimize environmental impacts. We are working closely with our clients to navigate current challenges and achieve their long-term goals by providing our engineering, design and project management expertise combined with digital capabilities.”
Ian Redmayne, managing director, Saudi Arabia at SNC-Lavalin’s Atkins, added: “Despite the challenges caused by COVID-19, the crisis has reinforced the need for economic diversification in the Kingdom to foster socio-economic development in line with Saudi Vision 2030. With a proven track record in Saudi Arabia, we are proud to support this vision by sharing our market knowledge and expertise and working together with the public and private sectors to shape sustainable communities of the future.”
Through collaboration of SNC-Lavalin’s transport planning and strategic advisory experts across the world, the white paper presents a three-phase model: Reopen, Recover and Reimagine. This frames how the transport sector should respond to the unprecedented socio-economic shock inflicted by COVID-19, as well as the impact of low oil prices on GCC exports and finances. Looking beyond the immediate crisis, SNC-Lavalin’s reimagined approach to the future of transport brings together a broader agenda combining three pillars of land use, physical mobility and digital connectivity and comprises eight cross-cutting building blocks.
