Our Sectors
Highways & Rural Accessibility
There is extensive need for road upgrading, rehabilitation and bottleneck relief in low-and middle-income countries. This arises from three imperatives: i) developing economic corridors that boost trade and productivity; ii) improving rural access to alleviate poverty and food insecurity; and iii) enhancing network resilience in face of climate hazards, conflict and routine disruptions.
DTS advise on road infrastructure programmes and road asset management. We identify and prioritise road improvement projects, as well as developing the funding and institutional structures to construct, maintain and operate roads over the long term. We ensure designs are locally appropriate and aligned with maintenance capability.
DTS are skilled in using the Highway Development and Management Tool (HDM-4) to analyse roads projects and programmes. HDM-4 supports network-level management, predicts the performance of pavement technologies and informs detailed funding requirements.
Urban Mobility & Public Transport
Urbanisation is one of the most significant demographic shifts in human history, fundamentally altering how people live, work and build communities. Two thirds of global population growth will occur in cities over the next 25 years (UN Urbanisation Prospects), so the success of cities is vital for our wellbeing, livelihoods and climate response.
Transport provision is integral this success. DTS advise on urban transport from master-planning, strategy and institutional reform to corridor and conceptual design. We thoroughly enjoy understanding each city’s unique complexities, then partnering with clients to develop locally appropriate, deliverable solutions that span public transport, transit-orientated development, travel demand management, traffic management and active travel.
We work to ensure public transport can meet passenger demand, operator needs and government objectives, developing reforms that improve financial stability and passenger experience. Our team utilise diverse datasets, spatial analytics and social engagement to develop network optimisation, BRT and bus improvement plans. Often using quality-based contracts to improve Level of Service and unlock access to finance.
Strategic Connectivity & Regional Transport
Improving strategic connectivity is a key ambition for many countries and regional blocs: to secure access to essential goods (energy, food, raw materials), facilitate trade, and drive growth through agglomeration effects and economic integration. Today fragmented transport networks, bottlenecks, poor multi-modal integration and inefficient ports and border crossings often present costly barriers.
DTS develops strategic and regional connectivity plans. This includes the scoping and prioritisation of hard and soft infrastructure to establish transit corridors, resilient multi-modal networks, and efficient green freight operations. Our recent focus has been on strengthening transport networks and logistics chains to enhance food security in Sub-Saharan Africa in face of climate impacts and trade disruption. By thinking regionally, investments and measures can be coordinated to maximise economic impact and enhance connectivity while reducing haulage operating costs and GHG emissions.
Climate Mitigation, Adaptation & Resilience
Our climate is now changing rapidly, moving us out of the stable Holocene era that supported our civilisation to flourish. Transport is a key part of our response: it is one of the hardest sectors to decarbonise, and transport networks are increasingly exposed to higher temperatures, flooding, landslide and storm damage, affecting not just roads, rails and vehicles, but people too – it can become too hot to drive a bus or truck in a heatwave.
For mitigation, DTS develops decarbonisation strategies for cities and countries considering technological feasibility and the socio-economic impact of policies – as the energy transition must improve livelihoods for all. We take a system-based approach coordinating quick wins with enabling actions for transformative change. Our work includes modal shift strategies, motorisation management, e-bus feasibility and policy support for electric vehicles.
For adaption, DTS advises on building resilience into transport networks through climate vulnerability assessments, materials and maintenance regimes suited to harsher conditions, and route redundancy to maintain connectivity if assets fail.
