A transport and highways engineer is a dual-qualified professional who combines transport planning (assessing the traffic and travel impacts of proposed development) with highways engineering (designing the physical access, junction layout and road infrastructure). For medium-scale residential and commercial developments where transport impacts are moderate and access design is straightforward, a single MCIHT-qualified consultant can efficiently handle both workstreams - simplifying project management and reducing coordination costs compared to using two separate specialists.
What they do
- Prepare Transport Statements and Transport Assessments for planning applications
- Design vehicle access arrangements, visibility splays and turning areas
- Carry out traffic surveys and junction capacity modelling
- Prepare Travel Plans for residential and commercial developments
- Negotiate Section 278 highway improvement agreements with the LHA
- Prepare Section 38 adoption agreements for new estate roads
- Advise on car and cycle parking standards and layout
- Discharge transport planning conditions with technical evidence
- Attend pre-application meetings with the local highway authority
When you need one
A combined transport and highways engineer is ideal for medium-scale developments where both a transport assessment and a highway access design are required.
Typical costs (UK, 2025)
| Job type | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Combined Transport Statement and access design | £1,500 - £4,000 |
| Full Transport Assessment and highway design | £3,000 - £10,000+ |
| Pre-application transport and access advice | £500 - £1,500 |
| Section 278 design and submission | £1,500 - £4,000 |
| Travel Plan preparation | £800 - £2,000 |
| Hourly rate | £80 - £145 / hr |
Traffic survey costs (automatic traffic counts and manual classified counts) are usually additional to the engineer's design fee. Section 278 construction costs are paid to the highway authority separately.
Frequently asked questions
When can one consultant handle both transport planning and highway design?
For straightforward developments where access is well-defined and traffic impacts are moderate, a dual-qualified MCIHT consultant can efficiently handle both the transport assessment and access design. For complex highway works or large-scale transport assessments, specialist input in each discipline may be preferred by the highway authority.
What is covered in a Transport Statement vs a Transport Assessment?
A Transport Statement is a lighter-touch report for smaller developments - it describes baseline conditions and transport impact without full traffic modelling. A Transport Assessment is required for larger developments and includes traffic surveys, junction modelling and mitigation measures. Local planning authorities specify thresholds in supplementary planning guidance.
Do I need a transport assessment for a 10-house development?
Usually a Transport Statement rather than a full Transport Assessment is needed for a 10-house development. Local planning authorities specify thresholds in supplementary planning guidance - typically a Transport Assessment is required for residential development over 50-100 units, though this varies by authority and site location.