1Data Gateway SCDQ for Ecology Surveys – Delivering better data?

Transportation infrastructure build and maintenance projects are large and complex activities, requiring support from multiple tiers of different organisations, each with their own functional expertise. Environment and Ecological Impact Assessments (EIAs) are mandated in the enabling phases of build projects, and aim to minimise harm and to maximise benefits for biodiversity resulting from any new infrastructure build.

Fundamental to the EIAs are surveys, which aim to collect data about the current environmental and ecological coverage across project areas. Data about bats, badgers newts, and others are collected from within the field using a variety of tools and processes by organisations within the supply chain. The wide variety of tools and processes used to collect the EIA data can result in a wide variety of quality, potentially calling for further post processing or manual rework within the field, both costly options.

Two of Europe’s most prominent and innovative engineering and construction companies – Laing O’Rourke and Murphy – have come together to form LM, a powerful joint venture, ready to support the growing number of major transport infrastructure projects across the UK. LM is the Enabling Works Partner of HS2 tasked with managing the EIAs for the northern area of Phase 1. In conjunction with LM, 1Spatial have developed an Ecology Survey Data Quality Portal which can be used by JV suppliers to ensure only data confirming to the HS2 specifications is submitted to them.