People
Our small team of specialists have a wealth of experience in the area of highways and pavement management, data management and software development, and are acknowledged experts in their fields.
Our team are at the forefront of innovation and best practice and have been closely involved in many national groups and initiatives including the PCIS (UKPMS) support contract, the PCMG (Pavement Condition Management Group) and the FCMG (Footway & Cycletrack Management Group). We have a proven track record, and have provided software and asset and data management consultancy either directly or though supply-chain partners to highway authorities on all types of road network, including;
Peter Davidson
Peter has more than 15 years experience of developing, implementing and managing Pavement and Asset Management Systems including 12 years experience with the national UKPMS and HAMPS pavement management systems. He works closely with clients developing and implementing highways asset management software and managing asset data. Peter has designed and developed highways asset management systems, including the WHIMS (Web-Enabled Highways Information Managements, SAMS (Spatial Asset Management System), Scrim Policy Manager and Scheme Engineer®.
He is currently a core member of the national UK PMS Support contract, working with the Transport Research Laboratory and Atkins in developing and promoting new PMS technologies in the UK. Peter has extensive experience of designing, procuring and implementing Asset Management Systems overseas including Central Europe, Eastern Europe and Africa. He has worked closely with the Czech Road Authority (RSD) and Ministry of Transport in developing a large scale asset data warehouse (including database modules, web pages and software encapsulated business logic) for all condition data and highway inventory collected on the national trunk road network and principal roads In the UK, Peter has worked on numerous large scale PFI Highways projects and has been responsible for specifying and developing the highly technical condition models required to support the tender process including condition modelling, Performance Gap Analysis, Treatment Selection, Maintenance Lifecycle Planning and Whole Life Costing. Peter is a keen and accomplished golfer.
Dermott Doyle
Dermott has over 25 years’ experience in the pavement engineering industry with the past ten years being spent with a major UK highways consultant as technical director for pavement engineering and asset management. He has extensive knowledge of pavement investigation, pavement evaluation, design and specification. His experience also covers recycled materials for use in pavements along with an in-depth knowledge of current materials used in pavement design.
He has had particular involvement in working with the industry in development of durable pavement designs and has significant experience to support clients in ensuring that pavement specifications and designs are seen through to fruition on site. His past career at Tarmac has given him a deep seated knowledge of quarried products and coated aggregates as well as the hands on experience of quality control of production and placement of asphalt mixes.
Dermott spent a number of years working with TRL where he gained experience in research into pavement design and it was here that he gained his knowledge of working with secondary and recycled products. He assisted in the development of the current specification 611/615 versatile approach to pavement design using cold recycled products. Since then he has supported a number of clients in addressing the use of these products, realising the potential to save valuable funds.
His recent years have been spent as Team Leader/Technical director at Mouchel, responsible for the pavement engineering and asset management team. He has been heavily involved in developing the team skills in management of DBFO contracts and a number of major PFI schemes including the current bid for Sheffield. He has also assisted a number of HA MACS in the value management process for major pavement schemes across the UK. In his spare time, Dermott is a keen mountain biker.
Andy Pickett
Andy has 27 years experience of all aspects of highways asset management in both the public and private sector, from carrying out and managing data collection, and implementing and managing asset systems, through to the provision of strategic advice, and has a detailed knowledge of highways asset management.
His experience includes giving assistance to authorities in developing and implementing their Highways Asset Management plans as well as the specification and carrying out of visual surveys, through to the design and implementation of UKPMS, SCANNER-related research. In the last four years, Andy has worked closely with the London Borough of Hounslow in developing their highways PFI project, and has developed highways asset management plans in a number of local authorities.
Andy is or has been closely involved in the development of national good practice for highways maintenance and asset management, having been at various times a member of a various standing and task groups, including the Footways and Cycletrack Management Group (FCMG) the Roads Performance Management Group (FCMG), the UKPMS Steering and Visual Assessment Groups. Andy is co-Author of a document produced on behalf of the Western European Road Directors (WERDS) organisation, giving guidance to road organisations seeking to introduce or to improve data management.
Outside of work Andy is a keen musician, playing saxophone and flute in a variety of jazz and other bands including Ska Toons (www.skatoons.co.uk) , Ska Kestra (www.myspace.com/skakestra) and the Sussex Jazz Orchestra (www.sussexjazzorchestra.co.uk).
Stacy Smith
Stacy has worked in the highways industry since 1994, primarily with Condition Surveys and Pavement and Asset Management Systems.
Having used Pavement Management Systems virtually every day for well over a decade Stacy has specialist knowledge in UKPMS. He has a detailed knowledge of Confirm Pavement Manager and MARCHpms playing an active role in the continuous development of the software from a user’s perspective as well as producing and developing training packages specifically for MARCH and Confirm users and more generic UKPMS and Asset management training seminars delivered regionally throughout the UK.
In addition to training end users Stacy has developed a suite of training packages from scratch and ‘trains the trainer’ whilst heading up YottaDCL’s Professional Services team.
Stacy worked for TRL for over 8 years, during this time he worked on the UKPMS support contract and has been a member of various technical steering groups as well as being the SCANNER auditor for the North of England.
Stacy has operated various machine condition survey vehicles in the UK and overseas including SCRIM and SCANNER in its various early carnations (HRM, MRM and HSV) providing a ‘cradle to the grave’ service to customers from planning and undertaking condition surveys to the production of prioritised maintenance programmes.
Stacy follows Plymouth Argyle Football Club around the country as well as being into music and films. Since December ’09 his son Oscar has taken up any spare time.
James Wallis
James has extensive experience and knowledge in UKPMS and Pavement Management systems, and of highway maintenance and design. He has spent many years in the consultancy field with the last 8 years being heavily involved in UKPMS, Asset Management and PFI/DBFO projects. James is responsible for much of the thinking behind Appia’s Scheme Engineer software and James is currently the Pavement technical advisor for Sheffield City Council’s PFI bid. James has a significant role in the new PCIS support contract with TRL and took the lead on UKPMS support and helped with the development of features within UKPMS mainly the Annual Health Check. James is currently developing a HAMP for a local authority. His main roles are to develop a scheme selection model to allow a robust, transparent selection of schemes, to ensure full use of the UKPMS system and produce a depreciated asset valuation model. He has also spent extensive time working with the Highways Agency on HAPMS developing the visual survey process and manual. James has worked closely with TfL on a trial implementation of Scheme Engineer® and to assess levels of service, and in supporting and delivering training for highways condition surveys.
Outside of work, James enjoys working, spending time with his young family, and participating in active congestion management, assisted by his caravan.
Pete Cullen – Strategic Associate
Pete acts as Appia’s strategic ambassador, with particular responsibility for business development and for raising awareness of our capabilities and of the benefits of our software and services to both the public and private sector. He is also able to provide strategic advice and consultancy, drawing upon his extensive experience and contacts at a senior level within the industry, specialising in infrastructure business development and transformation, operational and strategic business leadership, and change management.
Pete has many years of experience at a senior level as a Director and Strategic Leader with a Civil Engineering background, most recently as a Director with responsibility for Mouchel’s Roads and Major Projects business, prior to establishing his own Infrastructure and Change Management Consultancy.
Caroline – Office Manager
Caroline is our office manager, keeping us all in line and ensuring we do not let anyone down. Caroline makes a wicked bacon sandwich and for her sins she is James’s wife.
Peter Michalak – GIS Consultant
Peter has over 7 years’ experience of working as a GIS Specialist. His versatile educational background, skills and expertise from working within an environmental team has helped to develop successful cooperation with clients. Working with local authorities around UK and Poland he has been involved in the development of many successful projects. He worked with Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council as a GIS Developer creating a GIS system for the Highways department for the Council. Everyday tasks included data translation, spatial analysis and liaison between different departments. This enabled Peter to create one solid GIS solution which significantly increased departmental efficiency. As a GIS Coordinator for Sheffield City Council he is leading a group of Engineers and is responsible for creating and maintaining the Highway GIS network for the city. Working every day for various councils around the UK has given Peter a greater understanding of the differences each Local Authority has and how to deal with different problems by liaising with the correct departments and then providing the correct solution. The latest project has been to create a new Highway GIS layer for ALL surveys including UKPMS & Safety Inspections from feedback received from inspectors insuring the network is fit for purpose.
Peter has been responsible for design, analysis and implementation of various GIS projects. He understands and uses many major GIS platforms such as ESRI, MapInfo, AutoCad, Erdas and MAP Window. Thanks to this understanding Peter has advanced GIS processing techniques and has introduced multimedia to GIS helping clients to display their information more usefully for the ever growing demand from the public and councilors. Additionally he is developing his ability in creating our own GIS applications.
Nigel Cross – Engineering Consultant
Nigel has worked in the Highways industry for over 30 years and has extensive experience in selecting and specifying the correct solution for the highway scheme to ensure the best value for money. Nigel was involved in the development of UKPMS as part of the team which tested the processes and has been involved in using pavement and highway management systems ever since. Nigel is Appia’s “eyes on the ground” and develops Value Management processes for local authorities to ensure that the correct scheme and appropriate treatments are being selected. Nigel carries out Value Management and scheme analysis for local authorities and uses Scheme Engineer extensively for our clients.
Stephen Taylor – Highways Technician
Stephen joins us having worked in the Oil & Gas Industry as an asset manager of oil and gas pipelines (infrastructure) for over 10 years. He was involved in a number of high profile inspection projects for clients such BP, Shell, Nexen and Total creating interpretative reports on the fitness-for-purpose of pipelines. Stephen provides technical support to the Doncaster office team, and in particular is involved with Value Management, scheme analysis and treatment selection, reporting and highway inspections.
Keith Todd – Network Management and NRSWA Consultant
Keith has fifteen years with the South Yorkshire Police as a road patrol officer with extensive knowledge of legislation that impacts the daily use of the highway network. Following that experience Keith has worked for several Local Authorities as Highway and Network Manager for the last 24 years before joining Appia as a Highway Management consultant. Keith has successfully implemented permitting and all required legislation including:
- Decriminalisation of parking and developing a new parking service
- Increasing the effectiveness of Street Works Management reducing congestion and delay
- Implimenting permitting schemes for road and street works
- Increasing the income of the Highway team, current team has increased their income from £100,000 to in excess of £380,000
Keith is the Chair of the Yorkshire Joint Authorities Group and Vice-chair of Yorkshire HAUC, and will be strengthing our consultancy services, specialising in Network Management and Street Works.