In S2 Episode 6 of the Beyond Brunel podcast, presenter Chris Ackland poses this challenging question to Peter Radford, Associate Director at Turner & Townsend Infrastructure, and Alicia de Haldevang, Sustainability and Inequalities Consultant at Stantec.

Topics they discuss include the role of infrastructure in addressing inequalities, how to measure the impact of infrastructure on areas such as poverty, and whether it’s possible to deliver infrastructure that is both sustainable and equitable.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios Studios, Plymouth.

The South West has 620 miles of motorway and strategic A-roads as well as one of the largest networks in the UK of local roads, many of which are vital to small, rural communities. In this podcast, Christopher Ackland is joined by Richard Stevens, Managing Director, Plymouth CityBus (Go South West), and Jason Humm, Director of Transport and Highways, Gloucestershire County Council, to discuss the challenges of highway maintenance, improving resilience of the roads in the face of more extreme weather events and equipping the network for a more sustainable future.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, the Podcast Production Company. www.freshairstudios.co.uk

In this podcast, Christopher Ackland is joined by Martin Rule, Lead Adviser, Nature Based Solutions, Environment Agency and Ed Whitelaw, Director of Nature & Neighbourhoods at Real Ideas Organisation to discuss the concept of nature-based solutions and how infrastructure can have a positive impact on nature in the South West.

They explore the idea of working with nature rather than against it and highlight examples of projects that benefit both nature and communities.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Plymouth.

Christopher Ackland is joined by Katie Farrell, Assistant Planner, KierBAM JV, based at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth and Lou Dawson-Thomas, Head of Apprenticeship Services, AccXel Construction School in Gloucestershire, to discuss how we can engage with young people in the South West and encourage them to choose careers in infrastructure industries. He also asks young engineers and apprentices what infrastructure means to them and how young people can have a bigger voice in shaping the region’s infrastructure.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Audio and Video Podcast Studios in Devon.

Are South West ports ready for floating offshore wind?

That’s the important question posed in Season 2 Episode 2 of the Beyond Brunel podcast. Captain Richard Allan, Chief Executive and Harbour Master, Port of Plymouth and member of the South West Regional Ports Association, and Matt Hodson, Chief Operations Officer, Celtic Sea Power (based in Cornwall) join Chris Ackland to discuss the readiness of South West ports for floating offshore wind.

Among the topics they cover, they talk about the considerable challenges but also the South West’s potential to become a leader in the industry. They highlight the need for collaboration and for capital investment and coordinated policy action to support the development of infrastructure and ensure its success.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Plymouth.

Episode 1 of Season 2 features Matt Wheeldon, Director of Infrastructure Development, Wessex Water, and Dave Turner, Coastal Engineer, Moffat & Nicholl, who discuss how the South West can deal with extreme weather outcomes like drought and flooding, avoid environmental issues caused by storm overflows and create more sustainable, nature-based solutions such as rain gardens and green streets. They explore the need for coordinated efforts across various sectors and organisations and how that can be achieved.

Beyond Brunel Season 2 can be streamed or downloaded on popular platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. If you missed Season 1, it's still available and offers a wealth of valuable insights into the region's infrastructure challenges and solutions.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Studios for Content Creators in Devon.

What challenges and opportunities face the energy sector in the South West as it works towards net zero carbon by 2050?

In this episode of Beyond Brunel, Christopher Ackland tackles these tough questions with the assistance of Becky Fowell, Energy Market Analyst at Regen, Linda Irwin, Project Manager at Southwest Net Zero Hub and SWIP Energy Sector advisor, and Peter Kydd, Strategic Advisor to WSP & Immediate Past Chair of SWIP.

Topics include the big energy opportunities for the South West region, how to ensure a future-ready power grid, and how to include communities in the decision making and development of energy infrastructure.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Studios for Video and Audio in Plymouth.

The podcast is dedicated to exploring the future of infrastructure in the South West with a view to achieving net zero by 2050. This episode delves into the infrastructure needs and implementation required to achieve these ambitious targets.

Presenter Chris Ackland is joined by industry experts from across the region: David Carter, Deputy Director of Economic and Community Infrastructure and Commissioning at Somerset County Council; Miranda Housden, ICE South West Director and Secretary of the South West Infrastructure Partnership; Colin Taylor, Emeritus Professor of Earthquake Engineering at the University of Bristol and ICE Policy Fellow for Subnational Decarbonisation; and Tom Whitmore, Managing Director at Geomarine in Guernsey.

Guests discuss the importance of understanding the context in which infrastructure projects are delivered and the need to enable change and break down barriers to progress. They also share their vision of what infrastructure will look like in 2050 and the possibilities of using the South West as a “living laboratory” to study how infrastructure works and how people use it.

From the South West Infrastructure Partnership, supported by ICE South West.

Produced by Fresh Air Studios, Podcast Studios in the South West.