Brief summary

The aim of the research project is to investigate and develop cost-effective strategies for incorporating SUDS on roads in order to help transition into sustainable management of road runoff. The result of the project will be the development of a decision-making framework for the selection and use of SUDS on new road projects. The framework will be used to model and to validate scenarios and strategies for transitioning into a sustainable road runoff drainage vision of the future.

Even though there is a need to transition into the practice of sustainable urban water management, the concept has many uncertainties and complexities.  As a result, urban water managers around the world struggle to turn the concept of transitioning into practice.  

Roads are a unique form of development in that their impervious lanes span over many kilometres, frequently crossing both large and small drainage divides.  It is undisputed that road runoff is a significant cause of urban diffuse pollution and there are clear benefits in managing road runoff more sustainably. In Scotland, Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) have come a long way as a viable and sustainable alternative to “end-of-pipe” treatment of urban road runoff, yet the uptake by road drainage engineers have been slow.

The project took the outline SUDS for Roads selection tool as its starting point.  A thorough review of the issues influencing their selection was undertaken.  The key criteria influencing the selection of the SUDS, including the results of simplistic hydraulic modeling will be optimised.  Stakeholder issues were identified at the start and the resulting tool will be trialled with a number of local authorities.

Start date

2008

Finish date

2012

Organisations involved

UWTC (University of Abertay); SKINT and INTERREG IVB projects

Contact

t.akinrelere@abertay.ac.uk; c.jefferies@abertay.ac.uk