Wiltshire: Protecting a £20m investment with QRoutes
By using QRoutes to model the long-term transport costs of a new £20m SEN school, Wiltshire Council overturned their initial assumptions and verified the most financially viable site. This data-led approach gave them the confidence to withstand public scrutiny, while the wider use of the software has delivered £1m in operational savings.
Context
Wiltshire Council faced a major decision: choosing the location for a new school for children with special needs. With a budget of £20m, the stakes were high.
While the build cost was fixed, the council knew that home-to-school transport would be the highest ongoing cost for the lifespan of the school. Choosing the wrong location would lock the council into decades of inflated spending.
The team identified six potential sites. Initial intuition pointed toward one specific location, but given the level of investment, the council needed to be certain.
Stage 1: Testing the scenarios
Rather than relying on estimates, the transport planning team used QRoutes to model the transport network for each of the six potential sites.
The platform allowed them to calculate the most efficient route for every pupil for every location. The results were surprising: the data showed that the site originally assumed to be the best was actually the wrong choice.
I have been planning schools transport for almost 20 years, but I’m not embarrassed to admit when QRoutes finds something I didn’t see.
Adrian Weissenbruch
SEND and Passenger Assistant Transport Manager
Stage 2: Engaging with parents and staff
Projects of this size always attract public attention. As the project developed, parents proposed new ideas for locations.
Because the team had a fast modelling tool, they could respect these suggestions by testing them properly. The team reviewed parent-suggested locations quickly, using the route data to explain exactly why a site was (or wasn’t) viable.
At the same time, the team used QRoutes to help staff. Teachers and care assistants were concerned about how the move would impact their own commutes. The planning team sat down with staff members, using the software to talk through their specific journey options and offer reassurance.
Stage 3: Day-to-day efficiency
While the new school was the headline project, this success was built on years of day-to-day work. Since adopting QRoutes in 2017, Wiltshire has conducted six major reviews.
To date the software has helped the team identify over £1m in savings.
Outcome
The ability to model scenarios at speed gave Wiltshire Council “total confidence” in their final decision. They were able to present a site choice backed by clear evidence regarding journey times and long-term costs.
The new development has since been approved and construction is underway.
Key results
- Corrected a strategic assumption: The data proved the ‘obvious’ site was actually the wrong one.
- £1m in savings: Total savings more than £1m through ongoing reviews and vehicle reduction.
- Built confidence: Provided the evidence required to satisfy parents and staff.
We were amazed by the accuracy of the route timings. This gave us confidence in our reporting which would be subject to considerable legal and reputational challenge.
Adrian Weissenbruch
SEND and Passenger Assistant Transport Manager