David Simmonds Consultancy Ltd

David Simmonds Consultancy (DSC) specialised in research, analysis and forecasting applied to urban, regional and transport planning. The firm, set up in 1990, carried out a wide variety of studies for public and private clients in the UK and abroad. Since 2022, firm's intellectual property, including the Delta software suite (Delta land use model, WIC and ULTrA), have been acquired by SYSTRA, who have recruited a number of former DSC colleagues and are continuing various DSC projects. Historically, the studies by DSC ranged from brief reviews of particular subjects to major projects in forecasting and impact assessment. Many were carried out in collaboration with other leading firms in transport, planning, economics and property consultancy. A major focus was forecasting the impacts of transport on regional economies and on urban activities and development. In this, the team considered the effects of public and private transport, passengers and goods, and changes in services and pricing as well as changes in infrastructure. They were also very much involved in forecasting the impacts of planning policies. Much of the work was carried out using formal land use models and land use/transport interaction models, implemented in the Delta software suite which has developed since 1995. The team was also heavily involved in appraisal; that is, not just forecasting what will happen, but analysing the benefits and malefits that will result and who will be affected by these. David Simmonds is now working independently as Allanfield Consulting, but collaborates with SYSTRA on a variety of projects, particularly to maintain continuity for previous DSC clients. Other DSC staff moved to AECOM, Atkins, Steer and WSP.