Tony Gee collaborate with Kent County Council to support the local ICE Kent and East Sussex Branch host the ICE President, David Porter for a productive afternoon of events.

The first event of the afternoon, we lead a debate on the ‘The value of technicians as leaders: why they are essential to thought leadership, shaping policy and embracing diversity and inclusion for industry and institutions’ held at Mid Kent College. This event brought together two Presidents from different professional engineering organisations, welcoming David Porter, President of ICE, and Jason Clark, President of CIPHE, alongside other technician leaders from local businesses.

The event brought together consultants, clients and contractors from across the industry to explore the important role technicians play beyond traditional delivery, and how their practical experience, technical judgement and thought leadership helps shape the industry’s future. Liam Kimberley led the debate, setting the scope for the discussions, alongside Jason Clark, President of CIPHE, Ingrid Valceschini, Associate Technician at Buro Happold and Tom Price, Chief Executive at Informed Engineering.

The discussion reinforced the importance of recognising technicians as independent professionals working alongside engineers, not only for the quality of the work they deliver, but also for the significant value they bring as leaders, problem-solvers, mentors and contributors to wider industry thinking. The event highlighted the importance of technicians as our industry continues its journey into digital transformation.

In addition to raising the debate amongst the leadership in the industry there was also an opportunity for the President to meet a range of professionals from the local area who are inspiring each other and engaging with students at the college helping them finding their place in the industry, what the ICE could mean to them and how to build a career. This conversation You, me and the ICE! Will was led by a panel of professionals including Sue Hawkes, Charlotte Brown, Richard Tourney and David Porter.

Later in the afternoon, the group visited Bean Tunnel, where Kent County Council, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation and Tony Gee’s Justin Ryan delivered a detailed technical briefing on the major civil infrastructure scheme to provide a Fastrack busway and a footway/cycleway linking Whitecliffe and Bluewater. This was followed by an immersive site tour, offering first-hand insight into the engineering challenges and solutions shaping this key infrastructure scheme.

A huge thank you to all involved for hosting a valuable and collaborative day.

Tony Gee has appointed Jill Simpson as Environmental Services Lead, reinforcing their commitment to embedding environmental expertise at the heart of its engineering delivery.

Jill will play a central role in integrating environmental considerations across projects and throughout the supply chain. She will support the seamless incorporation of environmental requirements into design and delivery processes and will facilitate collaboration with specialist partners and suppliers, ensuring coordinated, high-quality environmental solutions are consistently achieved.

Jill’s appointment represents a significant step in advancing Tony Gee’s integrated approach to sustainability, ensuring environmental priorities are embedded across projects, partnerships, and long-term strategic goals.

Tony Gee has been appointed by Arup as a strategic partner to lead the design of the next phase of Coventry City Council’s Very Light Rail (CVLR) programme; the approximately 800m city centre demonstrator scheme.

This appointment marks a significant milestone for the programme, bringing together two industry leading engineering consultancies with a shared commitment to technical excellence, innovation, and sustainable transport solutions. By combining Arup’s global expertise in complex infrastructure with Tony Gee’s renowned capability in specialist design and construction engineering, this collaboration will play a central role in shaping the next chapter of Coventry’s transformative mobility vision.

The project represents a major opportunity to advance a new approach to urban transport, with the design maximising efficiency, minimising disruption, and supporting long term economic and environmental benefits for the region.

This collaboration underscores a shared ambition: to help deliver a cutting edge transport system that enhances connectivity, supports inclusive growth, and sets a new benchmark for sustainable urban mobility in the UK.

Councillor Jim O’Boyle, Coventry City Council Cabinet Member for Jobs, Regeneration and Climate Change, said: “By approving this next and longer demonstrator route for Coventry Very Light Rail, we have taken a decisive step toward transforming how people move around our city. This is a bold investment in cleaner, smarter and more sustainable transport, and it shows our commitment to delivering real change for residents and businesses.

“The route to Coventry University’s Technology Park will allow us to showcase the benefits of CVLR in a live environment, proving how this innovative system can be delivered quickly, affordably and with minimal disruption. It’s an exciting moment for Coventry, and brings us significantly closer to a transport network that reflects the ambition and ingenuity of our city.”

David Lea, Project Director at Tony Gee, said: “We are privileged to be part of a project which represents a major step forward in sustainable urban transport, and we’re proud to support a solution that will bring cleaner, smarter, and more efficient mobility to the city.

“Working collaboratively with our partners Arup and Coventry City Council, we’re committed to helping deliver a system that sets a new benchmark for innovation in the UK transport sector.”

Paul Stephens, Project Director and Associate Director at Arup UKIMEA said: “Arup’s work on the demonstrator route offers a valuable testbed for understanding how innovative transport technology performs within a complex city centre environment.

“Through our collaboration with Tony Gee and Coventry City Council, we are combining multidisciplinary strengths to accomplish an operational system that functions effectively within the city’s existing infrastructure and presents the evidence required for future expansion.”

We look forward to the work ahead and to contributing to a project that is redefining what future ready transport can look like.