Naomi in Orkney smllr2

Naomi Bremner – Summary Profile

Naomi has 16 years of experience advising on transport, sustainability and community aspects.  Proven track record in the transport and community sectors, covering appraisal, planning, strategy, policy and project management. She has successfully delivered a range of projects covering rural and urban transport planning, community planning, public transport supply and demand, concessionary and accessible travel, school travel and scheme appraisal, evaluation and audit.

Education and Employment

2010-Present: NHS Orkney – Non-Executive Director and Vice Chair

2006-2010: Orkney Islands Council – Head of Transportation

2000-2006: Steer Davies Gleave – Principal Consultant

2000-2001: Leeds University-M.Sc. (Eng) Transport Planning

1997-2000: University of Bradford-B.Eng. (Hons) Mechanical Engineering and Management

Key Skills and Knowledge
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Community Consultation
  • Survey Development, Management and Analysis
  • Project Management
  • Active Travel / Travel Behaviour
  • Project Appraisal and Evaluation
  • Economic Development
  • Remote / Rural Transport Solutions
  • Ferry Services / Air Services Design and Development
  • Strategy Development
  • Health Promotion
  • Local Government Services
  • Quality Improvement Methodology
Recent Project Experience

Visitor and Marketing Study, North Isles, Orkney (Orkney Islands Council) Naomi is managing this study to inform the development of the Heritage Lottery Fund North Isles Landscape Partnership Scheme, covering the north isles of Orkney, focussing particularly on those elements to grow the visitor market – increasing the number of visitors and increasing the length of stay in the isles and the economic benefit to the isle communities. This study has included extensive consultation with a wide range of stakeholders, including tourism businesses, community groups, representative bodies and the air service and ferry service providers. The study has also involved an online survey with Orkney-Mainland-based residents to explore the potential for domestic visitor trips to the isles.

Inverness Airport Air Services Research (Highlands and Islands Airport Ltd.) Naomi developed a large online survey to test views with the business and public community around existing air services together with views on future route development from Inverness, and comparing factors with other airport bases. She utilised the surveymonkey platform, with extensive routing and design features in order that participants could be efficiently navigated through the questions.

HITRANS Regional Transport Strategy Re-fresh (HITRANS) Having been main author of the original RTS in 2006/7, Naomi is now leading the re-fresh of the HITRANS RTS. Following extensive consultation with key stakeholders and partners and having facilitated workshops with the Board, a draft RTS Refresh has been prepared, which is going out to consultation in spring 2017. The RTS focusses on the economic development of the region, in partnership with maximising opportunities for participation in social and economic activity. Naomi is assisting HITRANS to feed into the review of the National Transport Strategy, and supporting them through the statutory consultation of the RTS refresh.

Audit and Consultation on Parenting Information and Support in Orkney (Orkney Islands Council) Naomi undertook this focused piece of research for Orkney Islands Council to advise on support available to parents across the county. This included survey work with parents as well as targeted consultation with particular groups of parents and also speaking to young people about the support that they feel their parents / carers could and should have available.

Support for the Development of a Passenger Boat Service (Papa Westray Development Trust) Naomi worked with the Papay Development Trust to advise on the steps required to purchase and commence operation of a passenger boat to the Holm of Papay for the visitor market.  This was an exciting new addition to the tours programme in 2016.  Foremost amongst the Holm’s three Neolithic burial sites is the South Cairn with its impressive 67ft long subterranean passage with carved decorations and 14 chambers.

Development of a Community Learning and Development Plan (Orkney Islands Council) Naomi led the wide-ranging consultation to inform a new CLD Plan for Orkney, testing new methods of consultation, particularly aimed at identifying and engaging with so-called ‘hard-to-reach’ groups in the community as well as stakeholder providers and the Strategic Community Learning Group.  The consultation included a wide-scale online survey (surveymonkey), use of social media and the facilitation of a programme of community focus groups.

National Connectivity Task Force survey Naomi developed and oversaw the online survey (surveymonkey) for this study to identify initiatives that can help to optimise the economic value of the enhanced connectivity that a new South East runway can offer to the regions, home countries and Crown Dependencies of the UK. She then analysed the data to respond to the research task.

An Camas Mòr Residential Travel Plan (Rothiemurchus Estate) Naomi researched and prepared a residential travel plan for the site of a new community in the Highlands.

STAG Appraisal of Long Term Options for Kerrera Ferry Services (Transport Scotland) Naomi collated a current picture of residents’ views on perceived and actual problems and opportunities relating to access for residents and visitors to the island.

Highland Council Ferry Operations, Routes and Services Methodology (HITRANS) Naomi applied the Ferry Routes and Services Methodology to the Highland Council Ferry operations.  The work saw the methodology developed for application to lighter routes or those servicing small population areas.

Empowering Communities Feasibility Study (Orkney Islands Council) Naomi led this community-driven review to inform a new way of working across isle communities in Orkney; mapping current public sector provisions and creating the foundation for two pilot communities to test a new way of working with public and voluntary sectors – Papa Westray and Stronsay.

Orkney Ferries Tariff Review (Orkney Islands Council) Naomi led this review which involved drawing upon an existing evidence base from case studies of other operators, together with analysis of patronage data, to generate potential options for change; extensive consultation was undertaken, which included Naomi designing, managing and analysing an online (surveymonkey) and hard copy survey for isle residents and business interests in the isles, followed by an appraisal of the options utilising these data, leading to a sifted short list of options for a new tariff structure ready for further consultation.

Ballyvaughan Bay Hop – Community Boat Service Feasibility Study (Ballyvaughan Community Group) Naomi was commissioned to undertake a feasibility study to ascertain the viability of a new fast ferry service between Ballyvaughan and Galway to serve residents and as part of an attraction for visitors to the area. Naomi was responsible for designing an on-line survey (surveymonkey) for residents in the catchment area of the proposed service, as well as consultation with Council representatives, community groups, local businesses, tourist organisations and ferry operators in the area. The project aimed to maximise the economic benefit of developing the service, including from inbound visitors to the area.

Selected Papers

 

  1. L. Coleman: Joined Up Policy and Practice in Health and Transport, Proceedings of the Scottish Transport Applications and Research Conference, Glasgow, 19th April 2006.
  2. L. Coleman: High Travel Costs as a Barrier to Personal Development, Proceedings of the First Annual Scottish Transport Applications and Research Conference, Glasgow, 26th April 2005.
  3. L. Coleman: Affordability of Transport to Access Education, Training and Employment, Highlands and Islands of Scotland as a Case Study, Proceedings of Association of European Transport 2004, Strasbourg, 4-6 October 2004.
  4. L. Coleman: Access to Post Compulsory Education, Proceedings of the Second UK Transport Practitioners Meeting, Turning Ideas into Reality, Birmingham, 7-8 July 2004.