Alexis Pope is a leading figure in the field of safety risk assessment and assurance for highways transportation technology, bringing two decades of strategic, technical, and operational expertise to transportation technology engineering. As Group Technical Director within WSP’s Intelligent Infrastructure – Operations and Safety Group, Alexis shapes the way that safety, risk, and technology integrate to support all users of a modern, high performing transport network.

Throughout his career, Alexis has focused on applying systems thinking, robust governance, and advanced safety assessment methods to some of the most complex and high profile transport programmes in the country. For example, delivering and assuring the safety of the A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement Scheme, which brought the system of smart motorways style technology on to a new all-purpose trunk road for the first time.

A specialist in systems based safety assessment, Alexis’ work focuses extensively on the intersection between technology and the user – recognising that understanding the impacts of technology, especially where safety-related, also requires an understanding of people and behaviours.

Central to Alexis’s impact is his leading role in evaluating and assuring new safety technologies, particularly Stopped Vehicle Detection (SVD). He authored the first system based safety risk assessment of SVD’s operational impacts, helping establish a structured understanding of how this technology influences the safety performance of the network. As SVD continues to evolve, Alexis is updating associated safety models to ensure they reflect real world data and support continuous improvement. This includes for example work on localised solutions where monitoring is called for but physical constraints prevent the use of SVD.

Alexis’ expertise extends to the development of National Highways’ Hazard Log, a core tool for evaluating operational risk across the network. Alexis has been instrumental in ensuring that this log incorporates emerging evidence, including most recently revising and updating hazards and scoring to better account for the impact of advancing technologies both roadside and in-vehicle.
Beyond SVD, Alexis has contributed substantially to connected vehicle technology, for example through his role as safety and human centred design lead for the Midlands Connect / Transport for West Midlands in vehicle messaging trial—the first trial of its kind on the high speed network where recruited members of the public received journey-based messaging (in a safe and agreed manner) whilst driving. His work combined safety assessment, human factors principles, and design iteration of the technology – user interface, to ensure messages were effective and non distracting, demonstrating a sophisticated blending of behavioural science and technology governance.

With a strong technical background, fellowship of CIHT, and a combination of engineering and business qualifications, Alexis is recognised for advancing the integration of safety, technology, governance, and operational insight across the UK’s strategic road network. His work continues to influence policy, standards, and innovation in road safety and intelligent transport systems and he has recently been invited as standing principal member to National Highways’ senior cross-functional safety group, which is chaired by the Chief Highway Engineer (National Safety Control and Review Group – NSCRG).