Civils contractor ISC has been awarded a £34 million contract by the Cory Group (Cory) to build a Waste Transfer Station (WTS) facility by the River Thames in Barking. ISC, the civil engineering arm of materials group GRS, is the principal contractor for the River Road waste scheme, a key part of Cory’s Riverside 2 development, a new energy-from-waste (EfW) plant that will divert 550,000 tonnes of non-recyclable waste from landfill a year, and generate electricity for the equivalent of 176,000 homes. Barking WTS will provide additional capacity for handling and transporting waste destined for Riverside 2, which is currently under construction in Belvedere on the south side of the river. Uniquely, Cory transports the majority of the waste it processes via its fleet of tugs and barges on the River Thames, removing around 100,000 lorry movements from London’s roads every year. Riverside 2 is expected to remove another 80,000 lorry movements. The project involves modernising some of the existing site facilities, reactivating a Safeguarded Wharf and delivering a new purpose-built industrial WTS building on a designated Safeguarded Waste Site. The modernisation of the site represents a substantial investment by Cory, which currently processes waste for nine boroughs in London and the South East. One of the two berths, Rippleway Wharf, is to be reconstructed to allow container stacking and the loading of barges. That means the modernised waste facility will move waste operations from road-to-road to road-to-river and will result in a reduction in waste vehicles on the road. In line with Cory’s use of river freight, ISC will use Thames barges to remove most of the of demolition waste, spoil and dredged material for recycling, as well as for the delivery of aggregates and other construction materials. Darren Quinton, Managing Director of ISC, said: “We are proud to be leading such an important project that showcases our civil engineering capabilities as principal contractor. The Riverside 2 development is a transformative project, particularly in the areas of sustainability and innovation, and it’s a great one for the team to be part of.” “We’ve wasted no time in getting onto site at River Road for site preparation and demolition of existing structures, and our team is fully committed to delivering the project to the highest standards our customers have come to expect of ISC.” Chris Girdham, Development Director at Cory, said: “We are pleased to be working with ISC on this project, which will bring over £50 million of investment into Barking and maximise the potential of the site. As well as providing essential capacity for London’s non-recyclable waste, this project will also allow us to reduce the environmental impact of the site on local ecology, reduce pollution and, through the use of the River Roding for transport of materials, substantially improve air quality across London.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Kent’s Road of Remembrance in Folkestone is the subject of a ground investigation and remediation project following two landslips since January this year, with the work focusing on the geotechnical status of the area and the action required to safeguard this important historical site. Kent County Council has instructed CAN Geotechnical to act as principal contractor and to carry out the ground investigation project. Kent County Council Strategic Asset Manager Alan Casson said: “The Road of Remembrance is of significant importance to people living in, working in and visiting Folkestone, not only for travelling along but also for its historical significance. “Kent County Council is pleased to be working with CAN again following other successful projects in the county. This is a substantial, technical, and very complex project, and we have made significant progress working with CAN, their specialist teams, and their supply chain partners. The detailed investigations they have been undertaking will inform the final design for stabilising the embankment and preventing future deterioration. “We are grateful to everyone involved in the project, and especially to Folkestone residents and businesses for their continued patience as we work to make sure the embankment is safe for the future.” CAN Geotechnical Project Manager Andy Pope said the initial investigation work would inform the geotechnical design of the remediation works to follow. This initial work was carried out as part of a three-week programme that started on 9 September and was completed on time on 27September. The CAN Geotechnical design team is now collating all site-specific data from the initial ground investigation works, with this underpinning a geotechnical design to remediate the area following the recent landslips. Andy said: “Mapping and surveying work has been carried out to the toe of the failure on the Road of Remembrance, combined with intrusive works (effectively boring to a depth of 25 m and carrying out cone penetrating testing) at the crest, to two locations on The Bayle and two residential properties located within Priory Gardens. We had up to 12 ground investigation specialists on site at any one time, all working together to obtain the required information for the ultimate design for the remediation works. The area under investigation is approximately 80 m in length and 40 m high and comprises sand, clay, sandstone and bedrock.” He said that the team made use of a 13-tonne cone penetrating testing rig and a 5 m cable percussive borehole rig on the roads and brought in smaller 1.5-tonne and 3 m rigs for the work in residential gardens. “By coring boreholes at a depth of 25 m and removing casings at approximately 1 m deep increments, we were able to record ground conditions at various depths. This enabled us to build an accurate impression of ground conditions. Cone penetrating testing enables us to gather detailed information on the soil type and stratification in addition to the strength of the clays and the relative density and friction angles in the sand.” Andy explained that the team was very much aware that the Road of Remembrance is a very significant landmark in Folkestone. The road was renamed the Road of Remembrance after the end of the First World War to commemorate the journey taken by thousands of men on their way to war. Andy added: “The road is lined with plaques and poppies for the annual Remembrance Day parade but because of the landslips, it has been closed for nearly a year. Unfortunately, the parade will not be happening again this year but we are working hard to understand the geotechnical issues that have created the landslips so that the area can be safely and confidently returned to the community. “Owing to the very sensitive and high-profile nature of these works, the entire project team invested in developing strong relationships, working with residents and businesses. We are really proud to have been able to work closely with the community on this project.” He said that the geotechnical design was being carried out by the CAN Geotechnical engineering division in collaboration with a number of RSK Group companies. These include: Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Civil engineering costs are forecast to rise by 15% over the next five years to 2Q 2029, while civil engineering tender prices are predicted to increase by 23% over the same period, according to the latest forecast from the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS). New work infrastructure output is expected to decline by 3% in 2024, before recovering from 2025 onwards. Output in this sector is forecast to rise by 19% over the next five years, driven by strong growth in the electricity sub-sector. Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist at BCIS, said: “Although infrastructure output has historically remained relatively high, it has declined over the past year. We forecast that output growth will resume in the second half of this year and plateau through 2025, before showing marginal growth later in the forecast period. “Output will be driven by continued work in the energy sector and large-scale projects like HS2, Hinkley Point C, and offshore wind developments within the electricity sub-sector. “The government has made various announcements around its infrastructure plans, proposing a 10-year infrastructure strategy but, as with other sectors, much of the detail will not be clear until at least the Autumn Budget. “Investment is crucial for infrastructure so, while the government is at pains to describe the dire state it has inherited, it also needs to inspire confidence in the sector and encourage investors to come here. Hopefully that will be reflected in spending plans and policy moving forward.” For further information about BCIS please visit: www.bcis.co.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Eric Wright Civil Engineering has been appointed by Salford City Council for the plans that will transform Chapel Street and New Bailey. The decision was made through the Procurement Board. The £3,896,590 works will transform a section of Chapel Street on the Bee Network including the junction of Chapel Street and New Bailey Street, which is the final phase of the New Bailey Gateway project. Eric Wright will also carry out improvements to Chapel Street between New Bailey Street and Blackfriars Street as part of the Salford Chapel Street East Phase 1 project. Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “It is fantastic news that this contract has been awarded so works can begin soon. The works are part of a long-term plan for the city centre which is designed to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists with better road crossings and cycling provision. “Public realm improvements will also support the wider regeneration of the area to make it a much more attractive area for people. “The approval also means that the contractor will use local suppliers and subcontractors where possible. Staff will use volunteer hours to be spent at local school and college visits with extra support for getting young people aged 16 to 24 into work. There will be work placements as well as staff volunteering hours on community projects. “The artists impressions of what the scheme will look like when finished are very impressive and I can’t wait to see works finished and open for everybody to use.” The scheme will use a ‘complete streets’ approach to rebalance the space in favour of pedestrians and cyclists while also catering for buses, general traffic and loading. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

A NEW report from the RAC has revealed that pothole related damage is the leading concern for UK drivers, costing them an average of £460 per year in repairs. Six out of ten drivers cite it is their top issue as a regular road user.   However, while funding has been allocated to address our road issues, civil engineering expert, Dave Sanders, from leading specialist supplier Wrekin Products has warned that there is no quick fix solution.  Earlier this year it was reported that 2023 saw 630,000 potholes being reported across England, Scotland, and Wales between January and November, with estimates suggesting it is costing UK drivers as much as £500 million in repairs – a five year high.  Dave said: “Unless there is a real push for long term pothole repair solutions instead of quick fixes, we will not be able to solve the pothole crisis – regardless of the budget allocated. We are seeing a growing number of local authorities unhappy with the approach of patch repairing already subpar pothole repair works, but this is happening far too often.  “More guidance on how potholes are formed and the innovative solutions available to combat this issue will allow more local authorities to address the root causes effectively.   “Other underlying causes of potholes include road ironwork failures, which also needs to be addressed. Potholes form when weaknesses exist in the road surface, potentially due to surfacing joints, remedial works, or the use of poor-quality materials. Installing a piece of ironwork in a road can create a potential weakness, as well as the cuts in the road needed to remove ironwork, therefore, replacement or repair of ironwork also poses an increased risk.   “Selecting alternative robust systems with the correct, appropriate materials can reduce the potential for surface weakness. Durable ironwork that is sympathetic to its bedding materials and surrounding environment is key to preventing potholes.”    To find out more about Wrekin’s pothole insights and read its recent industry report on the nationwide issue, visit: www.wrek.in/potholes Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals