In order to help enhance railroads in the South East of England, three multi-billion pound contracts have been awarded. J Murphy & Sons were selected by Network Rail to deliver the work in Anglia, with BAM Nuttall and Geoffrey Osborne appointed to complete projects in the South East and Wessex respectively. “We
In order to jump start growth across Wales, the tolls for the Severn Bridges have been officially removed. Reports suggest the removal could boost the Welsh economy by up to £1 billion and deliver over £1,400 a year in savings for drivers travelling between England and Wales. Turley’s director and head of
Since the official turf cutting back in September 2018, significant progress is being made on the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm project managed by lead shareholder, Innogy. Construction specialist Mick George Ltd has now been appointed on behalf of J. Murphy and Sons Ltd to complete Earthworks at the main
The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North
Not all bridges are built equal, it must be said. Some just get you from one point to another. How boring, especially when you consider that some bridges out there can curl up on themselves to let boats pass, or even breathe fire! There’re bridges that are said to claim
A total of 65 potential sites have progressed to the next stage of consideration for the new offsite construction centres at Heathrow, with the final four sites being identified next year following the completion and assessment of a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). They have until the 18th of January to make
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has just completed a deal to purchase a further thirty X-ECO LED lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. The company now has fifty Trime X-ECO LED lighting sets in their rental fleet. BAM Nuttall’s Plant Manager, Andy
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys
R&M Williams has won a second major contract for Bristol Airport to develop the new Administration Building, following the successful completion of the airport’s new £4.3 million fire station earlier this year. The Administration Building will comprise three storeys and become home to the project teams and senior management, as
In order to help enhance railroads in the South East of England, three multi-billion pound contracts have been awarded. J Murphy & Sons were selected by Network Rail to deliver the work in Anglia, with BAM Nuttall and Geoffrey Osborne appointed to complete projects in the South East and Wessex respectively. “We are excited to be part of Network Rail’s strategic partnership to deliver CP6. This award continues our long partnership with them in renewing and enhancing infrastructure throughout the UK and will give us the chance to work together and drive innovation and improvements. It was a real team effort across Murphy, and the framework will leverage our engineering and rail capabilities across our whole business. We are looking forward to getting started and delivering safely and efficiently to benefit rail passengers across the Anglia route,” said John Murphy, CEO of J Murphy and Sons. Huw Jones, BAM’s Rail Director also commented on the news: “We’re proud of the contribution we’ve made and are excited to be continuing our collaboration with Network Rail, and our supply chain, for the safe delivery of exceptional rail infrastructure. This confirmation of our continued involvement allows us to invest with confidence in developing skills, our innovation pipeline and technology. We look forward to playing our part, demonstrating BAM’s commitment to creating sustainable solutions that enhance lives – including rail passengers and the communities where we work.” The contracts are worth up £7 billion for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), involving the delivery of projects of varying value, including stations, buildings and civils, electrifications, power, signalling, telecommunications and track. “Over the last few years we have made a shift towards working more collaboratively and closer to fewer key contractors, which has allowed us to deliver major improvements for passengers successfully and safely. Given that we are delivering in some of Britain’s busiest stations and on some of the most used routes into the capital, our ability to upgrade the railway with minimal impact on passengers is increasingly important. We want to build on this success for CP6 and the relationships we have with our suppliers, and we look forward to working with them all going forward,” added Cameron Burns, Commercial Director Southern region. The CP6 framework is initially in place for a five-year period but has the option of three one-year extensions if required.
In order to jump start growth across Wales, the tolls for the Severn Bridges have been officially removed. Reports suggest the removal could boost the Welsh economy by up to £1 billion and deliver over £1,400 a year in savings for drivers travelling between England and Wales. Turley’s director and head of planning in Wales, Huw Jones welcomed the news but called for further investment in regional infrastructure. “A serious plan to drive regeneration across the region requires a much more holistic approach than simply waiving the tolls. It’s a first step that needs to be supported by a range of other measures if there is to be any significant impact. What we need is joined-up planning policy on both sides of the Severn Bridge. One that is responsive to changing market conditions. Sustained investment in infrastructure is critical,” he said. “We would like to see progress on a number of fronts, including the delivery of the M4 Relief Road, electrification of the Swansea to London railway line, improved capacity at Cardiff and Bristol airports, the provision of new metro stations, and road improvements in the west of England on the M4 and M5 networks. “There is a great deal of work to do if we’re going to see the much-anticipated Western Growth Engine come to fruition. Without a clear vision, and an appetite to invest in infrastructure, our region won’t capture the opportunity to drive growth,” Huw Jones concluded.
Since the official turf cutting back in September 2018, significant progress is being made on the Triton Knoll offshore wind farm project managed by lead shareholder, Innogy. Construction specialist Mick George Ltd has now been appointed on behalf of J. Murphy and Sons Ltd to complete Earthworks at the main onshore cable site off the A16 near Stickney. The firm will be stripping the easement where the cables will be placed for this 860MW project and will have the capability to transmit renewable electricity from the wind farm to more than 800,000 UK homes per year. This estimated £2bn renewable energy scheme will not be without its engineering challenges. It involves the installation of more than 57km of underground high-voltage electrical export cable in Lincolnshire. The route starts at the landfall location north of Anderby Creek, where the onshore and offshore cables connect. It runs to a new substation being constructed near Bicker, and then to the existing National Grid Bicker Fen Substation where the electricity from the offshore wind farm will ultimately connect into the grid. Both are on the outskirts of Boston More than 300 individual directional drills – a record for a UK infrastructure project – will ensure the onshore cables can be installed without obstructing any roads, highways, rivers or drains. Although the two-year onshore construction programme is underway, offshore activities are not expected to begin until late 2019. First energy generation could be as early as 2021. At the peak of the development, the project is anticipating upward of 3,000 employment opportunities. Michael George, Managing Director at Mick George Ltd commented: ‘’As a business that is well experienced in providing sustainable solutions through our waste management division, we recognise the importance of projects such as this and are excited to be involved.’’
The first multi-million pound contracts from Network Rail for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), worth a combined £645 million, have been awarded. ‘Lot 2’, which covers renewals and enhancements work in Scotland valued at around £135 million, went to Story Contracting. Meanwhile, ‘Lot 3’ to deliver work on the London North East route valued at around £190 million was secured by AmcoGiffen. The framework will complete a wide range of projects including replacing and refurbishing structures across the route and delivering improvements at stations. “We are delighted to have been appointed in partnership with Network Rail, delivering this programme of significant rail infrastructure investment. Providing substantial benefits to the travelling public, this framework award is testament to our long-standing relationship. AmcoGiffen’s engineering and project management expertise, coupled with our detailed regional knowledge, means we are ideally placed to support all stakeholders. Delivering added social value in the communities we operate, we’re creating apprenticeship and trainee programmes, developing local supply chain spend and employment opportunities,” commented Andries Liebenberg, Managing Director AmcoGiffen. ‘Lot 1’, which is the most significant work-bank in the Scotland and North East (SNE) renewals and enhancements framework, will be announced later this year and is valued at a further £320 million. In addition to the framework covering renewals and enhancements, SNE is also set to announce the award of its £147 million Geotech framework later this month. “Our CP6 contracts provide suppliers with substantial work-banks and the opportunity to be part of delivering essential improvements that will help shape the future of Britain’s rail network. Work to renew our infrastructure is increasingly important to improve reliability for our passengers and we look forward to working closely with Story and AmcoGiffen to deliver this,” said Kris Kinnear, Deputy Regional Director for SNE. “Significant five-year contracts not only benefit our key supply chain partners, but the thousands of companies who work for them too, providing them with the surety they need to invest in their people, innovation and value for money,” Kris added. The awards are the first of Network Rail’s CP6 contracts to be let following the Office of Rail and Road’s final determination, which confirmed £35 billion of funding for rail maintenance and renewals.
Not all bridges are built equal, it must be said. Some just get you from one point to another. How boring, especially when you consider that some bridges out there can curl up on themselves to let boats pass, or even breathe fire! There’re bridges that are said to claim souls, bridges built from tree roots, and bridges hundred of years in the making. With the expertise of structure analysis software providers Oasys, we take a trip around the world without leaving our desks to see the best bridges. 1. A bridge that the Devil built Photograph by A. Landgraf When coupled with its own reflection on the water’s surface, Rakotzbrücke in Germany takes the form of a perfect circle. The bridge is said to have been commissioned by a knight in 1860. But the rocks and stones used for its creation are jagged and spikey, so it was dangerous to cross. Earth Trekkers notes that Devil Bridges were built a few times in history, and were deemed a challenge of a mason’s skill. The idea was that only Satan himself could help with a difficult build such as these bridges, and the first human who crossed the completed bridge would pay for the Devil’s helping hand by giving up his soul. The bridge is off-limits today in order to preserve it. But it is still an oddly beautiful sight to behold! 2. A bridge that tidies itself away Photograph by Loz Pycock A creation of Heatherwick Studios, London’s Rolling Bridge allows people to cross an inlet. What makes this bridge so unique is that it can tidy itself away! When needed, this bridge curls up into an octogen shape to stand on one side of the canal until a boat passes. The bridge also curls up every day at noon, if you want to see it in action! 3. A bridge built by the trees Photograph by Arshiya Urveeja Bose Roots, time, and a lot of patience went into these bridges in India. These beautifully natural bridges were formed by guiding rubber tree roots with hollow canes so that they would grow outwards and meet from either side of a stream. It would take years to reach the opposite bank, but the hard work paid off as these Living Roots bridges can support the weight of a human. They were originally made by the Khasi tribe, who realised the bamboo bridges they were building would collapse or rot after a monsoon or heavy storm. 4. A bridge of water and fire Photograph by Ehrin Macksey / Noi Pictures Be careful not to say “dracarys” when crossing this bridge! Located in Da Nang in Vietnam, the Dragon Bridge is certainly a spectacular sight. The bridge is the result of an international competition by the Da Nang People’s Committee in order to improve travel in the city. The bridge has six lanes for vehicles, two lanes for pedestrians, and 2,500 LED lights. Best of all, the Dragon Bridge can actually breathe fire. In fact, the bridge can spout water or fire, and this display is often used for special occasions in the city. 5. A bridge hundreds of years in the making Photograph by Egil Kvaleberg The blueprints for this bridge were originally drawn up around 500 years ago by Leonardo da Vinci. The intention was for it to be built across the Golden Horn in Istanbul. The original drawing had a single span of 240 metres, but the project did not go ahead as it was believed that such a design was not feasible. It would be many years before the bridge was finally built, and its construction in Norway is the first example of a major engineering success from a da Vinci sketch. The bridge has just three arches to support the structure. Though the Norwegian bridge is a smaller version of the original plans, it shows that the design works — one arch under the bridge, and two arches either side leaning inwards to spread the weight. Sources: https://bocadolobo.com/blog/architecture/10-of-the-worlds-most-beautiful-and-unique-bridges/ https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/design/g248/4335705/ http://boredomtherapy.com/unique-bridges-around-the-world/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azalea_and_Rhododendron_Park_Kromlau https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_root_bridges https://www.bemytravelmuse.com/rakotzbrucke-devils-bridge/ https://www.earthtrekkers.com/rakotzbrucke-fairytale-bridge-saxony-germany/ https://www.flickr.com/people/45649858@N08 http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/20150218-indias-amazing-living-root-bridges https://www.flickr.com/photos/blahflowers/ https://www.visitbritain.com/gb/en/rolling-bridge-london https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn1510-da-vinci-bridge-finally-built-after-500-years/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Science_and_inventions_of_Leonardo_da_Vinci#Bridges_and_Hydraulics http://www.vietnam-guide.com/da-nang/attractions/dragon-bridge.htm https://www.louisberger.com/our-work/project/fire-breathing-dragon-bridge-vietnam
A total of 65 potential sites have progressed to the next stage of consideration for the new offsite construction centres at Heathrow, with the final four sites being identified next year following the completion and assessment of a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ). They have until the 18th of January to make their case for the project. Various sites across the UK have been visited by Heathrow representatives in order to identify the location for the future hubs, which will be used for off-site construction to make the multi-billion expansion more affordable and sustainable. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to engage with site promoters that are passionate about creating a lasting legacy. These responses will help us understand which sites will best work for the expansion programme as well as for future construction projects,” said Heathrow’s Executive Director for Expansion, Emma Gilthorpe. “When we began this search last year, we were inspired by just how many locations up and down the country were interested in playing a role in delivering the third runway. This shows the great potential there is for offsite construction to revolutionise the way major infrastructure is delivered in the UK,” she added. The expansion project will have four sites either assembling components of the expanded airport or serving as a consolidation centre for these loads before they are transported to Heathrow. Of the potential sites, 50 are existing or functioning sites, many of which are already experienced in delivering major projects, while the other 15 sites are either undeveloped or proposed facilities with the potential for additional flexibility and customisation.
BAM Nuttall, the UK based supplier of civil engineering services, has just completed a deal to purchase a further thirty X-ECO LED lighting towers from the Cambridgeshire supplier, Trime (UK) Limited. The company now has fifty Trime X-ECO LED lighting sets in their rental fleet. BAM Nuttall’s Plant Manager, Andy Haythorne said, “We placed an initial order for the X-ECO LED units back in September last year, following a successful trial. The Trime lights have performed excellently over the past twelve months, so it was an easy decision to invest in this new order.” “In all we have been impressed with the costs savings, reliability and the integral safety features of the X-ECO LED,” added Andy. The sourcing of more efficient plant and equipment remains a key part of the BAM Sustainability Strategy as they work towards challenging 2020 targets for carbon reduction. The sustainable qualities of the Trime X-ECO LED sets have aided BAM Nuttall to reach their objective. The X-ECO LED uses considerably less fuel when compared with many lighting sets currently available. This results in a corresponding reduction in C02 output, assessed by Trime engineers, to equate to approximately 888kg. In 2016, BAM Group UK (legal entity comprising of BAM Nuttall and BAM Construct UK) were awarded the CEMARS gold standard for achieving significant carbon savings year-on-year over a six-year period by following a systematic carbon reduction programme that have resulted in a reduction in emissions of 17.72% when compared with baseline data. CEMARS is the Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme and refers to ISO14064-1:2006. For 2017 and beyond BAM Nuttall has set even more challenging targets to reduce its energy consumption by a further 25% on a new 2015 baseline, and across its Scope 1, 2 & 3 emission classes by 2020. This target is in line with that of the parent company Royal BAM Group and works towards a climate positive future in the long term – a future in which construction is not a carbon emitter but one in which it is a carbon eliminator. Trime Group boasts over 50 years of experience in the development and marketing of environmentally sustainable lighting sets for the construction and rental markets. Their manufacturing plant is based in Cassinetta di Lugagnano, near Milan and Trime UK Limited is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and development sites in Handforth Dean and Woodford. “We are investing more in improving our roads than ever before – making it easier, safer and quicker for people to get where they want to go. This new road will not only make it easier for people to get to the airport and away on holiday, but it will help businesses in the North West improve their access to world trade through flights from Manchester,” said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who opened the road. “It will also lead to the creation of thousands of jobs, boosting the economy and further demonstrating the strength of the North West’s role in the Northern Powerhouse,” he continued. The A6 Airport Relief Road is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs in Greater Manchester and deliver a £2.5 billion boost to the regional economy. “This new road connects Manchester Airport with the people and businesses of Stockport, Manchester and East Cheshire. It was only made possible by Department for Transport and Greater Manchester Combined Authority funds and it is a good example of central government working together with a city-region to deliver major infrastructure that improves people’s lives,” added Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. “The A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road will enable people to make quicker and easier journeys, and will cut congestion, especially on local roads. The supporting cycling and walking infrastructure will also make active travel more attractive and safer for more people and supports our ambition to make them the first and natural choice for short journeys. Greater Manchester is emerging as a world-class city-region and we want to work with government to deliver a transport system to support it,” Andy concluded.
The 13 contractors who will be carrying out up to £8.7 billion worth of work on the national road network have been announced by Highways England. Known as Delivery Integration Partners, the contractors will be part of Highways England’s Regional Delivery Partnership, which encourages companies to improve safety and journeys on roads. “Routes to Market represents a fundamental change in the way we deliver road projects. It will be performance rather than price based, focusing on building the right projects with the best outcomes for road users and the communities we serve. It demands a major step up in our supply chain to embrace innovation and team work, and in their ability to deliver value,” commented Jim O’Sullivan, Highways England Chief Executive. These are the selected contractors and the lots: Lot 1 – South West and Midlands – £200 million – two partners: Geoffrey Osborne; and Griffiths/Farrans Joint Venture (Alun Griffiths (Construction) and Northstone (NI) Limited trading as Farrans Construction); Lot 2 – South East and East – £350 million – two partners: John Graham Construction Ltd; and Volker Fitzpatrick; Lot 3 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £200 million – two partners: Amey Sir Robert McAlpine Joint Venture (Amey OW and Sir Robert McAlpine); and North Midland Construction; Lot 4 – South West – £800 million – two partners: Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Taylor Woodrow; Lot 5 – Midlands – £1,250 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 6 – South East – £1,100 million – two partners: BAM Nuttall; and Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Lot 7 – East – £2,800 million – three partners: Costain; Galliford Try Infrastructure; and Skanska Construction UK; Lot 8 – North West, North East, Yorkshire and Humber – £2,000 million – three partners: Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering; Costain; and Kier Highways. The partnership will help develop, design and construct highway projects across England from 2019 through to 2024.
R&M Williams has won a second major contract for Bristol Airport to develop the new Administration Building, following the successful completion of the airport’s new £4.3 million fire station earlier this year. The Administration Building will comprise three storeys and become home to the project teams and senior management, as well as offer services such as meeting and training rooms. The office structure is the latest project in a series of developments aiming to modernise and expand Bristol Airport and demonstrate its continued investment into sustainable, low carbon systems. Designed with energy efficiency in mind, the new building has a carbon emission reduction of 23% over facility-building regulations. “We are proud that this type of high quality, fast-track construction is one of our business strengths and we look forward to further cementing our reputation with Bristol Airport, with the successful delivery of both the fire station and administration block schemes. It’s a really state-of-the-art facility and we can’t wait to see the project take shape in the coming weeks,” said Darryn Parry, Managing Director of R&M Williams. A very modern façade has been designed by Bristol architects Stride Treglown for this project, establishing the new office as a signature building on entrance to the airport. “We are delighted to be working with R&M Williams on this second project. The Administration Building will be the welcome that staff, airline and business partner guests will see and we wanted the building to visually blend in with the local environment whilst providing a state-of-the-art energy efficient facility,” commented Andrew Goodenough, Development Director at Bristol Airport.
