The contract for the new £7.6 million waterfront link road for a new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool is yet to be awarded. The scheme will provide access from Waterloo Road to the £30 million facility in Princes Half Tide Dock, located within Peel Land and Property Limited’s
It has certainly been a case of full steam ahead for Aggregate Industries’ expert concrete division over the past few months in helping to provide the complex flooring concrete specification needed for the newly-launched Lake District’s Windermere Jetty project. Currently in construction, Windermere Jetty was commissioned by North West’s arts
An initiative which started late last year to repair more than 40 miles of drought damaged roads in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will enter its final stages this month, with multiple locations set for improvements. Having completed many of the routes, especially within the Peterborough area, attention has now switched to
The contractors chosen to deliver work as part of the new £500 million Medium Schemes Framework (MSF3) have been revealed by The Midlands Highway Alliance (MHA). Balfour Beatty, Eurovia, Galliford Try and Morgan Sindall have all secured a space on the programme, which will cover highways improvements, maintenance and infrastructure
One of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of health and safety solutions, Seton, has launched a pioneering speed bump which offers market leading strength and durability. With an innovative ground fixing rail system that significantly reduces deformation and distortion, the Seton Speed Bump has been developed following extensive research
Passengers have been urged by Network Rail to plan their journeys in advance as the rail company delivers more than 400 projects, part of a £84 million investment across the country. A 9,600-strong workforce will work around the clock over the bank holiday weekend to deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved
Bradford city centre could see the building of a new hub railway station that has the potential to boost the region’s economy by £1.5 billion, said new research from consultancy and construction business Mace. Conducted by senior ex-Treasury economist Christ Walker, the research has examined the impact of building a
The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey found that the total carriageway maintenance expenditure across England and Wales in 2017-2018 was around £1.93 billion — an increase on the previous year’s £1.66 billion. The rising cost of highway repair and maintenance could be reduced by local authorities with the
The Tees Valley Combined Authority has announced the delivery of a vital new road in Hartlepool. At a meeting of the Combined Authority Cabinet, members agreed to invest the cash into the £18 million scheme for Hartlepool’s Western Growth Corridor, which will provide an extra route into town and unlock
Graham Construction has been appointed by Cheshire East Council for the delivery of the Congleton Link Road scheme, which aims to start construction later this year. The 5.5 kilometre road will unlock key sites for housing and employment and provide an economic boost to Congleton, relieving traffic congestion in the
The contract for the new £7.6 million waterfront link road for a new Isle of Man Ferry Terminal in Liverpool is yet to be awarded. The scheme will provide access from Waterloo Road to the £30 million facility in Princes Half Tide Dock, located within Peel Land and Property Limited’s £5 billion Liverpool Waters scheme. Part of the £45 million Liverpool city centre connectivity scheme, this scheme also includes the construction of a second waterfront link road to provide a connection between the existing Bath Street/Princes Parade/Waterloo Road junction and the new signalised junction at Leeds Street/Great Howard Street (A565). “The new Isle of Man ferry link road is a vital scheme and I’m delighted we are now at the stage to make the project live. The road’s core function of is obviously to support the new ferry terminal but it will also bolster the wider development of the Liverpool Waters scheme and we are grateful to Peel and the city region combined authority for their support in this scheme,” said Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson. “Creating this infrastructure is a huge priority for the city council because of its potential to fuel a renaissance in North Liverpool – not least the Ten Streets creativity district and the expansion of the Commercial Business District – which will underpin billions of investment that will benefit this city for generations to come,” the Mayor continued. The contractor will be appointed following a Europe-wide procurement process and a report to the council’s cabinet that will recommend the contract to be awarded. The highways contractor will be formally appointed on cabinet approval and then head of terms will be signed with Peel Land and Property Limited to lease the land to the council for the construction of the road. “The creation of these roads will make access to Liverpool Waters much easier for those living, working and visiting the waterfront, as well as the various construction and commercial vehicles that will be entering Liverpool Waters as the project continues to progress,” added Darran Lawless, Development Director at Peel Land and Property, responsible for Liverpool Waters.
It has certainly been a case of full steam ahead for Aggregate Industries’ expert concrete division over the past few months in helping to provide the complex flooring concrete specification needed for the newly-launched Lake District’s Windermere Jetty project. Currently in construction, Windermere Jetty was commissioned by North West’s arts and heritage association, Lakeland Arts, on the site of the original and iconic Windermere Steamboat Museum. The world class museum houses a collection of over 50 vessels of historic boats telling the story of boating on Windermere from 1780 to the present day. As part of the brief, lead contractor Thomas Armstrong Construction was tasked with providing a consistently dust free and durable surface flooring finish with no cracks to the museum’s extensive exhibition halls. The business subsequently awarded the work to industry expert, Aggregate Industries who oversaw the entire flooring specification; not only supplying the full product requirement but working with a design specialist to ensure a seamless solutions approach. “As a market leader, we have a raft of high performance concrete solutions at our disposal, all of which are based on carefully selected controlled binders, admixtures and aggregates, in order to provide enhanced and special technical properties for specialist applications,” said Neil Cochrane, specification manager at Aggregate Industries. Crucially, as a traditional dry shake topping would have been incredibly difficult to install over the museum’s underfloor heating solution, a tailor-made combination of internal Diamondcrete® slabs was used throughout. Carefully constructed from controlled binders and admixtures in conjunction with aggregates, Diamondcrete boasts superior durability and enhanced performance where abrasive elements are present. The result is a robust, superior strength concrete flooring solution able to withstand the harsh weather conditions associated with the area, along with high frequency and use expected of the museum. “This latest project at Lake Windermere is the perfect example of the importance of taking a tailored approach to concrete specification. We have no doubt that our combined supply of Diamondcrete concrete with its superior toughness, high volume stability and reduced shrinkage has created a durable flooring solution that will last for years to come,” concluded Neil.
An initiative which started late last year to repair more than 40 miles of drought damaged roads in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough will enter its final stages this month, with multiple locations set for improvements. Having completed many of the routes, especially within the Peterborough area, attention has now switched to finishing the remaining routes in Cambridgeshire, with local business Mick George Ltd permitting enabling at six separate locations on behalf of the principal contractor, Skanska. The locations include: B1104 Prickwillow Road, Isleham A1123 Stretham Road, Wicken B1040 Ramsey Road, Whittlesey B1096 Benwick Road, Ramsey A1123 Hill Row Causeway, Haddenham B1040 St Marys Road, Ramsey In its entirety, the scheme includes 21 sections of road affected by severe weather conditions and owes largely to an investment of £6.25million made up of £3.5m secured funding from the Department for Transport and the surplus £2.75m provided by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough County Council respectively. The major road reconstruction will include repairs down to foundation layers, and will also consist of maintenance to vegetation, drainage, signage and road markings along the specified routes. Cambridgeshire County Council, Peterborough City Council and its contractor Skanska are working together to minimise disruption to local residents and those who use the road networks. It is anticipated that the long-term approach to the maintenance of the roads included within the scheduled upgrades will prevent any need for repeated costly repairs and any extra disruption for drivers, in the future. Michael George, Director of Contractor at Mick George Ltd commented: ‘’As a business who operates on the counties roads daily, we are all the more aware of the importance of the conditioning of road infrastructure from a practical and safety perspective.’’
The contractors chosen to deliver work as part of the new £500 million Medium Schemes Framework (MSF3) have been revealed by The Midlands Highway Alliance (MHA). Balfour Beatty, Eurovia, Galliford Try and Morgan Sindall have all secured a space on the programme, which will cover highways improvements, maintenance and infrastructure works for the next four years. “We received high quality submissions from all the contractors, which, together with increased levels of investment by local authorities, will drive further successful delivery of infrastructure projects across the region,” commented Mark Kemp, Chair of MSF3 Steering Group. Replacing the Midlands Highways Alliance’s MSF2 framework, which ran for four years to June 2018, and is available to 21 member authorities in and around the Midlands including Leicestershire County Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, The MSF3 framework is expected to exceed the £200 million of works delivered through the previous framework as regional investment in infrastructure is programmed to significantly increase. “With regional investment in infrastructure set to increase over the coming years, it is a great privilege to be appointed to the MSF3 framework,” said Thomas Edgcumbe, Balfour Beatty Managing Director for its North and Midlands regional business. “Following a successful partnership on the Midlands Highway Alliance’s MSF2 framework, we are looking forward to continuing this momentum and delivering further transport infrastructure in the Midlands for our customers and communities alike,” Thomas added.
One of the world’s leading manufacturers and distributors of health and safety solutions, Seton, has launched a pioneering speed bump which offers market leading strength and durability. With an innovative ground fixing rail system that significantly reduces deformation and distortion, the Seton Speed Bump has been developed following extensive research into current customer needs and existing products within the marketplace. Designed to last, the Seton Speed Bump boasts a unique chevron interlocking shape for enhanced strength, while the rail system significantly reduces the stress levels of the ground bolts, minimising the risk of the speed bump being dislodged and damaging vehicles. A colour contrast lifetime guarantee ensures the speed bump remains highly visible for maximum impact. Ed Barnes, Traffic Innovation Manager at Seton commented: “Existing traffic calming products are notoriously characterised by low durability and poor quality, with recent research showing that almost a quarter of motorists have suffered vehicle damage due to such measures. As health and safety experts, we wanted to develop a solution to these problems, providing businesses and organisations operating a private car park the ability to meet their legal obligations. “The Seton Speed Bump is the result of an intensive and extensive research and development programme. It has been designed to tackle the common problem of speed bumps being ripped up, offering a durable, easy install solution for facilities managers, health and safety managers and estates managers as well as contractors and installers.” The unique Seton Speed Bump rail system enables bolt heads to be as close to the car park’s surface as possible, greatly reducing bolt movement. The upright surface of the rails improves lateral drag resistance and increases crush resistance, which provides additional strength and durability in comparison with standard non-rail installation speed bumps. Available in two height and material options, the Seton Speed Bump marks the start of an extensive programme of innovative product development for the health and safety manufacturer and distributor. With health and safety laws growing increasingly complicated, Seton aims to simplify the process by developing products that ensure compliance. For more information, visit: www.seton.co.uk/seton-speed-bump
Passengers have been urged by Network Rail to plan their journeys in advance as the rail company delivers more than 400 projects, part of a £84 million investment across the country. A 9,600-strong workforce will work around the clock over the bank holiday weekend to deliver more reliable infrastructure, improved facilities and better services for passengers, all part of Network Rail’s Railway Upgrade Plan. The major investment projects this August include: The replacement of a vital junction outside of London Euston station at North Wembley to improve reliability of services. This will see London Euston station closed not only over the bank holiday weekend (25 – 27 August), but also the 18 – 19 August and 01 – 02 September. The £200 million investment to transform the track and signalling through the Derby station area will continue over the bank holiday weekend. The 79 days of engineering began on Sunday 22 July and runs until Sunday 07 October. The investment is a key part of the biggest upgrade of the Midland Main Line, which will support better journeys between Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham and London. The replacement of track near Coventry to improve the reliability of services through the area. Passengers travelling to Birmingham International Airport are advised to plan their journeys in advance as buses will replace trains between Birmingham International and Rugby. “This bank holiday weekend, thousands of rail workers across Britain will be delivering essential improvements that will lead to faster, better services and help relieve overcrowding to respond to the huge growth on Britain’s railways. While it will be business as usual on most of the network, we urge all passengers to check before they travel,” said Andy Thomas, Network Rail managing director of England and Wales. Some routes will see significant changes to normal services; therefore passengers should plan ahead of travelling this August bank holiday weekend.
Bradford city centre could see the building of a new hub railway station that has the potential to boost the region’s economy by £1.5 billion, said new research from consultancy and construction business Mace. Conducted by senior ex-Treasury economist Christ Walker, the research has examined the impact of building a new railway hub in Bradford city centre as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail line to improve east-west connectivity from Liverpool, Manchester, Bradford, Leeds and Hull. Using data on growth in Birmingham following the construction of the new Birmingham New Street Station, the report has explored how securing a Northern Powerhouse Rail hub in the centre of Bradford could transform the local economy, create jobs and unlock housing and business growth. Moreover, the estimated result of having a new railway station in Bradford as part of the Northern Powerhouse Rail could add a £1.1 billion to £1.5 billion a year economic uplift to the local and Northern economy and support the creation of more than 1,000 jobs. “For Bradford, direct connections across the North will mean more investment coming into the city and residents will greatly benefit from the regeneration this will kick-start across the district whilst also supporting the wider economic contributions to the North’s economy,” said Lisa Bowden, head of infrastructure in the North at Mace. “Mace is backing Bradford’s campaign for Northern Powerhouse Rail as we believe this is a truly once in a generation opportunity to change the city for the better, boosting economic growth, supporting the regeneration in the city and supporting the young and dynamic residents and businesses that call the city home, both now and in the future,” she added. Launched at a workshop hosted by Mace Group in partnership with City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council, the ‘Bradford Bonus’ report was seen by key transport leaders from both organisations, as well as by Transport for the North, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the West and North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce.
The Annual Local Authority Road Maintenance (ALARM) survey found that the total carriageway maintenance expenditure across England and Wales in 2017-2018 was around £1.93 billion — an increase on the previous year’s £1.66 billion. The rising cost of highway repair and maintenance could be reduced by local authorities with the employment of simple preventative solutions. The survey, published by the Asphalt Industry Alliance, also highlighted a gap of £3.3 million between the funds that local authority highways teams in England and Wales received in the last 12 months and the amount needed to keep the carriageway in ‘reasonable order’. One in five of local roads in the UK is now deemed to be structurally poor, meaning it has less than five years of life remaining. “Anything that represents a more permanent repair — rather than patching — is a good thing: the taxpayer benefits, the local authority can spend money on more road maintenance or infrastructure projects, motorists face fewer repairs to their cars, and the total economic impact is ultimately reduced,” said Jochen Bromen, Application Technology Manager, Asphalt Systems, at pavement reinforcement specialist Tensar. Following a winter of severe weather conditions, the Local Government Association claims that funding “will provide just over 1% of what is needed to tackle our current £9.3 billion local roads repair backlog”. With these results, it becomes clearer and clearer that innovative approaches are increasingly needed to further safeguard the UK’s highways. “The technology combines the reinforcing function of a grid with the stress-relief and interlayer barrier function of a paving fabric,” Bromen explained. “This type of maintenance solution is simple and economical and can extend the operating life of a road, reducing whole-life costs.” Moreover, the survey also found a huge disparity between recommended frequency of road resurfacing work and the current reality. It is advised that resurfacing should occur every 10 to 20 years. However, the reporting of such activity has plummeted to once every 92 years in England. “By taking a whole-life approach to road maintenance and investing in the correct technology to extend their lifespan, local authorities will realise huge long-term savings,” concluded Bromen.
The Tees Valley Combined Authority has announced the delivery of a vital new road in Hartlepool. At a meeting of the Combined Authority Cabinet, members agreed to invest the cash into the £18 million scheme for Hartlepool’s Western Growth Corridor, which will provide an extra route into town and unlock land for housing development. The town’s Local Plan has set out the building of around 1,500 new homes, which is also leveraging at least £200 million in private sector investment into homes, infrastructure and facilities. “The new road, which is a key part of our Local Plan, will play a vital part in the continued growth and prosperity of the borough and unlock land for housing development. It will also substantially reduce traffic through Elwick and help to improve road safety,” said Councillor Christopher Akers-Belcher, leader of Hartlepool Borough Council and Cabinet Member for the Combined Authority. Hartlepool currently has only two main rod routed in and out of the town for the A19. The new road proposals would create a bypass for the village of Elwick and deliver an upgrade to the current Elwick North junction to the A19, in order to give a third route into Hartlepool. The funding from the Authority is set to be delivered from 2019 to 2021 and it is joined by an investment of £9.65 million from Hartlepool Borough Council. The Combined Authority will also work alongside Homes England to secure a further £4.18 million funding to drive the scheme forward. “This funding shows we are fully committed to this new road, which will unlock new, good-quality, affordable homes and vitally, make getting around safer, quicker and easier for years to come,” said Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen. “There’s huge change happening in Hartlepool where we’ve already invested £4 million for CCAD’s new campus and £5 million to revamp Church Street – but there’s so much more to do. The new bypass for Elwick is just another example of how we’re delivering for the people of Hartlepool.”
Graham Construction has been appointed by Cheshire East Council for the delivery of the Congleton Link Road scheme, which aims to start construction later this year. The 5.5 kilometre road will unlock key sites for housing and employment and provide an economic boost to Congleton, relieving traffic congestion in the town centre and improving east-west connectivity. The Jacobs designed single carriageway road will run to the north of Congleton between the A534 Sandbach Road in the west and the A536 Macclesfield Road in the north east. Construction challenges for the scheme include passing beneath Chelford Road in an area subject to a high water table. The plans will see the road being cut 8 m deep into mudstone in a 25 m high escarpment before crossing the River Dane on an 85 m long bridge and landing on a 12m high embankment founded on piled alluvium. There are also two other road bridge crossings and two underpasses. “This is a real coup for us and we are relishing the prospect of working with Cheshire East Council on this important project that will bring economic and social regeneration to the town and the Congleton area,” said Leo Martin, managing director of Graham Construction for civil engineering. Currently, the council is awaiting news on final funding approval from the Department for Transport in the hope the scheme can get the greenlight in November for a late 2020 finish. Half the cost of the project is being supported by the government and by a target of £24 million from developers, meaning that the council is left to meet a shortfall of up to £22 million. “This scheme will support the development of more than 2,400 homes and 50 acres of employment land to the north of Congleton with the potential to generate 3,000 jobs by 2035 and £13 million per year into the local economy,” said Philip Cox, chief executive of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership.
