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
Business and community leaders in Allerdale and Copeland have submitted a bid for the area in order to host one of the four logistics hubs to support the planned expansion of Heathrow. The expansion project is expected to deliver up to £16 billion worth of economic benefits and create 15,300
Four smart motorway projects worth £500 million are due to begin over the next 18 months in North West England. Over 100 miles of extra lanes will be developed across the region’s motorway, with work starting this summer on a three-mile stretch of the M62 near junction 12. Temporary narrow
Innovations are crucial in every industry for supporting business growth and success. Here Jake Sinna, vice president of international sales at surface preparation specialist National Flooring Equipment, explains why innovative technologies are important in surface preparation. When electrical engineer, George De Mestral and his dog returned from a hunting
GRAHAM’s Highways Director, Dave Brown, has praised his team’s “technical expertise” following the repair of two accident damaged bridges on the A47 in Norfolk. A time-lapse video has captured the painstaking work, which shows two 28-metre-long beams, each weighting ten tonnes, being lifted into position on the bridges at the
Network Rail’s £5 billion ‘next generation’ track works contracts is inviting bids through a contract notice. The suite is the largest of its kind being undertaken in the upcoming funding period, control period 6 (CP6), which runs from 2019 to 2024. The contracts cover 10 years of railway track works
Aggregate Industries, the leading construction material supplier, has proved its unrivalled credentials once again in its recent work at the ground-breaking Woodsmith Mine development in North Yorkshire. The £2 billion development will constitute one of Britain’s biggest mines; to incorporate a vast mine head at Woodsmith Mine, Sneaton, with shafts
Construction work has started on a new £3.3 million health centre in Neath, which will become the home of the Vale of Neath Practice, DR Cecil Jones Pharmacy and Health Board Services. The 17,911 sq ft project is being developed by The Healthcare Property Company Wales, in partnership with the
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.
Business and community leaders in Allerdale and Copeland have submitted a bid for the area in order to host one of the four logistics hubs to support the planned expansion of Heathrow. The expansion project is expected to deliver up to £16 billion worth of economic benefits and create 15,300 jobs across the North West. “Heathrow expansion is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform the UK construction industry, build for the future and deliver a lasting skills legacy for future generations. All of this comes at a pivotal time for our country, as it prepares itself to leave the EU and where we need to build for our future in both travel and trade,” said lord Deighton, Chairman at Heathrow Airport. The local bid has been led by Sellafield Ltd and supported by Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership, Allerdale and Copeland councils, Britain’s Energy Coast Business Cluster, Workington MP Sue Hayman and Copeland MP Trudy Harrison. Eight expressions of interest in the region have made it to Heathrow’s long list, with 65 sites being considered nationally. A delegation from Heathrow will visit all longlisted locations by the end of the month to assess their suitability before narrowing down the list of areas it puts through to the next round. The delegation, joined by representatives of Sellafield, the councils and BEC Business Cluster, has already visited the former Alcan site on the A595 as an example of the kind of development site available in the area “It is very early days, but the Heathrow delegation were impressed by the levels of skills in manufacturing and engineering that we already have in West Cumbria, much of which is engaged in our supply chain at Sellafield. They were also interested to learn more about the capability that we are able to grow through the world-class educational facilities at Lillyhall, with the Construction Skills Academy, National College for Nuclear,” explained Jamie Reed, Sellafield Ltd’s head of corporate affairs, who also hosted the visit.
Four smart motorway projects worth £500 million are due to begin over the next 18 months in North West England. Over 100 miles of extra lanes will be developed across the region’s motorway, with work starting this summer on a three-mile stretch of the M62 near junction 12. Temporary narrow lanes will be introduced to allow contractors to work at the side of the motorway, and a 50mph speed limit will be needed for the safety of drivers and workers. The roadworks will be gradually extended to junction 10 by the autumn and the smart motorway scheme is due to be completed by spring 2020. Speed limits of 50mph will also be introduced between junctions 10 and 18 on the M60 later this summer as the remaining section of the North West’s first motorway goes live. Overnight resurfacing work will continue into the autumn on parts of the M60 once the smart motorway is operational. “Smart motorways have been proven to be effective at tackling congestion, with the smart motorway on the M62 in West Yorkshire saving commuters an average of 30 minutes each week,” said Mike Bull, Highways England’s smart motorways programme manager for the North.”We’ll be starting work on four new smart motorways in the North West over the next 18 months and will do everything we can to keep disruption to a minimum, including only closing parts of the motorway overnight when traffic levels are much lower.” The other schemes include a 20-mile stretch of smart motorway on the M6 in Cheshire, which will provide 40 miles of extra lanes for drivers by spring 2019. Work will also start in spring next year on a four-mile smart motorway on the M56 near Manchester Airport and on a 10-mile stretch on the part of the M6 that links the M62 near Warrington to the M58 near Skelmersdale. Additionally, a new 19-mile smart motorway will be created over the Pennines on the M62 between Rochdale and Brighouse. The route will link up with other schemes on the M62 to create almost 60 miles of smart motorway between the North West and Yorkshire, with construction work due to start in autumn 2019.
Innovations are crucial in every industry for supporting business growth and success. Here Jake Sinna, vice president of international sales at surface preparation specialist National Flooring Equipment, explains why innovative technologies are important in surface preparation. When electrical engineer, George De Mestral and his dog returned from a hunting trip in 1941, he noticed several spiny seeds stuck to his clothes and the dog’s fur. Close investigations of the seeds led to his invention of sticky strips, which were patented under the name Velcro in 1955. Although it took more than a decade, De Mestral’s innovative idea brought him huge success. Innovation is also important in the surface preparation industry. There are three main reasons why it’s important to maintain an awareness of the updates in the field and spot the innovations that will benefit your business. Competition The construction industry is highly competitive — the number of construction firms in Great Britain increased to a record high in 2016, according to the Office for National Statistics. In addition, due to improvements in transport links, communication platforms and economic developments in other countries, competition is emerging from further afield. The increase in competition is not a bad thing. It means that the industry standard is consistently being driven to improve. However, it does mean you must keep one eye on your competitors to ensure that you don’t fall behind. There’s more to innovation in surface preparation than using the most advanced, intelligent and powerful machines. It’s also important to consider the customer’s continually evolving needs. Customer fashions, expectations and economic pressures are never static and businesses can gain a competitive edge by adapting their equipment and processes to suit the current customer demands. In general, contractors can expect that by using the latest technology, the quality of their surface preparation work will be higher. Businesses can improve their reputation even further by demonstrating high productivity. Productivity For five decades before the recent economic downturn, the average output for each employee in the UK rose by approximately two per cent per year, according to the Office for National Statistics. This growth has now slowed to an average of 0.5 per cent per year, giving rise to an industry challenge commonly referred to as the productivity puzzle. To increase their productivity, surface preparation contractors must make sure they are using the best machines for the job. For example, National Flooring Equipment’s scrapers run with a greater torque than those of its competitors — almost double in some cases — which translates to greater productivity. In particular, the company’s 5700 battery ride-on scraper and 6280 Commander hydraulic walk-behind scraper demonstrate very high torque and therefore productivity. Many other industries, especially manufacturing, are looking to automated equipment to increase productivity. It’s possible that the surface preparation industry will follow suit in the future, which would allow National Flooring Equipment to further increase the productivity of its machines. Facing challenges There are some common challenges that surface preparation contractors face. For example, following the repair of a cracked concrete surface, contractors often find that the repair concrete de-bonds from the substrate. The reason for this is insufficient or ineffective surface preparation prior to making the repairs. Another challenge is that some flooring materials are notoriously difficult to remove, requiring extremely powerful machines. Scrapers with a greater weight make stronger contact with the floor and are ideal for these applications. Most of the practical difficulties that contractors face with surface preparation jobs can be overcome by using high quality, well maintained and modern machinery. National Flooring Equipment’s customers receive personalised face-to-face advice on how to overcome their individual challenges, as well as tips on getting the most out of their machinery. On top of the face-to-face service, the company’s YouTube channel provides video tutorials giving information about how to use its machines. What does innovation look like? Dual lift ride-on scrapers are one of the most recent innovative technologies in the surface preparation industry. The angle of the blade allows the machines to be much lighter and more productive than alternative scrapers, helping contractors to tackle the productivity puzzle. The 5700 battery powered ride-on scraper pairs dual-lift functionality with a high torque, giving extremely high productivity. National Flooring Equipment does not rely on Velcro for its success but is constantly introducing more recent innovations to its product portfolio. The company is currently working with some of its customers in the US to develop the next generation of surface preparation technology that will reset the market. The specifics of the new technology remain a well-kept secret for now, but contractors should certainly watch this space.
GRAHAM’s Highways Director, Dave Brown, has praised his team’s “technical expertise” following the repair of two accident damaged bridges on the A47 in Norfolk. A time-lapse video has captured the painstaking work, which shows two 28-metre-long beams, each weighting ten tonnes, being lifted into position on the bridges at the Saddlebow interchange in Kings Lynn. The restorative programme was necessary following damage incurred by an over-height vehicle. The £3.1m project began last October and was completed in May 2018. It was delayed slightly as a crack was unexpectedly uncovered on one of the bridge decks. The scheme involved jacking the bridge, the hydro demolition of the bridge deck and the removal of the steel edge beam before the damaged beams on the bridge were replaced. The deck was subsequently concreted. “This was a very challenging project and one, which demonstrated the full range of technical expertise of our team,” said Dave. “The footage in the video showcases the complexity of the work involved and how our team rose to the challenge. We are pleased to have supported Highways England in improving road safety while also improving journey quality for drivers.” The repair work to the bridges at the Saddlebow interchange was part of a wider £18m package of work, consisting of approximately 70 different schemes, to maintain the A47 in Norfolk. GRAHAM has also carried out similar works in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. Highways England Project Manager, Ajith Nair, said: “We’re very grateful to drivers for their patience while we completed this vital work. The footage shows the amount and scale of the work we’ve been doing. It will help drivers to realise how busy we’ve been and why the roads over the bridges needed to be closed while we were repairing them.” GRAHAM has extensive highways experience and has delivered complex projects throughout the UK and Ireland including the award winning A138 Chelmer Viaduct in Chelmsford, Essex and the £277m M80 Stepps to Haggs scheme, which has transformed one of Scotland’s busiest stretches of road network. For more information on GRAHAM’s highways projects please visit: https://graham-uat.hosted.positive.co.uk/projects?expertise=Civil+Engineering
Network Rail’s £5 billion ‘next generation’ track works contracts is inviting bids through a contract notice. The suite is the largest of its kind being undertaken in the upcoming funding period, control period 6 (CP6), which runs from 2019 to 2024. The contracts cover 10 years of railway track works and will introduce three new geographically-focused alliances between Network Rail, designers and construction suppliers. The alliances include: the North Alliance (Scotland Route); Central Alliance (London North West, London North East and East Midland routes) and the South Alliance; (Anglia, South East, Wessex, Western and Wales routes). Each alliance will combine the development, design and delivery of plain line track and switches and crossings, as well as associated infrastructure works for each area. The step sees plain line and switches & crosses brought together operationally and commercially as a means of delivering infrastructure works more efficiently and effectively for customers, said Network Rail. This move is a key part of the Rail’s Infrastructure Projects CP6 procurement strategy, which aims to promote collaborative arrangements with the supply chain that offer better value for money for devolved route customers. “Combining our plain line expertise with that of switches & crossings will bring huge benefits to both our route customers and the wider supply chain. The proven alliance model offers a flexible and cost effective solution with a greater focus on each route’s specific requirements and needs,” said Steve Featherstone, Network Rail director for track. The pre-qualification period for the tender will start in June. Network Rail owns and operates the railway infrastructure, including 20,000 miles of track, 30,000 bridges and viaducts and thousands of tunnels, signals, level crossings and points, in England, Wales and Scotland on behalf of the nation. It also manages rail timetabling and 20 of the largest stations in England, Scotland and Wales.
Aggregate Industries, the leading construction material supplier, has proved its unrivalled credentials once again in its recent work at the ground-breaking Woodsmith Mine development in North Yorkshire. The £2 billion development will constitute one of Britain’s biggest mines; to incorporate a vast mine head at Woodsmith Mine, Sneaton, with shafts 4,921ft (1,500m) deep, and a 23-mile underground tunnel to transport the potash to Wilton International near Redcar. The project needed the supply and delivery of a vast high quality, hardstone aggregate that was to be used for road construction and ground stabilisation works; therefore the contractor Collins Earthworks called for the services of Aggregate Industries. “Having worked on numerous projects of this size, we were able to apply our learnings to ensure an even more robust approach to the aggregate supply. From working closely with Collins Earthworks at the inventory stages, we have put a stringent plan in place to ensure a continuity of supply without disruption, ensuring the teams have the exact specific technical and quality specification of aggregate as and when they need it,” said John Taylor, sales manager, Aggregates North. During the period of May to December 2017, Aggregate Industries’ specialist team has supplied 81,000 tonnes of Type 3 sub-base aggregates and 9,000 tonnes of Type 1 sub-base aggregates, constituting a total of 90,000 tonnes. A further 20,000 tonnes of material was provided during January and February 2018. In order to effectively and sustainably manage the scale of supply demands, material has been sourced from the business’ Glensanda quarry and shipped to the nearby Teesside port, before being road hauled direct to the project. This approach has enabled the team to deliver in excess of 500 tonnes per day, while operating a stringent quality procedure to ensure the material exceeded the structure and strength values required for the project. “I would like pass on my thanks to Aggregate Industries for providing such a swift and efficient approach to our aggregate requirement which has been vital to keeping the project on schedule. Working on a project of this calibre and scale, it is vital to partner with genuine experts with not just the product capabilities but the expertise behind it, and the team haven’t failed to deliver. I’m sure this relationship will continue as we progress the project over the next four years,” commented on the project Dave Shaw, site manager at Collins Earthworks.
Construction work has started on a new £3.3 million health centre in Neath, which will become the home of the Vale of Neath Practice, DR Cecil Jones Pharmacy and Health Board Services. The 17,911 sq ft project is being developed by The Healthcare Property Company Wales, in partnership with the Vale Neath Practice and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board, and is being supported by the Welsh Government. The new centre is to be located at former Washery Site at Aberpergwm and will serve Glynneath, Cwmgwrach, Pontneddfechan, Ystradfellte, Rhigos, Resolven, Melincourt, Clyne and Abergarwed. “All of the GP partners and staff at the Vale of Neath Practice are delighted to witness the witness the commencement of work on the new health centre, which will undoubtedly be a vast improvement to the facilities that we are currently utilising to provide primary care services,” said senior partner, Dr Paul Westwood. “Our registered patients in the various surrounding local communities have patiently waited more than 13 years for the development to reach this stage but there is a buzz of excitement within the locality as the new health centre ‘dream’ develops into a structural reality which will hopefully be open to our patients in early 2019,” he added. The building has been designed by architects’ firm Austin-Smith:Lord and will be built by John Weaver Contractors. “This development will significantly enhance the health offering for the Vale of Neath,” said Paul Stacey, HPC Wales managing director. “Our team has carefully considered the requirements of the surgeries, pharmacy and health board to ensure that we build a facility that is sustainable and flexible for future use. We are delighted that work has started on-site to see this much-needed centre come to fruition.” HPC Wales is a joint venture between The Healthcare Property Company Ltd and Gaufron Healthcare Ltd of Llandrindod Wells. With more than 30 years’ experience developing healthcare facilities, HPC Wales can handle every aspect of a development from financing and design, through construction and maintenance for the long-term.
