As part of National Highways’ National Emergency Area Retrofit (NEAR) programme, WJ Group has helped install 22 new refuge bays between junctions 21a and 26 of the M6 using its latest coloured surfacing product. The NEAR scheme introduced by National Highways aims to reduce the distance between emergency refuge bays along smart motorways to provide vehicles and drivers with a safe space to pull over. Having secured £390m from the government during the second Road Investment Strategy rollout, an additional 150 bays are being added across the network. A critical part of the installation process is ensuring that the new bays have high friction levels to reduce stopping distances and help drivers come to a stop after travelling at a significant speed. Without this, vehicles may skid when braking. With emergency refuge bays playing an important role in ensuring motorists’ safety in situations such as breakdowns, the speed at which they can be installed and maintained is critical in reducing downtime. However, traditional methods for installing approved surfacing solutions can take up to two days per bay to complete as well as requiring workers and vehicles to be on the site for an extended period. In turn, this leads to environmental, safety and cost implications. To counteract these issues, National Highways asked the Smart Motorway Project Alliance (SMPA) to create a new solution. To achieve this, WJ Group developed RapidGrip. Combining pigment, aggregate and binder, this solution means that only a one coat application is required, eliminating the need for a sweeper truck and two curing periods. Created with the support of the SMPA members, it allowed two bays to be completed per shift via a single truck. As a result, WJ Group was able to retrofit all 22 bays across 14 shifts and achieve an average of 78 pendulum test value – the measurement to determine friction levels of a surface –helping drivers safely pull over while travelling along one of the busiest sections of the M6. Martin Webb, Innovation Director at WJ Group said: “When drivers find themselves in the position where they need to pull over on the motorway, they require a safe and dedicated space to do so. With our RapidGrip solution, National Highways is ensuring that drivers are at less risk of skidding when coming to a stop. “Innovations such as RapidGrip mean that the installation and retrofit of these bays can be carried out with minimal disruption to the public and ensure workers are not on the road for an extended period, while maximising the safety of road users.” For more information about WJ Group, please visit: https://www.wj.uk/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor specialising in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects, has announced the completion of the third project awarded to it under the Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) highways framework contract. Major improvements on Dysart Road in Grantham, Lincolnshire, were completed a month ahead of schedule on 20th December, marking the end of a four-month reconstruction effort which has included the junctions of adjoining side roads. This project has spanned two-kilometres, from Dysart Road’s junction with Sankt Augustin Way to the A1 overbridge, and has been delivered under the General Works Lot contract, which aims to improve infrastructure assets across Lincolnshire over a four-year period. Winvic has excavated and rebuilt the entire two-kilometre road in sections, redeveloped the carriageway, resurfaced and created new pathways using nearly 8,000 tonnes of material. Additionally, Winvic completed comprehensive drainage, kerbing, and channel repairs, and refreshed carriageway markings. To ensure public safety a westbound one-way closure on Dysart Road was in place throughout the works, along with a combination of daytime and night-time road closures towards the end of the project. Rob Cook, Winvic’s Managing Director for Civils and Infrastructure, commented: “We are thrilled to announce the successful completion of our third highways project under the Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) highways framework. “The delivery of Dysart Road’s major reconstruction is a testament to our team’s expertise, efficiency and commitment to excellence. Delivered effectively, ahead of schedule, and with minimal disruption to the local community, this achievement highlights our dedication to providing transformative infrastructure upgrades that bring tangible benefits to both local communities and road users. “We are proud to have exceeded expectations on all three associated projects – A16 Marsh Lane, Boston; Newland, Lincoln; and now Dysart Road, Grantham. “We look forward to continuing our collaboration with LCC and working on further infrastructure advancements for Lincolnshire.” For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news, and job vacancies, please visit www.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit X (formerly Twitter) @WinvicLtd and LinkedIn. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

CEG has instructed a £2 million construction contract to deliver highway infrastructure works which will facilitate next phase of development at the successful Vesuvius development in Worksop. The latest works will include an extension of the existing spine road, construction of a new roundabout and connections to all utilities. As well as providing access for the local bus service into the site, this will release the remaining sixteen acres of development land ready for businesses to locate here. As a result, a deal has been secured for an acre of land to Admirals Yard Self Storage which will deliver a new secure storage facility.  Rob Sadler from Admirals Yard said: “Admirals Yard Self Storage is pleased to announce plans for a new personal and business storage facility on land adjacent to Asda and the new Fire Station. Offering a range of drive-up unit sizes with state-of-the-art security, CEO Rob Sadler expects to open for business in early Summer 25. Admirals Yard Self Storage has facilities nationwide and is delighted to be adding the Vesuvius site to its portfolio.” Antonia Martin Wright, Director of Commercial Development at CEG, explained: “The quality of the first phase has ensured this is the prime industrial and business location in Worksop. “This latest phase of infrastructure work will provide serviced land for development and I’m pleased to welcome Admirals Yard Self Storage to the site. We are marketing design and build development opportunities from 10,000 sq ft upwards and welcoming engagement from occupiers on all commercial basis.” The 20-week programme of works will commence in January and will be delivered by Caddick Civil Engineering. DTRE and FHP have been appointed as agents to market the site. Rob Kos, Associate Partner at DTRE, said: “This latest phase of works continues to demonstrate CEG’s commitment to the scheme and by spring next year there will be two serviced and development-ready plots for local businesses. We are currently having a number of positive conversations with occupiers and purchasers alike and as there is such a shortage of well-located supply we expect to announce more deals imminently.” Vesuvius is CEG’s regeneration of a 45-acre brownfield site close to the M1 and A1(M). CEG delivered the original remediation and development platforms, alongside infrastructure including the new access roundabout and roads, working closely with the local authority and D2N2 to enable the development. A 70,000 sq. ft ASDA food store opened in 2020, followed by Travis Perkins and Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue’s £3.4m new fire station. CEG speculatively delivered the first phase of 16 light industrial units in summer 2021. These were swiftly let to a range of occupiers including Kitchen Craft, Escape Hot Tubs, Rother Valley Optics, electric vehicle charging specialist Powerpoint and Shark Eye’s research and design centre. There are also three food and beverage units at the site, including Burger King. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

HS2 has completed the first stage of work for the construction of a bridge that will take the high-speed railway line over the M42 motorway. During two weekend closures, the team of engineers worked around the clock to prepare the area for construction by removing pre-existing concrete foundations, installing underground ducting and creating a safe working area in the central reservation of the motorway.  Once built, the M42 motorway box structure will measure 300 metres in length and will enable the high-speed line to cross over a 130-metre stretch of the M42 between junctions 6 and 7/7a near Birmingham Business Park and the NEC. The structure will be built using a modular construction method which reduces the need for lengthy motorway closures, minimising disruption to road users. It involves the assembly of giant building blocks that are manufactured away from site and transported to land next to the motorway. 1,500 hollow blocks, each weighing 14 tonnes on average, will be placed on top of each other, like bricks, before being filled with concrete to form the walls of the structure. 295 beams will bridge the gaps between these walls, followed by the installation of a bridge deck and parapets – with the structure due for completion in early 2027. Work can now begin on the build process following two temporary weekend closures and one weekday night-time closure of the M42 to allow for essential preparation work. Working in collaboration with National Highways, HS2 will build the structure in position while keeping three lanes of carriageway open on the M42, with a 50mph speed limit in place. Doug Barnett, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said:  “I would like to thank motorists for their patience and our colleagues at National Highways for their support during these recent temporary closures of the M42. I also commend our site team who worked through the night to complete this essential work, enabling the motorway to reopen five hours earlier than planned. “Following this first phase of work, we can now start to build the structure in place from the ground up. We’ve prioritised a modular, self-supporting construction method as this avoids the need for any long-term motorway closures and reduces the overall construction time frame – keeping disruption to a minimum.” HS2 and its main works civil contractor for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), will continue to work in partnership with National Highways as the build gets underway. At peak construction, a dedicated workforce of 150 will support the complex operation. Oliver Shore, Project Director at Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “Now we’ve completed essential preparation works along a section of the M42, we’re ready to begin building this twin box structure which will carry HS2 trains over the motorway. Using a modular construction method, this impressive structure will be built in position, to minimise disruption on road users.” David Patmore, Network Planner for National Highways, said: “It is crucial for us that we keep traffic moving and we do all we can to ensure people’s journeys on our roads are as smooth as possible. When we need to carry out important and significant works such as these, we work closely with partners like HS2 to ensure disruption is kept to a minimum. “We will continue to work closely with our partners to reduce the impact of the works on our roads and would like to thank road users and local communities for their patience.” As construction continues at pace between the West Midlands and London, HS2 now supports more than 31,000 jobs. When complete, HS2 services will run between London and the West Midlands on a dedicated high-speed line before reaching destinations further north via the existing West Coast Main Line. Britain’s new high-speed railway will provide significantly more efficient and faster journeys, while crucially freeing up space on the most congested part of the West Coast Main Line, allowing more local and freight trains to operate. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

GRAHAM has achieved a significant milestone in the delivery of the South Reading Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Scheme for Reading Borough Council. The successful installation of a 47.5-metre footbridge marks a major step forward in the project. The footbridge was manoeuvred into place on Sunday 1st December, using two cranes (300 and 350 tonnes respectively) in a tandem lift operation over the River Kennet. Works commenced in early 2024 and are set to be complete by late Spring 2025, delivering several benefits including reduced bus congestion, improved bus services, enhanced access to shops and businesses and better cycling and walking infrastructure. This phase is part of Reading’s Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP), funded by a £26 million grant from the Department for Transport. The South Reading BRT scheme aims to alleviate the effects of congestion on buses and improve bus services to Kennet Island, Green Park, and Mereoak Park & Ride by allowing buses to bypass current pinch points on the A33. The project will enhance access to Reading Link Retail Park and other nearby businesses with new bus lanes and stops around the Rose Kiln Lane (North) junction. James Murphy GRAHAM Project Manager said, “The team has been committed the past few months to reach this significant milestone and it’s fantastic to see the bridge in place. Working in close collaboration with Reading Borough Council and our supply chain partners, we successfully managed the complex interfaces between temporary and permanent works, while coordinating with utility providers and statutory bodies. “We are proud to have designed and constructed the abutments and installed the footbridge during a full road closure, ahead of traffic management constraints on the A33 as the Christmas period approaches. “During the bridge lift, we also completed extensive surfacing works, installing approximately 4000m² of finished wearing course to the north of the bridge. By utilising the same road closure, we achieved significant programme savings and eliminated the need for additional road closures for our client. This required significant scarifying, as we removed the previous carriageway surface, then installed the new wearing course which involved the use of approx. 80 lorries throughout the road closure to complete these tasks simultaneously”. Councillor John Ennis, Reading’s Lead Councillor for Climate Strategy and Transport, said: “The installation of this new pedestrian and cycle bridge is an exciting milestone in the fifth phase of the South Reading Bus Rapid Transit scheme. “The new bridge will provide cyclists and pedestrians with better infrastructure and create space for an extended bus lane without taking away any carriageway from general traffic. “Overall, this project will provide even quicker and more reliable journeys for bus passengers travelling between south Reading and the town centre. And it will improve access to shops and businesses which were previously hard to reach by public transport. “I would like to thank our contractors GRAHAM for delivering this vital part of the scheme and cannot wait for the bridge to be open and in use.” GRAHAM is proud to contribute to this transformative project, which aligns with the Council’s vision for a more sustainable and accessible transport network in Reading. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Work to build HS2’s 700-metre-long Burton Green Tunnel in Warwickshire has reached the halfway mark, with new images and video footage showcasing the latest progress. Once built, the tunnel will carry HS2 trains through the village of Burton Green, near Kenilworth, and will feature a green space above for use by the local community. It is one of five ‘green tunnels’ being built on the project – shallower tunnels which will be finished with trees, plants and shrubs on top, helping them blend into the natural landscape. As well as Burton Green, green tunnels will be constructed at Copthall in Hillingdon, Wendover in Buckinghamshire and Chipping Warden and Greatworth, both in Northamptonshire. Delivered by HS2’s main works civils contractor for the West Midlands, Balfour Beatty VINCI (BBV), and designed by Mott MacDonald engineers from the Mott MacDonald SYSTRA Design Joint Venture (DJV), the Burton Green structure is being constructed using a ‘top down’ construction method which involves building the structure from existing ground level. This includes initially building the side walls and roof of the tunnel, with large openings to ease excavation. The tunnel is then excavated and the tunnel base is constructed. In the last year, work on the tunnel has ramped up and has seen the completion of the 200-metre-long southern portal entrance and a series of underground structural elements, including retaining walls and over 1,300 piles – concrete pillars built underground – using 33,000 cubic metres of concrete in total. An onsite team of 150 people will now focus on the next phase of the build ahead of full completion in Autumn 2026. This includes further tunnel excavation work – with excavated soil being reused as part of wider landscaping plans – and the installation of roof slabs, base slabs and internal structures. Doug Barnett, Senior Project Manager for HS2 Ltd, said: “We’re incredibly proud to have achieved the 50% completion mark here at Burton Green Tunnel and to be celebrating this milestone moment. Delivering a complex structure of this scale requires a huge amount of expertise and energy, which is thanks to everyone involved – from onsite engineers and machine operators, to design and support colleagues working behind the scenes.” A key feature of the Burton Green Tunnel for people in the local area is the realignment of the Kenilworth Greenway, which provides a link from Balsall Common to Kenilworth via Burton Green for walkers, cyclists and horse-riders. Once construction and landscape work is complete, the Greenway will be restored close to its original alignment, running across the top of the new tunnel. While the railway is being built, HS2 has created a temporary route for the Kenilworth Greenway which starts at the site of the Burton Green Village Hall and then follows the existing field boundaries linking with Berkswell Station in the northwest. Rupert Blake, Project Manager for Balfour Beatty VINCI, said: “As an engineer, it’s hugely rewarding to lead the delivery of the 700-metre-long Burton Green Tunnel in Warwickshire. This is a fascinating structure both in terms of scale and complexity, but its green characteristics are what really sets this tunnel apart. When it’s complete, the roof will be finished with trees, plants and shrubs, so it blends in seamlessly with the existing landscape.” Tim Akers, Engineering Manager for Mott MacDonald SYSTRA Design Joint Venture, said: “We’re extremely proud of the Burton Green Tunnel design, which we’ve been working on and evolving over the past five years, in close collaboration with the local community and other stakeholders. The result is a ‘railway within a landscape’ where the original character of the Kenilworth Greenway and ecological connectivity to the wider landscape are restored.” As construction continues at pace between the West Midlands and London, HS2 now supports more than 31,000 jobs. When complete, Britain’s new high-speed railway will create quicker and more reliable journeys, driving economic growth while crucially freeing up space for more local trains on the most congested part of the existing West Coast Main Line. In recent weeks, HS2 construction progress in the West Midlands has seen work start on the 2,000 underground columns that will support the flagship Birmingham Curzon Street Station, as well as the beginning of foundation work for a new bridge designed to carry HS2 trains under a section of the A38 near Lichfield. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals