Plans for a new £25 million rail station in West Yorkshire are making significant progress, with completion expected by late 2026. Survey work is currently underway to finalise detailed designs for the long-awaited Elland Rail Station. Contractor Keltbray Infrastructure Services Limited is aiming to complete the final stages of development work by summer 2024. Following this, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority will review a full business case for the station, moving the project closer to construction. The initiative is a collaboration between the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Calderdale Council. The council is nearing completion of designs for ambitious access routes, which include two new pedestrian and cycling bridges. A key milestone was recently achieved with the council’s approval of a planning application for the station’s access infrastructure. Tenders for the final design phase of the access package were submitted last month, and the council is now in the process of selecting a contractor. The new station, set to be a valuable addition to the Calder Valley line, will strengthen Elland’s transport links to key regional hubs, including Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, and Manchester. This transformative project is expected to deliver improved connectivity for the town, fostering economic growth and offering enhanced travel options for residents and visitors alike. 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

The Government of Jersey has granted planning consent for the first phase of the St Helier Harbour Regeneration This long-term project, led by Ports of Jersey, will renew ageing infrastructure and improve facilities for passenger and freight traffic to secure the viability of the lifeline port and its associated harbours which have served the people of Jersey and visitors to the island for 250 years. The scheme,  by global urbanism and architecture practice Broadway Malyan, responds to an initial ‘sense of place’ study and extensive consultation process. The first phase of implementation will deliver a new harbourside environment, rooted in St Helier’s historic and cultural heritage, that will deliver significantly improved user experience and facilities for the local community and travellers. The proposals, centred on Elizabeth Harbour, include a passenger terminal, customs and inspection facilities and freight distribution centre within a significant area of waterside public realm, connected to St Helier via network of landscaped routes, that will extend the town’s green infrastructure. The masterplan locates the passenger terminal and linear park alongside Elizabeth Marina creating a waterfront destination with significant views over the Jersey coastline and towards Elizabeth Castle. Importantly, this strategy will see the removal of high concrete walls that have severed the port estate from St Helier town centre for the past 35 years. The linear park will extend existing active travel routes for pedestrians and cyclists whilst also providing opportunities for rest and play. The passenger terminal takes a curved form that responds to the coastline, and its structure and materiality draw inspiration from the rich character of the port and sea transport. A modular approach has been developed for the building, using standardised components to enable future expansion if needed, and to maximise off-site manufacture with the aim of minimising the amount of energy used in the construction process. A passive design approach, including low and zero carbon technologies have been incorporated into the building. The façade uses just five repeatable elements resulting in paired back, highly-engineered appearance. Vertical fins project from the façade to shade the building’s interior and adding visual depth to the elevations when seen from a distance. Coastal views are preserved through solar controlled, low-emissivity glazing to help moderate the internal environment, combined with a system of mechanical façade openings that facilitate a mixed-mode ventilation strategy to reduce operational carbon to help meet Ports of Jersey’s net zero goal for harbour operations by 2030. All buildings feature biodiverse green roofs with integrated photovoltaic panels and are linked by a district energy network designed for future connection to water source heat pumps, utilising seawater from the harbour as the primary energy source to will further reduce the harbour’s carbon footprint. The public realm design significantly reduces material sent to landfill by repurposing the dismantled concrete walls as retaining structures and beneath landscaped berms that have been introduced to provide shelter from the wind and mounds that children can use for informal play. A significant area of existing paving will also be used alongside new material. To reduce waste, un-trimmed slabs will be laid with informal edges along soft-planted or gravel beds reminiscent of coastal boardwalks. The exterior spaces feature marine tolerant trees planted in a pinetum near the water’s edge with deciduous tree species planting in an arboretum towards the town. To activate the public realm, the design team proposes a series of art installations and sonic sculptures, including maritime flotsam and jetsam from redundant buoys to ships funnels to create a wayfinding trail from the town, through the site, culminating at a new observation pier. Team Client: Ports of JerseyArchitecture & Landscape Design: Broadway MalyanArchitecture & Public Art Strategy: WaddingtonSustainability, Building Services, Transport, Project & Cost Management: Mott MacdonaldStructural & Civil Engineering: HartiganSense of Place: Louise Browne Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Balfour Beatty VINCI and its UK materials suppliers have now provided over one million cubic metres of concrete for HS2 in the West Midlands as the railway’s network of viaducts and bridges continues to take shape. With a total of 1.9 million cubic metres of concrete needed for the 90km stretch of railway structures, this means over 50% of the required concrete has been used. Balfour Beatty VINCI has three concrete suppliers, keeping their order books full for the foreseeable future, and supporting over 250 jobs. Aggregate Industries, Tarmac and Cemex have batched and delivered the one million cubic metres of concrete, with the milestone achieved on the Chattle Hill structure at the Delta Junction in North Warwickshire. There are 11 local batching plants supplying the concrete, five of which are on HS2 sites. The entire concrete programme in the West Midlands is managed by a dedicated Balfour Beatty VINCI team at HS2’s Kingsbury site near Lea Marston. The use of low carbon concrete mixes is an integral part of Balfour Beatty VINCI’s concrete supply strategy. High proportions of secondary materials – namely ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) as part of the total cementitious content is embedded into the design and specification for all mixes. Balfour Beatty VINCI has worked with its supply chain to optimise mixes based on the performance required, maximising the content of GGBS and minimising total cementitious contents to reduce carbon and cost. The mixes supplied cover a wide range of uses from deep foundations up to 30 metres placed via tremie pipes, large structural elements where the concrete is pumped into place, to the onsite precast factories producing segments for both tunnel lining and the large viaduct spans. A number of fully electric trucks are being used to transport the concrete to sites, with two of HS2’s batching plants able to run off semi-battery technology, further reducing the project’s carbon footprint. Balfour Beatty VINCI and their suppliers have also implemented a digital measuring system – VERIFI – which enables real-time monitoring, measurement and management of fresh concrete during transportation. This eliminates waste, cuts carbon and improves productivity. Chris Jones, Senior Construction Manager at Balfour Beatty VINCI Joint Venture said: “The planning, communication and logistics management needed to achieve this milestone cannot be underestimated. Working in partnership with our three concrete suppliers, the team have kept this massive operation moving, supporting delivery of HS2’s construction programme in the region. “Carbon reduction is a big part of our materials strategy, and we’ve worked closely with our supply chain to minimise the total cementitious contents in order to cut carbon and cost.” Jon Knights, Materials and Durability Lead at HS2 said: “The operation to manage the materials needed to build HS2’s structures is hugely complex, so this milestone is a great achievement for the whole team.  “With more than half the concrete poured for structures in the West Midlands, we’re well on the way to completing the viaducts and bridges that will carry the country’s new high-speed railway through the region.” Aggregate Industries are supplying concrete for the Delta Junction structures, where the scale of HS2’s construction programme is now clearly visible. A network of 13 viaducts is being built over the complex network of motorways, railway lines and rivers in the North Warwickshire area. The Chattle Hill structure – where the milestone was achieved – will carry four HS2 tracks over the A446 Lichfield Road on the mainline of the railway between London and Handsacre. The structure is 165m long, 8.3m high and 23m wide. Over 4,100 cubic metres out of a total of around 10,200 cubic metres of concrete have been used for the structure to date. The A446 diversion to take the road under the new Chattle Hill structure was completed at the end of October 2024, with the second phase of construction set to start. This includes the central reservation piers, northern abutments and decks that will span over the A446. Tarmac is supplying to the southern end of the route through Warwickshire, along with Washwood Heath and the Curzon approaches viaducts in Birmingham. Cemex are also providing material in Birmingham, as well as for structures being built in Staffordshire. Construction of HS2 continues at pace between the West Midlands and London, with the programme now supporting 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. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

London Stansted recently revealed details of a five-year £1.1bn investment programme that will deliver wide-ranging benefits to passengers and help secure links to even more global destinations. The centrepiece of the plans is a £600m extension to the airport’s existing terminal, which will create a bright spacious environment, with more seating areas plus new shops, bars and restaurants to give travellers even more choice than they have today. The plans were first announced at the government’s International Investment Summit yesterday and follow London Stansted reporting record-breaking passenger numbers for each month in 2024. Planning permission for the extension was secured last October, and Stansted today released images and a video to showcase its plans for the first time. The terminal development will help enable the airport serve up to 43 million passengers a year, which in turn will create up to 5,000 new on-site jobs, and see the airport’s economic contribution double to £2 billion annually. Also included in the airport’s £1.1bn investment programme are a number of projects to enhance the passenger journey and support Stansted’s commitment to deliver a sustainable future, such as: In addition, a number of other projects have already been completed or underway with airport partners, including a new EV charging forecourt and drive-thru restaurants, new Emirates business lounge and new baggage reclaim carousel. Gareth Powell, London Stansted’s Managing Director, said:  “Stansted is embarking on an exciting new chapter. We aim to add even more choice of airlines to continue growing our extensive route network that is valued and enjoyed by the millions of passengers who choose to fly from London Stansted every year. “We are already welcoming a record number of passengers, with people drawn to the fact we give them a great choice of destinations, at excellent value and with fantastic access into central London and the whole of the East of England. “We are unique among major airports in operating a single terminal, which means we can give people a simple, efficient and seamless experience, which we know they value, whether travelling for business, leisure or to visit friends and family. These exciting plans mean we are able to retain all those benefits, while introducing an array of new facilities and giving us the space we need to grow. “Since receiving planning permission last October, our teams have carefully considered every touch point of a passenger’s journey through the terminal to ensure the extension transforms the airport experience by adding more space, choice, comfort and range of services on offer, from check-in right through to arrivals. I believe we have successfully achieved this while maintaining the ease, simplicity and original design concept of our fantastic terminal building. “This is a really exciting time for everyone connected with Stansted as we know we have a critical role to play in serving the future capacity needs of London. Our aim is to be the airport of choice for even more passengers and we’re confident our investment plans will boost our competitiveness within the London aviation market, as well as supporting economic growth, jobs and vital international connectivity for London and the East of England.” The extension to Stansted’s terminal will add three-bays to the back of the terminal building, extending it by 16,500m2. The updated design also reveals an enlarged immigration hall moving from its current location, freeing up additional space for a bigger departure lounge plus new larger arrivals baggage carousels. The more spacious departure lounge will feature additional seating, a greater choice of shops, bars and restaurants, and a larger security hall with more security lanes equipped with next-generation scanners. The extension will also provide more state-of-the-art check-in desks plus increased baggage capacity. Stansted served a record breaking 29.3 million passengers in the year to September 2024, the busiest 12-month period in the airport’s history, and as it now enters a new phase of growth, the extended terminal will improve capacity at busy times and provide the extra space required to accommodate forecast growth.  Over the past 12 months, a number of new airlines have started flying from Stansted for the first time, including Royal Jordanian and Sun Express, plus the welcome return of British Airways, boosting the number of destinations on the departure board to more than 200 this summer. Video graphics of the new extension can be viewed here. Jackie Sadek, Independent Chair of the UK Innovation Corridor, said: “This is to be welcomed with open arms. London Stansted provides vital underpinning for the current £189bn per annum GVA of the UK Innovation Corridor, and this new investment will be crucial for our shared mission to double the size of our economy by 2040.  We are definitely on our way.” John Dickie, Chief Executive of BusinessLDN, said: “As a gateway to the world, London Stansted plays a critical role in welcoming visitors to London and the UK. This investment is a vote of confidence in the capital that will boost our global connectivity and enhance the experience of passengers. It will also underpin regional growth and will help us remain a world leader in the highly competitive international market.” Harriet Fear, Chair of Cambridge Ahead, said: “International connectivity is vitally important for organisations based in the innovative sectors that are so strong in the East of England, making London Stansted key to the success of the region and beyond. This significant new investment into the airport’s infrastructure, which will help create an even better experience for passengers and support the airport’s long-term route development aims, is wonderful to see.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals