HS2 Ltd is the only organisation in the UK to achieve and retain a prestigious accreditation standard established to recognise exceptional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workforce. The Clear Assured Platinum Standard, which was first achieved by the government-owned company in 2021, marks its commitment to
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is reminding passengers travelling along the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York to plan their journeys ahead of time, as track upgrades in Huddersfield are due to take place each weekend throughout September and October. Over the two months, hundreds of engineers working on
Yesterday the production of over 83,000 concrete tunnel segments for HS2 has begun at a new facility at Hartlepool docks. STRABAG were awarded the contract to manufacture the segments in October 2021 and chose Hartlepool as the location for their new production site. Located in a unit at Hartlepool Dock
HS2 has successfully carried out the UK’s heaviest drive to install an intersection bridge structure beneath the West Coast Main Line at Fulfen Wood near Lichfield. The 56 metre long and 19 metre wide structure will allow Britain’s new high-speed railway to pass beneath the busy existing railway line, on its
In a first for the construction industry, technology originally developed to design and optimise automotive and aerospace structures, is being deployed to engineer some of the largest and most impressive structures on Britain’s new high speed rail network, High Speed 2. As part of its Innovation programme, HS2 Ltd has
Video of West Wycombe Estate in Buckinghamshire – one of the projects which has received funding: A £5 million HS2 Woodland Fund, administered by the Forestry Commission, is supporting new woodland creation and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) restoration projects around the Phase One route between London and the
HS2 is celebrating project progress as its London Logistics Hub, located at the Willesden Euro Terminal, has transported one million tonnes of spoil and taken 110,000 lorry movements off roads. The Logistics Hub, managed by HS2’s London Tunnels Contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture (SCS JV), transports excavated material from
North Somerset Council has allocated an additional £11.9 million of funding for the Banwell bypass. Despite setting aside £7.6m in scheme’s original budget to protect the bypass from changing construction costs, the four years since funding was initially secured from Homes England have seen unprecedented price increases caused by the
HS2 Ltd, the company building Britain’s new low-carbon high-speed railway, recently confirmed that a second set of proposed changes to the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, has been introduced to Parliament. The submission of Additional Provision 2 (AP2) is an important milestone in the parliamentary process. It keeps
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has reached a milestone on the M2 junction 5 improvements scheme, with some significant changes made that will benefit road users. GRAHAM was awarded the £92m M2 junction 5 improvements scheme by National Highways in June 2021. The junction is one of the busiest in the
HS2 Ltd is the only organisation in the UK to achieve and retain a prestigious accreditation standard established to recognise exceptional commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workforce. The Clear Assured Platinum Standard, which was first achieved by the government-owned company in 2021, marks its commitment to embedding inclusive best practice into all elements of its work, including the design and delivery of Britain’s new railway. Through evidence-based assessment, HS2 Ltd demonstrated that its EDI policies and processes continue to be best practice and set new standards for the industry. HS2 is committed to creating an inclusive work environment for all employees. Actions to address feedback from Clear Assured in 2022 were swiftly taken to maintain progress in areas such as, fairness and proportionality in the outcomes of talent assessments, supporting senior staff members on leading inclusively and reinforcing its commitment to a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination. Alexandre Maria, Director of Clear Assured & Supplier Diversity at the Clear Company, said: “HS2, despite already being EDI leaders in the industry, have continuously stretched the boundaries of inclusive best practice since originally achieving Clear Assured Platinum accreditation in 2021.” “HS2’s dedication to quantifying the impact of their interventions and proactive approach to inclusive recruitment and fostering diverse senior leadership, demonstrates their commitment to achieving their EDI targets.” “Whilst HS2 keeps raising their EDI standards and strives to create an even more inclusive working environment, the EDI team’s own leadership, their effective use of data and commitment to accountability makes them an exemplar organisation.” The announcement coincides with the publication of HS2 Ltd’s EDI report for 2022/23, which shows that the HS2 project is leading the way and exceeding industry benchmarks for workforce diversity. As Europe’s largest infrastructure project, HS2 is setting new standards and driving change in both the rail engineering and construction sectors. It achieves this through a strategic commitment to EDI, inclusive procurement practices and by holding its Tier 1 suppliers to account for their EDI performance and they, in turn, do the same for their sub-contractors. As a result, ethnic minority representation in HS2’s Tier 1 supply chain increased by 2% in 2022/23 and now stands at 20%. The number of females in the Tier 1 supply chain workforce also increased from 28% to 30%. Leading by example is at the heart of HS2 Ltd’s approach to EDI good practice. Non-Executive Director and HS2 Board Diversity Champion, Dame Judith Hackitt, is determined the organisation must go above and beyond to change the face of construction now and for future generations. Dame Judith said: “A project of HS2’s scale and longevity presents a unique opportunity for change and I’m determined we capitalise on that. “Three years into our major civils programme, it’s evident that HS2 is showing what can be done and demonstrating the benefits of addressing the lack of diversity which has been a feature of construction for so long. “I genuinely believe that if we can set an example at HS2 and show the benefits of a diverse, inclusive culture, then we’ll lead the way for the rest of the sector.” As the project client, HS2 Ltd sets its own challenging targets for workforce representation. It achieved 24% for ethnic minority representation in 2022/23, against a target of 23%, but fell just short of its ambitious 40% target for females in the workforce, securing a 38% rate – one percentage point higher than the previous year. This is significantly higher than current construction and industry standards, which are between 21% and 23% Encouraging more women to enter and progress their careers in the sector remains a key focus for HS2 Ltd. 40% of its executive team is female and 36% hold Director roles within the company. Throughout 2023/24, HS2 Ltd will continue to focus on its recruitment and retention strategies to increase the female workforce in its delivery directorates, where gender representation remains a challenge. Shira Johnson, HR Director at HS2 Ltd said: “We are exceptionally proud of our EDI achievements to date and the commitment shown by the thousands of UK businesses engaged in our supply chain. “The fruits of our work are really beginning to take shape. More women and ethnic minority groups are stepping forward to play their part in Britain’s new railway, as they recognise the importance we attach to ensuring that HS2 is an inclusive workplace for all. “Clear Assured provides rigorous assessment and direction allowing for accountability to be allocated throughout the organisation and consistently measured. There is always more we can do, and that remains our focus in the months and years ahead.”
Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is reminding passengers travelling along the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York to plan their journeys ahead of time, as track upgrades in Huddersfield are due to take place each weekend throughout September and October. Over the two months, hundreds of engineers working on the multi-billion-pound scheme will replace approximately 650m of railway tracks. This work will enable trains to travel at higher speeds and improve the overall reliability of services passing through the area in the future, as the number of railway tracks will increase from two to four. While the railway line through Huddersfield will be temporarily closed to facilitate the upgrades, passengers will be kept on the move through a combination of diversionary routes and rail replacement buses. Gareth Hope, Sponsor for the Transpennine Route Upgrade said “Between September and October, we’ll be renewing the railway tracks in Huddersfield each weekend. This work is a key aspect of our wider upgrades and will not only allow for trains to travel at higher speeds in the future, but also increase the reliability of services.” “We’re committed to ensuring a smooth transition during the upgrades and passengers can rely on a mixture of diversionary routes and rail replacement buses to keep them moving.” “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while the work takes place and remind customer to check www.nationalrailenquiries.co.uk or their respective train operator’s if travelling over this period”. Additionally in August, engineers will complete railway bridge upgrades in the Huddersfield area on 6, 13, 19, 20 August 2023. These upgrades will allow the number of railway lines to increase, by strengthening the bridge structures to support more weight. Chris Nutton, Major Projects Director for TransPennine Express, said: “This vital work is key to the overall modernisation of the railway that will be taking place as part of the Transpennine Route Upgrade, which will help deliver a faster and more sustainable service for our customers who travel between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds and York. “We’d like to thank our customers in advance for their patience while this work take place. To keep customers on the move, there will be some changes to our services, including diversions, and we advise our anyone to check carefully before travelling. We’ll have extra staff on hand at stations to help customers who are travelling on days affected by this work.” The track upgrades are essential for achieving the TRU’s vision of creating a cleaner, greener, and more reliable railway system, bringing improved connectivity and travel experiences to passengers traveling across the Pennines. Tony Baxter, Regional Director at Northern, said: “Whilst this work is essential and will lay the foundations for the transformation of Huddersfield station, we appreciate that nobody likes the thought of disruption to their journeys. That’s why we’ve worked hard to keep our customers on trains, with trains running as normal during these works between Sheffield, Barnsley and Lockwood, connecting with just a short bus journey between Lockwood and Huddersfield. I’d like to thank customers in advance for bearing with us whilst this work takes place.” TRU will enhance rail connectivity and improve travel experiences for passengers traveling between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, better connecting towns and cities through more frequent, faster trains, running on a cleaner, greener and more reliable railway. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yesterday the production of over 83,000 concrete tunnel segments for HS2 has begun at a new facility at Hartlepool docks. STRABAG were awarded the contract to manufacture the segments in October 2021 and chose Hartlepool as the location for their new production site. Located in a unit at Hartlepool Dock which was previously used for the fabrication of oil rigs, the new facility has been fitted out with a state of the art automated segment carousel and reinforcement hall. Robots controlled by telemetry have been installed to produce the high quality reinforcement cages required for each segment. The location boasts excellent transportation links, both by road and sea, and the STRABAG team have brought the rail head adjacent to the site back into use, reinstating rail connections. Over 100 jobs have been created at the Hartlepool facility, including six new apprenticeships and a number of formerly unemployed people recruited from the local area. STRABAG are also utilising the local supply chain, sourcing aggregate from local quarries and using UK recycled steel. Over 83,000 precast tunnel segments will be produced for HS2 in order to construct the Northolt tunnel east and Euston tunnel. They will be used to construct 3.4miles of twin bored tunnel for the Northolt tunnel East, and 5miles of twin bored tunnel for the Euston tunnel between Old Oak Common and Euston. Each ring has an 8.8m outside diameter, is 35 centimetres thick and weighs seven tonnes. The Hartlepool facility will be used to produce HS2 tunnel segments for around three years but the investment from STRABAG in the site is part of a long term UK investment strategy. Ruth Todd CBE, HS2’s Chief Commercial Officer, said: “HS2 is already bringing benefits to the UK economy, creating jobs around the country as part of the construction and manufacturing required for HS2. STRABAG’s choice of location in Hartlepool for its new facility demonstrates a commitment to bringing new job and training opportunities to the North East, and the HS2 project provides a great pipeline of work. “Over 3,000 UK based businesses are already working on the project, with over 28,500 jobs directly supported, with many more through the supply chain. As more phases of the HS2 programme begin, there will be many more opportunities for businesses across the UK to get involved in this once-in-a-generation mega-project.” Hartlepool MP, Jill Mortimer, said: “It’s been absolutely fantastic to be back at STRABAG and in two years seeing how much they have achieved. We were talking about jobs and investment then and now it is here. It’s £50million of investment and 100 jobs, not just for HS2 but beyond, for 50 or 60 years building tunnels across the nation. We should be really proud that Hartlepool is part of the HS2 project because that is something that is going to bring benefits across the country.” Robotics will be used by the STRABAG team at the facility and a state-of-the-art automated segment carousel will ensure shorter turnaround times and better quality in production. The automation used in creating the steel reinforcement cages reduces wastage to negligible volumes and operates with energy efficiency levels significantly better than traditional methods. Andy Dixon, MD for STRABAG UK, said: “This is an extremely exciting day for STRABAG’s UK operations. Our new factory in Hartlepool allows us to manufacture products for HS2 in the North East of England by giving new life to a vacant site and bringing over 100 new skilled jobs to the area. The increased use of automation enhances production efficiency, creates a safer environment for our staff as well as creating new technology related job opportunities. “In addition, having direct access to the rail network means that we can take a significant number of lorries off of UK roads. This creates a more sustainable solution in the way that we transport tunnel segment rings to the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) building the London tunnels for HS2, resulting in a reduction in our carbon footprint.” 96 concrete segments rings will be produced each day at the site, with teams of 30 working in shifts across 24 hours, seven days per week. HS2’s Main Works Civils Contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG joint venture (SCS JV), are constructing HS2’s London tunnels. The segments will be transported by rail to HS2’s London logistics hub, part of HS2’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions in construction.. Starting in the summer, a 20 carriage train will depart from the site each day over six days, increasing to 2 per day as production increases. From the Logistics Hub, the segments will be transported by an electric Multi-Service Vehicle (MSV) to the neighbouring construction sites and transferred on to the four giant Tunnel Boring Machines that will be constructing these tunnels. James Richardson, Managing Director of SCS JV, said: “We are proud to be able to support the development of this state-of-the-art industrial facility, ensuring jobs and economic growth are secured for the future in the Hartlepool area.“The tunnel segments manufactured here in Hartlepool will be transported by rail to our tunnel boring machines, forming the high-speed tunnels in the heart of London. By using rail instead of road to move over 83,000 segments, we avoid over 56,000 lorry journeys and reduce CO2 emissions by 76 percent. At all stages of the manufacturing, transportation and installation of these tunnel segments, we will ensure the building of a cleaner, greener railway and unlocking the social benefits HS2 can bring across the UK.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2 has successfully carried out the UK’s heaviest drive to install an intersection bridge structure beneath the West Coast Main Line at Fulfen Wood near Lichfield. The 56 metre long and 19 metre wide structure will allow Britain’s new high-speed railway to pass beneath the busy existing railway line, on its route going north of Birmingham Curzon Street Station up to Crewe. The giant 6,200-tonne concrete structure, which was built adjacent to the WCML over the last six months, was slowly manoeuvred into place on self-propelled modular transporters. Specially designed for very heavy lifting, the 840-wheeled transporter with four carrier beams was controlled by a remote steering system. Over 61,000 cubic metres of earth have already been removed and the bridge structure has taken six months to build at the side of the existing railway. Over the two days before the move, the team removed the railway track and excavated over 15,000 cubic metres of material to create the space for the structure to be moved into. The operation follows other important milestones in the West Midlands including the completion of the one-mile twin-bore tunnel under Long Itchington Wood and the start of production of 3,000 viaduct segments at an outdoor factory in Warwickshire. Caroline Warrington, Senior Project Manager at HS2 Ltd said: “This huge feat of engineering – the UK’s heaviest single span bridge drive – is our latest big milestone as we approach peak construction on Phase One of HS2. We’re making fantastic progress on this section of the route, with over 9,000 people working on the project in the Midlands and over 29,500 on the whole project, providing a vital boost for British businesses and jobs.” Around 300 people working for HS2’s civils contractor Balfour Beatty VINCI have delivered the work, and a team of 200 people are working 24/7 this week to move the bridge, backfill around it and put the railway back in place ready to re-open next week. Chloe Foster-Chambers, Section Engineer for Balfour Beatty VINCI has been working with a team of 200 people carrying out the operation. She said: “As an engineer, big feats of engineering like this bridge drive make HS2 such a fantastic project to work on. It’s been a real team effort over the last two years, and seeing the operation successfully completed felt like a great achievement for everyone involved.” The operation happened during a nine day closure of the railway between Stafford and Rugby while Network Rail carry out upgrades as part of a multimillion pound investment to improve future journeys on this important stretch of the West Coast main line through the West Midlands. Work is now taking place at Fulfen Wood to replace the tracks and railway systems over the new bridge which will allow the railway to reopen to passenger and freight services on Monday 24 July. John Emery, Senior Sponsor for Network Rail, said: “I’d like to thank passengers for their patience this week while we carry out major upgrades on the West Coast main line in Staffordshire which will help to make rail journeys more reliable. We’ve worked closely with our partners at HS2 to combine their work with track and signalling upgrades in Colwich, as well as platform upgrades at Lichfield Trent Valley station to minimise disruption.” One of over 3,000 supply chain companies working on the HS2 project, specialist construction company Byrne Bros led the bridge build over the last six months. Tom Lyons, Construction Director for Byrne Bros said: “Byrne Bros are delighted to have been involved in such an amazing project. The BBV team have been fantastic to work with, demonstrating great leadership, teamwork and management of a complex engineering project.” Specialist lifting company Mammoet – based in Stockton-on-Tees, undertook the bridge move with state-of-the-art transportation equipment. Peter Schoenmakers, Lead Engineer at Mammoet UK Ltd said: “The Fulfen Wood Overbridge installation does show that with a collaborative approach and early engagement with all involved parties during the design stage of the structure, a cost effective and a most efficient installation method can be developed early on in the project. “The early engagement allowed the designers of the structure to design the bridge that suited the available and existing equipment to be used and no special equipment had to be fabricated or purchased. This approach is very important from a sustainability perspective. All in all, this was a great project for Mammoet and we are proud to be part of its success.” After this operation, the same transporters will be utilised to install another huge bridge drive which will take place a little further up at Streethay, where a similar 2,600 tonne structure is being moved into place under the South Staffordshire line between Lichfield High Level station and Derby. Once complete, HS2 will link London Euston with Birmingham, Manchester and the East Midlands. It will act as a catalyst for growth by improving connections between major towns and cities, opening up new employment and leisure opportunities for millions of people. Network Rail advise people travelling between London Euston, the Midlands and the North West between now and Sunday 23 July, to please check at www.nationalrail.co.uk or with their train operator to see how their journey will be affected. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
In a first for the construction industry, technology originally developed to design and optimise automotive and aerospace structures, is being deployed to engineer some of the largest and most impressive structures on Britain’s new high speed rail network, High Speed 2. As part of its Innovation programme, HS2 Ltd has teamed up with Leamington Spa-based Altair Ltd, to develop a unique, automated civil engineering design process driven by its software tool, OptiStruct®, that can reduce embedded carbon in HS2’s viaducts by up to 10 per cent, as well as shrink viaduct design time from around a month to as little as one hour. Traditionally the engineering design process to set a viaduct’s geometry and quantify the required materials takes around four weeks. Once set, there is almost never any opportunity to revise designs due to the nature of project delivery schedules. However, by harnessing what is essentially the same intelligent design technology that Altair uses to design components and assemblies within modern aircraft and automotive vehicles to minimise the amount of raw material used, the firm’s HS2 collaboration team has tested and refined the OptiStruct-driven process for the civil engineering sector. The technology enables engineers to flex a viaduct’s design. For example, the span length between each supporting pier could be increased thereby reducing their overall number; or the deck carrying the train could be slimmed – all of which reduces cost, carbon and build time. The technology takes a viaduct’s operational requirements, including the speed, frequency, and braking load of the high speed trains it will carry throughout its operational life. It then runs millions of design iterations based on the physical properties of all the materials it will be built with, including concrete and steel, to produce an optimised design. By using building materials in the most efficient way, and without compromising strength or longevity, the two companies estimate OptiStruct could reduce the amount of carbon embedded in the structures by as much as 10 per cent. Commenting, HS2 Ltd Senior Innovation Manager, Charlotte Hills said: “HS2 is the biggest transport infrastructure project in the UK. To help build it we are drawing on the technology developed for other industries to help deliver the new high speed rail network and adding value to UK plc by creating new opportunities for innovative companies outside civil engineering. “Working with Altair as part of our Innovation programme demonstrates the benefits of applying its technology to building HS2, and the potential it offers in the long term as an integral tool to streamline structural designs and reduce embedded carbon by as much as 10 per cent.” Tomas Garcia, HS2 Ltd Head of Civil Engineering Structures said: “Our innovation project with Altair is a game-changer. It gives engineers a tool to explore alternative designs that were not previously feasible due to time constraints. By cutting development time, running automatically dozens of combinations of the design variables, the technology allows to identify solutions that minimises embedded carbon.” Altair Ltd’s Martin Kemp, Senior Technical Specialist said: “Altair’s design and optimisation technologies have been utilised across industry for over two decades. However, we seldom see them deployed on structures as large as rail viaducts due to rigorous codes of practice. HS2 was determined to remove the barriers to adoption by integrating European Codes of Practice directly into the optimization process. The resulting capability brings cutting edge design and innovation to viaduct designers and opens further adoption in civil structure design.” HS2 Ltd plans to mandate Altair’s technology for designing viaducts and bridges on Phases 2a and 2b for the high speed rail programme. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Video of West Wycombe Estate in Buckinghamshire – one of the projects which has received funding: A £5 million HS2 Woodland Fund, administered by the Forestry Commission, is supporting new woodland creation and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) restoration projects around the Phase One route between London and the West Midlands. To date, a total of £1.75 million has been allocated across 35 schemes. This has resulted in the restoration of over 66 hectares of ancient woodland, including the planting of over 110,000 trees; and over 130 hectares of new native woodland, with around 220,000 trees planted. The fund provides support for landowners in the area 25 miles around the Phase One route. This goes beyond HS2’s existing environmental programme to plant 7 million trees and create over 33 square kilometres of wildlife habitat. James Hicks, Biodiversity Policy Specialist at HS2 Ltd said: “We’re designing HS2 to be a railway that respects the natural environment by conserving, replacing and enhancing wildlife habitats with a new ‘green corridor’ along the route. This will create a network of bigger, better-connected, climate resilient habitats and new green spaces for people and wildlife to enjoy in the future. “Over and above our required mitigation, our HS2 Woodland Fund provides important additional financial support for areas near the route to help compensate for unavoidable impacts to ancient woodlands.” Sir William Worsley, Forestry Commission Chair, said: “We must ensure that woodlands and habitats impacted by HS2 are effectively restored and protected. “The HS2 Fund will continue to facilitate the creation of new woodland and bring new life to ancient woodlands around the Phase One route between London and the West Midlands.” The HS2 Woodland Fund on Phase One provides funding to restore and maintain PAWS sites, including restocking with native trees and shrubs, and associated items including fencing, gates and natural flood management items. It also provides funding for creating, protecting and maintaining new native woodland through the England Woodland Creation Offer – part of a suite of Forestry Commission initiatives to support woodland creation and tree planting across England. West Wycombe Estate in Buckinghamshire is one of the projects which has received funding to restore one of their ancient woodland sites and is now seeing the benefits. Over 15,000 native trees were planted on a site that is very well used by the public, which was previously planted with non-native Japanese Larch that had suffered from damage by squirrels. David Hunt, Forest Manager at West Wycombe Estate said: “With the funding available from HS2, it made it an obvious choice for us to opt for going back to restore native ancient woodland on the estate. The benefits of planting woodland on ancient sites is really wildlife conservation, biodiversity and landscape as opposed to commercial woodlands. The funding from HS2 has been really important for us, and anyone interested in this woodland can see the benefits of going back to native tree planting.” HS2 Ltd are working to extend the Woodland Fund for Phase 2a with an additional £2million of funding available. A £1million HS2 Woodland Fund was also announced on Phase 2b in January 2023 which will be launched following Royal Assent. More information on the HS2 Woodland Fund, including the locations of schemes delivered to date, can be found on the HS2 website: https://www.hs2.org.uk/building-hs2/environmental-sustainability/ancient-woodland/ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2 is celebrating project progress as its London Logistics Hub, located at the Willesden Euro Terminal, has transported one million tonnes of spoil and taken 110,000 lorry movements off roads. The Logistics Hub, managed by HS2’s London Tunnels Contractor, Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture (SCS JV), transports excavated material from the Old Oak Common Station, the Victoria Road Crossover Box in Ealing, and the nearby Atlas Road sites. Over the course of the HS2 project, the Logistics Hub will transfer and transport over 5million tonnes of spoil. At peak, seven trains per day will depart from the London Logistics Hub, with 3 per day departing at present. Each train takes 1,500 tonnes of material – the equivalent of 80 lorry loads. The material from HS2’s work is brought to the site on a network of conveyors, which were switched on in November 2022 by the HS2 Minister, Huw Merriman. The operation at Willesden sees the material being transferred onto rail wagons which are then taken to sites in Kent, Rugby and Cambridgeshire, where the material be used for beneficial re-use projects, including a nature reserve for birds. The enormous logistics operation is managed inside the site’s state of the art control room. The team can see how much spoil is on site, can monitor the loading into the wagons, and can ensure that the operation meets the railway timetable. SCS JV worked collaboratively with Sheffield based company, 3Squared, to develop the software being used for rail logistics. The millionth tonne of material was despatched to Cliffe in Kent on 23 June 2023. Celebrating the progress, Malcolm Codling, Project Client at HS2 Ltd, said: “The London Logistics Hub is at the beating heart of the HS2 operation in the capital, keeping the project on track to deliver Britain’s new low-carbon high speed railway in the most sustainable way. Transporting one million tonnes of spoil at this one site is no mean feat and has been achieved through effective collaboration and planning.” James Richardson, Skanska Costain STRABAG Joint Venture said: “For a project of the scale, size and complexity of HS2 London Tunnels, we have built a logistics operation to meet these challenges. We are justly proud of our technology-enabled operation, our conveyor network and our rail freight partnership which has enabled us to move a million tonnes of material safely, efficiently, and sustainably. “Every tonne of material is tracked by our state-of-the-art Logistics Hub, from the moment the material goes onto our 1.7mile-long conveyor towards our rail terminal and then onto the existing rail freight network to their final destinations in the UK. While our geographic footprint stretches across London to Kent, Rugby and Cambridgeshire, we have achieved as low a carbon footprint as possible at each stage of our logistics operation.” The Logistics Hub not only manages materials leaving HS2 sites but will also begin managing the delivery of 100,000 tunnel segments rings which STRABAG are due to begin producing at their new facility in Hartlepool. Like the spoil, the segments will be transported using rail, rather than local roads. Combined with the removal of spoil, it is estimated that the London Logistics Hub operations will remove the need for 1 million lorry journeys over the duration of the HS2 project. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
North Somerset Council has allocated an additional £11.9 million of funding for the Banwell bypass. Despite setting aside £7.6m in scheme’s original budget to protect the bypass from changing construction costs, the four years since funding was initially secured from Homes England have seen unprecedented price increases caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine. The agreed £11.9m funding, which comes from Community Infrastructure Levy, Section 106 monies and reallocated capital reserves, will help tackle these inflationary pressures and meet globally increased costs of fuel, construction material and labour. Councillor Mike Bell, Leader of North Somerset Council, said: “Banwell bypass is a landmark project for us, one that will cut congestion through Banwell, making it a safer, cleaner place, as well as delivering a range of other local improvements such as miles of new walking, cycling and horse-riding routes. “In agreeing additional funding, we are demonstrating our continued commitment to delivering the project and the benefits it is set to bring to North Somerset. For every pound we spend, the completed scheme is expected to return £2.27 in value, making it a vital component in unlocking regional growth for our communities. “We are also continuing positive conversations with Homes England and are seeking further financial contribution from them, as well as working with contractors to ensure we are getting the best value for money before we begin construction.” The additional £11.9m is subject the remainder of the additional costs being met by Homes England and the outcome of the public inquiry into Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) needed to build the bypass. The inquiry is being held at the Grand Pier and is expected to last until Friday 28 July. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
HS2 Ltd, the company building Britain’s new low-carbon high-speed railway, recently confirmed that a second set of proposed changes to the High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, has been introduced to Parliament. The submission of Additional Provision 2 (AP2) is an important milestone in the parliamentary process. It keeps HS2 on track to open the Crewe – Manchester extension between 2035 and 2041, ensuring zero carbon rail services extend to Manchester’s two new dedicated HS2 stations at Manchester Airport and Piccadilly. HS2’s construction is currently supporting more than 28,500 jobs and over 3,000 UK-based businesses, including 190 in the Northwest, have already won work supplying materials, products and services. The High Speed Rail (Crewe – Manchester) Bill, which seeks powers to extend and operate the new high-speed network to Manchester, was submitted to Parliament in January 2022. The first set of proposed changes to the Bill, known as Additional Provision 1 (AP1), was introduced six months later. Changes to hybrid bills aren’t uncommon and reflect the ongoing work that HS2 Ltd undertakes to ensure it builds the best railway in the best way. This includes developing the design for the railway, acting on new information, and assessing feedback from individuals and communities affected by the construction proposals. One year on from the submission of AP1, communities are now invited to view the latest set of proposed changes and have their say on the supporting documentation through a public consultation. Stephen Smith, Head of Consultation and Engagement for HS2’s Phase 2b programme said: “Extending the HS2 network to Manchester will vastly improve connectivity between the UK’s major towns and cities, while freeing up vital capacity on the existing rail network for more local and regional rail services. “This latest set of design changes reflects our ongoing commitment to minimise disruption during the construction and operational phases. Feedback from communities plays a vital role in the design process and we encourage people to have their say before the consultation closes.” The public consultation focuses on two key documents which outline any new, different or removed significant environmental effects resulting from the proposed changes. The consultation opens at 09:00 on 4 July and closes 11:45 on 31 August 2023. Supporting documentation and information about the consultation can be found at www.hs2.org.uk/crewe-manchester Information about the changes proposed in AP2, for each of the seven community areas, is published on the HS2 website. In some cases, the changes proposed in AP2 require additional land and powers. HS2’s community engagement team is already engaging with individuals and communities affected by the proposals. Directly affected parties can petition against the changes. The petitioning period will open tomorrow (4 July 2023) and continue until 15 August. More information about how to petition can be found on the Bill’s Parliamentary web page. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Civil engineering specialist GRAHAM has reached a milestone on the M2 junction 5 improvements scheme, with some significant changes made that will benefit road users. GRAHAM was awarded the £92m M2 junction 5 improvements scheme by National Highways in June 2021. The junction is one of the busiest in the region and experiences large queues and heavy congestion on a daily basis. It also had one of the highest collision rates across England’s motorway and major A roads nationally. The project team has recently implemented major changes to the way drivers use the Stockbury roundabout. Earlier in the year, GRAHAM switched the A249 southbound traffic onto a new stretch of road on the south side of the roundabout, that runs adjacent to the existing carriageway. The new section is temporarily carrying southbound traffic and once complete will become the new Oad Street Link Road, which will carry traffic directly from Oad Street to the Stockbury roundabout. The A249’s northbound traffic has also been switched onto the existing southbound carriageway to allow construction of the Stockbury South bridge structure. Once complete, the flyover will allow traffic to flow without restrictions over the Stockbury roundabout, reducing delays and improving safety. Last month GRAHAM opened the new Maidstone Link Road, a new carriageway connecting Maidstone Road to Oad Street. The project team also opened the new southbound diverge (slip road) to southbound traffic. The start of this new slip road consists of continuously reinforced concrete paving (CRCP), to tie in the existing carriageway, with surfacing also recently completed. Once works are complete, the southbound diverge will have a dedicated slip road to the M2 (westbound). The switching of traffic to the southbound diverge will enable the construction of the northern Stockbury flyover, with the first step being the installation of 900mm dia CFA (Continuous flight auger) piles. Now the traffic has been switched, GRAHAM’s team is demolishing the CRCP slab beneath the existing A249 carriageway utilising excavators with hydraulic breakers. Recent progress has seen the construction of the southern abutment for the new Stockbury south bridge structure. The abutment is constructed with 170 cubic meters of steel-reinforced concrete. Following completion of the abutment, GRAHAM has made major progress on the scheme’s bespoke flint-clad reinforced earth RECO walls. The RECO walls will see 1,500 RECO panels placed in total, allowing earth to be backfilled behind them. The faces of the panels have been chosen to provide an aesthetically pleasing finish to the scheme, with a coarse finish of locally sourced flint utilised to suit the scheme’s natural surroundings in the Stockbury Valley. Once complete, the scheme will lead to smoother and safer journeys for hundreds of thousands of drivers each day. For more information about the scheme visit the M2 junction 5 project website. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
