July 2019 Dedicated to highways maintenance and traffic management
Green and pleasant roads: Making the sector sustainable
INSIDE: Zero carbon roads?
JUlY 2019 Modelling the future A breath of fresh air
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0160601606 738866 738866 www.srl.co.uk www.srl.co.uk www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk EDITORIAL COMMENT
KEEP IN TOUCH The green heat of revolution
Join Highways Magazine ow much time do we have? We ask this question every day. But it never seems to be LinkedIn group answered. Two hours? Twenty years? Two thousand years? These are the kind of timeframes highways works in. It usually takes just two hours from the asphalt mix to the Follow us on Twitter surface lay. Every second of that time counts. Every second the temperature changes, @highwaysmag H the compaction levels shift under rollers, the light fades or increases, the road closure window and the hourly rate move ever onwards. And, into every moment of the work, the past is poured, holding the sector together like binder does aggregate – days of preparation, weeks of scheduling, months of design, seasons of procurement, years of planning, decades of R&D, generations of experience, thousands of years of history. And as the shifts go by, before the team’s eyes a new project comes into form – a form that should last for Sign-up for FREE weekly updates www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/ 20 years and more; a new road, a safer journey and lives saved, houses built, cities expanded, jobs made, highways-on-fridays routes that have existed for longer than the civilisations around them are laid and re-laid and passed down once more to another generation. Posterity is important to us in this sector. Engineers build to last. However, just as they say those who don’t learn from the past will always repeat its mistakes, so will those who don’t look to the future. Looking to the future is what this edition is about. We know that new pressures from congestion, urbanisation and climate change will bring transformation to our industry. www.highwaysawards.co.uk The magazine this month proves we are rising to the challenge. The hour may be late to make the necessary changes, but take it from a journalist – sometimes the best ideas come when you are right up against a deadline. On 30 September 1963, a man from Huddersfield stayed up until the early hours working on a speech he had to give the next day. Up until 9pm that evening he had no idea what he was going to say. A short while later Harold Wilson was Prime Minister. It’s fair to say the speech was a success: ‘The Britain that is going to be forged in the white heat of this [scientific] revolution will be no place for restrictive practices or for outdated methods on either side of industry.’ It is time to fire up this furnace of innovation once more. Another scientific revolution is happening. The heat may be white but its effects must be green. The future we strive for is one that doesn’t just cut time in journeys; it increases time in lives. That doesn’t just build structures, but grows life. A future where design and engineering only takes your breath away by making you gasp with awe. When the world is powered by sustainable energy, built on zero carbon construction sites, using materials Subscribe to Highways at that actually take emissions out of the air, and we travel in pollution-free vehicles across self-healing roads, it www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk will be engineers that the world will have to thank for it. You are not just working for a better tomorrow anymore, you are working to make sure there is one.
Dominic Browne NEW Highways App Editor (search ‘Highways Magazine’) Highways Magazine
Submissions: The editor welcomes articles for possible publication in Highways. Email a synopsis of your proposal to the Editor who will contact you after consideration. No responsibility can be taken for any unsolicited manuscripts. The information contained in this magazine has been obtained from sources which the proprietors believe to have been correctly reproduced, but they cannot accept legal liability for any error in it, however caused. All material copyright Hemming Group Ltd unless otherwise stated. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the prior written authorisation of the publishers.
HIGHWAYS EDITORIAL BOARD
HAYDN DAVIES MIKE HARPER DR HELEN VINER RICHARD HAYES MARK STEVENS DONALD MORRISON GEORGE LEE ANDY BEST STU MCINROY Housing and Chief executive of Former chief scientist, Chief executive Chair of The Head of asset Chief executive Head of asset Chief executive of the transport the Road Surface infrastructure, for TRL of the Institute of Association of Directors management and of the Highways operations – Asset Road Safety Markings programme and Treatments (Transport Research Highway Engineers of Environment, procurement for Term Maintenance Management Association (RSMA) policy manager Association Ltd Laboratory) (IHE) and highways Economy, Planning Transport Scotland Association Directorate, London consultant and Transport (ADEPT) Streets, Transport for engineering board London (TfL)
JULY 2019 3 @highwaysmag #HighwaysAwards19
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WORKING IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE INDUSTRY
VOLUME 88 No. 6 JULY 2019
IN THIS ISSUE...
part of ra s or work NEWS Incorporating EDITORIAL COMMENT 3 The green heat of revolution is hotting up EDITORIAL & ADVERTISING INDUSTRY ROUND-UP 6-7 Editor The latest news in the sector Dominic Browne ([email protected]) Tel: 020 7973 4679 COMPANIES & CONTRACTS 8-9 Deputy Editor Scotland’s trunk road network is booming after a period of Chris Ames ([email protected]) cutbacks Tel: 020 7973 4678 Publications Manager REGULARS Andy Davies ([email protected]) Tel: 01732 448718 ext 1014 VIEWPOINT 10 Recruitment Advertising – Spacehouse Ltd Steve Gooding on the trade-offs in planning a road network Alexia Costanda ([email protected]) for posterity Tel: 01625 614 000 LGTAG HIGHWAYS ENGLAND 12 Design and layout Major investment is being made to tackle ‘ghost’ markings Lisa Arcangeli / Rebecca Geldard / Jermaine Ivey
The Local Production THE BIG INTERVIEW 14-16 Government Technical Sue Taylor ([email protected]) Advisers Dave Foster of Shell Bitumen UK and Ireland tells Dominic Group Tel: 020 7973 4662 Browne about the company’s vision for a greener future Gareth Toogood ([email protected]) Mike Franklin ([email protected]) IHE 54-55 Ian Silver ([email protected]) News from the Institute of Highway Engineers Subscriptions and Circulation HIGHWAYS MINI DIRECTORY 58-59 Maggie Spillane ([email protected]) Tel: 020 7973 6679 Who’s who in the sector Hemming Group MD LEGAL 60-61 Bill Butler Pinsent Masons LLP on being practical about completions PEOPLE 62 The latest news from within the highways community Established 1934 THE RANTY HIGHWAYMAN 66 Highways is published 10 times a year by Hemming Group Ltd, 32 Vauxhall Bridge Road, Trying to make sense of highways and transport in the London SW1V 2SS Tel: 020 7973 6400 UK Vol 88 No 6 © Hemming Group Ltd 2019 Every effort is made to ensure that the content of this FEATURES publication is accurate, but the publisher accepts no responsibility for effects arising there from. We do not CARBON CUTTERS 18-20 accept responsibility for loss of or damage to unsolicited contributions. Opinions expressed by the contributors A look at the Welsh Government’s claim that a major road and advertisers are not necessarily those of the scheme would have been carbon neutral and the use of solar publisher. This publication is protected by copyright and lighting and power generation to test hopes for a sustainable no part may be reproduced in whole or in part without ‘site of the future’ the written permission of the publisher. Printed in the UK by Buxton Press, Palace Road, Buxton, LIMITED VISIBILITY 24-26 Derbyshire SK17 6AE How do we model for a net zero future? GRAPHENE: THE ‘WONDER MATERIAL’ 36 Published Hemming Group Ltd A multipurpose single layer of carbon atoms – could graphene is a member of the by be the answer to our roads’ pothole problems? Emma Greedy Professional HEMMING Publishers reports GROUP Association
Average ABC audited circulation between HIGHWAYSJOBS July 2017 & June 2018 – 8,903 THE LATEST JOB VACANCIES 63-65
Dedicated to highways maintenance and traffic management
JULY 2019 5 INDUSTRY ROUND-UP www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk Ringway wins £420m East of England deal M4 fast-track measures pledged
The Welsh Government has promised ‘fast- tracked’ measures to alleviate congestion on the M4 at Newport after it dropped plans for a relief road. First minister Mark Drakeford confirmed in June that the M4 Relief Road, which his Government had spent £44m developing, would not be progressed because of the cost and environmental damage. He also set up a special commission to consider longer-term solutions. Mr Drakeford said: ‘In advance of the commission’s work, the minister will implement a series of fast- tracked, targeted interventions to alleviate congestion on the M4, for example: actions to expedite recovery of vehicles; enhanced traffic The East region includes the strategic routes in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Central officer patrols; live journey time information Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Peterborough and Milton Keynes to inform better transport choices; and a behavioural campaign to reduce accidents Highways England has appointed ‘Together with Ringway we will work and incidents and to make maximum use of Ringway for the new Maintenance and more effectively, identify innovative existing lane capacity.’ Response contract for its East Region ways of working and provide the The newly released report of the scheme’s in a deal worth £420m. best possible quality of service to our public inquiry reveals that the planning The Asset Delivery contract, which customers. I am delighted to welcome inspector, the late Bill Wadrup, concluded is worth around £28m a year over Ringway on board and look forward to there was a ‘compelling case for the scheme 15 years, is for the maintenance of establishing a successful, long-term to be implemented’. Highways England’s strategic network relationship with them.’ This would have involved building 14 miles in the East Region (formerly Areas 6 Mike Notman, Ringway managing of new alignment across the Gwent Levels, in and 8) and is due to commence on 1 director, said: ‘This is a wonderful line with Labour’s manifesto promise in the October 2019. result, and great news for all our 2016 Welsh election. Highways England previously valued people. The East Region network is Mr Drakeford said continuing austerity, the contract at £490m over 15 years but a diverse, highly trafficked network Brexit and lack of progress on the Spending the new contract works out at around and Ringway’s existing presence, Review could result in Wales’ budget being £420m. relationships and expertise in the ‘even lower in the future than it is today’. Martin Fellows, Highways England area will prove invaluable to those He also said he would have blocked the regional operations director for the travelling and working in this part of scheme on environmental grounds in any East of England, said: ‘This innovative the country.’ case, because he attached ‘very significant contract is part of a new way of The East Region includes the weight’ to adverse impact on the wildlife and managing the East of England’s busiest strategic routes in Norfolk, Suffolk, historic landscape of the Gwent Levels. roads. We know that how we maintain Essex, Hertfordshire, Central Paul Davies, the Welsh Assembly’s our roads and respond to incidents are Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Conservative leader, said Mr Drakeford was extremely important issues for drivers. Peterborough and Milton Keynes, ‘kicking this decision into the long grass’ ‘With this contract, we will be which align with Ringway’s by setting up the commission. He said the working more directly with our existing operational areas in the ‘foot on the windpipe of the Welsh economy’ supply chain colleagues who carry out East of England. The contract will caused by M4 congestion would clearly these activities, driving improvement cover routine, reactive and cyclic continue. and strengthening our regional maintenance, winter service and expertise. incident response.
6 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk INDUSTRY ROUND-UP
Sign up here for weekly news updates delivered to your desktop every Friday. And for breaking news throughout the week visit www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk/highways-on-fridays Three merge to produce benchmarking giant
EXCLUSIVE by Dominic Browne The different groups’ membership Derbyshire CC, is chair of the MSIG steering Three key highways bodies with an extended includes Highways England and runs from group and the MHA. influence running from the Welsh borders Buckinghamshire CC to Cumbria CC, He told Highways the new body would and Cheshire, to Cumbria in the North, to covering almost all the major authorities in be similar to the Department for Transport the outskirts of London in the South, are set between. They share many members but (DfT) sponsored initiative the Highways to merge to provide one of the largest best still number around 30 individual major Maintenance Efficiency Programme and will practice and benchmarking bodies in the authorities. help maintain the legacy and culture of sector- country. The move was approved at executive board led improvement. The Midlands Highways Alliance (MHA), level in early summer and the groups are ‘We are planning the merger so we can the Midlands Service Improvement Group currently finalising the fees structure for the have a larger impact and prevent duplication. (MSIG) and the West Midlands Highways new body, Highways understands. We will be doing benchmarking and making Alliance (WMHA) are set to become one Mike Ashworth, executive director for the case to the DfT and the sector around good entity by the end of the year. economy, transport and environment at quality services and efficiencies,’ he said.
Consortium to build £1bn Silvertown Tunnel under private finance deal Transport for London (TfL) has named the with lenders and set up the supply chain. Only Riverlinx consortium as the preferred bidder once these are all agreed will TfL officially to build the £1bn Silvertown Tunnel under the award the contract. Thames in East London, with work due to start TfL anticipates that about 1,000 people will be this year. The consortium comprises Aberdeen involved in the construction. It has committed Standard Investments, BAM PPP PGGM, to employing at least 25% of the workforce Cintra, Macquarie Capital and SK Engineering from the local community, as well as creating & Construction (SK E&C). apprenticeships and training opportunities. Set to be open in 2025, the twin bore tunnel, All contractors working for the Riverlinx will link the Greenwich Peninsula and the consortium will also be required to deliver a Royal Docks. There will be a user charge at range of measures to help reduce construction both the new tunnel and the existing Blackwall impacts, including: Tunnel, which will both fund the construction • developing an extensive Community and maintenance costs and help to manage Artist’s Engagement Plan, describing how it will keep traffic demand and journey reliability. impression of the local community informed prior to and Both tunnels and the surrounding area the TfL/Riverlinx throughout the works; Silvertown Tunnel will also fall within the expanded Ultra-Low • creating local apprenticeships, job starts Emission Zone. and educational opportunities throughout the The project will be procured through a It also told Highways that although the length of the construction; Design, Build, Finance and Maintain contract, technology and infrastructure that might be • a target to have at least 25% of the construction meaning the financial risk for construction and required to support autonomous vehicles is still team working on the crossing recruited locally. an initial maintenance period will sit with the somewhat uncertain, ‘we have made provision private sector rather than TfL. for “dark” fibre cables and spare cable capacity TfL has started procurement for its £1.42bn ‘Once completed, the consortium will to be installed throughout the tunnel to allow second generation London Highways Alliance operate the tunnel for 25 years. Riverlinx will future installation during the maintenance Contracts (LoHAC). ensure it is open and operating smoothly period. This gives us flexibility to respond to The latest LoHAC divides the capital into at the most busy periods. Under the terms future requirements as and when we might three rather than the previous four area-based of the agreement, TfL will only start paying require them.’ contracts, with the total amount advertised for the tunnel once it is operational, limiting An Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) type falling from £2bn in 2012 to £1.4bn for the four its financial exposure on this project. Tunnel Boring Machine is expected to be used years from April 2021. Responsibility for the tunnel will then pass to to construct the main tunnel drives. The contracts works notice, published TfL after the 25 years,’ TfL said. ‘We have set high level requirements on in June, states: ‘TfL is establishing 3 single The transport authority said the private Riverlinx through the Project Agreement supplier frameworks for highway maintenance financing model ‘reflects the fact that TfL to ensure proper application of the waste and capital renewals and enhancements receives no ongoing investment for roads from hierarchy and mitigate the environmental and associated works and services... across the Government’ and ‘has no dedicated income impacts of construction. We will require that London for use by TfL and other Contracting stream to pay for capital roads projects like this’. 100% of suitable excavated materials and at Authorities identified.’ ‘The tunnel has a design life of 120 years least 55% of all materials by weight will be The frameworks are due to start in October although certain equipment or elements transported by river,’ TfL told Highways. 2020 with service delivery to commence in of it will need to be replaced, renewed and Throughout the summer, the consortium April 2021. maintained within that timeframe,’ TfL said. will work to confirm financial arrangements
JULY 2019 7 COMPANIES & CONTRACTS www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE by Steve Menary Big players are seeing big growth While Scotland’s civil engineering contractors are struggling with reduced council spending on road maintenance, work on the trunk road network is booming, but only benefiting a handful of big players
The M9 motorway at Newbridge
Nearly £1bn has been spent on trunk but the deal has proved more valuable than company comprised of consultant Jacobs, road maintenance in Scotland over the expected. Eurovia and aggregates group Breedon. last six years, according to a Freedom of When the FBOC was being procured in The preventative and reactive contracts Information (FOI) request by Highways. 2013, then transport minister Keith Brown are lump sum deals and Eurovia said BEAR The request asked Transport Scotland described the contract as being ‘worth Scotland had to take the brunt of increased for details of annual spending on road between £40m to £60m over five years.’ costs for salt, labour hours, fuel and damage. maintenance made through the three The FOI releases show that from the As a result, profits suffered and Eurovia operating companies working under the 4th start of the contract in 2014/15 to 2018/19, is not alone in facing difficult times in generation term maintenance contracts for spending totalled nearly £91m. Scotland. Scotland’s trunk road network. They also cover spending on maintenance Eurovia’s partner, Breedon, also recently The results show spending of £946m of three Scottish motorways. In the last noted: ‘In Scotland, reduced spending on between 2013/14 and 2018/19 and significant financial year this increased on the M77 and infrastructure and private development rises in all four regions. M80 but slumped 39% on the M74. Back in made the year particularly challenging, The biggest spend was in the North West, 2013/14, spending on the M74 was £19.6m exacerbated by increased competition in which is one of two regional contracts held but only totalled £7.9m last year according our markets from competitors who, having by BEAR Scotland and has seen expenditure to the FoI. completed major contracts in the Central of £306m over the last six years. On an As the only company with more than one Belt, moved north to secure replacement annual basis, spending in the region in contract, BEAR Scotland secured around volumes.’ 2018/19 was up 48% on the figure for 42% of all Transport Scotland’s spending Scotland’s contractors have been 2013/14. on trunk roads, the three motorways and struggling with reduced spending on roads Across the same period, annual spending the Forth Bridge in 2018/19 but made less for some time but while Transport Scotland has leapt 74% in the South West region run money. has increased spending, councils have cut by Scotland Transerv but the increase in At BEAR Scotland in 2018, pre-tax profits budgets. Amey’s South East region was only 26%. fell more than a quarter to £2.2m, even A report published last summer by Audit Amey also has the Forth Bridge Operating though turnover rose 19% to £100.9m. Scotland stated that between 2011/12 and Contract (FBOC), where expenditure shrank It cited the impact of an extremely harsh 2014/15 Transport Scotland had spent £24m 11.5% in 2018/19 against the previous year, 2017/18 winter. BEAR Scotland is a limited (38%) less on structural maintenance than
8 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk COMPANIES & CONTRACTS it considered necessary to maintain current trunk road condition. The report, Maintaining Scotland’s Roads, found that spending on trunk roads had declined by 4% over the same period to £162m. The more recent data obtained by Highways shows that a drop in combined spending on road maintenance in the four regions of just around 9% between 2013/14 and 2015/16 has been followed by steady annual increases since. However, Audit Scotland also found that overall council expenditure on roads maintenance between 2011/12 and 2014/15 declined 14% and criticised ‘disappointingly slow’ progress on introducing a shared The report, Maintaining Scotland’s Roads, found that spending on trunk roads had declined by 4% over the same period to £162m service approach, despite this being a central theme of the 2012 National Roads Maintenance Review. from £252m in 2015/16 to £374m in 2016/17 Transport Scotland has decided that for the Last year’s Local Government Bench- and then leapt to £551m in 2017/18. new deals no one provider can secure more marking Framework report cited an even With the only increases in roads spending than two contracts and no company can run deeper cut, with a drop of 20% in real terms benefiting a handful of major contractors, more than one in the North and South. from £691m in 2010/11 to £554m in 2016/17. Scottish civil contractors are struggling and A Transport Scotland spokesperson In response, a spokesperson for the two firms went under last year. explained: ‘A similar two-tranche approach Convention of Scottish Local Authorities Paisley-based Lambert Contracts, which was used for the 3G and 4G contracts, told Highways: ‘We recognise the financial turned over £15m a year, and Bonnyrigg although this time we are proposing a pressures the roads service, like many outfit Crummock, which had revenue of North/South model as opposed to a West/ others we provide, is under. That is why we £24m, blamed their failure on poor cash East split. campaigned around the essential services flow and tight margins. ‘This approach has the advantage of local government provides during last year’s Confidence among Scotland’s civil helping keep this market alive in Scotland, Spending Review. engineering industry is low and contractors as a single procurement for the entire trunk ‘The roads service remains a priority for have recorded falling annual workloads since road network would close the market off for councils going forward but as our funding 2017, according to the Civil Engineering a considerable period of time, hence risking reduces it is competing with many other Contractors Association (CECA). the decline of the industry as operators may services we provide for our communities.’ In its Q1 2019 state of trade survey, 26% be attracted to opportunities elsewhere. While council road maintenance declines, of Scottish firms, on balance, reported an ‘In relation to the restriction that stipulates spending on Scotland’s highways structures annual fall in workloads, the sixth successive bidders can only secure one contract in is also decreasing, according to a reply to quarter of decline. the North and South – this will increase parliamentary questions tabled by Scottish The survey also found that 26% of the resilience of the overall trunk road Labour’s transport spokesperson Colin Scottish firms, on balance, reported that maintenance service. Smyth MSP. orders had declined in the first three ‘It will avoid the possibility of a single Transport secretary Michael Matheson months of this year and 21% expect a fall in operating company being made responsible admitted that Transport Scotland’s bridge workloads during the next 12 months. for maintaining the entire Scottish trunk repair backlog now stands at £570m and a Amidst this poor outlook, the renewal of road network, and the associated risks this total of 1,720 of 1,933 bridges on Scotland’s the four main regional contracts may offer scenario could present for service delivery.’ trunk road network need work. some salvation. The change could provide a much-needed This data showed that the repair backlog BEAR Scotland has extensions on its two fillip, even though competition from major for council bridges in Scotland increased contracts, which will now run until Q2 2022. national players will be tough.
TRANSPORT SCOTLAND ROADS AND BRIDGES SPENDING 2013/14 TO 2018/19 OPERATING AREA 2013/14 2014/15 2015/16 2016/17 2017/18 2018/19 TOTAL COMPANY/DBFO BEAR Scotland NW £44,088,487 £47,421,959 £42,178,448 £52,836,162 £54,440,461 £65,267,231 £306,232,748
NE £31,741,872 £27,502,442 £24,634,141 £28,755,176 £29,435,003 £34,336,988 £176,405,622 Scotland Transerv SW £38,144,237 £39,732,669 £37,519,307 £47,960,432 £55,905,269 £66,543,050 £285,804,964 Amey SE £27,688,028 £24,611,644 £24,008,268 £32,913,768 £33,807,179 £34,838,540 £177,867,427 FBOC £0 £445,707 £17,236,529 £16,840,541 £29,470,226 £26,072,908 £90,065,911 Autolink M74 £19,558,000 £13,830,000 £14,064,000 £12,442,000 £12,974,000 £7,900,000 £80,768,000 Connect M77 £0 £4,085,000 £3,710,000 £2,734,000 £2,825,000 £3,202,000 £16,556,000 HMG M80 £2,705,000 £2,213,000 £2,566,000 £2,329,000 £2,403,000 £2,528,000 £14,744,000 TOTAL £163,925,624 £159,842,421 £165,916,693 £196,811,079 £221,260,138 £240,688,717 £1,148,444,672 Source: Freedom of Information enquiry
JULY 2019 9 VIEWPOINT www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
The long view down the road Former Department for Transport (DfT) director and current director of the RAC Foundation, Steve Gooding, discusses the trade-offs in planning a road network for posterity
have to confess I was increase in mileage has been a rising oblivious to the recent population. We might not be doing more miles National Map Reading Week on an individual basis, but if there are more of organised by Ordnance us then the total distance travelled will tend to I Survey – just as national only go one way. BBQ week and national ‘go-canoeing’ week There is also the split in traffic between also passed me by. However, I did spot the road types. Half of all traffic is on motorways Ordnance Survey-prompted news report and rural A roads. revealing that nowhere in Great Britain is The irony is that it’s the car – alongside bus now more than six miles from a road. and coach services – that has democratised Steve Gooding The subtext of the story seemed to be mobility on such a large scale. The that because of our demand, and desire, for affordability and availability of cars has meant I arrived in the transport arena at the tail- motorised travel the country has increasingly more people than ever can get to the places end of the motorway-building era – not long been concreted over with roads. Really? that were once, literally, beyond reach. before the ribbon cutting on the last stretch In 1998, according to DfT statistics, Some of our most stunning and breath- of the M25. In the time since, I have seen there were 241,490 miles of road in Great taking areas are actually playing on the fact the tide swing firmly against road building Britain. Last year there were 246,697 miles. they are ‘car friendly’. The Visit Scotland and, indeed, against traffic. Who remembers And a large proportion of the additional website describes the North Coast 500 route the concept that the Government of the day coverage will be associated with housing as ‘the road trip of a lifetime’ and says there wasn’t against car ownership (aspiration) but developments – the ubiquitous twiddly estate ‘is nothing quite like the freedom of the long against car use (congestion)? Has anyone else roads and cul-de-sacs soon to be littered open road’. got a copy of the Road Traffic Reduction Act with the parked cars of residents because So, here we have the rub. How should we 1997 on their bookshelf? Or the Road Traffic the parking provision is unrealistic, and…. maintain public accessibility to our nation’s Reduction (National Targets) Act 1998? I digress. My point is, we’re rarely talking most attractive locations while preserving What followed into the 2000s was the era about new routes. Much of the network has the features – unsullied natural landscapes, of Public Service Agreements, with targets been with us for centuries, if not millennia. peace and quiet, abundant wildlife – that for departments to meet, in return for the The Romans built about 2,000 miles of make them such? And how should we keep Treasury’s financial largesse, which for the paved road after their successful invasion the economy moving when, inconvenient as it DfT included targets to alleviate congestion of these lands in AD43. Even the 117-mile may be, the business and logistics worlds rely and deliver more reliable journey times. Not long M25 is now decades old, the last section so heavily on road transport? that the chancellor’s generosity extended to having been opened by Margaret Thatcher in The answer is that this is not a conundrum much by way of road building. October 1986. with a single ‘right’ solution; we’re necessarily And then came 2015 and the Road Of course, what has changed significantly talking about a political judgement call. Investment Strategy for England, the five- over time is traffic volume. Looking at the year, £15bn road investment programme, same time period as above, in 1998, there mostly committing to online capacity building were 285 billion vehicle miles travelled in through the still controversial technique of all- Britain. Last year it was 328 billion miles – a lane running, but with development funding record. This represents 15% growth in traffic for schemes, which included the Lower compared with a 2% rise in the length of the Thames Crossing and the A27 network. Arundel bypass. One of the big drivers of this New roads minister rapid Michael Ellis has arrived just in time to steer the second Road Investment Strategy through its closing stages, no small task in these politically turbulent times. But as Mr Ellis contemplates the inevitable trade- offs and judgements that will have to be made, let’s not forget Sir John Hayes’ enthusiastic campaign to improve the quality and aesthetics of transport infrastructure, including road design. Whether we are building new routes or enhancing capacity online, let’s remember that we’re going to be living with and, it seems, relatively near to the results for a very long time. © Sanit Fuangnakhon/shutterstock.com
10 JULY 2019 2019 commitment through innovation
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Supporting the Traffic Management industry since 1999 01606 738866 www.srl.co.uk HIGHWAYS ENGLAND www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk Don’t just toe the line - innovate Highways England is investing almost £700,000 on research to improve road markings and tackle confusing ‘ghost’ markings. Corporate group leader Martin Bolt explains why
ost drivers will be familiar with frustrating ‘ghost’ Others markings which can cause confusion on sunny days. l MEON (England) These are removed or masked lines – white lines No water paints product painted black – which still appear as faint markings reached the minimum M in certain light, making lanes appear unclear. But requirements. removing road markings brings its own problems. That is why Highways England has launched a £685,000 research project to make the problems What happens now? posed by road markings disappear. The materials submitted by The international competition has seen products from around the the winners have been laid world submitted and put to the test – with the road markings subjected to along the M5 in the South some two million ‘wheel overs’. The results of the research will set a new West where they will be tested benchmark standard for the industry and highlight the most effective and in all weathers over the next safest products to use. 12 months. As well as testing the materials, further testing Why was the competition launched? will also be carried out on five As well as ‘ghost’ markings causing confusion for motorists, removing removal systems. markings can cause damage to the surface with the repairs adding to the overall cost of road schemes and creating additional work. We know What impact will this ‘ghost’ markings on any roads, not just ours, can be confusing for drivers competition have on the so we set out to find a solution that makes a real difference not just for industry? road users on our network but across the globe. We hope the outcome of the With new products, improved technology and a greater focus on competition will be to set a innovations and more collaborative ways of working we are asking our new benchmark standard supply chain to raise the bar above the standards that we previously set. and give us a greater understanding of the materials and processes we, and the road industry, What is involved? should be using in future schemes. Once complete, the most successful The Transforming Road Markings competition was launched through products will be highlighted in research shared around the world and Highways England’s Innovation Designated Fund, in conjunction with setting new high standards for the road industry. Roadcare and Kier, and received 36 entries from across the globe. The aim There was a high standard of entries and many of the products was to find the most effective road markings that will also reduce damage performed to a level above the existing specification. We were pleased to the surface when the lines are removed. Entries were separated into to see some different and innovative approaches. This is a worldwide five material categories: thermoplastics, cold plastics, tapes, water-based problem with road marking removal and it is the first time the industry paints, as well as ‘others’ – products not specified in the other categories has been challenged like this. or the use of a combination of them. Applicants were asked to What our partners say send samples of their product Kevin Dawson, managing director of Roadcare, said: ‘Competitors from for testing, which has been across the globe have told us how refreshing and inspiring it has been that taking place at an industry- Highways England is leading the way in looking for solutions to what is recognised centre in Madrid. an international issue. It is fully supportive in helping to find a sustainable The materials were tested for solution to the road markings challenges.’ skid-resistance, contrast and Scott Cooper, managing director of strategic highways at Kier, wet and dry retro-reflectivity. commented: ‘By working collaboratively with our client and supply chain They were subjected to two partners such as WJ, Wilson and Scott, and Roadcare, we have been able million ‘wheel-overs’ to test to continue to develop and deliver new ideas, products and processes. the durability of the markings. This will help deliver safer roads as scarring and ghosting will disappear. The winning entries are: The customer experience through road works will improve as a result of Thermoplastics clearer markings and finished schemes will have a cleaner appearance.’ l WJ Roadmarkings (England) How is Highways England investing in innovation? l Geveko Roadmarkings Highways England is committed to investing in research and innovation (Sweden) to enable us to remain at the forefront of ensuring our strategic roads are l Swarco (Germany) more dependable, durable and safe. Cold plastics Our Innovation Designated Fund provides £150m in the first Road l SWARCO (Germany) Investment Strategy for capital projects to discover and implement l MEON (England) emergency technologies, new materials and ways of working. l SWARCO (Germany) Tapes For more details of Highways England developments visit the Innovation l 3M (England) Hub at https://highwaysengland.co.uk/innovation-hub/
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SAFETY IS OUR BUSINESS www.asset-vrs.co.uk Tel: 01902 499400 Fax: 01902 402104 Springvale Business & Industrial Park Email: [email protected] Bilston, West Midlands WV14 0QL BIG INTERVIEW www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk A breath of fresh air Dave Foster (inset), business manager for Shell Bitumen UK and Ireland, speaks to Dominic Browne about the company’s vision for a cleaner, greener, more recycled sector
Shell has developed a rapid testing device that can be used for the prediction of multiple rheological test data from a small sample of bitumen
irtually every key part of supreme chemical manipulation, which binder sample in a matter of minutes infrastructure in the UK – may not be for mass production in this and sends the output to a cloud-based from Heathrow to the M6 country but seeks to prove Shell will be platform where a series of algorithms - has at some point, and waiting close to the finish line whenever convert this data to rheological binder ‘V will at some point in the the market is ready to catch up. properties and return the results to your future, have used our products.’ The last time Highways spoke to Shell smart device. There is no denying Shell Bitumen has it had just produced groundbreaking Mr Foster says: ‘We are advocates and one hell of a CV. It is one that business research on the oxidization of asphaltenes supporters of the use of recycled product. manager Dave Foster, who has been with Asphalt is probably the most recyclable the group for around 30 years, says he is product in the world, with the exception extremely proud of. “ An app-based of water. We are doing a lot of work and ‘I think the one thing that makes developing products such as our “DES me very proud of Shell is I work for an prediction methodology system”, which is an app-based prediction organisation that continues to develop its can take a very small methodology that can take a very small product range and invest in research and amount of bitumen and predict its development. We have a fantastic facility amount of bitumen and parameters and qualities . over in India, in Bangalore, and I think it is predict its parameters ‘It is linked to an app that helps us cutting edge. To work for an organisation predict the qualities of a bitumen very that is not just working for today, but and qualities ” rapidly. We are trialling it in seven centres is proactively looking at what could be around the world, one of which is in the available tomorrow is fantastic.’ to better understand any possible UK. R&D, and specifically environmental and limitations of recycled asphalt pavement ‘It’s new tech for us but it’s up and sustainable innovations, is the main theme (see Highways March 2018); now it appears running. The key driver is very much the of his conversation with Highways, which is it has an app for that, or at least for the speed with which it can determine the timed to mark the launch of Shell Bitumen testing of bitumen properties. qualities you are looking for. It’s almost FreshAir technology, an on-trend product Shell has developed a rapid testing instantaneous. You can get the results in that can reduce toxic emissions during device that can be used for the prediction 30 seconds, let’s say, whereas it may take asphalt production and road paving. of multiple rheological test data (i.e. weeks using older technology. It can work Embraced in the Far East, this is the penetration, softening point, dynamic before or after manufacture. type of tent pole product the company viscosity, etc) from a small sample of specialises in; a demonstration of bitumen. The device analyses the prepared Continued on page 16
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A4 April 2019_V3.indd 1 24/04/2019 16:48 BIG INTERVIEW www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Continued from page 14
‘So, in theory, you could use it on reclaimed asphalt pavement that is laid on the road. So far we have found it produces very accurate readings and predictions. It is not in the public domain and it’s very much what we are looking to patent at this point.’ During Mr Foster’s time at Shell, he says the company has made major progress on key issues, including R&D, safety and diversity, and it now has sustainability in its sights. ‘If you look at the journey Shell is taking and the transition to cleaner energies, we are on a fantastic transition. We are acquiring businesses across the globe looking at cleaner fuels and cleaner energies. We are on a mission to reduce our carbon footprint and that is one of our core targets over the coming years. It’s very much our corporate strategy. We The FreshAir project don’t see ourselves as a fossil fuels hydro carbon energy company, it’s very much Shell’s latest bitumen about cleaner energy. That is one of the product helps reduce the drivers behind the new FreshAir product. impact of road paving on ‘We have bought utilities companies, local air quality. Highways electricity companies, which are fully charts its progress sourced by renewable energy. ‘In terms of oil versus gas, we now produce more gas than oil as a global How did this product come the source of gases, by an average of 40% company.’ about? particulates impacting air during asphalt production Mr Foster highlights that in 2017, Shell quality such as nitrogen and road paving when signed an agreement to buy 100% of The genesis of this project dioxide and odour compared to conventional First Utility, a leading independent UK was in the Far East. This releasing molecules. bitumen. household energy and broadband provider. idea has been embraced in The chemical reaction Two years later, Shell rebranded First mega cities like Bangkok, occurs in situ at molecular How easily can the FreshAir Utility as Shell Energy and switched all of Shanghai, Beijing, and level, which helps additive be added to its British residential customers to 100% Hong Kong where they to reduce gases and bitumen mixes? Can it be renewable electricity. have very particular particulates or minimise inserted into any asphalt? Such moves might not be enough for problems with air quality. them becoming airborne everyone of course but the more weight We have done and therefore reducing the Shell bitumen FreshAir companies like Shell throw behind successful trials in impact on air quality. can be easily used with the green agenda the more the whole London, Paris and The Switching to Shell existing asphalt mixing economy will make the shift. Netherlands. The trials Bitumen FreshAir is and laying processes. When talking about the future of the have gained momentum estimated to have a similar market, Mr Foster predicts more warm and a global scope as effect on particulate What is the cost benefit of mix asphalt and hopes to see the promised well. It’s been extremely matter (PM10) as planting the technology in terms workload from Highways England come successful. The results an average of 16 trees; of air quality versus extra to fruition. Then the conversation turns to have been what we hoped or a similar impact on cost? automation and he raises an interesting for. We had very high the reduction of nitrogen point about the world of asphalt. expectations in terms of dioxide (NO2) equivalent It is impossible to put a ‘If you look at the mixing of the materials air quality improvements to removing an average of price tag on air quality and construction of a road, it is an and that’s exactly what we 40 cars per kilometre of and it is clear people are incredibly short amount of time. It is done have seen. asphalt laid per year. becoming more aware of within one or two hours at most, from Tests showed that the issues associated with asphalt mix to laying, for something that How does the FreshAir using Shell bitumen its impact on their daily we hope will last the next 20 or 30 years. bitumen work? FreshAir reduced the lives. ‘Due to the elevated temperatures and levels of sulphur dioxide We believe the response the cooling of the product it has to be The mixture of inhibiting (SO2), nitrogen oxides must come from a range done very dynamically. So I don’t think components of Shell (NOX), carbon monoxide of sectors and solutions automation is that much of an issue for us.’ bitumen FreshAir act (CO), volatile organic and that is why we have Read: You have to get up very early in the directly with selective compounds (VOC) and developed Shell bitumen morning to get one over on the highways compounds which are particulate matter (PM) FreshAir. sector. Even robots would struggle.
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To find out more visit: www.johnstonsweepers.co.uk SUSTAINABILITY www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk Can new roads be carbon neutral? Before dropping its plans to build a new section of motorway, the Welsh Government used detailed modelling to support its argument that the road would have been carbon neutral. Rhodri Clark takes a balanced look at the arguments around carbon neutrality for roads
limate change is back on the new road’s impact on port operations. British public and political How could such a large carbon agendas. The Extinction expenditure be offset, given the tendency Rebellion protests in April, of new roads to induce additional traffic? C a BBC documentary in The key word in Mr Skates’ statement was which David Attenborough delivered a stark ‘lifetime’. The Government forecast that warning, and teenage campaigner Greta over about 50 years, the savings in user Thunberg’s visit to London all raised the carbon emissions from the new road would subject’s profile. equate to the carbon emitted in construction Many political bodies reacted by declaring (excluding the additional docks works). climate change emergencies in their areas. It compared the induced traffic growth The Scottish Government was the first to with its forecasts of traffic growth and make a significant change in policy in line emissions under a ‘Do Minimum’ scenario. with the zeitgeist, dropping its long-standing A government spokesman explained in The theory was that emissions released during policy aim of halving and later abolishing Air May: ‘The M4 project has been subject to a construction of the M4 Relief Road would be offset by the removal of an equivalent amount of CO from Passenger Duty. highly detailed assessment of construction, 2 The Welsh Government declared a operation and user carbon. The 2.8km the atmosphere climate change emergency on 29 April. More shorter route and alleviation of stop-start Economics and Policy at the London School than a month later, it emerged that on the conditions for the 40 million trips a year in of Economics and Political Science. The same day the Cabinet had decided not to South East Wales are two reasons why the centre is chaired by Lord Stern, who headed proceed with the proposed M4 Relief Road project would reduce carbon emissions on the influential 2006 Stern Review on the around Newport because the cost was ‘not the Welsh transport network.’ Economics of Climate Change. acceptable’ in the light of other demands on The Government’s calculations showed Mr Ward says: ‘The term “carbon neutral” the capital budget. small annual user emissions savings is very clearly defined as net zero emissions Although the impact of the scheme (against the ‘Do Minimum” emissions) of greenhouse gases. For the M4 Relief Road on the local environment was a factor in cumulatively adding up to 522,000 tonnes by to be considered carbon neutral over the the decision, climate change appears to the 2070s, thereby making the road carbon course of its lifetime, any emissions released have played no part. Indeed, the Welsh neutral. during its construction and its subsequent Government continued to argue after 29 That’s a novel and invalid use of the use by traffic would need to be offset by the April that the scheme would be carbon term ‘carbon neutral’, according to Bob removal of an equivalent amount of carbon neutral. Welsh transport minister Ken Ward, policy and communications director dioxide from the atmosphere, for instance by Skates explained in the Senedd in May: ‘Of at the ESRC Centre for Climate Change planting trees and other vegetation.’ course there will be many difficult decisions over many different roads that we are going to have to make as we respond to the climate emergency. I would invite all members to reflect on this – the M4 Relief Road that is being promoted by the Welsh Government is a carbon neutral road scheme over the course of its lifetime. ‘Are all other proposed road schemes across Wales, in all parts of Wales, carbon neutral or are they worse? If they are worse, would those members who support them stop promoting them?’ Constructing the M4 Relief Road would have emitted 522,000 tonnes of CO2, according to March 2016 government evidence for the scheme’s public inquiry, excluding further CO2 emissions from additional works at Newport docks to lessen Google Earth image showing the rejected plan for a relief road for the congested M4 corridor around Newport
18 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk SUSTAINABILITY
‘Those forecasts indicate that in the future, the already congested M4 – if the Welsh Government did nothing – would be more congested and traffic would carry on growing rapidly.’ He says experience from elsewhere shows that congestion itself acts as a brake on traffic growth and, in the absence of road building, authorities often respond with alternative measures such as public transport improvements, park and ride and parking control. In public inquiry evidence, the Welsh Government said its estimates of user carbon savings from the M4 Relief Road are conservative in that they exclude further reductions which ‘may come by targeting the user carbon through a variety of hard and soft measures, interlinked with the wider transport strategy of the Welsh Government’. Some objectors to the scheme, however, argued that hard and soft measures to reduce traffic in the region would have been be less likely, or smaller, if the Government committed such a large proportion of its funding to the £1.4bn M4 scheme. Mr Elliott questions the common assumption in UK road schemes that free- However, planning inspector Bill Wadrup to the existing road and be in rural areas flow traffic on new roads has lower carbon was convinced by the Welsh Government’s where the reduced journey times would emissions than slower traffic on older logic after examining all of the evidence in generate negligible additional traffic. roads, where speed limits are usually lower the course of the 13-month public inquiry. He He says the UK has a long track record of and congestion occurs at peak times. The concluded that the scheme would be ‘carbon underestimating traffic generated by urban existing M4 at Newport is an example, part neutral in the foreseeable future’ and ‘the road schemes. ‘At the Thames Gateway of which features a 50mph speed limit for air carbon calculations take account of induced Bridge inquiry in the early 2000s they said quality purposes. traffic and in my view are conservative (in that 30% of the traffic would be generated ‘Fuel consumption is much higher in terms of the scheme benefits) because extra cross-river traffic, but real evidence free-flow traffic at 75mph than at 45mph,’ traffic would be drawn away from less of traffic on every river crossing capacity he says. He also observes that in stop-start suitable (hilly, bendy) routes, the driving increase in London has shown that 100% conditions, emissions are increasingly being conditions on which would generate more generated traffic is more realistic.’ reduced because modern cars turn off carbon than that on a modern relatively flat On the other side of the comparison of their engines when the vehicle is stationary, and free-flowing motorway’. emissions with and without a road scheme, and that by 2070 there should be very few John Elliott of the Local Government future ‘do nothing’ traffic figures are internal-combustion cars on the roads. Technical Advisers Group is sceptical. He overestimated, argues Mr Elliott. ‘We’ve The spread of electric vehicles (EVs) and acknowledges that some new roads could been pointing out the errors of the DfT’s phasing out of internal combustion promise reduce carbon emissions but says they traffic forecasts, which say huge growth will to reduce the road carbon emissions, but would need to provide a shorter alternative take place regardless. that does not necessarily help to make new roads carbon neutral. Under the Welsh model for calculating carbon neutrality, low-carbon vehicles reduce the annual user carbon savings, thereby increasing the carbon payback time. The Welsh Government told the inquiry that its carbon model ‘does not allow for the impact of any legislative and policy changes that will aim to provide modal shift and take up of cleaner vehicle technologies’. It said that the UK Government’s ban on conventional diesel and petrol car sales from 2040 does not apply to larger vehicles, and electric vehicles (EVs) will only become low- carbon when the electricity grid has been decarbonised. However, it acknowledged: ‘All other things being equal, acceleration of the uptake of EVs will put back the date for Congestion on the M4 will still need action without the relief road, the Welsh Government says carbon neutrality [of the M4 scheme].’ JULY 2019 19 SUSTAINABILITY www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
their environment with unwelcome fumes and noise.’ Ryan Ballinger, production manager for Colas Rail, says: ‘We have worked closely to drive the development of suitable on-site solar tower lights and walking lights. Now at Llanwern we have been able to add solar generators for the first time and moving forward we want to add smaller plant and tools such as disk saws and band saws. ‘There’s no doubt these technologies are going to be a complete game changer. Now, we need to push on and get to the point where they are just business as usual.’ Network Rail says the project not only provided feedback to help refine the solar and battery technologies, but also identified energy-efficiency initiatives that can contribute to 100% diesel-free operation. Almost all of this is clearly something the highways industry could learn from, in its efforts to cut the contribution of construction On-site vision zero and maintenance works to both climate change and air pollution. A project led by Network In May the British Safety Council called for air pollution Rail and Colas Rail has used to be recognised as an solar lighting and power occupational health hazard. generation to test hopes Workers on highways sites will of a sustainable ‘site of the be affected by emissions from generators and plant, often in future’, achieving 97% diesel- addition to passing traffic. free operation. Chris Ames Colas Ltd, which carries asks what the highways out highways and other industry can learn infrastructure works in the UK, is owned by the same parent company as Colas Rail. It says he initiative at a major rail Top and above: A total of 21 solar tower lights illuminated the there is close collaboration renewal project at Llanwern, site compound, car parking and work preparation areas, as between the two businesses. South Wales, used solar and well as being deployed on the trackside It tells Highways it is confident battery technologies instead that most of the learning from T of diesel generators to save the lessons from Llanwern so we can close the Llanwern project can be transferred 6,000 litres of fuel and more than 15 tonnes of that small gap. We really want to get to that across to this industry.
CO2 during a 14-day project. 100% fuel free-figure by the time of our next Chief executive officer Carl Ferguson says: Solar lighting and power generation challenge, planned for a rail renewal project ‘We have regular knowledge exchange on technologies were used across a site covering later in the summer.’ innovation applications and development at more than 21 acres. Three 25kW solar He adds: ‘We were also able to demonstrate various levels between our organisations and generators replaced conventional diesel the versatility of using portable lithium battery our CST R&D campus in Paris is a driving force generators, providing light and heat for packs, recharged as necessary from the in the exchange of expertise and know-how.’ seven welfare cabins, including site offices, a solar generators, to power dust suppression Colas Ltd says that in its highways canteen, toilets and a drying room. systems, water cooler stations and point infrastructure work, short-term closures tend A total of 21 solar tower lights illuminated motors.’ to restrict the use of fixed plant but the most the site compound, car parking and work Network Rail says using diesel generators likely candidate for this type of approach is preparation areas, as well as being deployed has been the only option for reliable off-grid where the work is for a fixed period, making on the trackside, where 200 metres of battery- power to support rail renewal work but viable the longer-term installation of big kit, like a powered link lighting was also used and solar technologies are now being seen as solar-powered generator, add value. column street lights were positioned along the a vital contribution to ‘non-traction’ carbon As for when on-site vehicles and equipment access road to the site. targets, as well as to reduce the noise, smell might go carbon or emissions free, Colas Network Rail describes the results as and air pollution from diesel exhausts, says it collaborates with GAP Hire Solutions to ‘a significant achievement that marks an especially next to residential areas. identify innovative products. environmental milestone towards clean, Mr Matthews says: ‘The environmental It adds that its openness to trialling carbon-free off-grid working’. impact of running diesel generators all day on innovations such as battery powered tools and Nick Matthews, Network Rail programme a major worksite like Llanwern is absolutely hybrid power solutions, alongside emission- engineering manager, says: ‘To achieve 97% at huge. It’s not just about carbon emissions; our free products, gives vital feedback to GAP, the first attempt is simply staggering. lineside neighbours are very important to us. ensuring that it can invest in low carbon plant, ‘It’s also very clear where we have learnt By using solar harvesting, we’re not polluting tools and equipment.
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The Hammersmith conundrum Dominic Browne looks at the concept of disappearing traffic in the context of the Hammersmith Bridge repairs
esigned by Sir Joseph fractures [pictured insert left] had started surprised at all when the message came Bazalgette, Hammersmith to appear in the iron casings around the through that for safety reasons it had to Bridge is one of London’s pedestals of the bridge,’ the council stated. close. Clearly, it was the right decision. most beautiful landmarks. A team of 18 specialist engineers from ‘Of course, now the argument is who D Built in 1887, this Grade both TfL and the council are undertaking pays? For a strategic bridge of this nature, II listed structure was the most comprehensive engineering I think the Government has to put its hands the first suspension bridge built over the review the bridge has ever seen. They are in its pockets. Councils don’t have that Thames. Idling along the river walkway set to give a full diagnosis of the bridge’s kind of capital to spend on a bridge repair beneath it, you used to be able to hear the health by mid-August, at which point we of that nature.’ Local Conservative MPs cars rumble overhead, but not anymore. will know more about price and timescales. seem more inclined to look at City Hall for Despite having survived two attacks – The latest estimates suggest it could take an answer and have campaigned for the from the IRA and the Provisional IRA – it around three years to repair. London mayor to take swift action. was built for horse and carts, not the strain TfL has already committed £25m to the Meanwhile, there are some who argue of 20,000 vehicles every day and in April project and is actively working to find the that after the repairs we should consider the bridge had to be closed to motor traffic rest of the required funding. It is working keeping the bridge closed to motor indefinitely while Transport for London with Hammersmith and Fulham to submit vehicles. The suggestion is that if the route (TfL) and Hammersmith and Fulham a bid to the Government to fund the is closed it will lead to a certain percentage Council find the cash for repairs, which will restoration. of traffic in the area disappearing. run to tens of millions. Leader of Ealing Council and chair A report dating back to 1997/98, when ‘Safety checks revealed that over of London Councils’ Transport and the bridge was last closed to motor traffic, decades the bridge’s bearings had seized Environment Committee, Julian Bell, told looked into the effects of offering more up due to corrosion. This has caused the Highways: ‘I was shocked at the condition space to buses, cyclists and pedestrians. It bridge’s natural and necessary flexibility to of Hammersmith Bridge. I felt very argued that when roads are closed to cars become compromised…hairline micro- uncomfortable driving over it so I was not a proportion of local traffic will disappear.
22 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk TRAFFIC MODELLING
cars for repairs in 1997 and there are 11 pages of very detailed but short-term results in Cairns et al 1998, suggesting a small but sufficient overall traffic reduction, of around 10%, explaining why the surrounding congestion did not get worse. ‘At the moment I’m inclined to go for “evaporation” as the main explanation. Interestingly, there was no substantial discussion in 1997 to make the (part) closure permanent. Now it’s a valid idea.’ Highways magazine’s Ranty Highwayman – a chartered engineer who works in a local highway department – commended the ‘local heroes who actually manage the bridge in deciding to stop further damage and to return it to the people’, adding that the ‘professional engineers involved have put their reputations in the firing line to ensure people and the bridge stays safe’. ‘I’ve yet to visit the site myself, but watching the videos of the sheer joy people are having walking and cycling across is a wonderful thing to see. It now provides a golden opportunity to look at how motor traffic is evaporating in the area and how air quality is not being impacted on the diversion routes. We see this all over the world when we make radical network changes and I have no doubt that we will see the same here. ‘There are lessons here about liveability and what we manage our assets for. A venerable listed structure like this, which has stood sentinel over the Thames for over 130 years, is now being treated with The Hammersmith conundrum the respect it deserves and we have a fascinating live experiment in how people Researchers from the Transport Studies networks sometimes a new road link could move and adapt in full swing.’ Unit at University College, London, make things worse by tempting drivers to Whether these intellectual arguments looked at 60 sites in the UK including take a route which would make congestion will work on the politicians, though, Hammersmith, and across the world, disproportionately worse downstream. By is doubtful. The Barnes Community where road space had been reduced. removing the link traffic would speed up. Association has taken an initial survey of Dr Sally Cairns, a research fellow at the ‘It’s an anomaly, real but difficult to find, businesses on the Castelnau Parade just unit, said at the time: ‘There have been like a Black Hole. (Mogridge showed a south of Hammersmith Bridge and found significant reductions in the immediate similar result via a different mechanism 43% reported no change to average income local area. that building extra road capacity in an urban since the closure, 22% say business is ‘Thirty thousand vehicles used to use network with good public transport, could better, and 35% say business is struggling, Hammersmith Bridge but they have not sometimes make conditions worse for with these mostly relying on car deliveries been found on the two neighbouring bridges everybody.) to Hammersmith and Fulham. and there are surveys, which show that as ‘“Evaporation”, sometimes called Mr Bell told Highways: ‘I certainly know much as a third of car trips which used to be “disappearing traffic” is widely observed. there are significant congestion problems made are now made by other methods.’ Reducing road capacity triggers as a result. As I have gone through Emeritus professor of transport policy, behavioural adjustments (trips, modes, Hammersmith there is newly-created Phil Goodwin, who is currently working on timing, routes) which reduce the total congestion. It does make people take new a national transport strategy for Labour volume of vehicle traffic sufficient to avoid routes of course. How much of that change following his earlier work with the party the “traffic chaos” often wrongly predicted. of route will mean there is an evaporation under Tony Blair, made the case recently ‘Braess is (we think) rare and of traffic if the bridge comes back on track? on Twitter for the bridge to remain closed. evaporation is common, like its equivalent One would hope that would happen and He wrote: ‘Braess or evaporation? Why opposite induced traffic resulting from people reduce some of the impacts [but] Hammersmith Bridge can be closed to expanding road capacity. In principle, you can’t not repair a bridge of that nature. cars (as in 1997 and 2019) without making they can be distinguished by sufficiently A solution needs to be found.’ conditions worse on alternative routes. elaborate, extensive, prolonged traffic Some might say this begs the question - ‘Mathematician Dietrich Braess’s counts. are you sure the solution hasn’t been found Paradox showed that in congested road ‘Hammersmith Bridge was closed to already?
JULY 2019 23 TRAFFIC MODELLING www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Limited visibility: How do we model for a net zero future?
Tom van Vuren, a technical director for transport planning at Mott Macdonald, discusses climate change and transport modelling, and the need to rethink best practice
any have commented on on board. Having said that, for such modelling observed changes into their forecasts; but for the impacts for transport to be a useful tool in the quest for net zero, a net-zero future we need to also allow for planning of the Committee we need to consider some quite fundamental currently unobserved changes in preferences, on Climate Change’s (CCC) adjustments to current best practice. without losing the transparency and M report Net Zero – the UK’s Transport models tend to be estimated on objectivity the fixed behaviour assumption contribution to stopping global warming. This currently displayed travel behaviour, observed has afforded us. What if the currently, mainly is not surprising, given that transport is one now or in the recent past. These preferences academic, #flyingless initiative really takes off of the chief contributors to greenhouse gas displayed by current travellers are kept across the population? emissions – in the UK it accounts for more constant into the future. People respond to We also need to incorporate much better than a quarter of all emissions, mainly from new alternatives (a cycle superhighway?), or active modes, such as walking and cycling, cars and other light vehicles. changed conditions (increased congestion?), in the strategic models usually built and Transport planning has a role to play in but their preferences as displayed in their used to support business cases for transport reducing and removing emissions from the observed behaviour remain essentially the investment and policy development. The movement of people and goods, and the same as now. If the success of a net-zero necessary spatial granularity for these recommendations in the report’s executive policy relies on people adopting new, modes, particularly walking, means that summary (a substantial 25 pages) illustrate low-carbon behaviours, such models will they are often hidden in network models, this. These recommendations focus on four underplay the effectiveness of new modes and even if they appear they are simplified transport-related interventions: and green initiatives, ie: ‘If you keep doing into generated or abstracted demand from 1. a shift to more active modes of travel what you’ve always done, you keep getting mechanised modes. 2. transition to electric cars and vans what you’ve always got.’ As a result, the potential to transfer 3. development of hydrogen-fuelled HGVs This is, of course, a big ask. Calibrating current motorised trips into future walking or 4. rec ognition of the carbon-intensity and models using observed choices is a cycling trips is not well represented and not need for action on aviation and shipping. fundamental scientific aspect of transport easily visible. Given the increasing interest Prime minister Theresa May has since sought modelling. We introduce objectivity and in transport and health, and the wider to enshrine in law a commitment to reach net transparency, but the (implicit) assumption benefits of active transport options related, zero carbon emissions by 2050. is that today’s behaviours remain fixed in for instance to place-making and gender To me, it is inevitable that at least some the future. Of course, recent academic inclusivity, such improvements to transport kind, and also a significant amount, of research1 already questions such stability in, modelling would tick a number of other boxes transport modelling will be involved in for example, driver licence holding among too. Car ownership is generally modelled, identifying, which physical and policy younger people, and the differential change but not the choice of vehicle type and fuel. It’s interventions will contribute most and fastest in travel by men and women. Did you know not impossible: I came across an interesting to these issues. that between 2002 and 2017 the amount of academic article on a car technology choice road miles travelled by women stayed roughly model by Brand, Cluzel and Anable2. A new approach to best practice constant, but men travelled 14% less? Time is of the essence and not everybody is Modellers are trying to incorporate such Continued on page 26
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Continued from page 24 aspect of modelled travel behaviour. Above: average number of trips per person Research and evidence on the take-up of Finally, the modelling of freight and per year for selected purposes: England, low-carbon behaviours would need to feed logistics is generally limited to the observation 2002-2017 [NTS0403] and; National Travel into the specification and estimation of such of LGVs and HGVs as part of traditional traffic Survey England 2017 Main Results models of future vehicle choice, and practical counts, and the application of growth factors models need extending so this choice is fully – from national sources or higher-tier models overall distance travelled has dropped in the reflected in transport planning. – to the future. A fundamental shift in the past 10-15 years. Rather than electrifying The expectation in the CCC report of the propulsion of HGVs, from traditional internal the car fleet, planning cities and lifestyles costs of travel being lower for electric vehicles combustion to hydrogen, may have wider- that require less physical and certainly less immediately raises the red flag of induced ranging implications for practical decisions by motorised travel should be considered as demand and here also models can inform the operators in the freight market – for example, part of the actions towards net zero. And we debate. The assumptions about future costs of the location of distribution facilities and the have models, such as land-use transport car travel (electric, connected, autonomous, size of vehicles. Will this at last be the catalyst interaction models, that can calculate this. shared) are crucial and the literature abounds for developing freight models and best In the quest for net zero, academic with often-conflicting numbers, but models practice guidance that reflect the complexities research and transport modelling practice can provide insights into the envelope of real-life logistics? need to get together. Much of the progress of possible and plausible futures. New in the former has not yet filtered down into ownership and use models also force us to From land, to air and sea the latter. Another challenge is how to better address how travellers perceive the trade-off Considering the size of the problem, the need detect and reflect external influences on between up-front fixed costs and the day-to- for modelling in aviation and shipping (not my travel demand. Who had foreseen the impact day operational costs of cars – a currently area of expertise) is not very much different of internet shopping and social media on under-researched and perhaps too simplified from that for land-based transport. The trip-making (see charts above) – a drop in Department for Transport’s (DfT) consultation shopping trips of 15%, and for visiting friends document Aviation 2050 – The future of UK and family, a drop of 30% since 2002. Aviation estimates a growth of throughput in terminal passengers at UK airports of more Setting an example in the UK than 50% between 2017 and 2050. And the At least, in the UK, most decisions related UK Port Freight Traffic 2019 Forecasts, another to transport investment and policy are recent DfT publication, estimates that by 2050 underpinned by transport modelling: by the tonnage shipped through UK ports will be agreeing assumptions and uncertainties; almost 40% higher than now. by understanding the strengths and Again, this projected data does not differ limitations of the model approaches greatly to the suggested increases in road technically; by testing scenarios that reflect traffic: 17%-51% anticipated growth between technological, political, environmental and 2015 and 2050, according to the DfT’s ‘Road economic uncertainty. Traffic Forecasts 2018’ report. The real In this situation, I think the case is even modelling challenge in aviation and shipping stronger than usual. Transport models is that much of the forecasting is still rooted must provide inputs to public engagement in ‘Predict and Provide’-style thinking, and I – in what will inevitably be a sensitive and have seen little work on models that can help controversial debate on climate change – by estimate and provide advice on how to reduce testing what-if scenarios, explaining the this demand. Technology is currently the only effects of different timings and speeds of answer in consideration. physical and transport policy measures As a transport planner myself, I think the to support transition to a net-zero future, report misses some further considerations illustrating the distributional impacts on that would affect the country’s ability to reach different parts of society of doing nothing, and net zero, and where modelling can play a role of doing alternative somethings. in clarifying the options and implications. In particular, the opportunity that the integration 1 Marsden, G. et al. (2018) All Change? The future of of land use and transport planning offers to travel demand and the implications for policy and reduce the need to travel physically. planning, First Report of the Commission on Travel We have already seen, as illustrated in the Demand, ISBN: 978-1-899650-83-5). results of the National Travel Survey, that the 2 https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/ number of trips, the amount of time and the pii/S0965856416302130.
26 JULY 2019 The Highways & Infrastructure Specialists
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Not paved with gold
If you thought the capital was immune to funding cuts, backlogs and maintenance challenges, think again. Its officers are doing a very good job in difficult circumstances, as Dominic Browne discovered at the London Technical Advisers Group conference
he road maintenance backlog in London has hit more ‘We’re trying to cope with new pressures in an environment where than £1bn for the first time, as the capital’s boroughs there is currently not the money to do what we need to do. conceded they are presiding over a state of managed ‘Trees are like a hidden asset that no one talks about but they still decline. In the third annual ‘State of the City’ report, need to be maintained. Drainage is another one. Gulleys are a major T conducted by Atkins on behalf of London Councils and expense. It’s not a great story. We need help to maintain the assets in the LoTAG, the total highways maintenance backlog is London. estimated to be £1.02bn up from £907m. ‘We have a huge amount of pressure but actually we are stepping up The survey covers roads managed by London’s boroughs, which are to the mark and maintaining the asset as best as we can. We are always responsible for 95% of the capital’s roads, as well as pavements, street trying to find new ways to become more efficient.’ lighting and other associated structures. Network manager at Hounslow Highways and past president of While there may be some debate over the figures, the actual total is LoTAG, Satbir Gill, told Highways: ‘The London Boroughs, as highway likely to be much higher as there are large gaps in the data. authorities, should work towards collecting and maintaining accurate In this year’s survey, 27 out 33 highway authorities, including the data on assets. Only with a sound knowledge of the current condition of City of London, responded to the questionnaire and the total backlog highway assets is it possible to derive meaningful backlog figures. With figure does not cover trees or drainage. To put this in perspective, these data, they can build the business cases needed for the various Hammersmith and Fulham Council alone is estimated to have around funding sources available, such as prudential borrowing, capital receipts 17,000 trees. and council grants.’ Of those responding there is a wide variety of condition data coverage. Mr Hawthorn added: ‘The Department for Transport (DfT) is talking to Tower Hamlets, Newham, Greenwich, Kingston upon Thames and us now. Before they weren’t and the door is starting to be opened. That Harrow only have between 45% and 56% condition data coverage, with is mainly because of the data we have through State of the City. Data is Sutton and Islington on 56% to 67% and Bromley, Lambeth, Brent and incredibly important.’ Haringey on between 67% and 78%. However, leader of Ealing council and chair of London Councils’ Senior figures in LoTAG laid the blame squarely on the lack of Transport and Environment Committee, Julian Bell, was also in funding. attendance at the LoTAG conference and admitted the capital’s councils According to the ‘State of the City’ report, the current network spend are ‘struggling’ in their campaign for a share of ringfenced vehicle excise is £300.78m a year, compared to an annual maintenance need of duty [VED] cash from 2020. £352.17m, demonstrating the uphill struggle authorities are faced with. He bemoaned London’s loss of about £500m from the planned, Councils fund the maintenance of their own local roads, while they VED-based National Roads Fund each year, which will be spent on roads also receive funding through Transport for London (TfL) for key routes in outside the capital from 2020, and the loss of around £700m a year in their areas. TfL’s grant funding. Ian Hawthorn of the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham Mr Bell said: ‘We actually have, through TfL’s budget, the ridiculous and LoTAG co-chair, said: ‘Under the principal road funding [from situation of Tube riders subsidising car drivers on our roads because of TfL under Local Implementation Plans] footways have never been the elimination of that £700m grant to TfL. included. It’s only roads that are funded by TfL. We are under pressure ‘So it seems sensible to us to lobby hard for that £500m VED. Only in every area; spend, need and backlog. It’s the same message we had 10% of Londoners’ journeys take place on roads outside the capital. last year. The challenges are just getting bigger. We have a massive ‘I have to say we are struggling. We have not had much backlog. encouragement from Government.’
28 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk ROAD MAINTENANCE
He called on the capital’s local authorities to ‘give us the data and The study used traffic data/models to characterise the numbers and analysis and we will run a strong evidence-based campaign’. composition of traffic flows on London’s strategic roads from 2013 and Mr Bell said the recent £420m pothole fund from the DfT was projected to 2025. originally not going to allocate any cash to London before pressure from This data was based around the strategic routes and the transport the capital ‘s authorities managed to secure £20m. models held for TfL and certain local roads. John Bryden, head of improving rivers, at Thames21 said: ‘Pollutants Water warnings produced by cars come from a range of areas in the car and they The LoTAG conference also revealed the results of a groundbreaking function in a range of different ways – particularly we have looked at study co-funded by the Greater London Authority (GLA), TfL and the a number of different pollutants associated with brakes, tyres, the Environment Agency into water quality in London’s rivers. exhaust, the body of the cars; crashes can also put pollutants onto the More than 300 pollutants are being washed into London’s rivers as road and that flows off into the drainage network and in some areas into a result of road run-off, doing lasting damage to aquatic habitats and the river.’ contributing to fish deaths, and with the vast majority of the capital’s Long dry spells followed by rain cause particularly dangerous ‘first rivers failing to meet EU water-quality standards. flush’ events that can contribute to fish kills by depositing large amounts Around 30 river courses in London are failing the EU Water of pollutants in a river in a short space of time. However, the general Framework Directive and only three or four rivers are unaffected by the wash of pollutants also causes widespread and lasting damage to the pollutants (see insert, above) under the Directive’s standards. aquatic environment experts said, shortening life spans and preventing Carried out by Thames21, together with a range of partners, notably creatures from breeding. professor of environmental science in the Urban Pollution Research Highways understands that initial findings from research carried out Centre at Middlesex University Lian Lundy, the study is set to change the by Dr Veronica Edmonds-Brown from the University of Hertfordshire way highways are managed in the capital. have found pollutants in invertebrates - demonstrating the danger of In a joint statement, the GLA and TfL said they intend to ‘use the prolonged pollution. evidence developed in this programme when developing highway improvement schemes and hope it will provide extra evidence as to the The EU Directive best way to target resources on SuDS [sustainable drainage systems]’. The EU Water Framework Directive has several phases and sets a The research looked at six main pollutants – including zinc, copper, legally binding standard for desired water quality. suspended solids and a couple of hydrocarbons – as representative of However, clauses allow for countries to fall short of the standard the 300. Normally, such studies look at land use, but this one is thought in 2021 as a result of financial viability or whether it was technically to be the first study to specifically focus on traffic data – the activity of possible. A final phase ends in 2027, when the UK must meet the the cars as opposed to just the roads themselves. standard or face prosecution if it is still an EU member. The UK is due leave the EU by this time of course, however, environment secretary Michael Gove has pledged that environmental standards will be kept or even strengthened post-Brexit. With the UK having already failed to meet the EU’s Air Quality Directive, experts suggest we are currently likely to miss the 2027 deadline to reach water quality standards. Currently around 80% of rivers in the UK would fail the target. Mr Bryden said: ‘The targets are very challenging. The UK is one of the worst but it is not the worst. There are several contributing factors to poor water quality, including sewage and environment as well as road run-off. However, at the moment, road run-off alone would cause London to fail the EU standard. The way the directive is drawn up, if one aspects fails they all fail.’ Sustainable drainage systems are seen as the best way to treat these pollutants and Thames21 advises these are considered with all highways works. It is also keen to work with Highways England to help address the issue on a national level. The Thames21 study cost close to £50,000.
Pollutants are being washed into London’s rivers, as a result of road run-off
JULY 2019 29 ADEPT VOICES www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk Designed to last The need for good quality design has never been higher, but for local highway authorities it can lead to future maintenance concerns. Andy Warrington from ADEPT’s Engineering Board talks about sustainability and commuted sums
ocal authorities are design, the materials used and other where the development is sited, reducing committed to supporting infrastructure features. time and costs for all in the planning process. local growth and Currently, highway authorities across the We would like to encourage local investment. The local country can take a variety of approaches to authorities to collaborate in the production L planning process, calculating payments, leading to a lack of and ongoing development of their own including the management of infrastructure consistency for developers. These can range design guides to provide clarity, encourage associated with new developments, seeks to from a minimal application, to commuted consistency and share good practice. Equally, balance that commitment with the need for sums applied only to enhanced specification we would like local highway authorities to appropriate and sustainable development. and materials, to a widespread charge base. undertake the benchmarking of commuted New developments are subject to a ADEPT believes that a more strategic sums practices between authorities to number of pressures and sometimes approach is needed and has begun a review ensure consistency and improvement across conflicting priorities for developers, local into how best to update the existing guidance. the country. authorities and local highway authorities. Members drawn from county, unitary and The need for consistency also extends to There is an increased public expectation metropolitan authorities have started to how commuted sums are used. We would and emphasis on developing higher examine the existing framework, beginning encourage authorities to publish their policy quality and sustainable places to live, with with an initial workshop, hosted by Arcadis. on how commuted sums would be managed contemporary street design that makes the One of the first conclusions to emerge and re-invested into highway infrastructure best use of modern and enhanced materials. was the need to model the economic asset management to benefit residents, With the increasing development of sustainability of both the proposed communities and business. more challenging, brownfield sites as well, development and its associated These findings will form the basis of many new schemes require materials and infrastructure. This would better inform the a report to be considered by the ADEPT features that exceed standard infrastructure negotiation between developer, planners and Engineering Board, with future stages of specifications. highway engineers. We agree with having the update to include a wider consultation Highway authorities are operating higher specifications, but want to see that with ADEPT’s key partners, local authorities, under increasingly constrained resources standard maintained over the next five to 10 planning authorities and developers. and are keen to ensure that their ongoing years. Constructive relationships between local maintenance budgets are sustainable. The development of a common approach authorities and developers are critical to This often means being under pressure to would provide more certainty on how successful project development; this new minimise the ongoing asset management commuted sums are calculated and guidance, once complete, will provide a costs of new infrastructure, over its whole encourage developers to consider whole-life much-needed common approach. life. costs and sustainability. For developers, particularly with The provision of a structured commercial or housing developments, there framework would establish this common is an opposing pressure – to be innovative approach. It would enable authorities to in design and increase the attractiveness, base their commuted sums calculations value and use of a development. Although on shared guidance and allow for the this can improve sales and profitability, flexibility to meet local needs and priorities. developers are not under the same obligation It would also provide a common baseline to consider the sustainability and whole-life for developers, regardless of costs of new features, which become the responsibility of highway authorities. So how do we reconcile these competing requirements? Commuted sums is not a phrase you often hear discussed, yet the concept provides local authorities with an essential mechanism to mitigate the whole-life cost of enhanced specifications. Commuted sums were introduced under Section 38 and Section 278 of the Highways Act 1980. They are an upfront payment, made by the developer to the highway authority, to recover the cost of the additional maintenance liability created by any enhanced specifications. The calculation is based on the costs imposed by the proposed
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Digging deeper: Ground investigations
Sarah Valentine, operations manager for Ground Investigation at SOCOTEC, discusses how its ground investigation has helped road improvement schemes for Highways England and Osborne Ltd
OCOTEC (formerly in two areas, one along a sloping of Mottram and surrounding farm land, so ESG) is one of the UK’s embankment and one surrounded by dense careful consideration had to be given to a leading providers of vegetation. range of factors to minimise disturbance and testing, inspection and In accordance with BS 5930 (2015), BS inconvenience to the adjacent properties. S compliance solutions in the EN 1997-2 (2007) and BS EN ISO 22475-1 With the majority of the site located infrastructure, energy and environment, and (2006), a range of in-house drilling rigs were on glacial till overlying heavily faulted safety sectors. During 2018, it carried out used to meet the requirements of the project bedrock of the millstone grit series, drilling a number of ground investigations for road specification. techniques included Geobor ‘S’ wireline improvement schemes across the UK. Exploratory holes were created using drilling to obtain good recovery in the tricky At Junction 8 of the M25, as well as the a handheld window sampler to ascertain ground conditions. A23 in Hooley, SOCOTEC delivered ground the ground properties up to depths of nine Further north, along the A1 in investigation and geotechnical services to aid metres. Northumberland, a ground investigation was improvement works. The ground investigation at Junction 8 of carried out across a proposed realignment In the North, SOCOTEC has supported the the M25 comprised rotary drilled boreholes, route. This was split into four areas of work, Trans-Pennine Upgrade Programme (TPUP) dynamic (windowless) sampler holes, hand each with specific requirements. as well as plans to provide additional road dug trial pits, pavement cores, in situ testing The route from Alnwick to Ellingham capacity at various locations along the A1 in and laboratory testing. required geotechnical and geoenvironmental Northumberland. The locations of the holes changed during information to support the proposed dualling Although the individual projects had the fieldworks, due to detected services of a section of the route. In addition to cable differing technical requirements, each site underground (using a cable avoidance tool) percussion and rotary follow-on boreholes, and project was approached with consistency as well as hard obstructions encountered at SOCOTEC used in situ soakaway testing to to deliver accurate information in a timely the base of the inspection pit. determine soil infiltration rates. manner without compromising the core Where the National Grid was required to principles of health, safety, environment and Work in the North divert an existing high pressure gas pipeline quality. To support the TPUP, SOCOTEC carried out between Morpeth and Felton, a number of cable percussion and rotary drilling, in situ exploratory holes were drilled using cable Work in the South testing and laboratory testing. percussion rigs, dynamic sampling rigs and For a proposed widening of the northbound SOCOTEC also conducted a pumping test machine-dug trial pits. section of the A23 between the M25 and to gain information on the permeability of Hooley, SOCOTEC carried out investigations the bedrock. The site was within the village Continued on page 34
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maintaining a lateral position throughout the length of each GPR profile line. Roads were not closed for the surveying, but SOCOTEC took extreme care and used yellow strobes and work lights as part of the safety precautions. With a continuous stream available to view on the monitor in real-time, good quality data was being captured, which was immediately backed up for post processing once surveying was completed. Of the 29 core samples taken for the entire site, five samples were used to validate the GPR result as they showed changes in construction and anomalous discontinuities – which might represent regions of possible structural degradation.
Capability and flexibility Operating to a strict time schedule, SOCOTEC adapted its work programme to meet the needs of the client across all projects. Flexibility with day and night working shifts, in addition to a multi-service approach, meant that a number of critical success 3D ground penetrating radar for tunnel factors could be delivered to meet the client- inspection specified schedule.
Continued from page 32 and appropriate decisions based upon this A continuing journey; a long road to information. completion Along the same route, the location and Having successfully completed four projects identification of existing buried service was Pavement investigations for road improvements in 2018, SOCOTEC essential, using six hand-dug trial pits to Understanding the integrity of the road is delighted to be continuing works this depths of 1.2 metres. Whereas at Causey infrastructure is critical to road construction. summer to support redevelopment at Park, the ground investigation aimed to For M25 Junction 8 works, pavement Junction 10 of the M25. identify any mining-related features such investigations provided information on the SOCOTEC will carry out ground as voids, broken ground or coal seams. condition of the underlying made ground, investigations on the verge or upon slopes With challenging access routes due to enabling strategic and informed decisions to situated adjacent to the existing highway uneven ground conditions, SOCOTEC was be made. carriageway, slip roads and interchange, with able to utilise its extensive in-house drill Using diamond core drilling, unbound slope climbing rigs required. fleet by deploying a track-mounted rotary material sampling (UMS), falling weight To ascertain the ground conditions beneath drill rig to minimise disturbance. deflectometer (FWD) testing and ground the proposed development, SOCOTEC penetrating radar (GPR), SOCOTEC was able will provide geotechnical parameters and Geotechnical properties to provide Osborne with descriptions of the contamination data to aid outline design. In addition to SOCOTEC’s fleet of in-house materials encountered and details of the Locating existing underground services drilling plant, equipment and experienced samples taken, together with observations and determining potential ground engineers, all of the highways projects made during the work. contamination concentrations through were able to benefit from using SOCOTEC’s The pavement core samples were tested laboratory testing will also fall under the in-house geotechnical laboratory capability at SOCOTEC’s Weymouth laboratory, with scope of works. for a quality-controlled approach to sample tests including PAK marker screening for Reporting in AGS format will also benefit analysis. polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), the project with complete digital transfer of In accordance with standards specified bulk density, maximum density and air voids laboratory scheduling data. in the contract, fieldwork geotechnical content in addition to indirect tensile stiffness Further improvements to Junction 25 and samples were most commonly tested to modulus testing. Junction 28 of the M25 will follow, to ease determine water content and Atterberg congestion and delays by widening the road limits, both of which provided critical Using GPR network in these areas. information into the engineering GPR surveys were undertaken to assess Our new awarded contracts for 2019 are properties, consistency and behaviour of the pavement condition in relation to layer testament to our high quality service delivery the soil. thickness, changes in construction and and due diligent approach to our 2018 project In line with the project specification, subsurface anomalies, in conjunction with completions. further tests were carried out to determine the core samples obtained at areas where Having developed a successful working the pH, acidity, water soluble sulphate anticipated construction changes were and collaborative partnership with Atkins content and total sulphur content. spotted. and Osborne, we look forward to continuing The laboratory testing provided crucial Using quality control/quality assurance to support the road improvements with our insight into the ground conditions, and procedures, including system warm up and ground investigation and complementary enabled the design team to make suitable wheel calibration, the data was collected by services where needed.
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PUTTING THE OPERATOR IN COMPLETE CONTROL
Volvo P6820D ABG and P7820D ABG tracked pavers optimize operator control – allowing focused concentration on the job in hand. The new Electronic Paver Management system places all essential operating information within clear view of the operator, while the jog wheel allows rapid selection and fine adjustment. Machine adjustments are customisable to the operator’s preferences – with saved parameters allowing swift setting for similar paving jobs. ECO mode adapts engine output to the needs of the job, automatically setting engine speed and reducing noise and vibration to a minimum. The view from the operator’s seat is superb – auger channel, screed, and hopper fill can all be seen at a glance, making Volvo pavers the operator’s choice. Building Tomorrow.
SMT GB Duxford, Cambridge CB22 4QX Telephone: 01223 836636 www.smt.network MATERIALS www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Graphene: The ‘wonder material’
A multipurpose single layer of carbon atoms – could graphene be the answer to our roads’ pothole problems? Emma Greedy reports © Olive Tree/shutterstock.com
he 2D form of carbon, it comes to the potential use of graphene in The article has been cited more than graphene, was first road surfaces. 130 times in other studies and outlines discovered in 2004 and After the positive first trial there is now a the possible self-healing properties of has been hailed by the possibility of replicating it worldwide. graphene. T National Graphene Institute ‘After the first results of the trial section The abstract reads: ‘Nanoholes, etched as enormously versatile with the potential that took place in Rome, we are ready to trial under an electron beam at room temperature to fuel technological advancement in many this new technology in the United States of in single-layer graphene sheets as a result industries. America, in Oman and in the United Kingdom of their interaction with metal impurities, Already used for an abundance of where we expect to obtain similar results,’ are shown to heal spontaneously by filling applications, graphene has recently been said Iterchimica’s CEO Federica Giannattasio. up with either no-hexagon, graphene-like, trialled in resurfacing the two upper layers The UK would appear a perfect place for or perfect hexagon 2D structures. Scanning of a 1km section of an Italian road in order such trials and not just because the AA says transmission electron microscopy was to test the durability, resistance and overall the pothole ‘epidemic’ is costing the UK employed to capture the healing process and effectiveness of using the material in £1m a month in vehicle damage repair, with study atom-by-atom the regrown structure. highway repairs. an estimated average repair bill of £1,000 A combination of these nanoscale etching Directa Plus – one of the largest producers per driver. The University of Manchester and reknitting processes could lead to new and suppliers of graphene nanoplatelet- currently has over 300 people working on graphene tailoring approaches.’ based products – and Iterchimica, which graphene research, stating that it is ‘the Both research and trials have supplies additives for asphalt, partnered for home of graphene’. demonstrated that when exposed to the trial. Using G+ upgraded asphalt super molecules containing carbon, such as modifier that contained Directa Plus G+ hydrocarbons, graphene is able to self-repair graphene, the two companies began the trial “ Research has holes in its sheets. in April 2019. demonstrated that Researchers at the University of It was deemed a success by both Directa Manchester discovered that while they were Plus and Iterchimica, with the former’s chief when exposed to adding metal contacts to strips of graphene, executive officer (CEO) Giulio Cesareo saying molecules containing they were creating holes. it had proved that the G+ upgraded asphalt To fix this, they planned on firing electron supermodifier is suitable for high-traffic carbon, graphene is beams through the graphene sheets. roads, highways, airports and ports. able to self-repair However, they then found that when carbon Iterchimica stated that improvement in atoms were near the sheets, the atoms service life, increase in the resistance to the holes in its sheets ” snapped into place, repairing the two- passage of vehicles, reduction of the track left dimensional graphene sheet. by tyres and higher resistance to deformation The university houses the National The researchers repeated the process in were the key measurable benefits. Graphene Institute (NGI), where regular order to see how the graphene repaired itself, The graphene-enhanced super modifier research is carried out and where academics and recognised that pure carbon atoms were used in the asphalt mix for the trial was the work with industrial partners in an effort to bumping metal atoms out of the way, perfectly result of a three-year research programme realise new uses for graphene. As part of repairing the holes and forming a fresh and called the Ecopave Project, which the £50m allocated for graphene research, uninterrupted lattice of hexagons. succeeded in developing an economical the NGI has received £38m from the UK Graphene’s self-repairing capabilities pavement composite. Government. This funding goes on to support may well be reason enough to want to have it The Italian road trial proved that, when studies that aim to learn about graphene’s mixed with asphalt and surfacing our roads. added to asphalt, the graphene helped the properties and uses, as well as bring them to Chair of London Councils’ Transport road to ‘resist deformation at the same load’. the surface – road surfaces included. and Environment Committee, Julian Bell, After the stiffness modulus was measured In 2012, a study called Graphene Reknits says he hopes to see graphene trials in the at different temperatures an improvement of Its Holes, published in Nano Letters and capital’s roads, and with Manchester helping 46% at 40°c was measured. appearing on the website of the American lead the world in this technology, many in A resistance to repetitive movement and Chemical Society, described the one-atom the UK will be hoping to see developments changes in temperature also bode well when thick sheet of carbon as a ‘wonder material’. in this space soon.
36 JULY 2019 INNOVATING THE FUTURE OF HIGHWAYS
At Colas, forward thinking comes as standard. From electricity- generating solar roads (Wattway) to self-illuminating road markings (Flowell) to super-smart mobile workforce tools (Maestro), our 1200-strong global team of expert engineers, scientists and technicians are imagining tomorrow’s mobility and building on it.
We don’t just create the world’s most advanced highways infrastructure. We innovate the future.
Find out more at colas.co.uk/innovation MAJOR PROJECTS www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk Integrated team delivers success
Working on behalf of Southampton City Council, Balfour Beatty completed the Millbrook Roundabout scheme three weeks ahead of schedule. Steve Helliwell, managing director of Balfour Beatty Living Places, reports on a successful project delivered after years of early contractor involvement and planning
s one of the largest, if not the largest, contractors in the UK, Balfour Beatty Living A Places has developed a strong portfolio of highways maintenance contracts across the country. Successfully delivering for local authorities over the last 24 years, our expert teams across the UK deliver all aspects of highways and street lighting maintenance, working closely with our local authority customers to minimise disruption to local communities and the travelling public to deliver tangible highways improvements. With over 36,000 vehicles and 3,000 lorries using The Southampton Highways Services Partnership is a fully collaborative Millbrook Roundabout daily, the existing roundabout partnership between Balfour Beatty and construction had been deteriorating for some time Southampton City Council established in 2010. In 2017 we were awarded a further five-year extension to our Partnership, strategic importance for both the regional signal ducting and drainage installed as based largely upon the excellent and UK economies. well. relationship we share with our customer With over 36,000 vehicles and 3,000 In addition to the reconstruction of the and the quality of the service we deliver lorries using Millbrook Roundabout roundabout, we also installed 66 traffic day in and day out. daily, the existing roundabout had been signal heads, 20 pedestrian signal heads One of the larger projects undertaken deteriorating for some time. and 51 poles, replaced road signage, by the Partnership has been the Millbrook Through a process of early contractor upgraded the street lighting and replaced Roundabout Scheme, completed in April involvement lasting 18 months and all lane markings. 2019. a lengthy bidding process to secure To the South of the roundabout, we also The £8.2m project involved the full funding, a robust and well-developed created an extra lane to provide additional reconstruction of the roundabout and design was developed to tackle the failing capacity for the travelling public and ease was completed in just 23 weeks by an roundabout. congestion at peak times. integrated delivery team comprised of An area of particularly detailed planning Programming for the scheme was Balfour Beatty, Southampton City Council, was traffic management, with initial plans finalised following detailed consultation and an expert supply chain. developed three years ahead of the project and liaison with the port and its operators, The scheme, which was the result of over start date. We ensured that each phase of with works scheduled to take place during 10,000 hours of work, was delivered three the project was designed to minimise the the quietest seasonal traffic periods for weeks ahead of schedule, under budget, impact on motorists and maintain access both container and cruise liner traffic. and achieved with no accidents or injuries. to all local businesses. Aligned with this delivery window, One of the most challenging aspects The scale and depth of the work needed extended working hours were utilised to of the project was the roundabout’s to fully reconstruct the roundabout was ensure the best value was provided to the location – at the entrance to the Port of substantial and required the complete customer for the delivery of the works. Southampton’s Dock Gate 20. removal and reconstruction of the As such, we delivered the most disruptive The roundabout sits on a main route roundabout’s existing formation, with phase of the project but with minimal into Southampton’s Western Docks – the excavations reaching a depth of two metres impact between January and March 2019 leading vehicle handling port and second in several locations. and involved the full closure of the Dock largest container port in the UK – with Adjacent to the edge of the carriageway, Gate for eight weeks. £40bn of goods passing through each over eight kilometres of kerbing needed year – and is therefore a roundabout with to be replaced and a full network of new Continued on page 40
38 JULY 2019 OBJECTIVES Mastering • Provide access to all to the basics and the innovations of bitumen, via a free, high-quality, educational content • Share with a broad-based audience bitumen knowledge and know-how that only few experts and technicians have today for better roads • Raise public’s awareness about the bitumen and road construction industries and provide and innovative keys to understand its evolution applications. ON WHICH TOPICS ? • Global perspective of bitumen markets • Manufacturing, shipping and main uses of bitumen • Composition, structure & characterization of bitumen • Specialty bitumen & high added-value applications • Health, safety, environmental and quality concerns • Research & innovation as means to address today’s challenges
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Continued from page 38 over 42 tonnes of CO2 emissions during the The smooth delivery of this complex project delivery. scheme, under budget and ahead of While works were ongoing, it was Through delivery of the project we schedule, is proof of the outstanding crucial that we minimised disruption to have supported the key objectives of benefits of early contractor involvement. the travelling public, users of the port Southampton City Council’s ‘Connected By bringing together multiple, expert and local businesses. Utilising innovative Southampton - 2040 vision for transport’, supply chain partners, all working together methods of communication, such as provided long-term stability for the as one delivery team, we have delivered a animated traffic management plans, roundabout’s infrastructure and thus tailored solution which achieved positive real-time updates to satellite navigation contributed to the economic sustainability outcomes for Southampton City Council and mapping providers and weekly project of the City of Southampton. and the wider region. newsletters, we provided regular, detailed The project has also had a positive Jacqui Rayment, cabinet member for updates to all stakeholders and customers impact on easing the flow of traffic transport and place at Southampton City across the city. congestion in the area and will therefore Council, said: ‘I can’t overstate just how Throughout the scheme, innovation was contribute to Southampton City Council’s important the success of this project a key focus area for the project team and commitment to its Clean Air Zone policy. was to Southampton, for our residents, several systems and applications were In addition, both Balfour Beatty and commuters, visitors, businesses and the successfully utilised. Southampton City Council wanted to port. The utilisation of BIM Field 360 was a key focus for the integrated delivery team. Its application ensured a robust and Utilising innovative methods of communication, such all-encompassing quality management as animated traffic management plans, real-time and record keeping system was utilised among Balfour Beatty, Southampton City updates to satellite navigation and mapping providers Council and the supply chain. Self-healing and weekly project newsletters, we provided regular, rubber bollards, new plant and animated visualisations were all used to improve the detailed updates to all stakeholders and customers overall delivery of the project. across the city Aligned directly to the Balfour Beatty 25% by 2025 strategy to reduce works on site by 25% by 2025, the design ensure the scheme provided back to the ‘This was a much-needed and complete and delivery team also achieved a community. reconstruction of one of the busiest and 10% programme saving by moving a The Millbrook project provided several most strategically important parts of the considerable portion of production works employment opportunities for local road network in the region. around traffic signals off-site. people, including two apprenticeships, two ‘The fact that it was carried out so With a focus on supporting local work placements, one traineeship, one smoothly and without incident is testament businesses and minimising disruption, undergraduate placement and regular to the hard work of all the teams involved on local providers were used for all material visits to the project from local school behalf of the partnership, both for Balfour recyclingMillbrook and overall Roundabout, 98% of materials Southamptongroups, helping to educate and improve Beatty and at Southampton City Council. We removed from site were recycled. The awareness of the opportunities a career in are working together to secure a sustainable recycling strategy also helped in saving our industry has. and successful future for the city.’ The Millbrook Roundabout refurbishment scheme was delivered between October 2018 and April 2019. The project involved the complete reconstruction of the roundabout, which is the main access road to the busiest dock gate in the UK and is recognised as an asset of national strategic importance. Excavated to a minimum depth of 1.2m and fully reconstructed, the new roundabout will help to ensure the economic future of the city. Situated in a part of the city Millbroookwhich suffers most from Roundabout, poor air quality, the project Southampton will also help to improve traffic – in flows, numbers reduce waiting times and ease congestion in and out of the city. Construction 1,862 Safety and Sustainability metres 8 of materials Delivered over of drain expert supply chain lost time partners used 98% removed 7 weeks early runs cleaned were recycled 0 injuries 42 Almost 10,000 utility companies hours worked tonnes of CO2 saved by 8 engaged 980 hours of work carried out offsite recycling within the port £8.3 million project value 1 1 86 undergraduate graduate signal heads placement trainee metres of kerb laid 3,800 replaced 2 apprentices school children 4,420 metres months of early 2 work placements of ducting laid 18 contractor involvement 16 visited site The Millbrook Roundabout refurbishment scheme was delivered between October 2018 and April 2019. The project involved the complete reconstruction of the roundabout, which is the main access road to the busiest dock gate in the UK and is recognised as an asset of national strategic importance. Excavated to a minimum depth of 1.2m and fully reconstructed, the new roundabout will help to ensure the economic future of the city. Situated in a part of the city which suffers most from poor air quality, the project will also help to improve traffic flows, reduce waiting times and ease congestion in and out of the city.
40 JULY 2019 Truegrip BT Highways & Transportation Courses Approved by IHE for CPD High Friction Anti-Skid Surfacing
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Bills of Quantities for Highway Works For further information on Truegrip BT and the full range of resin coatings, screeds, car park Highway Drainage Design systems and safety surfacing, please contact: Highway Drainage Construction & Maintenance Tel: +44 (0)1978 661991 Fax: +44 (0)1978 664664 Email: [email protected] conrenlimited Tel: +44(0) 1446 775959 [email protected] www.conren.com www.symmonsmadge.co.uk
ITS (UK) Summit 2019 The 28th Annual Conference and Exhibition Incorporating the Annual President’s Dinner and Awards 16-17 October 2019 Bridges 2020 The Ricoh Arena, Coventry Where technology meets the road SAVE THE DATE 12 March 2020 Ricoh Arena, Coventry
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transport-network.co.uk/events STONEHENGE TUNNEL www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
s the NAO noted, the scheme, formally called the A303 Amesbury to Berwick Down project, involves A building a 3.3km tunnel Not set in stone beneath the Stonehenge World Heritage Site (WHS) with both portals within the WHS. This In May the National Audit Office (NAO) revealed that the planned makes the scheme doubly controversial as tunnel at Stonehenge could cost up to £2.4bn and that it risks surface and underground construction work costing more to build than the value of the economic benefits will take place within the archaeologically-rich WHS without entirely removing the surface it is expected to provide. Chris Ames looks at the uncertainties road from it. and controversies around the modelling of the project The NAO revealed that the project is currently forecast to cost between £1.5bn and £2.4bn at 2016 prices, subject to funding approval and negotiations with contractors, with a likely cost of around £1.9bn. Both the mid-range and top figure exceed the £1.6bn cost envelope that Highways England has previously said it will have to stick within.
Value for money In terms of benefits, the NAO said the Department for Transport (DfT) and Highways England expect the tunnel to reduce congestion, support economic growth and improve the setting of the WHS. However, partly due to the cost of building a tunnel, the project is only estimated to deliver £1.15 in benefits for every £1 spent. At 2010 prices, the overall benefits are calculated to be £1.307bn, against construction and 60-year maintenance costs Stonehenge at sunrise and inset, how the A303 tunnel would look of £1.136bn. NAO head Amyas Morse pointed out that tunnel could push bottlenecks along the rest Accounts Committee (PAC) that a decision the scheme is currently only just value for of the route, where planned improvements will be needed by the end of the year. money by the DfT’s own business case. are unconfirmed, and that Highways England The NAO pointed out that changes to the The NAO noted that 73% (£955m at 2010 has undertaken modelling to understand financing have delayed the project, resulting prices) of the scheme’s total benefits are the impact of the tunnel, and the other two in ‘a very tight construction timetable’ for ‘inherently uncertain’ cultural heritage committed projects along the route, on traffic the planned open to traffic date of December benefits that come from removing much of flows in the South West. 2026. the surface road from the WHS. A report submitted to the Planning It recommended that Highways England Highways England estimated the heritage Inspectorate reveals that by 2041 there will and the DfT ‘keep in view’ this date to ensure benefits by asking respondents in a survey be both ‘notable’ increases in traffic over it remains realistic. how much they would be willing to pay to the route, and journey time increases of up remove the road from the WHS. to 14% to the west of the scheme, although Margins The report states: ‘While it followed the overall impact of the scheme is to cut As for how tight the project’s margins are, HM Treasury guidance in arriving at this journey times over the route by 13%. the report reveals that Highways England estimate, these benefits are uncertain Highways England accepts that the has estimated that if heritage benefits fell, or because they are based on a hypothetical scheme will increase carbon dioxide costs increased, by £239m (2016 prices), its situation and are difficult to measure. The emissions – by an estimated two million cost would outweigh the quantified benefits. Department questioned whether people tonnes over 60 years, providing a negative Mr Morse said: ‘Based on experience, might have responded with a higher value benefit costed at £86m (2010 prices). Air project costs tend to grow rather than fall, than they would have done in a real-life quality is expected to improve, but only at least in the early years. It will take a very decision-making scenario and advised contributing £0.3m in benefits. special effort by the Department to protect decision makers to treat them cautiously.’ The NAO noted that the scheme was public value up to completion.’ By implication, the congestion and initially going to be publicly financed, before The NAO said: ‘There are risks that other transport benefits are relatively low. the Treasury instructed the DfT to use private Highways England and the Department Under the standard method for appraising finance, a decision reversed by chancellor will need to manage to ensure the project transport projects, the project would only Philip Hammond in last year’s Budget. has a realistic chance of delivering value to deliver 31p of benefit for every £1 spent, the It also noted that while the Government taxpayers.’ NAO disclosed. says it remains committed to the project, ‘it As well as uncertainty over benefits, is not clear how the project will be funded’. the report notes that there are ‘geological Traffic predictions In June, Highways England chief executive and archaeological risks’, adding: ‘While The NAO also observed that completing the Jim O’Sullivan told the Commons Public Highways England is working to lessen
42 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk STONEHENGE TUNNEL
England has undertaken archaeological surveys to avoid disturbing archaeological sites, ‘there remains a risk that unidentified sites may be discovered during construction’. The archaeology risks also link to geological issues. As Highways has previously reported (Highways March 2018), there are concerns that changes to the water table, including (deliberate) dewatering, may affect the nearby ancient site at Blick Mead. The main geological risk is the presence of phosphatic chalk, the discovery of which was partially responsible for the Labour Government cancelling its project. The report observes that while Highways England has again undertaken preliminary ground investigations, ‘it remains possible that there are further phosphatic chalk deposits or unstable cavities, which are unlikely to be identified before construction begins’. Dr Andrew Farrant, a geologist with the British Geological Survey, was a co-author of a paper looking at the Stonehenge area in the context of engineering and archaeology. He tells Highways: ‘Phosphatic chalks are a key consideration for tunnel design, as they are weaker than normal chalk, and thus may not be strong enough to maintain a stable roof. Also being granular, they have to potential to produce “running sand” conditions at the tunnel face. Consequently, the tunnel design, and associated earthworks have to be altered to accommodate this, which raises costs. these risks, it also needs to make sure it can in the estimated cost of the scheme from ‘There is also the possibility of radon gas support the project throughout its life; the £1.7bn to £2.24bn for the tunnel extension, from the potential radioactive minerals in operation, maintenance and renewal costs together with the additional ongoing annual the deposit, so mitigating this also raises are expected to be £524m (2016 prices) over expenditure, can be justified.’ costs (for example increased ventilation). 60 years.’ The document also states that a proposal Depending on the solubility of the to cover part of the road cutting within the phosphates, groundwater contamination and World heritage WHS would have some beneficial effect but, soil disposal may be an issue.’ The report also notes that previous attempts that ‘the additional estimated construction Dr Farrant adds: ‘In dealing with such at a tunnel have been cancelled due to cost of £126m to cover the cutting, plus the variable ground conditions, it is essential to escalating costs and disagreements between additional recurring annual maintenance build a good geological ground model from stakeholders but that this time Highways costs of an extended tunnel, cannot in the first principles so that engineering risk can England has gained agreement in principle view of the State Party [UK Government], be be identified early, and design decisions can from stakeholders such as the National Trust regarded as reasonable’. take account of the ground conditions. and Historic England, although other bodies, A document for the committee meeting ‘A combination of detailed geological including UNESCO, have raised concerns. includes analysis by various advisory bodies. mapping combined with a good site In fact, at a meeting starting at the end This notes that UK Government documents investigation, as has been done at of June, the UNESCO World Heritage ‘indicate that a longer tunnel, and covering Stonehenge, should enable engineers to Committee is set to urge ministers to the 800 metre cutting, are both technically design the tunnel to mitigate any problems. reconsider their plans, including suggesting feasible’. However, both have been rejected The site investigation at Stonehenge has extending the tunnel so its western portal is ‘because of cost, perceived incremental involved both surface mapping and detailed outside the WHS. However, a February 2019 benefits to the site’s OUV [Outstanding correlation of many cored boreholes (mostly document submitted to the committee by Universal Value], and the approach taken to by Professor Rory Mortimore of Chalk Rock culture department DCMS states that this measuring value for money’. Ltd), some up to 50 metres deep, using high- has already been rejected. In an implicit criticism, the analysis resolution stratigraphy and fossil data.’ It states: ‘The additional construction adds: ‘There is also…justification based Mr O’Sullivan told the PAC that the top cost is estimated at £540m and the longer on assessing whether the proposal is an figure of £2.4bn is coming down all the tunnel would also require considerable improvement, rather than the best available time as uncertainties over the project are additional annual maintenance outcome for the OUV of the property.’ addressed. Asked whether he was confident expenditure. While understanding fully that Highways England is on top of the our responsibilities to the Convention, Archaeology and geology phosphatic chalk and other engineering [the UK] does not believe that an increase The NAO report says that while Highways uncertainties, he replied directly: ‘Yes.’
JULY 2019 43 NORTHERN IRELAND FOCUS www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
the legacy systems to a cloud-hosted ‘Software as a Service’ solution by 2022, which will see the introduction of our new UTC-UX system to Northern Ireland, providing an easy to use, intuitive and fully- hosted system for the traffic management team. Launched at the end of 2018, the new UTC-UX solution builds on more than 30 years of domain knowledge and experience gained from over 100 deployments worldwide, where the system has been proven to effectively reduce congestion and maximise the efficiency of the road network. Operating directly from an HTML5 web browser, UTC-UX brings a brand-new user experience to the market, with a host of new intuitive features for traffic managers, including at-a-glance screens, junction status, a choice of maps, quick links and intuitive control features with context sensitive menus. The upgraded control system features modern mapping capabilities, new equipment overview screens, simple toggle on/off and context ‘Siemens as a menu controls, all of which enables users to quickly and easily explore a controlled junction and its associated equipment. service’ in As well as upgrades to the business- critical UTC system, this new contract will also see the current Comet and RMS Northern Ireland systems in Northern Ireland replaced with Stratos, our cloud-hosted highways management system. Wilke Reints, managing director of Intelligent Traffic Systems With digitalisation, Siemens is helping for Siemens Mobility in the UK, outlines the company’s close mobility operators worldwide to make links with Northern Ireland going back generations and its their networks and infrastructure more intelligent and ultimately enhance their latest major works in the area road users’ experience. Moving to UTC-UX and Stratos will help achieve this, providing iemens Mobility has support, design, fault management, the authority with a fully managed secure a proud and long- maintenance and installation. Through the software service, enabling it to bring a high established track record contract, we are tasked with maintaining level of reliability for business continuity of service and project a high level of equipment availability and and disaster recovery and helping it to S delivery in Northern responding to and rectifying any faults that meet the challenges of running Northern Ireland. With a close partnership that may arise. Ireland’s road network now and well into goes back more than half a century, Through a planned programme of the future. we have developed an extremely close preventative maintenance, we deliver Our UTC solution with adaptive SCOOT working relationship with the Executive’s continuous improvement in the reliability has been used across the world to reduce Department for Infrastructure (DfI) of the equipment, providing an improved delays and ease congestion and with this throughout the regions. experience for road users and an enhanced new enhanced version, UTC-UX, we have We are currently in the second year of a network for traffic managers. introduced a brand new user experience four-year contract with the DfI, the scope Earlier in 2019, we were also re-awarded with a secure-by-design browser-based of which covers the maintenance of the a contract for both the maintenance and interface. country’s traffic signal equipment at more development of the existing urban traffic UTC-UX can be operated as a standalone than 1,200 sites, plus 950 ‘Safer Routes management systems in Northern Ireland. solution or as part of the Stratos traffic to School’ signs, a network of automatic This work spans both the maintenance of management system. This flexibility allows number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras the DfI’s existing locally deployed systems engineers to control and monitor traffic and other vehicle activated signs and rising and the ongoing delivery of a dedicated over a wide area, combining traditional bollards. IP-communications network, which will traffic control with a host of additional With an experienced and dedicated connect 328 urban traffic control (UTC) functions, including fixed time and SCOOT 20-strong team based across Northern sites to the central Siemens Mobility adaptive control, public transport priority, Ireland (one member of our team has over UTC and split cycle offset optimisation emergency vehicle green waves, queue 40 years’ service), we have locally-based technique (SCOOT) system. and congestion detection and pollution specialists in areas including technical The new contract is expected to migrate monitoring.
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NETWOR MANA EMENT www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
“ 3 of respondents agree they shift in the would reduce the amount they travel y car to help right direction lessen the impact of climate change ”
human actions’. Almost four out of five ( ) agree or strongly agree those who drive vehicles that are better for the environment should pay less tax, and 1 think exhaust fumes from traffic in urban areas is a serious problem or a very serious problem. This is a higher agreement rate than at any time since these records began in 200 driven by a fairly steady increase over the years in those who ‘strongly agree’. That in turn could be driven by, or driving, the 48 who think it fairly likely or very likely that the next car they buy will be low emission, compared with the 45 who think it not very likely or not at all likely. Likewise, 43 agree or agree strongly that they would reduce the amount they travel by car to help lessen the impact of climate change, while 32 disagree or strongly ith the ‘ ttenborough effect’ disagree. increasing environmental awareness, This is the highest percentage in favour of and city authorities complaining about cutting back on car travel since the records congested networks and polluted air, began in 2012, with the number of people who disagree currently at its lowest level and how do we get out of the jam and give showing a major fall from previous highs. our networks room to breathe mma However, things get more complicated reedy investigates when it to comes to finding alternatives to the car. With just 42 of people agreeing or strongly agreeing they could just as easily walk many of the journeys under two miles they currently make by car, there has been little change here since 200 even a slight decrease on some earlier years. ar-free days, localised weekend nights and bank holidays. And The same pattern is seen when the same pedestrianisation schemes North East Lincolnshire Council, working in questions are asked of bus travel, with and programmes designed partnership with EN IE, is encouraging local only 33 agreeing or strongly agreeing. to encourage people to take businesses to apply for funding of up to 5,000 Meanwhile, 1 still agree or strongly agree public transport as well as to implement travel initiatives such as the that cycling is ‘too dangerous’. utilise vehicle hire, perhaps even electric, are installation of electric vehicle charging points, currently being trialled around the country. new and improved cycle parking facilities, or est Midlands uture Mobility In the City of London there are plans to cut the purchase of electric bikes. The West Midlands was chosen as the U ’s the number of vehicles by 25 by 2030 and The thinking behind these schemes is first Future Mobility Area in 2018, which 50 by 2044, with some streets closed to based around the theory of disappearing meant that it would work with companies motor vehicles during rush hour. Edinburgh traffic see pages 22-23 , as well as using to trial and demonstrate new modes of (pictured) has become the first city in the U moments of change to influence behaviour, transport, services and technology. to join the Open Streets movement, closing and the latest U National Travel Attitudes The West Midlands Combined Authority a number of city centre streets to traffic on Study (NTAS) suggests such seeds may find (WMCA) is now trialling a radical new the first Sunday of every month as part of an fertile ground in a culturally receptive public initiative, after becoming the U ’s first region 18-month trial. Edinburgh’s cycle hire scheme - albeit one that is often left feeling there are to receive Future Mobility funding. A part will also be free all week to encourage people few practical alternatives to the car. of the WMCA, Transport for West Midlands to ditch their vehicles. Around 85 of the public, from a sample of (TfWM) has said that it wants to incentivise In Manchester, cars have been barred close to 1,400 people, ‘believe climate change from a busy Northern uarter street on is taking place and at least in part due to Continued on page 8
4 JULY 2019
NETWORK MANAGEMENT www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Continued from page 46 ‘There’s a social element to mobility credits than stuck behind a wheel in traffic,’ said too; helping people with more affordable, Ms Rivet. people to give up their private vehicles and more sustainable alternatives.’ Car rental apps like Drivy have gained instead use car sharing, public transport and Connected and autonomous vehicle popularity among those living in cities, usually electric vehicle hire schemes. trials and better use of live road and public aged between 25 and 40 years old, according ‘The Future Mobility funding will allow us, transport data will also be involved in the to Katy Medlock, UK managing director of over the next four years, to pioneer a range of overall programme. Drivy. innovative approaches to transport,’ said Mike Each aspect of the scheme aims to work Ms Medlock said Drivy’s users ‘tend to Waters, director of policy and innovation for towards finding reliable alternatives to private use public transport and active travel to get TfWM. The funding will be used in the WMCA’s car ownership. around but sometimes, they do just need Future Mobility programme to support a a car’. number of key trials. Success? She explained that Drivy offers an ‘The Government is trusting us to blaze a Convenience often trumps reason and alternative to single-occupancy and private trail for the UK as the first region to receive private car ownership beats standing in car ownership, and aims to make car sharing Future Mobility funding,’ said West Midlands the rain waiting for a bus. While money is a so convenient there is no need for people to mayor Andy Street. powerful incentive, cash inducements are own their own cars. unsustainable. As the NTAS shows, in order ‘It needs to be just like owning a personal Mobility Credits to encourage sustainable alternatives there car, but easier, with all the benefits and none Perhaps the most intriguing of the West must be a viable alternative for drivers. of the responsibilities,’ she said. ‘And that’s Midland trials will be the introduction of Chief executive officer of shared what car rental can offer drivers.’ Mobility Credits. The WMCA’S Mobility Credits pilot will see both money and quality-of-life The future add-ons credited onto ‘Swift’ local travel “ In order to While the mobility credits are a substantial cards. encourage sustainable component of the future mobility scheme, the Carried out for a period of four months, WMCA does not think they are a part of the the mobility credits pilot will collect sufficient alternatives, there programme’s ‘endgame’. data to see if a currency-type scheme can must be a viable The authority does not necessarily suggest incentivise people to move away from private the credits scheme would be extended to car ownership. alternative for drivers ” every private vehicle owner, as it would While there is still no official introduction become extremely expensive. date, Coventry City Council has said that transportation service Zeloo, Stéphanie Rivet, ‘We hope to gather evidence to encourage motorists could receive up to £3,000 in credits said at a smart mobility panel discussion drivers to see that there are viable – all for choosing to travel more sustainably. [‘Auto Futures, Smart Cities, New Solutions’] alternatives for their journeys, and to support By adding credit to smart cards after that the company is ‘on a mission to get them to eventually ditch their vehicles in travellers use public transport, electric people out of single occupancy cars’. favour of sustainable options with transport vehicle car hire or bike-sharing schemes, Zeloo uses data analysis to look at where as a service,’ said Mr Waters. the WMCA hopes to encourage drivers to people want to go to and from, and then builds The short-term promise of being rewarded actively choose to complete their journeys in a routes around their needs. Data is collected for your travel choices may provide transport sustainable and cost-effective way. from social media, through online key words authorities with new data, but will it help ‘The idea is to investigate whether those and macro trends. This data is able to inform shape a permanent solution? owning and operating private vehicles can Zeloo if people would be more inclined to use Mr Waters reasoned that with the gathered, make their journeys by alternate means,’ said coaches if they had wi-fi and provided coffee and hopefully useful, data on behaviour Mr Waters. for instance. Hence Zeloo’s current coach change, the WMCA can evaluate whether a ‘And if we can help incentivise drivers with service from Newport to Bristol, which uses significant proportion of vehicle owners would a cash-credit scheme, then why not give it only bus lanes, has a good wi-fi connection consider making a modal change to their a try. We would like to be able to empower and offers passengers coffee. journeys. people to take sustainable methods of ‘People would prefer to use their journey With the right data, perhaps a sustainable transport,’ he added. time to work and be by themselves, rather and long-term modal shift will follow.
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example, may not meet the French standard for brightness and therefore may not be able to be used in France. As we have seen with the Brexit negotiations, it is very difficult to get everyone to agree to a single standard for everything. Failing to have your product correctly CE marked can result in a fine of up to £5,000 or even three months’ imprisonment. However, there is currently a severe lack of policing around the issue. While it is the responsibility of the local trading standards office to enforce the law on CE markings, prosecutions are few and far between. This has prompted the Association for Road Traffic Safety and Management (ARTSM) to look closely at the issue and call out and expel those manufacturers/ products that are not fully compliant with the regulations. It has also produced guidelines for local authorities and other buyers of highways and traffic equipment on what is or isn’t compliant when running a tender. Which brings us to a startling fact: despite the need for a European standard, and despite the heavy fines for those whose Stamp of approval? product are incorrectly or falsely certified, CE marked products are not compulsory in tenders. David Cousins, head of engineering at Each local authority can make its own SWARCO Traffic, considers the current decision regarding the standard they are confusion around CE markings for highways looking for, which makes rather a mockery of CE approval in the first place. Why should any products and what a post-Brexit world may manufacturer invest in independent testing deliver when they can lose out to a business whose products have, at best, been ‘self-declared’ or at worst have no form of certification at all? ll products manufactured technical dossier to prove the product meets If the challenge is not already difficult, then for use on our highways the requirements; affix CE marking to the the post-Brexit landscape is likely to be even need to be CE marked, the product and create a declaration of conformity. more confused. official ‘stamp’ that proves In theory, buyers can be presented with Whereas the UK will still accept EU CE A your product meets the two products, both of which are CE marked marked products, Europe will no longer minimum standard for EU safety, health and – one that has been rigorously tested and accept UK-tested CE marked products. environmental protection. independently verified as conforming to the For UK products to be sold and used in But what seems a simple requirement minimum EU standard and one where you have Europe, they will have to be tested and CE in theory is actually one that is fraught to take the manufacturer’s word for it. marked in Europe, adding another layer with misunderstanding, inconsistency and confusion, and one that leaves some questioning whether a CE mark is worth the Buyers can be presented with two products, both of investment. And of course, what will happen which are CE marked – one that has been rigorously post-Brexit – if it ever happens – is anyone’s guess. tested and independently verified as conforming to Obtaining a CE mark is the responsibility the minimum EU standard and one where you have to of the product manufacturer or distributor and can be extremely expensive, requiring a take the manufacturer’s word for it series of tests by a recognised testing facility. Any subsequent changes to the design of the Of course, it is a little more complicated of difficulty for UK manufacturers. ‘Self- product requires a ‘new’ CE test, thus adding to than that. Some products, those that present declaration’ will continue for products where the cost. Historically, however, manufacturers higher safety risks, absolutely have to be it is already allowed. have been allowed to ‘self-declare’ their tested and verified by an appointed national Perhaps this is no bad thing. Perhaps products as being approved for use in Europe. body; self-declaration is not an option, but it the unintended consequences of Brexit will To do this they have to identify the minimum is easy to see why confusion occurs. be a tightening of approvals and greater EU requirements for the product; check Different European countries also have harmonisation of standards. Perhaps it will whether the product meets the requirements; different standards and classes for certain create what everybody wants, which is a level test the product – including estimating and products, thus adding to the difficulty. The playing field and a reward for those who are documenting all potential risks; complete a UK standard for traffic light brightness, for prepared to invest and do the right thing.
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Street works – getting it right Richard Hayes, chief executive of the Institute of Highway Engineers (IHE), discusses its new training in street works inspections
he increased profile, both in These concerns often start as local policy and financial terms, challenges and disputes that become of highway maintenance, unnecessarily escalated and have their root requires a corresponding cause in a difference of interpretation of T increased emphasis on the relevant New Roads and Street Works management and systems to support Act (NRSWA) codes of practice. This type service delivery within the context and of disagreement is not uncommon and a principles of a risk-based approach. way to drive consistency of interpretations There is significant pressure, therefore, is required to thereby engender a more for utility companies to pay more for effective focus on safety and compliance, i.e. any damage they inflict on the highway getting it right first time. asset. While this may reduce the effect on maintenance budgets, overall it could lead to Past training errors higher utility bills. The differing standards are due, in part, The main effect of poor reinstatements to the historical training given by the two is often worse road conditions, but the different disciplines. Highway authorities hidden damage is done when water ingress have in the past employed inspectors who through poor joints accelerates the damage spent earlier parts of their careers as mason to the sub strata through the freeze/thaw pavers or road operatives. The inspection effect. The former could be dealt with by role was one that a lot of this generation extended guarantee periods, which have migrated into, after many years on the tools, been suggested by Department for Transport often without any qualifications. (DfT). The consultation on these plans is now Utility contractors are more inclined to closed and publication of the DfT’s response train to the legislative requirements and, in is expected later this year. The latter is more some cases, not all the operatives working difficult to prove and the damage caused is on site may have the NRSWA operative far greater. qualification as a minimum. There are an Highway authorities are required to increasing number of failures of the highway ensure that undertakers conducting street infrastructure, many of which originate works in their area are complying with the from poor statutory undertaker excavation legal obligations placed upon them. There and reinstatement works. This is partly is a national Code of Practice covering due to a lack of training of operatives and for inspectors and auditors would help to procedures for inspections, investigatory supervisors. ensure candidates can identify the actions works and performance monitoring that may be taken to address issues of arrangements. There are also situations in non-compliance relating to reinstatements, which the undertaker will be obliged to pay Highway authorities are safety measures, unreasonably prolonged the highway authority a fee after they have required to ensure that occupation of the highway and permit conducted an inspection into street works, conditions. so it is critical that both parties understand undertakers conducting It would also ensure that candidates what is expected. local street works are understand the procedures for measuring and managing the performance of Street works changes complying with the legal undertakers and the financial arrangements Many of the recent changes in the way street obligations placed upon for recovering the costs of inspections. works are undertaken have been designed The training and assessment scheme to reduce disruption. The extension of them would also be relevant to statutory permit schemes will ensure the public can undertakers, auditors, and private have confidence that any temporary traffic Many years of reliance by industry on the contractors undertaking street works, who situations are in place for the minimum of current NRSWA qualification, as well as the are required to inspect their own works time. However, less focus is being put on lack of adequate and appropriate monitoring regularly, at all stages, including at the end what is being put back and in what manner. by highway authorities, has led to a gradual of the reinstatement guarantee period. This is supported within recent reviews degradation of the practical skills of the The scheme would provide an by the Highway Authorities and Utilities utility and highway maintenance workforce. understanding of local HAUC and Committee (HAUC) (UK) and work done a few The NRSWA qualification for operatives local permit conditions, as well as the years ago by the the Highways Maintenance and supervisors is assessment-based, with consequences if standards are not being Efficiency Programme (HMEP), where minimal training inputs required to reach the met and what the required actions are to concerns were raised about the inspection minimum assessment standard. minimise any potential charges from the and auditing of ongoing and completed street The IHE, through its management of the highway authority. works and the competence of those carrying Highway Inspectors Board, has proposed One of the main drivers behind the scheme out the inspection and monitoring of works. a new training and assessment scheme is to provide a similar emphasis, not only in
52 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk SKILLS AND TRAINING
The IHE is also seeking views on arrangements for a competency scheme for those undertaking safety and asset inspections of high-speed roads. Current arrangements of minimising disruption, but also in ensuring inspectors would be included in a national driven inspections are becoming that the asset being affected is returned to its register. outdated through the introduction of original condition without any deterioration The qualification would be renewed after new technology into this sector, but being built into the reinstatement process. five years. The UK Roads Board has indicated the ability to identify and prioritise This forms part of ‘Getting It Right’, the IHEs its support and the matter will be formally defects remains, and will still form main theme for 2019. discussed at the next UKRLG meeting. an important part of any Section 58 The proposal would be an extension to the Details of the scheme are published on defence to a highway damage or current highway inspectors scheme, defined the IHE website, which also outlines ways for personal injury claim. All views would within the code of practice Well-managed providers to gain approval to deliver training be welcome at: [email protected] Highway Infrastructure, and qualified schemes: www.theihe.org.
JULY 2019 53 IHE N www. heihe.o g
A o e he el ord ootwa ridge ro e t was awarded a udges S e ial erit Award right artin olland, unior i e resident s eaking at the awards ere on ar right Ali e oo er ro road sa et harit A , with the he ue ro er ia ran h or the first time in the event’s committee to open up the history, the IHE ercia Branch event from regional to national awards had been open to entries had also proven entries from across the UK. successful, with a broad range Taking place at the of high-quality entries. Birmingham Conference and artin olland IHE Council Events Centre on 2 ay, junior vice-president was in the ercia Branch had also attendance, as well as Richard teamed up with the Local Hayes IHE chief executive . r Council Roads Innovation olland delivered an excellent Group LCRIG as its event and inspiring speech covering with 9 .50 raised on the night delivery partner for the first current IHE developments and through donations. time. wider industry challenges and Richard Harman, the IHE The event was very well in particular skills shortages ercia Branch chair, said: attended, with over 1 0 present and the need to adapt to future ‘ e’ve really been pleased with and with various businesses technologies. this year’s event and we had and organisations from across or the second year running, great feedback from the judges the industry represented. the event was supported by over the quality of the schemes The decision by the branch Brake, the road safety charity, submitted for awards. The THE WINNERS village ambiance but also has provided Within this scheme the project team has Large Project of the Year better facilities for cyclist and pedestrians effectively balanced the needs of supporting Winner as well supporting speed reduction and growth and protecting the environment. As Crewe Green Roundabout traffic management measures. part of this innovative project, a rare bat Cheshire East Council, Jacobs, Balfour Beatty colony has been protected using state of This excellent piece of new infrastructure Safety and Innovation Project of the art lighting technology, ensuring the will have a significant impact, both locally the Year construction of a key piece of new highway and across the wider area. The project Winner infrastructure is harmonious with its involved high levels of quality engagement Jacobs SafetyWeb + Solution - UK Wide surroundings. with the local community (generating Jacobs positive feedback) and has had a positive This project had demonstrated a ‘grass roots’ Highway Partnership Award impact on congestion and local jobs, while approach to road safety. The judges were Winner supporting local growth, all within budget impressed that the project demonstrated a East Midlands Asset Delivery (EMAD) - and programme. passion for better information management Highways England Area 7 and sought to address efficiency, accuracy Highways England, Kier, Amey, Carnell, WJ, Small Project of the Year and risk when sharing safety information NMCN, McCann and others Winner across large delivery teams. The judges were impressed by the vision Better Safe Barton – Barton-under- and objectives of the EMAD community Needwood Village Enhancement Scheme Environmental Sustainability of Highways England and its 22 industry Staffordshire CC / Amey Project of the Year partners. This project caught the judge’s attention Winner This is a truly collaborative approach in in being a parish council initiative. The A4440 Toucan Crossing – Reduced which all partners are equal (SME’s and completed scheme has provided an Impact Bat Lighting large enterprises) working collectively in enhancement that not only improved the Jacobs the delivery of highly efficient and customer
5 JULY 2019 www. heihe.o g IHE N
INTRODUCING THE MERCIA (NATIONAL) AWARDS 2019 UPCOMING EVENTS 17-18 Sep JCT Symposium 2019 Nottingham 8-9 Oct TTME (Diploma) Birmingham 9 Oct Highways Awards and Dinner London
15-16 Oct Winter Services for Decision Birmingham Makers 22-23 Oct TTME (Diploma) Birmingham 29-30 Oct Council and Portfolio Group London Meetings 5-6 Nov TTME (Diploma) Birmingham 7 Nov Traffic Signs Annual Conference London 12-14 Nov Winter Services for Decision Birmingham Makers
13-14 Nov Traffex Scotland Glasgow 14 Dec Executive Board M&Q London Committee
15-16 Jan 2020 TTME (Foundation) Birmingham 29-30 Jan 2020 TTME (Foundation) Birmingham 12-13 Feb 2020 TTME (Foundation) Birmingham 19-20 Feb 2020 Council and Portfolio Group London Meetings 12-13 Mar 2020 TTME (Foundation) Birmingham
Annual Award Winners branch committee put a lot of busy in our day jobs keeping At the annual dinner held in Glasgow, IHE president effort into organising the event, the est idlands road Jonathan Pearson announced the winners for the so it’s really great to see so network moving. e’ve also best submissions for Professional Review within many people from across the been really pleased to raise so the last 12 months. industry enjoying the evening much money for Brake, who Those successful were: and winning awards. play an excellent role in road ● Chartered Engineer Award 2019 – Russell Hayes ‘A special mention must go safety education to prevent and ● Incorporated Engineer Bryan Sefton-Smith to LCRIG for their support this support those people injured Award 2019 – Thomas Emmett year, as obviously we’re all very on the highway network.’ ● Engineering Technician Norman Blackmore Award 2019 – Richard Coy centric maintenance and improvement Highly Commended schemes. Telford Central Replacement R R Footbridge Project Alistair Donald (Scottish Treasurer), who has been Judges Special Merit Award Jacobs, Balfour Beatty PLC, Telford & Wrekin the branch treasurer for 14 years, was awarded a Winner Council, SH Structures Ltd, Nicoll Russell Certificate of Merit in recognition of his service to Telford Central Replacement Studios Ltd the IHE Scottish Branch. Footbridge Project A54 Buxton Road Safety Barrier Campbell Divertie has also been awarded an IHE Jacobs, Balfour Beatty PLC, Telford & Wrekin Cheshire East Council, Ringway Jacobs, Certificate of Merit in recognition of his long service Council, SH Structures Ltd, Nicoll Russell Jacobs and Harry Fairclough Construction Ltd to the Institute. Studios Ltd Road Safety Week 2018 Both received their awards at the Glasgow Dinner. The judging panel wanted to make specific Jacobs/ ADT/Tracsis mention of the Telford Footway Bridge Valley of Stone Greenway Project by awarding a Judges Special Nu-phalt Group/ Lancashire County Council Merit Award. Road Safety Week 2018 Walk to School This project was highly commended in Safety Review Student the Large Project section, a particularly Jacobs/Tracsis Member Ballot strong category. Given the high quality and innovation within this project, the Professional Review of the Year During the last judges felt it appropriate to single it out Winners few weeks Student Floor 32-34, 286 Euston Road, London NW1 3DP for special recognition. The futuristic Antony Clews – Engineering Technician members have 020 3551 5681 ● www.theihe.org bridge is extremely impressive to look been electing a new at and provides key transport links for Jonathan Gall – Incorporated Engineer the local community – essential for the representative on www.theihe.org regeneration of the local area. Steve Windass – Chartered Engineer Council. ● IHE Jobs: http://jobs.theihe.org
JULY 2019 55 IT DATA www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
i i a i eers
a reedy re ort fro t in ne on on he rter ne r i tori t tion here the g o on t n ne re i ent hi i o re i it i oo ing to off the r e n e ifferen e ith it te hno og
tkins held an event in June Atkins is currently developing a platform of 5 cyber security professionals who work that delved into how its called THEIA to speed up the deployment to ensure that online infrastructures are un- technology is transforming and implementation of AI focused assets hackable. UK infrastructure. isitors and defect detection, and aims to deliver ‘Connection to the internet puts were treated to a virtual commercial pilots later this year. infrastructure at risk,’ said r Simpson. ‘ hich reality experience, as well att Simpson, technical director for cyber is why we have to work harder to ensure that as the opportunity to simulate driving a resilience, explained that Atkins has a team systems are secure and safe to use.’ surveillance drone. r Hoare, new into the role of president, told the assembled press: ‘ e’re not just going digital for digital’s sake. The endgame is all 5G Human-Centred Design Toolkit about making sure that we’re delivering things Atkins, a member of the AutoAir consortium, The Human-Centred Design toolkit provides that our clients need, it’s about building the is undertaking trials of 5G technologies for design teams with the tools to form an in-depth infrastructure that really matters.’ communications between vehicles and infrastructure. understanding of end user groups and test numerous ‘ hen we first started in engineering it Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media options before detailed design. Fully developed in was all about concrete and steel, but now it’s and Sport, the AutoAir trial aims to evaluate 5G for house, the tool compiles multiple environmental and all about data,’ he said, before adding that he use in transportation and automotive scenarios spatial parametric analyses to form a highly detailed wants Atkins to be a pioneer in defining what and is the first trial to use a ‘neutral host’ network dataset for the design process. Using this data, the the digital future will be. platform. The trials are based at the Millbrook Proving platform creates an interactive 3D environment. To realise this ambition, Atkins is investing Ground – a dedicated road test facility that includes a in and innovating with artificial intelligence, hyper-dense 5G network. Rapid Assessment and Planning for Infrastructure drones, Internet of Things technology, D Design (RAPID) design, modular construction, intelligent Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs) The RAPID tool is a collaborative, web-based design and mobility and digital asset management. As part of numerous consortia, including FLOURISH decision support tool that lets you plan, assess, review, Atkins announced that its go-pro road defect and VENTURER, Atkins has conducted research decide, construct and operate temporary infrastructure detection technology is ‘commercially ready’. exploring how we need to prepare the technology, the in both 2D and 3D virtual reality (VR). The use of RAPID Atkins teams in the UK and India developed road network and the public for the introduction of can optimise cost, time, the use of resources, real a pilot using a Convolutional eural etwork CAVs. Atkins has also developed an Incident Response estate, environmental impact, safety and security. a type of AI to speed up the process of Framework to mitigate the impact of cyber incidents detecting and categorising road surface on the road networks’ wireless communications. ThamesConnect defects. Delivering capital infrastructure upgrades in London The system would send recorded footage FLO is expensive for utilities. Atkins, with its innovation to a road maintenance company who would Flo is a new digital, cloud and iPad-based solution partner Fluxx, developed ThamesConnect to be the then have real-time images of the work that designed to reduce damage assessment time by up to seed to start conversations around collaborative needs to be done. This proof of concept system 90%. Using 3D-scanning technology integrated into infrastructure works. The approach unlocks siloed can detect road surface defects with at least iPads, Flo enables users to quickly record damage and data and gives greater transparency and visibility to an 85 accuracy level and could be used for share the information globally, resulting in a real-time those making investment decisions. This approach building and maintaining other infrastructure assessment. could be used by any local authority or utility. assets like railways or buildings.
5 JULY 2019 HW_SOLAR_JUN11 26/03/2013 16:38 Page 1
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BARRIERS MCCANN & CO LTD ...... /mccann PARKING PREFORMED MARKINGS LTD A-PLANT LUX ...... /a-plant jenoptik traffic solutions ...... /preformed ASSET VRS ...... /asset uk ...... /jenoptik quality marking services ltd .... qms highway care ltd ...... /hcl PREFORMED MARKINGS LTD RENNICKS (UK) LTD ...... /rennicks ...... /preformed BRIDGES & TUNNELS RINGWAY jacobs ltd...... /ringway-jacobs quality marking services ltd .... qms ROAD SURFACE TREATMENTS thb ...... /thb BREEDON GROUP PLC...... /breedon ASSOCIATION LTD ...... /rsta SHELL INTERNATIONAL PETROLEUM CO LTD ...... /shell SHELL INTERNATIONAL REFLECTIVE EQUIPMENT PETROLEUM CO LTD ...... /shell stanton bonna concrete ltd highway care ltd ...... /hcl srl traffic systems ltd...... /srl ...... /stanton RENNICKS (UK) LTD ...... /rennicks TOTAL UK LTD ...... /total stabilised pavements ltd ...... /stabilised yotta ltd ...... /yotta ROAD MARKINGS stanton bonna concrete ltd CONSULTING ENGINEERS ...... /stanton instarmac group plc ...... /instarmac TARMAC ...... /tarmac LONG RAKE SPAR CO LTD...... /longrake JENOPTIK TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS UK thb ...... /thb PREFORMED MARKINGS LTD ...... /jenoptik ...... /preformed THOMAS BOW CITY ASPHALT ...... /thomas RINGWAY jacobs ltd...... /ringway-jacobs quality marking services ltd .... qms TOTAL UK LTD ...... /total yotta ltd ...... /yotta RENNICKS (UK) LTD ...... /rennicks yotta ltd ...... /yotta thb ...... /thb CONTRACTORS ASSET VRS ...... /asset IRONWORK & DRAINAGE SAFETY BREEDON GROUP PLC...... /breedon CLEFTBRIDGE LIMITED ...... /cleftbridge ASSET VRS ...... /asset CLEFTBRIDGE LIMITED ...... /cleftbridge exactrack ...... /exactrack CLEFTBRIDGE LIMITED ...... /cleftbridge quality marking services MCCANN & CO LTD ...... /mccann highway care ltd ...... /hcl ltd ...... qms PREFORMED MARKINGS JENOPTIK TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS ROAD SURFACE TREATMENTS LTD ...... /preformed UK ...... /jenoptik ASSOCIATION LTD ...... /rsta MVIS LTD ...... /mvis ROAD SURFACE TREATMENTS stabilised pavements ASSOCIATION LTD ...... /rsta pike signals ...... /pike ltd ...... /stabilised stanton bonna concrete ltd PREFORMED MARKINGS LTD TARMAC ...... /tarmac ...... /stanton ...... /preformed THOMAS BOW CITY ASPHALT ...... /thomas quality marking services ltd .... qms thb ...... /thb TOTAL UK LTD ...... /total RENNICKS (UK) LTD ...... /rennicks THOMAS BOW CITY ASPHALT ...... /thomas ROAD SURFACE TREATMENTS HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE ASSOCIATION LTD ...... /rsta ASSET VRS ...... /asset LIGHTING srl traffic systems ltd ...... /srl BREEDON GROUP PLC...... /breedon A-PLANT LUX ...... /a-plant CLEFTBRIDGE LIMITED ...... /cleftbridge MCCANN & CO LTD ...... /mccann SIGNAGE exactrack ...... /exactrack RENNICKS (UK) LTD ...... /rennicks A-PLANT LUX ...... /a-plant highway care ltd ...... /hcl TOTAL UK LTD ...... /total MCCANN & CO LTD ...... /mccann instarmac group plc ...... /instarmac yotta ltd ...... /yotta MVIS LTD ...... /mvis 58 july 2019 www.highwaysdirectory.co.uk mini highways directory
PiKe signaLs ...... /pike TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT ant to be a part of it PreFormed marKings Ltd ...... /preformed a-PLant LUX ...... /a-plant rennicKs (UK) Ltd ...... /rennicks amBeron Ltd ...... /amberon thB ...... /thb asset Vrs ...... /asset Breedon groUP PLc ...... /breedon SOFTWARE & IT highway care Ltd ...... /hcl eXactracK ...... /exactrack JenoPtiK traFFic soLUtions UK ...... /jenoptik JenoPtiK traFFic soLUtions UK ...... /jenoptik mccann & co Ltd ...... /mccann mVis Ltd ...... /mvis mVis Ltd ...... /mvis yotta Ltd ...... /yotta PiKe signaLs ...... /pike srL traFFic systems Ltd ...... /srl SURFACING tarmac ...... /tarmac Breedon groUP PLc ...... /breedon thomas Bow city asPhaLt ...... /thomas cLeFtBridge Limited ...... /cleftbridge yotta Ltd ...... /yotta eXactracK ...... /exactrack Long raKe sPar co Ltd ...... /longrake VEHICLES & PLANT road sUrFace treatments a-PLant LUX ...... /a-plant association Ltd ...... /rsta to advertise in the Highways sheLL internationaL eXactracK ...... /exactrack Directory online and in print PetroLeUm co Ltd ...... /shell highway care Ltd ...... /hcl please contact tarmac ...... /tarmac road sUrFace treatments thB ...... /thb association Ltd ...... /rsta ndy Davies thomas Bow city asPhaLt ...... /thomas srL traFFic systems Ltd ...... /srl 020 9 1 totaL UK Ltd ...... /total thomas Bow city asPhaLt ...... /thomas [email protected]
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JULy57351 2019 MYB Public Send HP HORIZ AD.indd 1 12/11/2018 14:295 LEGAL www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Being practical about practical completion
This month, Ava Zadkhorvash, Alastair Dale and Jonathan Hart of award-winning infrastructure law firm Pinsent Masons LLP take a look at a recent Court of Appeal decision, which concerned the definition of ‘practical completion’, and what this might mean for transport authorities and contractors
lthough the term ‘practical completion will mark: completion’ is frequently l the start of the defects liability period l the passing of risk used by stakeholders in the (during which the contractor is typically to the employer, construction industry, there entitled to return to site to rectify defects given that A is no generally accepted legal that appear after practical completion) the employer definition as to what this expression actually l the end of a contractor’s liability for will be taking means. Many standard highways agreements liquidated damages or lane occupation ‘possession’ (a do not include a definition, often leaving it to charges potentially unusual the contract administrator to decide when l the release of retention monies from an concept for many highways it has taken place. Unsurprisingly, practical employer schemes, but for example, the completion is a frequent source of disputes. l the end to the employer’s rights to require trigger for entitling the public to resume It has been 50 years changes to the works in question; and use of affected carriageways or footways). since judicial consideration For these reasons, the summary of the by the Court of Appeal of law on practical completion in the Mears the meaning of practical case should (hopefully) help provide completion and, like greater clarity to certifiers to recognise many sequels, it appears when practical completion has to be a close re-run of taken place, as well the original plot. The as providing more case in question is Mears certainty for both Ltd v Costplan Services, contractors and reported at the end of March employers. this year. Although the facts of the case are not highways-related, it has important What does the implications applicable to the highway Mears case tell us about practical construction industry. completion? Perhaps, unsurprisingly, the term ‘practical completion’ was not defined So, what is the big deal about practical in the contract that was the subject of the completion? Mears case. If it had been, then the parties If you’ve had to look at highways contracts, would probably have been able to exercise you will have probably come across the their energies elsewhere. In considering the term ‘practical completion’. In general case, the court made the following points, terms, you might understand that this which are worth reflecting upon: occurs when work under the contract has l Practical completion is easier to been completed and is defect-free. You may recognise than define (thanks!). also have learned that at this point a l Works can be practically complete even certifier (usually appointed by the if there are latent defects (a defect not employer or the employer itself) detectable at completion) ‘since will inspect the works and issue a nobody knows about them’. ‘certificate of practical completion’, l There is no difference between if it is satisfied that the works are work that has yet to be completed complete. (an ‘outstanding item’) and defective This is a significant moment for any work, which has to be remedied. Both project, since it triggers various things will be dealt with in the same way under for contractors and employers alike. the practical completion certificate (eg, by In many contracts, practical issuing a ‘snagging list’). l A practical completion
60 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk LEGAL © EddieCloud/shutterstock.com
The sense of an ending: all parties involved in the negotiation of procurement contracts need to be clear on the exact definition of terms, such as practical completion certificate should not be issued if there are defect in question could be described as defined in their contracts and how this can ‘patent defects’ (but this should not include ‘trifling’. Arguments around this could be interpreted. If your current contracts ‘trifling’ or insignificant defects). give rise to uncertainty for employers, are silent on the contractual definition l Whether an item is trifling or not is a contractors (and certifiers) alike – especially of practical completion, it may be up to a matter of fact and degree. This should given pressures being placed on re-opening certifier to decide whether or not defects are be considered against the purpose affected highways, certifiers ‘sampling’ ‘trifling’ and, therefore, whether or not this of allowing the employers to take a range of work across a network that will prevent practical completion. possession of the works and to use them is supposed to have been completed, or For those currently negotiating terms, as intended. The nature of the work that disagreement as to whether an outstanding or involved at the early stages of project remains to be completed or remedied item can properly be treated as a minor procurement, there may be real advantage must be taken into consideration. snagging matter, which is later argued to in taking the time and trouble to ensure all l If a defect is irremediable, it does not have an adverse effect upon a road user. parties involved in the matter have a shared automatically justify the prevention of This case reiterates the importance (express!) understanding of the definition practical completion. for those involved in highway matters of practical completion, and the contract of carefully considering how the term helps specify the framework within which a So, what’s new and what does this mean in practical completion is being used and certifier might be operating. Is the contract practice? clear as to what exactly has to be achieved, Many of you more legally inclined folk specific to the relevant project asset and may know that some of the points the intent and purpose of the works? It may above are not entirely new. It’s quite even be worth looking to describe expressly common for practical completion what might be considered to be trifling or to be certified, even if there are snagging matters that should not – on their outstanding or insignificant defects. own – hold up practical completion. These are usually included in a Contracts are often criticised as being schedule of defects attached to the too wordy. Lawyers and drafting people practical completion certificate. are often accused of using three sentences However, the case highlights other when one will do. On this occasion, however, factors that should be considered. it may be worth considering whether less Importantly (rejecting really is more? previous legal authority), Mears sets out the principle that although defects may not affect the use of works, they might nonetheless prevent practical completion. The issue to be flagged here was whether a
JULY 2019 61 EO LE www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
i hwa s eop e n association with
FM C N T op ar transport minister esse orman has ta en p a ro e at the reas r simi ar to one he d his hero, dm nd r e ’ a master enera , and inancia Secretar ’ 1 Mr orman will be missed by investment strategy was warmly many in the roads sector, which welcomed and his apparent he made a priority of during interest in the minutiae of his time at the epartment the brief, including transport for Transport ( fT). He was economic modelling, as well as appointed to the Treasury on 2 his respect for his civil service May 2019. team, helped win over the One senior civil servant sector. source told i h s that from Michael Ellis M has become his earliest days in office Mr minister of state at the fT. He orman made a push on local has responsibility for local roads roads and was determined to policy and funding. get to grips with the pothole He was previously arts minister brief. and is M for orthampton His campaign for a local road orth.
ustrans makes ‘bold’ move with new roles T a in and c c in charit S strans has made a ra t o senior appointments across B the and re and, inc din its irst director o r anism’ ustrans said it reflects its programmes, as well as the ongoing commitment to development of its strategic people-centred places, as well priorities in defining what liveable as an expansion of operations in towns and cities for everyone cotland and Ireland. means. John Lauder, who has been Ashley Hunter joins as director, 16 ustrans cotland’s director orthern Ireland and epublic since 200 , will become its of Ireland. Ms Martin, Mr Hunter deputy chief executive, as well and Ms arayanan will report to 1 as national director, cotland, John Lauder. orthern Ireland and epublic of Ms arayanan said ‘In the Ireland. Following a year’s secondment appointment of a director of After a year acting as deputy to City of Edinburgh Council, urbanism, ustrans has made a director, Grace Martin will leading the City Centre bold statement of intent – with move to a new role of director, Transformation project, aisy a clear commitment to people- cotland. he joined ustrans arayanan (pictured) has been centred place making at the heart cotland from previous senior appointed as ustrans’ first ever of what we do. I’m delighted leadership roles in cottish director of urbanism. and honoured to take up this N charities, most recently as ustrans said she will support appointment, and look forward to director of the cottish eabird the delivery of high quality design both learning and contributing to Centre. through the charity’s funded the charity’s thinking.’ ampion catap ted into chie e ec ti e ro e 1
6 JULY 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk HIGHWAY JO
in association with
Road Safety engineeR £21,589 - £31,371 The Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Road Safety Partnership has a vision to prevent all road deaths across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and to significantly reduce the severity of injuries and subsequent costs and social impacts from road traffic collisions. As a Road Safety Engineer, you will be playing a key role in helping Cambridgeshire County Council implement this vision.
We are looking for a candidate who can participate in developing and delivering technically sound highway engineering solutions, to maintain and improve safety for all users of the network, through both safety studies, schemes and road safety audit.
The role requires close working with key partners, including the Police and developers, so you will have strong communication skills and be able to build relationships with customers, elected members, businesses, partner organisations and other stakeholders.
This role is based within the Highways service which manages, maintains and improves the county’s transport network and operates from a number of bases across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough, with a central base in Huntingdon. We are flexible about work location, but the ability to travel to different locations across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is essential.
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for informal enquiries please contact Matt Staton, Highway Projects and Road Safety Manager on 01223 699652.
the closing date for applications is the 31st July 2019.
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F o s hi hwa sma a ine co
JULY 2019 6 highways jobs www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
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Vacancy: Engineer Location: Cambridgeshire County Council Salary: £33,153 - £35,755 Cambridgeshire County Council are looking for an Engineer to join our Highway Projects team to lead the delivery of a wide range of highway improvements and maintenance Great minds projects across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. Vacancy: Bridges & Structures Technician/ Inspector don’t think alike. Location: Swindon Borough Council Salary: £23,014 to £30,980 p.a. depending on And thank goodness for qualifications and experience that. At Penna, we love the The Bridges Team is responsible for around four hundred fact we have specialists that highway structures and numerous other corporate cover the entire employee bridge assets and multi-storey car parks. We are seeking lifecycle, from attraction, a Technician/Inspector either as a fully qualified and assessment and candidate experienced individual or as a Trainee. management through to sourcing, executive search Vacancy: Service Manager - Transport Planning and interim. Imagine how we and Infrastructure could help you. Location: Sheffield City Council Salary: £48,458 - £53,244 Find out more at penna.com The Strategic Transport Sustainability and Infrastructure service is looking to recruit an exceptional service manager with the knowledge and experience to help develop key strategies and plans, and the energy and passion to lead the Transport Planning and Infrastructure service to deliver them.
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64 july 2019 www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk highways jobs
STREET SCENE AND WASTE SERVICES 2 X HEAD OF SERVICE
Grade L (£54,448 to £58,317) Plus a relocation package* Do you want to lead a service that touches the lives of every resident and visitor to Plymouth? Do you have the skills and experience we need as part of our ongoing modernisation Contracts Manager - programme which aims to put the customer experience at the heart of our street scene and waste service delivery? Core Service If so, we have two new opportunities within our senior management team for experienced leaders who will help £37,849 - £42,683 per year shape and modernise the Street Scene and Waste Service.
Both roles will have responsibility for the strategic direction Liverpool City Council are looking to for the service and are critical to our ambitious plans for recruit a Contracts Manager to work the service. Both post holders will work closely together to provide visible and cohesive leadership as the service within Highways and Transportation. continues improving and modernising in line with the Council’s priorities to be a welcoming, green and sustainable city that cares about the environment. It is an exciting time in To find out more and apply visit: Plymouth to bring innovation to this critical frontline service. jobs.highwaysmagazine.co.uk PLA/864 – Head of Service Street Scene and Waste (Business Operations)
The focus of this role is to ensure that the core operational activities including household waste collection and disposal, commercial waste, street cleansing activities and services for the maintenance of our green spaces are carried out in line with legislation and are ready for the future.
This role offers you the opportunity to manage complex change projects, working with large budgets and delivering within a performance and safety focused culture ensuring that service productivity and effi ciency is maximised.
PLA/863 – Head of Service Street Scene and Waste Policy, Performance & Business Development
The focus of this role is about delivering a performance culture with compliance, performance standards, quality management and appropriate risk management controls maintained across all aspects of the service.
You will lead and support the management team in developing innovative ways of delivering high quality and effi cient service processes and procedures which meets statutory guidelines, national and local standards. You will also work strategically to infl uence the local and national agenda, including working with Central Government on in association with national initiatives. Transport Network is the UK’s only website dedicated to serving free news to the highways Rate Card For further information and to apply for the roles, please and transportation industry. The site aims to provide breaking, exclusive Standard Listing - £550 visit our website at https://www.plymouth.gov.uk/ news, case-study features, analysis, data, □ Jobs Listing commentary and live seminars, blogs and □ Includes Logo □ Job live until closing date headsservicestreetsceneandwasteservices. conferences to industry professionals involved in the sector at a local and Featured Listing - £850 national level, whether in the public or □ Enhanced job sits at top of private sector. home page * We are pleased to offer fi nancial support for successful Highways Jobs – a recruitment website □ Jobs Listing dedicated to engineering and technical □ Includes Logo candidates relocating to Plymouth subject to eligibility. professionals working in the sectors of □ Job live until closing date highways, traffic, transportation and Premium Listing - £1,650 the environment for both the public and □ MPU advert included with For an informal discussion relating to these posts please private sectors. listing contact the Strategic Director for Place, Anthony Payne □ Jobs Listing Why advertise with Transport Network? Core Sectors □ Enhanced job sits at top of on [email protected] or telephone home page Reach thousands of leading professionals ■ Highways Maintenance □ Includes Logo 01752 304170. through our website; ■ Transport □ Job live until closing date ■ Page Views – 26,494 ■ Traffic Management Additional Profiling Options; ■ Visits – 15,909 ■ Engineering □ Buttons - £400 / ■ Unique Visits -8,900 ■ Technician □ Skyscraper - £600 / Closing date: Sunday 14 July 2019. ■ Twitter followers – 2,940 ■ Transport Planner □ Banners - £1,200 ■ Weekly Newsletter – 12,356 ■ Environment Interview date: Friday 16 August 2019. jobs.highwaysmagazine.co.uk www.plymouth.gov.uk For enquiries or bookings please contact Jordan – [email protected] / 01625 614 000 july 2019 6 RANTY HIGHWAYMAN...at large www.highwaysmagazine.co.uk
Trying to make sense of highways and transport in the UK
This is the continuing story of a chartered engineer who until recently worked in a local highways department. Today, still wanted by the highways industry, he survives as a soldier of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire...The Ranty Highwayman. In this article he discusses removing the barriers to disability
Users of wheelchairs, power-chairs and mobility scooters need dropped kerbs to cross the road, as well as unobstructed footways
One thing that I have constantly seen impairment by wearing vision limiting glasses bus stop timetables and tactile information at demonstrated during my career is that where or by using a wheelchair for 20 minutes. pedestrian crossings might just help us get to we improve accessibility for someone, we The best way to understand how our built and navigate our local town centre. Bus stops actually make it easier for everyone else. environment disables people is by listening to with kerbs raised to meet low floor buses will Before I continue, please go and read disabled people themselves because they can make it easier for stick users to board and, in Scope’s definition on the social model of impart their experiences and explain what fact, boarding will be a little more efficient all disability[1] and reflect on the fact that our changes would help them. round, which helps with bus journey reliability. industry is in a powerful position to remove Speaking with our end users is also a Designing cycling infrastructure to make barriers, whether physical or through our positive way to break down non-physical it accessible for disabled cyclists in terms of attitudes. barriers because sometimes it’s the simple space, forgiving kerbs, gentle crossfalls and It’s a subject regularly brought home to me. act of taking somebody seriously because gradients means that it will be suitable for Recently, I was helping to run a consultation their experiences are not yours and you don’t everyone else and especially families and event for a village interested in developing know better! logistics firms, who share the same needs local walking and cycling networks. We had The good thing about breaking down for accessible layouts – again, what helps one two residents who used power-chairs and barriers is that is it good for all of us. group helps far more people than we might they were eager to show how inaccessible People’s mobility, sensory and mental health imagine. much of the village was to them. can change over time, or it can change In the final analysis, we have both a legal On a walk around with one of them, the dramatically or temporarily. and moral obligation to get this stuff right, issues we encountered were fairly common; a Perhaps a fit, young engineer can cope at but we needn’t try to cope with it in isolation lack of dropped kerbs to cross the road, steep anything the streets throw at them; but all of because there is plenty of help out there. ramps and cross-falls, and kerb upstands at a sudden, they have small children and now Aside from speaking to the end user, there are crossing points were all endemic. life has to be planned around routes where national and local access groups who have To cap it all off, as we rounded a corner, it’s easier to push a buggy or whether the distilled knowledge and collective experience we saw some utility works ahead where the railway station has lifts for little legs. into guidance. footway had been closed, giving no way for Where infrastructure has been designed If you have a particular issue, seek out the resident to get by. for people using wheelchairs and mobility someone who can help because in doing so, Much of this stuff isn’t complicated to sort scooters, all of a sudden it is just easier to you’ll benefit from the learning (which you out, but I wonder if we have an institutional use when pushing buggies or walking around can apply elsewhere) and scheme by scheme, problem at recognising barriers, or perhaps with children. society as a whole benefits, especially those in our busy professional lives we simply don’t As we get older, we will benefit from step- who need the help most. pause and think about the subject enough. free access on our streets, into our buildings There is training out there, although it and onto our public transport where thought Follow me on Twitter: @RantyHighwayman varies in quality and quite frankly, you are is given at the design stage. 1 https://www.scope.org.uk/about-us/social- not going to get an appreciation of visual If our eyesight deteriorates, clear text on model-of-disability/
All views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Highways Magazine.
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