ORR holds Network Rail to account p16 Combining infrastructure in Serbia p30

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CLAIRE SMITH EDITOR

month ago prime minister Boris Johnson greenlighted fact I do not apologise for. If we are to achieve the government’s targets High Speed 2, promising the “biggest infrastructure of being carbon net zero by 2050 then we must ensure the climate is part spending since the Victorian era” and discussing of every conversation about infrastructure and becomes central to what A plans for bridges over the Irish Sea. Everything looked we do as civil engineers. promising for infrastructure. Less than four weeks later, with Storms Ciara, Dennis and Jorge having blown through, we have widespread flooding, Heathrow’s third runway If we are to achieve the ruled illegal on environmental grounds and climate questions being asked about road spending plans. government’s targets of being These events create an ironic challenge for infrastructure. On the one hand communities all over the country are calling out for more carbon net zero by 2050 then we must flood defences and better resilience, which is likely to require more concrete and steel – the enemy in the drive to carbon net zero. On the ensure the climate is part of every other, infrastructure investment is being shied away from for very similar reasons, although operation of more roads and more airports would also conversation about infrastructure add to carbon emissions. The delays to the Silvertown Tunnel contract “ award last year show how seriously such concerns are now taken and the Someone at this month’s round table on suggested that in the future project may still face a judicial review rather than starting on site this year. civil engineers should be renamed climate change engineers to inspire The speed of change in attitude to carbon and the drive to net the next generation. Seeing flood defences being built at the end of my zero seems to have taken many by surprise – several people close to garden in the 1980s was part of what led me into a career in engineering Heathrow seemed shocked about the court decision concerning the and I hope that the positive outcome of this winter’s floods will be anoth- legality of expansion – despite the fact that many companies have er generation aiming to use engineering to solve society’s problems. declared their businesses are working towards carbon net zero this year. But which projects they will see underway to inspire them – and It feels like people accept the concept of carbon net zero in the same maybe end up working on – remain to be seen as I wonder whether way they now accept that we are in a climate emergency but fail to have recent events will steer chancellor Rishi Sunak away from the investment grasped that to achieve it will require real action, not just aspirations. plans Johnson has alluded to. Environment Agency chief executive James Bevan has countered This issue of NCE went to press before the Budget but will land on calls for greater flood protection with the suggestion that communities your doormat in the wake of the announcements, so much of what I must face up to hard decisions and consider relocating away from have said above is speculative. Even if Sunak does back Johnson’s areas at risk of continuous flooding or coastal erosion. He also urged comments with investment commitments, the Heathrow decision and householders and business owners to take responsibility to protect their challenges still facing the Silvertown Tunnel show that carbon properties and invest in flood resilience or accept the “hard truth” where considerations have now come to the fore. These challenges are here to that is not feasible. stay and will only get harder, so maybe in the future we will all be climate All of my comment pieces since taking over as editor of NCE from change engineers rather than civil engineers. Mark Hansford seem to have had a climate crisis focus – and that is a l Claire Smith is New Civil Engineer’s editor

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 3 Contents NEW CIVIL ENGINEER APRIL 2020 MAGAZINE OF THE INSTITUTION OF CIVIL ENGINEERS

08 News, Comment 21 Future & Analysis of Roads

08 The Edit: HS2 Ltd faces Curzon Street developer costs claim

08 The Edit: Crossrail boss calls for project management rethink

11 Inside Track: Heathrow runway decision sends ripples across sector

12 Inside Track: New fl ood protection policies sought

13 Inside Track: Welsh coal tip slips trigger concerns after Storm Dennis

14 Inside Track: Refurb fi res expose gaps in safety regime

16 Big Interview: John Larkinson, interim chief executive, Offi ce of Rail and Road

46 ICE Record E orts to improve e ciency and safety on road networks include Highways England’s innovation investment funding, a new motorway interchange design, and a Serbian motorway which incorporates 5G and fl ood defences

22 Highways England is investing 30 Serbia is to build a motorway to improve innovation and which will combine 5G telecoms effi ciency with fl ood defences

46 Open Council lectures; ICE Budget 26 New motorway interchange layout submission; government pressed on proposed to reduce costs infrastructure commitment

4 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER APRIL 2020 For instant updates follow us: Twitter: @ncedigital LinkedIn: new civil engineer Facebook: ncedigital

Instagram Email: newcivilengineer.com/newsletters

33 Innovative Live! EDITORIAL TEAM Thinking EDITORIAL ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected]

Editor Claire Smith (020) 3953 2818 claire.smith

Deputy Editor Alexandra Wynne (020) 3953 2822 alexandra.wynne

Features Editor Nadine Buddoo (020) 3953 2819 nadine.buddoo

JOIN IN: CLIMATE CHANGE QUIZ News Editor NCE’s Climate change quiz is designed to help Rob Horgan 34 Thames Tideway’s Chambers Wharf (020) 3953 2087 rob.horgan access shaft prepares for the arrival engineers get a better grasp of their understanding of of two tunnel boring machines and the issues they face as professionals. Follow this link Features Reporter Catherine Kennedy the launch of another to take part www.bit.ly/NCEClimateQuiz (020) 3953 2095 catherine.kennedy

36 New ear defenders are claimed to News Reporter Joshua Stein be more eff ective, while allowing (020) 3953 2088 joshua.stein workers to hear each other Chief Sub Editor 44 Innovation showcase Andy Bolton (020) 3953 2823 | andy.bolton

Designer 38 Innovative James McCarthy Thinker [email protected]

BOOK NOW Graphic Artist New Civil Engineer’s Future of Airports conference Anthea Carter [email protected] is back in 2020. Visit airports.newcivilengineer.com to see the speaker line up CUSTOMER SERVICES (020) 3953 2152 [email protected]

COMING SOON DISPLAY ADVERTISING Francis Barham NCE100 awards (020) 953 2912 francis.barham https://100awards.newcivilengineer.com Future of rail 38 Alistair Lenczner on breaking https://rail.newcivilengineer.com down the silo mentality of infrastructure developers

APRIL 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 5 Lighthouse ICE VIEWPOINT

Roads investment funding faces new challenges

ince the election Yet at the same time, it raises two There is now towards the back important questions. How can the end of last year, government and Highways England a burning S the government make best use of this investment? And, has consistently where will funding come from after platform to bring road talked up plans for an “infrastructure 2025? revolution”. It has pledged to spend In part, the delivery of the first Road user charging back to billions of pounds over the next five Investment Strategy provides Highways years on numerous key projects and BY ART WE England with a range of lessons to help the top of the policy programmes. MASTER ensure that the implementation of RIS2 “agenda and ensure a This includes plans for investment in WHAT WOULD is as effective as possible. A recent England’s strategic road network (SRN) MASTER US insights paper published by the ICE robust and evidence- as part of a second Road Investment highlighted three of these. Strategy (RIS2), worth approximately The first, albeit obvious, was that based debate takes £25bn. meticulous planning is required This investment is encouraging to ensure that the projects and place for a network that continues to face programmes identified for any future significant challenges in terms of investment strategy are the right ones capacity, maintenance requirements for achieving the most widespread and the reliability it can offer the many benefits for all road users. The drafting to the question of where the investment private and commercial vehicles that and development of RIS2 has been will come from after 2025. travel on it every day. going on for some considerable time, so Government policy interventions that should provide some confidence. geared at phasing out the sale of petrol The second lesson is the need to and diesel cars by 2035 could carry better leverage smart technologies significant implications for the volumes and data to support future asset of tax revenue that they currently How can the management and network planning. raise. Electric vehicles are exempt from Finally, it highlighted the importance Vehicle Excise Duty and as we shift to government of ensuring that RIS2 better a system of hypothecated funding for and Highways accommodates whole-life benefits in the SRN, growing concerns over how the procurement of key programmes of we will pay for it in the long-term are England make work. In particular, the need to realise legitimate. environmental and social benefits as The pros and cons of road best use of this well as traditional economic ones. user charging have been debated If RIS2 and future investment sporadically over the decades. There “investment? And, strategies can take on board these and is now a burning platform to bring other lessons, then the performance of this issue back to the top of the policy where will funding the strategic roads network over the agenda and ensure a robust and come from after long-term will be much improved. evidence-based debate takes place. Of course, this will require continuity l Comments about the Lighthouse 2025? of funding, which brings us back nicely Column to [email protected]

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TRANSPORT KEY STAT CROSSRAIL BOSS CALLS FOR PROJECT HS2 Ltd faces multi-million 47 years MANAGEMENT Age of RETHINK London pound claim after court ruling on Crossrail chief executive Mark Wild Bridge has called for a rethink in the way value of Curzon Street station site major projects are managed, during his appearance on NCE’s The Engineers Collective podcast. Wild said HIGH SPEED 2 development plans they consider that Crossrail delays and cost HS2 Ltd may be forced to shell out appropriate. In 2018 the 1.6ha plot overruns resulted from having the millions of pounds in compensation owned by Quintain, and acquired via wrong people in management after a court ruling allowed compulsory purchase for the new positions at critical points in the landowners to seek higher costs for station in 2019, was estimated to be project’s delivery. He added that property at the site of the Curzon worth £20M. HS2 Ltd took possession having the same people making the Street station in Birmingham. A judge of the site in July 2018 although the decisions on civil engineering and for the Upper Tribunal (Lands project promoter for the £88bn high systems integration had led the Chamber) ruled that four parties – speed line did not pay for the previous management team to lose its including developer Quintain and purchase while the legal action was “situational awareness”. He said :“In Birmingham University – could seek ongoing, NCE understands. Transport 2010, the fundamental risk of Crossrail certificates of appropriate secretary Grant Shapps had argued was drilling 42km of tunnel under the development for the sites which were that Quintain and other landowners world’s most complex city. [By] acquired by HS2 Ltd even after the could have received “excessive or 2014/15 the game of Crossrail had station scheme had been announced. unfair compensation” for the land as shifted to complex system integration. Developers can use the certificates or the proposals were drawn up after That shift was not recognised at CAADs to draw up alternative HS2 itself was announced. But the Crossrail and on future projects I proposals in case a development such ruling, stated that the landowners’ would stress getting in the right people as High Speed 2 (HS2) is cancelled. freedom to develop their land in their for the right job […] the people who The decision means that the four own interests was taken away when were right for the tunnelling, weren’t parties can now demand a higher the HS2 project was launched in necessarily the right people to do price for the land based on alternative November 2013. systems integration.”

8 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 STRUCTURES LAING WINS EVERTON STADIUM

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CROSSRAIL STRUCTURES BUSINESS KHAN PROMISES TO LONDON BRIDGE SKANSKA TO GET OUT MAKE SILVERTOWN TO CLOSE UNTIL OF MAINTENANCE TUNNEL CONTRACTS OCTOBER FOR AND FOCUS ON PUBLIC ‘VITAL’ REPAIRS CONSTRUCTION

Contracts to build the £1bn London Bridge will close to general Skanska UK is pulling out of the Silvertown Tunnel under the River traffic for seven months for “vital” highways and rail maintenance Thames will be made public, London repairs. The 47-year-old structure will markets to focus on construction. mayor Sadiq Khan has promised. shut to all traffic except buses, The Swedish owned contractor Khan vowed to open the contracts up licensed taxis, pedestrians and has put its infrastructure services to public scrutiny “subject to legal cyclists from March until October. business up for sale. Skanska UK advice”, during a London Assembly FM Conway will carry out essential said it would complete all of its meeting. The Mayor’s Office has so far maintenance and waterproofing for outstanding maintenance contracts. withheld details of the contract which bridge owner City of London According to Skanska UK chief was awarded to the Riverlinx Corporation. Work includes replacing executive Gregor Craig, the sale will Liebigconsortium NCE Revised in November. ad Dec 2019_Layout 1 11/5/19bearings 5:01and protective PM Page waterproofing. 1 streamline its UK operation.

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The court did, however, rule against Heathrow Hub’s proposal – but Lowe said it too will appeal the decision at the Supreme Court. A spokesperson for the Arora Group – another company with rival Heathrow West plans – said that the group “remains an unwavering supporter of Heathrow expansion so long as environmental disruption is minimised”. The group believes its plans to design, develop and operate Heathrow West – a new terminal and a new runway – will “revolutionise the airport”, ensuring the expansion is “efficient and cost effective” versus the expensive and inefficient plans put for- ward by HAL. NCE understands that this proposal also requires the court ruling to be overturned. The Heathrow decision has cast doubt on planned expansions at other airports AVIATION including Luton, Gatwick and Doncaster Sheffield. Heathrow court decision sends ripples across sector But demand for air travel is growing. According to forecasts from Expansion plans hit the buffers as court rules that the the Department for Transport (DfT), construction of Heathrow airport’s third runway is unlawful UK air passenger demand could reach 380M passengers per year by 2030, compared to 267M in 2016. By 2050 – the BY ROB HORGAN AND CATHERINE KENNEDY government’s target for net zero emissions – the figure could reach 535M. he Court of Appeal decision to Heathrow Hub and Heathrow West have One way to release airport capacity outlaw Heathrow Airport’s third declared their separate proposals to without the need for major expansions runway plan has left its expansion be less environmentally damaging than could be to improve the country’s rail Tplans in limbo. It has also rocked the HAL’s expansion plan. infrastructure. aviation sector’s growth plans and Heathrow Hub said the judgement – A high speed rail network with threatened to hit the UK’s wider along with the government’s decision connections to airports would allow the infrastructure pipeline. not to appeal to the Supreme Court UK to operate more international flights Lord Justice Lindblom ruled that the – means HAL’s third runway proposal without the need for major airport government’s Airports National Policy is “effectively dead”. Heathrow Hub expansions, according to Expedition Statement – which paved the way for the founder Jock Lowe said: “This is our ‘we Engineering director Alistair Lenczner. third runway – failed to consider told you so’ moment. There was always He was previously part of the design the government’s climate change a huge risk that the unnecessarily team which worked on the Inner Thames commitments under the 2016 Paris complicated and expensive third runway Estuary Airport proposal, also known as Agreement to cut carbon emissions. would fail on environmental grounds and Boris Island. Lenczner believes that Consequently he ruled that the third that Boris Johnson would stop it, and so improving rail connections to UK runway proposal was unlawful as it it has proved.” airports is critical. He told NCE that breaks net zero carbon emission laws Heathrow Hub says its plan to extend this is now the only realistic way to free implemented by former prime minister the airport’s northern runway is now the up international flight slots, following Theresa May’s government before last “only viable option”. It says its proposal the Heathrow expansion ruling. year’s General Election. is much cheaper and less environmentally In particular, Lenczner believes that Operator Heathrow Airport Ltd (HAL) damaging than HAL’s plans, which will Expedition Engineering’s HS4Air rail said it would challenge the ruling in the make it easier for the UK to meet its net proposal to connect Heathrow and Supreme Court, but for the time being its zero carbon target by 2050. The plan Gatwick to High Speed 2 and High Speed plans are in limbo. has an independently verified safety 1 should now be seriously considered. Meanwhile, rival bidders to expand case and has been deemed viable by The proposal was previously put to Heathrow have welcomed the ruling. the government’s Airports Commission. the DfT under the government’s call for

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 11 Inside Track Xxxxx xxxx xxxxx

market led proposals for rail expansion. FLOODING It has not yet been taken forward. “Now that Heathrow’s plan to build a New direction sought third runway has been declared unlawful it is likely to have a significant impact on how the UK plans its future Floods trigger call for defence infrastructure. The decision suggests that the UK needs to look at more funding and strategy rethink radical ways to allow it to maintain international connectivity while taking BY TIM CLARK AND JOSHUA STEIN into account the Paris climate agree- ment,” Lenczner told NCE. ngineers have called for an “If HS4Air were built then there overhaul of flood defence funding would be no need to have domestic and of the way the UK tackles flights into Heathrow or Gatwick from Eflooding. the north of England or even Scotland Commenting on the impact of the as both airports would be readily latest floods in Yorkshire, Wales and the accessible by fast, direct trains. West Midlands, Atkins client director “Landing slots currently used by Simon Leek warned that the changing domestic flights could then be made climate means that flood protection available for international flights.” must be rethought. He has urged the Lenczner also sees HS4Air as the start government to invest at least £1bn a of a complete change of mindset when it year in bolstering defences. comes to airport connectivity. In fact, “Flood defences we are building are he believes that the UK could eventually getting better and less properties are be served by as few as five or six regional being impacted by flooding overall,” airport hubs, if adequate rail connections Leek told NCE. were put in place. He suggests that “However, the Environment Agency providing rail links to ensure that 90% of has been constrained by the amount the population is within 90 minutes of an of money available to build these airport would allow the UK to reduce additional defences. the number of airports to five or six “As a minimum we need at least £1bn NCE that “there are other options to international hubs, dramatically per year to maintain and build new improve our resistance to floods, that do reducing the environmental impact on flood defences, obviously anyone would not include flood defences”. the country. like more money but [the Environment “Of course, it is important we But the impact of the court ruling is Agency] is competing against a number continue to invest in flood defences,” likely to reach beyond the UK’s aviation of other government departments which he said. “But that is not the full story. sector. An NCE investigation carried out have their own needs.” One option is that we direct water away last year revealed that Heathrow’s third During storms Ciara, Dennis and from important infrastructure to runway, the Lower Thames Crossing Jorge, river level records were broken ‘sacrificial flood areas’ – parts of cities road tunnel and the Sizewell C nuclear on the Colne, Ribble, Calder, Aire, Trent, which are not as important when it plant were among dozens of projects Severn, Wye, Lugg, and Derwent. But at comes to infrastructure. […] Parks whose plans would have to be redrafted the beginning of February, water levels are one example. This would allow for to comply with new net zero legislation. were either at or below average for this transport infrastructure and housing to The courts now support this conclusion, time of year. The sheer quantity of rain be protected.” with Justice Lindblom ruling that in Wales and the West Midlands meant Balmforth, an ICE past president, expansion plans failed to consider that the Environment Agency and others warned that the climate change coupled environmental laws. may have to rethink just how rivers will with population growth means defending Projects applying for development behave in the future. all areas from flood damage would be consent order (DCOs), and which are HR Wallingford technical director impossible in the long run. sitting at the pre-examination or pre- Jonathan Simm agreed that flood “Given the challenge of climate change approval stage are most likely to be face defence funding must be reviewed, and and our increasing population, we need challenges. DCOs are handled by the he called for an annual flood defence to recognise it is not going to be possible Planning Inspectorate and are required spend of £1.2bn. He added the current to defend all areas and buildings from for large scale projects which are cost benefit structure applied to flood damage,” Balmforth said. “For example, deemed to be of “national interest”. defence funding is “remarkably stricter people living in steep sided valleys may In total, NCE’s investigation revealed in comparison to the test for highways ultimately have to be relocated.” that 64 applications were at the and other structures”. Balmforth’s comments align with pre-examination or pre-approval stage. “We have to realise more money must those made by Environment Agency Nineteen of these are road projects, be spent on flood defences,” he added. chief executive Sir James Bevan who six relate to rail works, while 27 are However, consultant MWH’s executive suggested some communities will have energy projects. technical director David Balmforth told to relocate because of rising sea levels,

12 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 MORE NEWS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM

GEOTECHNICS to cope with surface water flows, for Flooding: New instance, are now at risk. policies needed Call for better protection “None of them have been designed to retain stability in the kind of extreme weather we’ve been experiencing this Abandoned coal spoil tip winter.” landslip sparks concern Standards of inspection, monitoring and problem rectification must be revisited and improved Bromhead added. BY TY BYRD Additionally, there must be effective legislation to ensure good practice is ore and potentially lethal maintained – with no falling away as has colliery waste tip slides are happened with current standards. forecast following the landslip “Some tips today are monitored using Mat Llanwonna tip near Tylorstown, South geotechnical instruments, for instance. Wales during Storm Dennis in February. But I’ll wager many instruments aren’t Emergency checks were carried out being read; if they’re read they are not at 20 more tips in Wales following interpreted; and even where interpretation the incident. occurs, no appropriate action is taken. No major concerns were Often it’s a problem with funding,” he said. reported, although several coal tips Rhondda Cynon Taf Council remain in the highest-risk category – one leader Andrew Morgan said: “We have in Caerphilly, and three in Blaenau Gwent. released £1M from our own reserves Twelve more coal tips in Caerphilly are – but will have to release more in the considered high risk, said a spokesman coming weeks. for Caerphilly County Borough Council. “The repair bill is going to run into Slope stability experts are now calling millions and millions of pounds.” for improved monitoring standards Morgan said that after talks with the in light of apparently more frequent Welsh Government, the council expects extreme weather events. this work to be funded. Meanwhile risk assessments for Last month a top level safety meeting coastal erosion and high rainfall. people and coal tip property in Wales about coal tips in Wales was convened. Speaking to NCE from Tewkesbury have been ordered by the Welsh Among those present were Welsh in Gloucestershire at the height of the Government which is determined to secretary Simon Hart, Wales first recent flooding, Environment Agency ensure fulfillment by tip owners of their minister Mark Drakeford as well as flood risk manager Anthony Perry said legal safety obligations. representatives from the Coal Authority, defences built to last for decades were Llanwonna tip suffered a substantial the Welsh Local Government Association already reaching their operational limits. failure at the height of Storm Dennis and Natural Resources Wales. “Working with consultants and on Sunday 16 February. The dramatic It was agreed that all agencies will engineers we’ve constructed many landslip sent thousands of tonnes of work together to share resources and schemes in the Severn and Wye waste into to a water course. No one technical expertise, establishing a catchment over the last 20 years,” was hurt. common set of standards for risk Perry said. Tylorstown is 16km from Aberfan in assessment. “They were constructed to a 1 in the Rhondda valley. There, in 1966, 144 It was also agreed that information 150 year [flood] standard. We need to people including 116 children died when about local tip safety will be provided to do the calculations but it was close to the colliery waste tip above Pentglas people living in the south Wales valleys. the top of those defences [during the Junior School collapsed. At Tylorstown, contractors have recent storms].” The Llanwonna tip landslide must been appointed to remove scrub and Environment Agency operations serve as a wake up call for the various redirect water from the back face of the director Mark Sitton-Kent said the time authorities responsible for monitoring slip. Rhondda Cyon Taf Council has also for discussion is over. colliery waste tips to take appropriate commissioned specialist consultants “I’ve worked in the industry for 25 action, according to slope stability to inspect and survey the tip and help years, and when I started floods of this expert Edward Bromhead. inform an action plan. magnitude were never heard of or were He is professor emeritus of geotechnical The council inherited its tip assets once in a career, but I have seen more engineering at Kingston University, and including Llanwonno from the former than I care to mention and they are acts as an independent consultant. Mid-Glamorgan Council in 1996. becoming more frequent,” he said. “Right now, you must expect some of Old, disused coal tips where coal “Now we need to move on to how the country’s older tips to slide down waste was once dumped are regulated we prevent more of this happening and the hill and valley sides below them if by the Mines and Quarries (Tips) Act mitigate the impacts and get prepared storms like Dennis become increasingly 1969. This places a duty on land owners to deal with this thing on a more the norm,” he said. to monitor the tips. Some are in public frequent basis.” “Even those spoil heaps engineered hands while others are privately owned.

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 13 Inside Track

is through the HSE. But it is doubtful it will see if it as part of its remit.” Compliance with the principal fire safety code, the Joint Code of Practice on the Protection from Fire on Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation, is currently voluntary. At present it is only the voluntary code which serves as some kind of imperative for construction firms to account for fire risk when carrying out refurbishments. Meanwhile more can be done to improve good practice and fire prevention on site. Fire doors which prevent the spread of fires are often left propped open when construction work is taking place. Flammable building materials, like timber frames, sit on-site waiting for installation, and hot works, like welding or grinding, further increasing fire risk. Nearly three in 10 construction site fires since 2015 were caused by hot works, according to Home Office data. The Glasgow School of Art Fire detection systems, meanwhile, are fire in 2018 was the second often switched off and covered to protect in four years them from dust. Clearly, not enough is being done to mitigate fire risks, especially on STRUCTURES refurbishment sites. Nevertheless, a construction fire can Legal loopholes mean that building cost millions of pounds, and can result in higher insurance premiums for the refurbishment sites face increased fire risk construction sector. Some contractors even decide against insuring their projects because it is so expensive. The joint code was introduced after NCE investigates the on-going problems of refurbishment fires two colossal fires in the early 1990s caused millions of pounds worth of BY JOSHUA STEIN damage. One of them, at Minster Court in London, cost insurers £120M. The other n 2015 the Battersea Art Centre went project have already been expressed. was a Broadgate phase 8 and cost £38M. up in flames, leaving it with a rebuild Fire safety consultant Mosen managing . “Insurers are very, very reluctant to cost verging on £15M. The Glasgow director Fathi Tarada told NCE that while insure contractors for major fire risks,” ISchool of Art was engulfed in flames in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry has rightly says Tarada. “Some risks are almost too 2018 for the second time in four years, brought building regulations into the expensive to insure. I have requested and is expected to cost £100M to rebuild. spotlight, fire safety arrangements for more cover before which was declined And this January, the iconic Koko club refurbishment projects remain a “lacuna”. by loads of insurers. It is becoming more in Camden, London, lost a third of its “Building regulations have been expensive and sometimes impossible to roof after fire broke out. In France, the very much on the review. But that is cover the insurance that you need.” historic Notre Dame cathedral in Paris was not the same thing as fire risks during Fire Protection Agency director of extensively damaged last year. Repairs are construction,” Tarada said. “We have the operations Howard Passey told NCE expected to cost up to €600M (£510M). Health & Safety Executive (HSE) which is organisations “are generally driven to All were being refurbished when the all about the health and safety of workers, address legislative requirements”. fires took place. we have building regulations which is If there is no legislation, there is no With the Palace of Westminster lined about regulations once the building has impetus to increase short-term costs, up as the next high-profile refurb in the been completed. At the moment, fire safety even if there is a risk of overwhelming UK, fire safety experts have warned that at construction sites is in the middle.” long-term costs. a lack of monitoring coupled with gaps He added: “Somehow we need to plug “It’s frustrating,” Passey said. “We in legislation means refurbishment fires that gap. If we want to use the existing have tried for many years to introduce will continue to make headlines. Safety tools to introduce construction site fire legislation on the safety requirements for concerns about the £4bn Westminster safety legislation, I think the easiest way premises under construction.”

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CEMEX.CO.UK/VERTUA John Larkinson INTERIM CHIEF EXECUTIVE, OFFICE OF RAIL AND ROAD BY NADINE BUDDOO Making Network Rail’s commitment count

ffice for Rail and get more efficient, but it became Road (ORR) interim more inefficient across the last chief executive control period. That just isn’t O John Larkinson has sustainable. It cannot go on.” a mammoth task The ORR has had to become more overseeing Network Rail’s progress challenging in its relationship with through Control Period 6 (CP6), Network Rail to ensure the failures its current five year spending of CP5 are not repeated. There

The Interview The programme which started on is now a persistent focus on the 1 April 2019. And there is little likelihood of the operator meeting doubt there are challenging times its performance targets. ahead. But despite this, Larkinson is The ORR is also using leading reassuringly positive about the task. indicators to track Network Rail’s He was appointed as interim chief progress during CP6. The aim is for executive in October 2018, following the regulator to have more accurate the departure of Joanna Whittington. For Larkinson, this new approach oversight of the company’s efficiency At the time, the operator and the comes down to the “big three” plans across the five year period. regulator were focusing on the factors: efficiency, performance It has also undertaken some transition from the previous spending and delivery of work volumes. internal restructuring to more period, CP5, to CP6. The regulator is holding Network closely align with Network Rail’s In its final assessment of Network Rail to account of in the interest appointment of regional managing Rail’s CP5 performance, the ORR said of passengers, freight customers, directors (MDs). The five Network that the company had overspent funders and the whole supply chain. Rail MDs sit on its executive board, its internal budget in every year of “That’s really important to me,” he so there is a consistent approach the control period. Network Rail says. “If you can’t get the ‘big three’ to areas such as standards. But overspent by £10bn against original right, it seriously undermines public fundamentally they have the freedom forecasts and accrued £20bn of trust in the company. to run their railway their way. additional debt during CP5. “Network Rail was supposed to The ORR has responded by From the outset, Larkinson has restructuring its own team to had to have some blunt discussions mirror this change from route-based about what went wrong. to region-based managers. “What went well and what didn’t What do we need “If we’re going to support go so well – that was what was that devolution, we have to speak occupying my mind when I took on to focus on in the same language when we talk the role,” he says. “The question for to them…We have to adapt to us was what do we need to focus on the new control period, monitor them on that basis,” in the new control period, having Larkinson explains. learned some major lessons in CP5? having learned some This devolution of power is That’s the basis of our approach.” major lessons in CP5? something Larkinson welcomes 16 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 “ The ORR is working to help Network Rail improve efficiency and stay within budgets enthusiastically, also crediting When things interventionist approach. Network Rail chief executive Andrew While there has been some good Haines for his leadership during a KEY FACTS go well, we progress at the start of this control period of significant change. period, there is more work to be done “[Haines has] done an excellent £3.5bn will stand up and say during CP6. The operator is on track job of trying to galvanise the industry to deliver efficiency savings of £316M and lead from the front. He’s not been Target for Network Rail has in the first 12 months of CP6, but this afraid to stand up and say ‘I’m going Network Rail is targeted to double to £598M for year to try this’ or ‘we need to reform the made good progress on two. The pressure is on to meet the way we work on this’,” he adds. efficiencies “ ambitious overall target of £3.5bn of Devolving powers within the over Control efficiency efficiency improvements across CP6. company has clearly impacted on Period 6 To monitor progress, the ORR’s Network Rail’s approach to efficiency internal risk registers help it identify planning for CP6. “If you work for Network Rail and underperforming regions and allow Larkinson notes that during the last £316M you’re about two or three layers from it to target efforts in those areas. control period, efficiency plans were the top, and all you ever hear is ‘we’re Through rigorous monitoring and very much “top down”, whereas the Target for going to fail efficiency targets’ and compliance, Larkinson is confident business plan for CP6 has been “built efficiency ‘the regulator is whingeing’ – nobody Network Rail can deliver what has in layers, from the bottom, up”. savings wants to hear that,” he says. “Most been promised for CP6. Efficiency targets no longer filter people really take pride in their jobs. So will there be fines if there are down from board level and this, the between 2019 And that’s why I’m really determined failings during the control period? regulator believes, has encouraged and 2020 that when things go well, we will Larkinson believes fining the Network a sense of ownership across stand up and say Network Rail has Rail is not a useful deterrent as it Network Rail. made good progress on efficiency.” directs money away from the railway. The transition to CP6 has exposed There’s a real sense of a shift in But in March 2019 the ORR said it some challenges nonetheless. Network Rail’s culture and a shift in planned to impose financial sanctions Larkinson admits that ORR’s more the company’s relationship with its for underperforming routes and rigorous approach to monitoring for regulator. While the plans for CP6 are operators, while reducing or removing the new control period, initially drew not perfect – Larkinson acknowledges bonuses for Network Rail bosses. a less than encouraging reaction. that some regions on the network are It is stressed that these targeted But over time, Network Rail’s currently underperforming – Network financial sanctions are for serious stance has shifted, with the Rail is on track to deliver its year one underperformance and are focused track operator acknowledging efficiency targets. on the senior team. For Larkinson, it where efficiency plans have been “No one has been able to say is all part of the new logic: “You own inadequate. Larkinson says the that for the last five years – that’s the plan, so you’re accountable. company also wanted assurance absolutely bloody massive,” “Will we have to use these that the ORR would acknowledge Larkinson enthuses. For this he sanctions? I don’t know,” he says. positive progress whenever targets credits Network Rail, but insists “Are we willing to use them? Yes, are achieved. it also justifies the ORR’s more absolutely.” N

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 17 the brittle failures of the Liberty ships in the 1940s. Clearly, lessons are learned, technology moves on and modern prestressed concrete bridges, like steelwork ones, are perfectly able to be designed and constructed to last a lifetime, in Your View even the harshest conditions. Prestressing is the most widely LETTERS TO THE EDITOR used technique in bridges globally, AND COMMENTS ONLINE except in the UK, where the vast majority of consultants and contractors have experienced a generational loss in expertise, due ROADS century Britain the project was to the unfortunate Highways Agency unable to estimate the costs and moratorium between 1992 and 1996. HARD SHOULDER understand the risks. This loss of skills is not something HISTORY @ The estimates for the scheme that happened elsewhere. The rose from £32.7bn in 2011 to £56bn corresponding lack of expertise I read with interest the article in 2015 and then to £106bn last is actually the main reason that “Smart motorways suspended and year. How can someone be so wildly bridges here are not prestressed could be scrapped amid fears for inaccurate? What confidence can more often. motorists’ safety” (NCE, March we have that the final figure will be Also, if you look at the issues at 2020). anywhere near £106bn? Hammersmith Flyover, you will see My father, Owen Tudor Williams, The complexity and risks involved that most of the problems were while working with his father Sir in such a project were also grossly caused by the failure to install a Owen on the initial plans for the first underestimated by both the proper waterproofing layer. The intercity motorway in the UK – the Department for Transport and HS2 bridge was initially heated, but M1 – went some 60 years ago to Ltd; in particular, such an obvious study operating motorways in the thing as the cost of property United States. acquisition along the route was He came back with two main vastly underestimated. messages for the then Ministry of HS2 Ltd rushed into the project, Transport that he had learnt and spending £8bn so far. Does this not had to convince them of. The first suggest that they were spending as was that shoulders should be hard much as possible at commencement as many at the time were soft and and even while the review was caused great problems in getting underway to ensure that there was broken down vehicles off once no turning back? they had become bogged down If there had been a clear analysis in the soft shoulder. The second of the project detailing more message, which was as important, accurately the costs and benefits was because of the speed involved from the beginning, setting out a and peoples’ reaction time, the convincing case for HS2, I doubt hard shoulders should run the full I would have been against this length of the motorway without project. And I believe the same Hammersmith Flyover: Neglected interruption at bridges or any other would be true of many other obstacle. “nay-sayers”, even those adversely this was turned off in the 1970s, It is sad to see, especially with the affected by the route. This major which forced the use of de-icing dire consequences involved, that infrastructure project has started salts without a protective layer. after 60 years this message is still in an atmosphere of opposition and Additionally, the failure to correctly having to be relearnt. mistrust from the public, which is construct a number of the concrete Richard Williams (F), not good news for our industry. joints between the segments created williamsrichardandrosa@gmail. Daniel Munday (M), a direct route through to the cables. com Daniel.Munday@ Neither of these issues were design chilternandsouthbucks.gov.uk faults. Anyway, technology evolves and no modern bridges would be STRUCTURES The Editor, designed or built in such a manner. New Civil BRIDGES I have been noting this lack of TOO MUCH HS2 HASTE? Engineer, PRESTRESS expertise for many years. Maybe, in Telephone It was no surprise that the Oakavee SKILLS CHALLENGE an era when it is even more essential Review recommended that High House, to procure the most cost-effective Speed 2 (HS2) should go ahead; it 69-77 Paul Saying that one cannot use and sustainable solutions, the UK was no surprise that government Street, London, prestressing because of issues with industry should finally get over this should give the green light following EC2A 4NQ a bridge that was built 60 years hurdle and re-skill itself. this report. What is a surprise, and Email: nceedit@ ago is very odd. It’s like saying that Simon Bourne (F), staggers me, is that in twenty-first emap.com steelwork cannot be used due to [email protected]

18 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 MAIN POINT BREXIT AND YOUREUROPEAN VIEWS AND OPINIONS STANDARDS

I wish to take issue with aspects of the Inside Track article The UK is a leading player in standards work at a European on standards post Brexit (NCE, March 2020). My standards and international level and I strongly believe we should experience extends over three decades of participation in continue to do so. Remember “if you are not in it, you cannot BSI and CEN standardisation covering the safety of civil win it”. engineering processes and construction machinery safety. Donald Lamont (F), [email protected] The original purpose of Euronorms (ENs) for construction machinery was the removal of barriers to trade through The Inside Track article in the last issue contains having common safety standards. These standards a number of misleading statements. The thrust now represent state of the art in machinery safety. of the article is that Brexit affords Britain an Improved standards have contributed opportunity to change its standards and that significantly to improved construction site this should be done before the end of this safety. Obvious improvements to machinery year. Quite apart from the fact that changes to are better operator visibility, better operator standards typically take well over a year, there protection and ease of maintenance checks is no reason to associate standards changes from ground level. The UK is not a major with Brexit. Consider a few facts. manufacturer of construction machinery, but it Firstly, the implication that European is a major user and as such has been a significant standards are somehow an output of the contributor to many machinery ENs along with European Union (EU) is mistaken. They are actually France and Germany. produced by the European standards organisations It is wrong to give the impression that we are being CEN and Cenelec, which are independent of the forced to accept lots of ENs we do not agree with. We are EU. Britain’s membership, through BSI, of CEN/Cenelec is very much a leading player in drafting ENs and in my unrelated to our relationship with the EU. The same applies to experience the UK delegates fight very hard to ensure ENs several other CEN/Cenelec members, which are not in the EU fully meet UK requirements. In some cases, including an EN at all. project I am currently leading, it is our CEN partners who Secondly, the statement that “accepting all European are being persuaded – forced is too emotive – to accept our standards and norms [actually they are the same thing] without requirements. question is not the will of the people” is, again, falsely linking British standards body BSI is understandably reluctant to BSI’s membership of CEN/Cenelec with Brexit, and overlooks rewrite standards. UK PLC has already invested massively in the fact that, at least in my experience, the UK has more input drafting ENs. Where is the business case for rewrites? Will and asks more questions than most other participants. sufficient organisations agree to actively participate in the Perhaps most importantly: why would there be any benefit rewrites? What is their commercial value? to Britain in creating its own different standards? European ENs are widely used in many countries outside Europe as standards, which Britain is obliged to adopt as a member of being the only reputable standards for many machinery types. CEN/Cenelec, are not actually mandatory until called up in The current trend is for ENs to become dual numbered EN ISO contracts, so it is very much up to the client. Even the so-called standards bringing them a global application. Most machinery harmonised standards, which reflect European directives, are manufacturers seem to support this move. voluntary: they are simply deemed to be one way of complying Standards have a very important role in international with those directives addressed by the standard. When we trade. If UK businesses want to sell abroad it is the standards live by international trade, it makes sense to have common applicable in the country of the purchaser which must be standards. European standards are increasingly being used complied with. Through CEN and ISO, UKplc can participate in by countries outside Europe, and the ISO is looking to adopt drafting these standards. several European standards virtually unchanged, or to create We should not forget the “home ground advantage” – its own standards based closely on them. ENs and ISO standards are drafted in English and often UK I chair the BSI Railway Track committee, which oversees delegates are asked to provide the wording once technical Britain’s input to 12 of the working groups in CEN Technical requirements have been decided. Committee 256 (Railway Applications). I do not presume to BSI has not abandoned codes of practice. I have participated speak for BSI, but our major role in European standards work in two revisions of codes of practice in the past couple of is shown in our participation in all these groups, and in our years. The most recent, a revision of a well-established code chairing of three of them and of TC256 itself. Furthermore, it is of practice, was published in late 2019. I know from personal often the result of our influence, albeit through consensus, that experience it is used in the Middle East, India, Asia and European standards turn out to be very similar to pre-existing Australasia. Within the international insurance market it forms British standards. Why would we want to misalign ourselves in the baseline standard for guidance on risk management in one the future? high risk sector. Quentin Phillips (M), [email protected]

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 19 DESIGN / MANUFACTURE / BUILD / MAINTAIN / ENHANCE

DELIVERING HIGHWAYS INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES

Working in collaboration with our customers, partners and stakeholders to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions for the UK’s strategic road network.

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NCE Ad3 04-03-20.indd 1 05/03/2020 12:37:08 Future of Roads

As Highways England prepares for its next fi ve year funding period, this issue looks at innovative achievements in the fi rst period and reviews e orts in Europe to improve e ciency and reduce costs

STRATEGIC PLANS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS / PAGE 22 JUNCTION IMPROVEMENT IDEAS / PAGE 26 COMBINING INFRASTRUCTURE IN SERBIA / PAGE 30

APRIL 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 21 SPENDING TO SAVE As the second road investment period approaches, there is much debate about how the next five years will shape the development of England’s strategic roads. Encouraging more innovation and the use of technology has been a major focus, but how can Highways England consolidate this work to tackle the challenges ahead? Nadine Buddoo reports.

Future reluctant to discuss funding specifics for RIS2 until the Budget KEY FACT of Roads announcement, the strategic roads operator is clear that there will be a £120M continued focus on embracing new ighways England’s technologies and fresh approaches to Innovation Designated Value of challenges. Fund has provided Highways “Innovation is critical to help us ways of working. £120M over the meet the economic, environmental During RIS1, Highways England has first five year Road England and efficiency challenges we will face actively encouraged engagement with Investment Strategy Innovation in our changing world over the coming the wider industry as part of its drive (RIS1) period for innovative capital Designated years,” says Highways England head of to promote innovation. projects. innovation Annette Pass. In 2018, the organisation launched H Fund in RIS1 Every year, around £6M is allocated She explains that projects delivered a public “front door” Innovation for research and development to help through the Innovation Designated Portal, which has provided a platform the strategic roads operator deliver Fund should provide a step change in to publicise its challenges, priorities a more dependable, durable and safe how Highways England demonstrates and competitions as well as being road network. and implements emerging a contact point for innovators to But as RIS1 draws to a close, the technologies, new materials, and submit ideas. focus is now firmly on the transition In addition, Highways England to the second Road Investment ran a major £10M innovation Strategy (RIS2) and how the approach competition last year in collaboration to innovation might evolve over the Innovation is with InnovateUK. It resulted in six next five years. innovation trials and a number of As this issue of NCE went to press, critical to help feasibility studies covering a diverse the government was still preparing range of subjects. to deliver its 2020 Budget. With RIS2 us meet the economic, “Importantly, this has opened our set to commence in April, newly ‘innovation market’ to SMEs and appointed chancellor Rishi Sunak environmental and non-traditional infrastructure is expected to confirm the £25bn efficiency challenges suppliers,” adds Pass. investment. Highways England is also taking While Highways England is “ an innovative approach to its data we will face

22 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 If, as indicated, there is a sizeable increase in investment during “RIS2, it will be critical for Highways England to focus on efficiencies

challenges, through activities such as a recent hackathon organised in partnership with consultant Connected Places Catapult. The event explored the theme of geolocation and the possibilities of combining datasets with different geo-referencing models. “The event attracted 95 people to £25bn work on our data challenges for 24 hours,” says Pass. Expected RIS2 spend on “A number of ideas and proofs of strategic roads over next concept were created, which we are now exploring to see how we could five years develop them further.” Highways England has also been working with industry to create a route towards connected and autonomous construction plant. £6M This work has resulted in trials Annual spending on for self-driving trucks to speed up research and development roadworks and for robotics technology to be used for road marking. for England’s strategic After a series of exciting innovation roads network trials and competitions were launched in RIS1, how can Highways England ensure this progress will continue in the next investment period? “If, as indicated, there is a sizeable increase in investment during RIS2, INNOVATION DESIGNATED FUND it will be critical for Highways England to focus on efficiencies and follow through on the work it has Highways England’s innovation l Improving infrastructure – l New (emerging) technologies already started,” says Office of Rail focus is not just about improving asset management, – in-vehicle, vehicle to vehicle and Road director for planning and technological advancements. improving asset performance and vehicle to infrastructure performance Graham Richards. and delivery through new communications and services, A major challenge for Highways Through its Innovation construction techniques and including work on connected and England and its supply chain during Designated Fund, the strategic materials autonomous vehicles RIS2 will be the level of capacity to roads operator is supporting new deliver its programme of work, he approaches to infrastructure and l Data and information – l Support to sustainable adds. But successfully implementing an asset delivery and management innovative technology to collect operation – innovative innovative approach often depends on as well as sustainable operations, or supply information from or technology that supports solid collaboration and sharing of best including: to road network users, including improved environmental practice across projects. provision of better connectivity, outcomes as well as ensuring “The sector has learnt that project l Safety technology – consideration of new location service levels are maintained delivery can be very tricky, so it’s technology that has specific technologies and innovative on the network for longer, for important that key stakeholders safety benefits such as collision information services example by influencing and continue to have a good relationship. avoidance systems and tunnel managing demand. Without that, the risks can be great; safety systems whether it’s project overruns or financial issues,” says Richards. Highways England has been clear about its vision for innovation during

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 23 Future of Roads Overview

The digital twin approach CASE STUDY: CONNECTED AND represents an exciting AUTONOMOUS CONSTRUCTION PLANT opportunity to trial Autonomous dumper “innovations on a virtual truck in action on the A14 model

RIS1, but there is still more work to be done, insists transport research body TRL’s chief scientist Peter Langdale. Langdale believes Highways England has, so far, “set the tone” for the wider supply chain, but he wants to see “more joined up thinking in areas such as connectivity across assets”. With this in mind it is important to encourage the development of a more holistic approach to asset systems and databases which would also drive developments in areas such as digital photo twin technology, says Langdale. : “The digital twin approach highways represents an exciting opportunity to trial innovations on a virtual model, england without disruption to physical assets.” Digital twins are virtual replicas of physical assets, allowing simulations and trials to be undertaken without Highways England has commissioned the Their obstacle detection equipment means that putting live systems at risk. Connected and Autonomous Plant (CAP) they have the potential to help reduce the risk of Tackling concerns about the risks project, using the Innovation Designated road workers being involved in accidents on site. associated with innovation is also Fund, to develop a plan for implementing “We’re increasingly looking to technological something that Highways England is automation in construction as part of the advances to help us safely bring improvements keen to address. digital roads vision. to drivers on England’s motorways and major “A focus area in the coming year A-roads,” says Highways England’s deputy project will be how we close the gap between The project is working collaboratively with the director for the A14, Julian Lamb. innovation. Where we can take risks wider industry to identify how connectivity and “Road construction has changed massively over and tolerate imperfect performance automation can be used to resolve some of the the years and the testing of trucks such as these through to production and operation key challenges faced by the construction sector, promises to allow us to work efficiently, speeding up where risk appetite is minimal and including safety, efficiency and integration of roadworks, giving more protection to road workers, performance demands are high,” people and machine equipment. and moving jobs to other skilled areas.” says Pass. As part of this focus, Highways England worked Once testing is complete, Highways England hopes Looking ahead, the strategic roads with contractor CA Blackwell to trial to adopt the technology across its construction sites. operator has produced a new set of self-driving trucks on its project to improve the It is expected to be another two or three years before innovation and research priorities. A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon. autonomous dump trucks are in full operation. They cover five themes – design and The dump truck was programmed remotely Highways England is also using a road markings construction, operations, connected to follow a pre-determined route and has the robot on the A14 project, replacing an often time- and autonomous vehicles, customer capability to detect and avoid obstacles, including consuming task for road workers. mobility, energy and environment. other vehicles, along the route as it drives. The robot employs precise positioning technology These will help to shape progress Highways England has committed £150,000 to so road workers can spend far less time on the road, during RIS2. the trial from its Innovation Designated Fund. reducing the risk of an accident. So as Highways England prepares Dump trucks, which transport excavated soil “With safety our top priority, the time savings to publish these renewed priorities on construction sites, have the potential to work the robot can provide, coupled with removing our following the Budget announcement, around the clock, so could help reduce the length of operatives from a potentially hazardous situation, the future for innovation across the time roadworks are on the ground. make it a great solution,” says Lamb. network looks truly promising. N

24 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020

Future of Roads ITL Interchanges

INSIDE TURNING LEFT INTERCHANGE

On conventional interchanges vehicles often turn through at least 140° to get from one motorway to the other. Such SEAMLESS junctions often take up more space than the thinner, elongated ITL design. The ITL design includes a left directional ramp which turns 90˚90˚ gradually through 90°. This makes the length of the left SWITCH directional ramp significantly Is it possible to make motorway shorter than traditional 80km/h80km/h interchanges cheaper to build, cheaper to interchanges maintain and less congested? The Inside Turning Left interchange design could be

the answer. Joshua Stein reports. The ITL interchange design uses shorter ramps and builds on a Vehicles travelling on the ITL otorways are of building interchanges where the smaller land area to limit the structure will be able to travel expensive. As assets length of the ramps and overpasses cost/environmental impact consistently at 80km/h near the end of their can be shorter,” he says. “This is highly lifecycles and need connected to the level of investment replacing, the focus – if you have a lot of long ramps and North is always on whether overpasses, this will increase the price ITL INTERCHANGE to south TRADITIONAL INTERCHANGES trac new motorways, and interchanges, can of construction significantly.” STACK INTERCHANGE CLOVERLEAF Moffer a solid investment with efficient Jovanovic and Atelsek’s study use of land and funding. compared the ITL system with more 250mØ 30% The Inside Turning Left (ITL) commonly used stack, pinavia, turbine 80km/h top speed Shorter ramps interchange design aims to tackle and cloverleaf interchange designs 8 this by using shorter ramps, and a looking at average vehicle speeds, 0 on average k smaller land take, limiting costs and carriageway lengths for slip roads m environmental impact. It has been and overpasses, and the number of / East to h developed by Goran Jovanovic who is a levels. The ITL model was created west /h trac director of Slovenian consultant Appia m with electrical engineer Rafko Atelsek 80k who works on infrastructure projects /h for aluminium producer Impol. 90 m ˚ 0k PINAVIA TURBINE The design was presented to the 250m 8 West to Our challenge east First Macedonian Congress on Roads trac last November as part of a study was to find a of motorway interchange designs, undertaken by Jovanovic and Atelsek. method of building The model has yet to be applied to a live project but, Jovanovic tells interchanges where More conventional NCE, that it could solve many of the interchange layouts have ramps with issues which hamper the use of classic the length of the Roads carrying left hand South to tighter radii which interchange layouts, like the cloverleaf “ drive vehicles, driving on north slow vehicles down or the stack. ramps and overpasses the right trac “Our challenge was to find a method can be shorter

26 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 INSIDE TURNING LEFT INTERCHANGE Overpasses and underpasses are On conventional interchanges always more expensive vehicles often turn through at least 140° to get from one compared with roads, motorway to the other. Such because they include junctions often take up more “ space than the thinner, steel or extra concrete elongated ITL design. The ITL design includes a left using software firm PTV Group’s Vissim 90˚ traffic simulator, which compared directional ramp which turns 90˚ traffic data with real-time data from gradually through 90°. This other motorway interchanges. ITL, makes the length of the left the study claims, “represents the directional ramp significantly best compromise between the traffic capacity, the land area used and shorter than traditional 80km/h80km/h construction cost”. interchanges The ITL design has been developed for roads carrying left hand drive vehicles, driving on the right. It works on the basis that, at the interchange of north/south and east/ west motorways, the two carriageways of each highway are separated, creating The ITL interchange design uses space between them for slip roads. shorter ramps and builds on a Vehicles travelling on the ITL These would take northbound traffic smaller land area to limit the structure will be able to travel onto the westbound route of the other cost/environmental impact consistently at 80km/h motorway and southbound traffic to the eastbound carriageway. The layout is identical for traffic North moving from the east/west motorway to ITL INTERCHANGE to south TRADITIONAL INTERCHANGES the north/south one. trac STACK INTERCHANGE CLOVERLEAF Shorter slip roads would connect the northbound and eastbound 250mØ 30% carriageways and the southbound 80km/h top speed Shorter ramps and westbound carriageways as well as the westbound and northbound 8 0 on average carriageway and the eastbound and k m southbound carriageway . / East to “[Having the sliproads between the h west carriageways] is the major advantage /h trac m in comparison with the other designs,” 80k says Jovanovic. /h On conventional interchanges 90 m vehicles must often turn through at ˚ 0k PINAVIA TURBINE 250m 8 West to least 140° to get from one motorway to east trac the other. Such junctions often take up more space than the thinner, elongated ITL design. The ITL design includes a left directional ramp which turns gradually More conventional through 90°. This makes the length of interchange layouts the left directional ramp significantly have ramps with shorter than traditional interchanges Roads carrying left hand South to tighter radii which drive vehicles, driving on north slow vehicles down which incorporate longer curves as the right trac vehicles must turn back on themselves and loop around to join the other

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 27 Future of Roads ITL Interchanges

With the ITL system, the ramps are an average of 30% shorter than “other, conventional systems

motorway. The left directional ramps have all been designed to cross over or under a combination of carriageways – two central slip roads and two main carriageways. This presented the biggest challenge to the designers. “The biggest challenge is the level change of the slip roads,” says Jovanovic. “Those in the space between the carriageways must go over or under slip roads and main carriageways. This means in a very short length of road you have to change the vertical alignment of the interchange very longer than the ramps on the ITL model. xxxxx “The [100m] radius of the curves on quickly. That is very tricky to pull off.” “It is always hard to talk about the the cloverleaf is very small, so designers specifi c amount of money you will decide to lower the maximum speed, to COST-CUTTING INNOVATION save on one project in comparison keep the interchange safe.” An ITL interchange will, according to to another, because there are many Vehicles moving through a typical the designers, have around 1.4km of factors, some of which you cannot cloverleaf junction are forced to slow overpasses, a fraction of the 3.3km predict,” says Jovanovic. “But if the down to 40km/h as they negotiate the average for stack interchanges. ramps are between 20% and 75% bends. Invariably, this leads to delays Some existing interchanges have shorter, you get an idea of how much and congestion on the roads. overpasses which are fi ve times the money you will save using the ITL In comparison, the 250m radius of the length of the ITL design. That, Jovanovic system.” ITL curves means vehicles can travel explains, is a critical difference. The ITL interchange system at a more constant speed. Atelsek and Constructing overpasses is the costliest incorporates a slightly longer total Jovanovic’s microsimulation calculates element of a motorway interchange. road length than the stack and turbine the ITL would slow vehicles down less “Overpasses and underpasses are interchanges, but should cost less than other interchanges, especially always more expensive compared with when the length of the overpasses is when traffi c is busy. roads, because they include steel or considered, the study suggests. In a “highest volume traffi c scenario”, extra concrete, which is much more the designers say an average vehicle on expensive to build if you compare with PUSHING EFFICIENCY the ITL interchange would be delayed standard roads,” he says. One of the most easily recognisable by 10.2s, in comparison to 13.6s on “The structure needs some interchange structures is the cloverleaf, pinavia interchanges. foundations as well.” Therefore, keeping seen in Germany and the United States the length of the overpasses as short as since the 1920s. This is the only design FINE-TUNED DESIGNS possible reduces the costs. with shorter overpasses than the Jovanovic and Atelsek are braced for Additionally, the ITL model’s slip proposed ITL, but falls short because some diffi cult pitches as they seek to roads are shorter when compared to the tight curves on the cloverleaf have the ITL design adopted. “[The traditional interchange designs – again require a dramatic reduction in vehicle industry has] got used to using the making them cheaper. speed. same models for so long,” Jovanovic “With the ITL system, the ramps are “Safety is always a concern when explains. an average of 30% shorter than other, you are building interchanges,” says “Now the goal is to promote the conventional systems,” Jovanovic adds. Jovanovic. He says that with alternative design and to show potential investors Slip roads on a typical turbine models to ITL, vehicles have to slow what we would achieve with the ITL structure, are according to the study, 75% down more than they would on the ITL. model.” N

28 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 Driving forward through innovation

Responding to change

Construction is changing. Road maintenance is increasingly adapting to meet the needs of a changing climate and responding to the UK’s environmental agenda. From innovative rubber modified asphalts through to low temperature mixes and increasing the use of recycled materials in roads, our innovative surfacing solutions are supporting network operators and local authorities across the UK to cut carbon, reduce waste and accelerate the transition towards a circular economy.

Rubber modified asphalt Recycled materials recycles 1 tyre per tonne protect and is only manufactured warm virgin materials reducing emissions for future 500 tyres recycled generations per kilometre of road Warm mix asphalt reduces CO2 by 10-12%

Building our future

TARMAC.COM [email protected] Future of Roads Morava Motorway MORAVA Improved trade links for towns Hungary

Croatia Romania MOTORWAY 5G fibre and tower installations Bosnia- Belgrade Herzegovina

SERBIA Bulgaria

Adriatic Macedonia Sea Albania Greece

Flood defense system to CORRIDOR protect the motorway

PRELJINA R E V MORAVA CORRIDORI R A V A R CHALLENGE O In Serbia, there are plans for a new motorway E-763 M Material dug out from the – but it is more than just a road, it will have 5G river diversion will be Flood defense system to used to build protect local communities embankments A1 capabilities, flood defence embankments and the 112km along the potential to improve trade links for local businesses. Length of motorway motorway Strengthened Catherine Kennedy reports. 25km river embankment Motorway built/year POJATE

erbia’s west Morava “So that’s not only incorporating 46km of river river valley sits among the technology that we have today, 40 regulation works mountains and is dotted KEY FACTS but also incorporating the flexibility to Bridges with towns. The Morava handle technology that will come up itself is the country’s 112km in 20 years’ time.” 5G longest river. Most motorways have internal Fibre & tower installation It is here that Serbia’s first 5G-ready Length of telecommunications systems which 5G-READY MORAVA RIVER Smotorway and flood defence system Morava support variable message signalling MOTORWAY will be built. like overhead signs warning about fog motorway 2023 The 112km E1.2bn (£1.03bn) Morava or speed reduction. Due for completion motorway will connect communities In this case, an additional E-761 N and businesses from Pojate in the east telecommunication corridor will 10km to Preljina in the west, with Bechtel be built beneath the side of the Enka Joint Venture selected by the motorway to allow for future 5G fibre Serbian government to build the road. and telecom tower installations. This The team is also considering “the Construction will begin in the spring, will allow high speed broadband possibility for wi-fi” – in collaboration with the route to navigate greenfield internet to be fed into the economic with Telecom Serbia. This would sites and a flood plain. development zones along the route. provide a fast data service for motorway users and surrounding 5G TECHNOLOGY communities, along with cable connections into the development It is a complex environment for zones – meaning faster connections the multi-faceted, forward-thinking Nowadays, you for businesses. project but, according to Bechtel don’t build these Infrastructure marketing and business INTERNATIONAL development manager for Europe, Africa and Middle East Chris Jennions, major infrastructure TRADE LINKS planning for the future is key. projects for now – you The motorway will improve trade links “Nowadays, you don’t build these for these towns, facilitating the growth major infrastructure projects for build them for the next of more international business. now – you build them for the next 100 “ “You can have a factory producing years,” he says. 100 years Volkswagen or Fiat parts and they

30 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 The way you become a market MORAVA Improved trade links for towns Hungary with your neighbours Croatia Romania MOTORWAY 5G fibre and tower installations Bosnia- Belgrade is if you have transport Herzegovina connections SERBIA Bulgaria “ Adriatic Macedonia Sea Albania from Bulgaria through Serbia and into Greece Montenegro and Bosnia. “It’s really fascinating,” Jennions Flood defense system to says. “You have smaller countries protect the motorway – some of them have joined the EU, some of them are trying to – but they’re all trying to establish their own trade links and connect to allow the economies to grow. “You talk to these countries and PRELJINA R E V they say: ‘we’re not really a market MORAVA CORRIDORI R by ourselves but with our neighbours A V we become a market’. And the way A R you become a market with your O E-763 M neighbours is if you have transport Material dug out from the connections. Motorways are the most Flood defense system to river diversion will be fundamental of those.” used to build protect local communities embankments A1 112km along the FLOOD DEFENCE SYSTEM Length of motorway motorway During construction, 46km of river Strengthened river embankment regulation works will be carried 25km out, moving the river alignment to Motorway built/year POJATE prevent scour from undermining the 46km of river motorway. 40 regulation works “The Morava Corridor is essentially Bridges in the west Morava river valley,” explains Jennions. “It’s between two 5G sets of hills but the actual land that the motorway is on is quite flat.” Fibre & tower installation 5G-READY MORAVA RIVER Designers have determined these MOTORWAY new alignments in collaboration 2023 with local communities, considering Due for completion several factors such as protected E-761 N water areas, farms and noise impact. 10km Material excavated from the river diversion will be used to build embankments along the motorway can go straight onto the motorway, throughout the Balkans. and by the river to create a flood straight into Montenegro and then “The Balkans, like most of Europe, defence system. This material will also into Italy,” says Jennions. have these grand plans for all the be used to build up the motorway so “There’s no point in having a corridors for motorways which should that it is above ground level. This will factory if you can’t get the goods in be built in order to connect up all the protect the surrounding areas from and out.” countries and all the trade routes,” flooding, erosion and subsequent One town which will benefit is Jennions explains. water pollution. Kruševac, an industrial town on the “That’s set at European Union (EU) The movement of materials from route whose growth has stalled due to level, at multi-country level, and then the river excavation to the motorway the lack of transport links. is given to each individual country to will be tracked by GPS tagging, with The motorway will also connect fill in the map.” radio-frequency identification (RFID) with Serbia’s A1 motorway – which As such, the motorway links two tags installed in trucks. Doing so will runs from the Horgoš border major corridors – Corridor X, which enable contractors to monitor vehicle crossing with Hungary in the north, runs to Austria and Greece by way movements and deploy them more to the Preševo border crossing with of Slovenia, Croatia, and Macedonia; efficiently. North Macedonia in the south. It and Corridor XI, which runs to Italy “We’re going to go through an will also slot into a wider network and Romania by way of Montenegro. embarrassing amount of fuel because of international corridors, spread This will allow traffic to flow east-west you need fuel to run your trucks, your

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 31 Future of Roads Morava Motorway

How does the hydrology work with the river going underneath the “bridge, and how does that work with the embankments?

excavators and to actually build this infrastructure,” Jennions says. “Any improvements on their efficiency can have huge impacts on the environmental impact of simply building the project. It’s important to both think of future proofing for technology for the final product, but also to focus on the innovation for how the projects are delivered.”

CONSTRUCTION CHALLENGES The west Morava location provides a number of challenges. The motorway year flood event could happen during riverbank regeneration and bloom in Careful construction and planning follows the path construction, so seasonal and one- May and June. are key. Building embankments on one of the Morava off flooding must also be taken into “You need to allow the environment side of the motorway has the potential river consideration. to develop in those seasons,” says to increase flood risk on “That’s obviously a big challenge Jennions. “So you can’t touch anything the other. for us,” says Jennions. in the river, you can’t be putting silt Engineers have to take into account He adds that building a 112km into the river, digging foundations, any knock-on impacts of altering the motorway in four years is “extremely making cofferdams.” water course, including considering fast”, equating to an average 25km of whether a village that previously motorway per year. FAST TRACK METHODS did not have a flooding issue could This is a challenging timescale, develop one if the water course of the but given the scale of the teams Bechtel will use a fast track river profile changed. involved – the project is expected construction method, which involves The route is expected to include 40 to create around 10,000 jobs during breaking the project down into bridges – the longest measuring about construction, including 4,000 at peak “usable sections” – one section is 600m. – Bechtel is “comfortable” with the designed then while it is built, the next “The motorway and the river do deadline. is designed. this dance all the way down the “If you designed the project and valleys,” Jennions says. “And you’re ENVIRONMENTAL then you constructed it for the whole looking at how does the hydrology 112km, that would take a lot longer,” work with the river going underneath CONSIDERATIONS says Jennions. the bridge, and how does that work Construction will be scheduled “You’re doing both design and with the embankments?” around environmental changes. construction in different parts of the In addition to this, the river valley Bridges with piers in the river will project at the same time to get started is a flood valley so the motorway has be built at low tide or when river faster and open sections for the use been designed to cope with a 100 year flows are slower – that is in August, of the local community as soon as flood event. September or October. Those bridges possible.” As such, embankments will with piers on either side of the This will enable the first three incorporate scour protection to river can be scheduled outside this sections of motorway from Pojate prevent floodwater damage. timeframe. to Kruševac to be completed in two Indeed engineers have had to bear Meanwhile, fish spawn in the river years. The whole project is due to in mind the possibility that a 100 during April and May and there is complete by the end of 2023. N

32 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 Innovative Thinking NEW DESIGN CONCEPTS, INVENTIVE CONSTRUCTION METHODS AND FRESH IDEAS

The civil engineering sector is applying innovation at all levels – in project concepts, active projects and in terms of safety. In this issue we look at new techniques being put into practice on Tideway, as well as new developments in hearing protection and project planning

TIDEWAY REACHES HALFWAY / PAGE 34 ADDING TECHNOLOGY TO HEARING PROTECTION / PAGE 36 INNOVATIVE THINKER: ALISTAIR LENCZNER / PAGE 38

APRIL 2020 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 33 Innovative Thinking Thames Tideway

A11 T O W E R

H A M L E T S TIDEWAY A12 A13 Notches for beams to support permanent shaft cap C I T Y Secondary super sewer Riv lining er T ham Permanent river wall es Diaphragm wall Co erdam A2 SHAFT Air treatment chamber S O U T H W A R K L E W I S H A M GAME OF A20 TWO HALVES Main tunnel shaft Tunnelling on London’s Tideway “super sewer” Connecting tunnel from Greenwich Tower Bridge WAPPING Pumping Station N M reached the halfway stage in late February but 25km ain t un ne Length of ‘super sewer’ l fr o ls m il at the Chambers Wharf site on the eastern drive K R i i v M rt e r y li T h e ng a m e bb 39M.t S s A t to nel there is still much to do. Claire Smith reports. Sewage in the Thames Main tun

27.7m Greenwich SHAFT Ø of shaft connection otted along the foreshore cofferdam to increase BERMONDSEY 200m tunnel foreshore of the River available site space by 60% and Thames for the last KEY FACTS sinking the shaft to 60m using few years have been diaphragm wall techniques. clusters of cofferdams 60m The next stages of construction at and cranes which have the site will see the portals for the project team was in the final stages signalled progress on the 25km long Depth of TBMs constructed. The shaft will of casting the secondary lining for DTideway “super sewer”. Tunnelling Chambers receive the Central section TBM – the 27.7m diameter Chambers Wharf for the overall project has just Wharf shaft named Ursula – which is being driven shaft – the first to be completed on reached halfway but tunnelling on the by Ferrovial Agroman and Laing the Tideway project. eastern stretch has yet to start. When O’Rourke. It will also launch CVB’s “We have used slip forming complete Tideway will handle 95% 25km TBM – named Selina – to drive the techniques with double sided of the 39M.t of sewage that currently 5.5km tunnel eastwards to Abbey shutters to form the 700mm thick overflows into the Thames following Length of Mills where it will connect into the lining,” says Howells. heavy rainfall each year. main Tideway Lee Tunnel. “The design creates a 300mm Chambers Wharf in Bermondsey Tunnel When NCE visited the site, the wide annulus between the lining and will be the centre of tunnelling the shaft, which we are working on activity over the next 18 months with backfilling now.” two tunnel boring machines (TBMs) A total of 4,000m3 of concrete was due to arrive into the shaft there and poured to form the secondary lining. another to be launched. While there The pour According to Howells, the are some major challenges ahead the technique of creating an annulus Tideway East project team – formed is slower behind the lining saves on by a joint venture of Costain, Vinci reinforcement and adds to the Construction Grands Projets and overnight when we compressive strength. Bachy Soletanche (CVB) – has already “The annulus is backfilled with achieved some key milestones at cannot receive external water to maintain the pressure until Chambers Wharf. the concrete is tremmied into it,” Tideway project manager for concrete deliveries and he says. “We have been working 24 Chambers Wharf and the main tunnel “have to rely on our hours a day, seven days a week on drive Gareth Howells says these the pour, which has taken five days achievements include creating the on-site batching plant to complete. Initially we poured

34 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 READ MORE INNOVATIVE THINKING ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

We are also A11 T O W E R

H A M L E T S TIDEWAY A12 A13 Notches for beams to support permanent shaft cap C I T Y looking at Secondary super sewer Riv lining er T ham Permanent river wall es creating the first Diaphragm wall Co erdam A2 SHAFT Air treatment chamber Lining Erection S O U T H W A R K L E W I S H A M

A20 Machine with “Herrenknecht

Main tunnel shaft Greenwich to Chambers Wharf. It will break through a “soft eye” formed by glass fibre reinforcement cast into the shaft’s diaphragm wall during construction. Howells says he expects Annie to emerge into the shaft in late summer next year. Selina will arrive at Chambers Connecting tunnel from Greenwich Tower Bridge WAPPING Wharf this summer and will take 15 Pumping Station N M to 18 months to complete the drive 25km ain t un ne Length of ‘super sewer’ l to Abbey Mills to complete the 25km fr o ls m il K R tunnel and connect it with the Lee i i v M rt e r y li T h e ng a m e bb 39M.t S s A Tunnel, which was finished in 2016. t to nel Sewage in the Thames Main tun “The Chalk has a number of flint beds – and the Bulhead Beds

27.7m Greenwich SHAFT are of particular concern,” says Ø of shaft connection BERMONDSEY Howells. “We are planning periodic 200m tunnel interventions – up to eight in total – during the drive. “We are expecting groundwater pressures of up to 7bar so we will try using four tremmies to get a surge An acoustic shed but we have lowered the top heading to time the interventions where we of concrete into the annulus but the over the shaft to improve visibility of the machine hit lower pressures. But we are working pour is slower overnight when we allows the site to operators. Greenwich used weep with the Health & Safety Executive cannot receive external concrete operate 24 hours holes to control water inflow, but for guidance on the methodology for deliveries and have to rely on our a day, seven days here we will concrete the invert and working at high pressure.” on-site batching plant. a week operate 24 hours a day.” Completion of the tunnel drive “We’re using a variation of an Howells says construction of adits is not the end of the story for the existing concrete mix used on the was expected to start as this issue of Eastern contract though – the tunnel project but with different retarders NCE went to press. It will take three to still needs secondary lining and to give us 12 to 15 hours window of four months to complete. Tideway is currently considering an workability.” Which adit will be the first to see innovative solution. With the lining complete, attention action with a TBM remains to be “The work is planned to be done will turn to constructing the 10m decided. using cast insitu techniques, but diameter spray concrete lined (SCL) “We can’t receive and launch Ursula we are also looking at creating the adits for the TBMs – a 25m long one and Selina at the same time from first Lining Erection Machine with for the launch of Selina and a 15m this shaft so we are in discussion Herrenknecht,” says Howells. long one for the reception of Ursula. about whether to park up Ursula “It has never been done before “The adits are both in the Chalk, while we get Selina launched,” says but it has the potential to speed up which means we are likely to have Howells. “We also need to work out the process – it could be twice as to deal with some groundwater, whether Ursula will be dismantled fast – and create a factory finish for despite extensive grouting at the site underground and brought out in the lining, reducing the potential for during the shaft construction stage,” pieces or whole. It is unlikely that repairs that are frequently needed says Howells. “We learned a lot from the TBM will be buried and left in the with cast insitu.” similar work in Greenwich and have ground though.” Howells says that once the lining is changed the profile of the adit, as a The third TBM to make use of complete the section will be ready for result. We will still excavate with a the shaft will be Annie, which is commissioning ahead of the planned top and middle heading and invert, driving the connection tunnel from opening of the whole tunnel in 2024. N

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 35 Innovative Thinking Health and Safety RACKET PROTECTION Contractor Galliford Try is extolling the benefits of active ear defenders after being the first UK construction company to trial the latest offering from smart technology firm Eave. Nadine Buddoo reports.

ealth & Safety manager for highways Mark Bridges. Executive statistics The contractor initially trialled the show that each year, KEY FACTS smart ear defenders on the 7.5km over 1M workers in Lincoln Eastern Bypass project. On Britain are injured 1M previous projects, the company or made ill by their provided workers with ear plugs and And that is where Eave’s smart work. According to the Office for Number standard helmet-mounted earmuffs ear defenders aim to triumph over HNational Statistics Labour Force of workers with regulated single number rating traditional hearing protection methods. Survey, approximately 21,000 workers injured or (SNR) protection up to 25dB. But Designed in-house, the FocusLite suffered from work-related hearing there were persistent doubts about the headband ear defenders weigh 285g, problems caused or made worse by made ill by level of protection this was providing. similar to traditional, passive ear their current or most recent job in the their work Bridges admits the use of passive defenders. But unlike conventional last 12 months. ear protection felt very archaic. solutions, the FocusLite defenders Exposure to noise at work can result each year “It was effectively telling people to offer “hear-through” capability in irreversible hearing loss – an issue put their hands over their ears,” he which allows users to hear their ear defender manufacturer Eave hopes 285g quips. “The real concern for me is environment at a safe level. The to prevent with its FocusLite headset. I couldn’t sit here, hand on heart, headset incorporates level-dependent Weight of and say, ‘our people are protected ear muffs which can restore some NOISE HAZARD PROTECTION FocusLite ear against significant noise levels’. I external sounds, while attenuating Construction is a notoriously had no way of knowing.” sounds at high levels. Microphones unforgiving environment when it defenders built into the ear guards measure comes to noise hazards, but it is vital noise exposure, with the data that workers’ health and wellbeing is recorded and reported back to the adequately protected whenever they site office through Eave’s software are on site. Many ear platform, Peak. “We should be doing everything Eave chief executive David we can as employers to make sure defender Greenberg says the technology is a that people go home in the same real game changer because it gives condition they came to work. Making solutions currently used employers the ability to monitor sure they’re not exposed to anything are the equivalent of what is happening on site, allowing that’s going to impact their health,” companies to design out risk in their says Galliford Try health and safety putting a blindfold on operations.

36 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 “ READ MORE INNOVATIVE THINKING ARTICLES AT NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

market. But Greenberg believes The team the single number rating system is fundamentally flawed, pointing thought it was to research which compares manufacturers’ on-package hearing some sort of witchcraft protection ratings with hearing protection ratings measured in when they realised the field. The differences between laboratory measurements and they could put the ear field estimates of hearing protection “defenders on and they attenuation are often consistently large, more so for earplugs than for earmuffs. “Using the SNR value has time and could still hear people again been found lacking when it comes to helping those responsible to protect hearing,” he insists. Despite safety models do not tend to take into this concern, the FocusLite has been account the need for this vital data. given an SNR value so the product That’s where our solution makes a can remain in line with current real difference,” he adds. industry standards. Armed with this data, managers can take action to reduce noise levels INTELLIGENT SOLUTION or eliminate hazards by moving For Galliford Try, the Eave trial has workers if possible. been something of a revelation, and As well as innovation in product the company has decided to use design, Greenberg describes Eave’s smart ear defenders across all of its business model as unique and sites from July 2020. innovative. Clients can procure the “The team thought it was some sort product as part of a subscription of witchcraft when they realised they agreement, with a minimum 24-month could put the ear defenders on and contract. Each headset is £1 per day – they could still hear people,” Bridges around the same cost as the foam ear laughs. “They think it’s absolutely plugs often worn on site. fantastic.” Bridges admits that many CUSTOMER FOCUS GAME-CHANGING TECHNOLOGY Eave’s FocusLite workers on site would previously During Galliford Try’s initial four- Greenberg founded Eave in 2015, allows workers be inclined to remove their passive week trial of the product, the only following a career as a clinical to hear ambient ear protection if somebody was criticism was of the time needed to audiologist. Spurred by a desire to noise at safe levels talking, exposing them to the noisy charge the headsets. Battery life is help reduce the number of people environment. around 12 to 16 hours – longer than impacted by noise-induced hearing “Now they can comfortably wear a standard shift on site. But charging loss, the concept for the smart ear them all the time, have conversations time is between two and three hours, defenders was born. with the gang and not need to remove requiring workers to remember to He describes the construction their ear protection or be exposed,” return the headsets to allocated on- industry’s traditional approach to he adds. site charging points. occupational hearing protection as a The second component of Eave’s While there are no immediate plans “sorry state of affairs”, and believes hearing protection is the Peak to incorporate wireless charging his product is critical in tackling platform. The noise monitoring and for future models, Eave insists the issue. mapping software provides detailed there is already a series of exciting “Many ear defender solutions insight into what is happening on site. developments in the pipeline. currently used are the equivalent Employers can see noise exposure The company’s immediate focus of putting a blindfold on. Poor ear levels and ensure everyone is using is expanding its UK presence, but defenders are like a blindfold for your their headsets and wearing them Greenberg is mindful that there are ears,” he says. correctly. valuable opportunities to grow the The FocusLite headsets remove All of the devices are connected business internationally, particularly the sense of isolation associated with securely using an encrypted end-to- in regions notorious for antiquated passive ear defenders, allowing users end solution, with no use of third- approaches to safety in construction. to communicate while maintaining party technology. He adds: “There’s a huge opportunity environmental awareness. Greenberg explains that the for Eave to help improve the safety of The headset has an SNR value data collected shows who is being workers around the world. In an ideal of 29dB – in line with other similar exposed to excessive noise and world, we’d like to help protect every active ear defenders on the where it is coming from. “Traditional single one of them.” N

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 37 Innovative Thinker Alistair Lenczner

Lenczner: Infrastructure projects can have more JOINING than one function THE DOTS Silo mentality is preventing infrastructure from achieving its full potential, says Expedition Engineering director Alistair Lenczner. Rob Horgan reports.

ydrogen-fuelled trains, better functionality. “For developing the country, we hyperloop networks “We need to look at what’s need a Department for Infrastructure and renewable happened to hand-held devices, we which looks at all the projects on energy sources are all need that sort of thinking within a the table and draws up an integrated innovations that will national scale infrastructure plan.” plan which is delivered in a joined up, improve the country’s To achieve this Lenczner suggests coherent way,” says Lenczner. infrastructure and help it reach its that the government forms a At Expedition Engineering, Lenczner Hnet zero carbon emissions goal. But “Department for Infrastructure” which is practising what he preaches. The Expedition Engineering director would sit above existing departments company’s HS4Air proposal was Alistair Lenczner says the most and government-funded bodies and tabled to the government to provide innovative thing the UK can do is formulate a national infrastructure a high-speed rail connection between “really join up the dots in the way we plan. Such a department already Heathrow and Gatwick Airport and think about infrastructure”. exists in Northern Ireland, but not in High Speed 2 (HS2) and High Speed 1. “At the moment, each sector England, Scotland or Wales. Following the court decision to works in silos,” Lenczner says. “Rail Under such a department, plans deem Heathrow’s expansion as projects are just that. Water projects could be rolled into one joined up “unlawful”, Lenczner believes that are separate, utilities, roads etcetera. national infrastructure strategy, so the HS4Air proposal could form part We are focused on individual projects that rail projects are “no longer just of a new transport strategy to free up rather than a wider strategy. rail projects”. space at international airports. “I believe that instead of working While HS4Air may sound in silos, transport and infrastructure ambitious, Expedition Engineering sectors could be joined up as a set to has a track record of influencing make the country work better and to We need a policy change. make infrastructure work better, at Last spring NCE, revealed that less cost and have less of an impact Department for Expedition had tabled on the environment and on society.” its High Speed North plan, combining He adds: “It’s like 12 or 15 years ago Infrastructure which the northern section of HS2 with when people would have had their Northern Powerhouse Rail as well phone, camera, iPod, organiser, five or looks at all the projects as further upgrades to routes in the six different devices. Now they have North. The government is now doing the smartphone, all integrated into on the table and draws exactly that, even pinching the “High one thing that is better value with “ Speed North” name. N up an integrated plan

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The Formwork Experts. Debate: Sewerage Adoption A NEW SET OF RULES

DEBATE BACKGROUND

11,410 £1bn 300,000 New homes Investment Number of new planned to be allocated by Ofwat homes per year the built on land for fl ood risk UK is targeted to at high risk of reduction build by 2025 fl ooding

In association with The new code for sewerage adoption marks a step change for the industry as new guidance and standards are rolled out. The focus is now on how these changes will impact projects, particularly those incorporating sustainable drainage schemes. Nadine Buddoo reports.

he code for sewerage The new guidance adoption comes into effect is intended to on 1 April. But what are help determine the drivers behind this which SuDS change and what will it systems should mean for the industry? be adopted by NCE recently teamed up with water companies Tdrainage manufacturer Wavin to debate the challenges and opportunities the new code will bring. According to water regulator Ofwat, the new code should help to ensure a more consistent approach across the sector and a focus on providing good customer experience, in turn supporting the government’s housing growth objectives. To meet the requirements set out in the Code of Adoption Sewerage, the sector has prepared the Sewerage Sector Guidance document. The Water or sewerage companies the process should now be the same,” new guidance, approved by Ofwat adopting them would become he says. “[The code] provides some in October 2019, outlines a new, responsible for the conveyance and consistency across the country with mandatory approach to sewer storage functions of the SuDS system. regards to building these assets.” adoption, including new procedures, But what will these changes GHD associate director Victoria a new system of redress and a new mean for the sector? Wessex Water Brayshaw welcomes this more joined- model adoption agreement. development engineering manager up approach and the opportunity A major shift for the sector is the Mike Gale is confident the new code for more collaboration across the inclusion of guidance for which SuDS will deliver some much-needed industry, particularly through the are eligible to be adopted as sewers. clarity about the delivery of sewerage involvement of housebuilders. “I think While the value of sustainable schemes. the timing of it is brilliant because drainage systems (SuDS) has long “Wherever you build houses, and we’re in the middle of a massive been acknowledged, the most therefore sewers across the country, home building programme in the UK,” significant barrier to their increased she says. use has been uncertainty about “I think it’s really important that who is responsible for the long-term we get this right, now. We don’t want maintenance of these assets. to end up with a legacy down the In a bid to tackle this issue, the line as a result of a house building new code identifies a raft of flood- Wherever you programme that is negatively preventing SuDS features installed impacted by some of the challenges by developers on new developments build houses, that we already knew that we were to be transferred to or “adopted” by facing.” water companies in England. and therefore sewers Anglian Water Services surface Under the new rules, examples of water engineer Douglas Mlambo also systems which may be adoptable as across the country, the applauds the more standardised a public surface water sewer include approach prescribed by the new swales, detention basins, rills, ponds process should now be guidance but notes that the onus is and wetlands. “ now on all water companies to follow the same

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 41 Debate Sewerage Adoption

It’s not just about getting AT THE ROUND TABLE water company This report is based on a round table discussion Stuart McTaggart, flood risk, drainage and water employees up to speed held in London in February 2020. The discussion policy officer, Greater London Authority was held in association with Wavin. Around the Douglas Mlambo, surface water engineer, with the new code, it’s table were: Anglian Water Services “ Faruk Pekbeken, technical director, also about pushing best Nick Ayling, technical and regulatory advisor, Floodline Consulting practices Thames Water Josh Rigby, associate, Delta-Simons Victoria Brayshaw, associate director, GHD Jack Southon, associate consultant – water and Alastair Chisholm, director of policy, environment, Capita Property Chartered Institution of Water & Pablo Souto, SuDS lead, Mott MacDonald xxxx those standards to make it easier for Environmental Management Ian Titherington, leader, Greener Grangetown developers to deliver projects across Mike Gale, development engineering manager, Project, Cardiff City Council different regions. Wessex Water Claire Smith, editor, New Civil Engineer Among consultants the discussion Rachel Glossop, flood risk planning manager, Nadine Buddoo, features editor, turns to the opportunities offered Hull City Council New Civil Engineer through the introduction of the Martin Lambley, product manager, Wavin new code. A key barrier for consultants has been working with two different sets “ of standards, says Mott MacDonald SuDS lead Pablo Souto, referring to the need to align with planning requirements and the criteria for sewer adoption. “It was making the whole design process much more complicated, and at the same time it wasn’t allowing for SuDS to be delivered,” he explains. “The new code helps to remove this major blocker for the industry.” Brayshaw agrees that previous approaches to sewerage adoption have been a major barrier to the use of SuDS. “We’ve known for a long time that we need a more holistic approach across the sector,” she adds. “I personally think the new code is an exciting step forward.” While everyone around the table agrees that the new code and maintenance of SuDS and the The Greener Glossop points to the impact on all marks a positive move for the risks associated with slopes and Grangetown aspects of drainage and sewerage. sector, it is clear there are still some destabilisation. project in Cardiff “Getting the right skills on board obstacles to overcome. “It’s not just about getting water prevents more are so crucial to every aspect of a 3 Comprehensive training and company employees up to speed with than 40,000m scheme,” she says. upskilling will be vital if the sector is the new code, it’s also about pushing of annual rainfall “Take rain gardens, for example, to truly embrace the opportunities best practices,” explains Ciwem from entering if you don’t get the planting right, offered under the new code. policy director Alastair Chisholm. the combined then everything dies in the soil and The Chartered Institution Between 750 and 1,000 water sewer network it looks awful.“You need the correct of Water & Environmental company employees are expected to skills lined up so you have the right Management (Ciwem) and the complete the training this year, and the engineers to deliver the scheme, and construction research body Ciria long-term aim is to make the modules the right designers who have designed are working together to deliver accessible across the wider sector. it correctly in the first place.” 12 different training modules for As the debate about the importance Referring to rain gardens as a basic water companies. The workforce of skills continues, Hull City Council example of civil engineering with all training will include the design flood risk planning manager Rachel the “sexy bits” hidden underground,

42 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 Ian Titherington who is leader of the Greener Grangetown project for Cardiff City Council, laments the CASE STUDY: MARYLEBONE RAIN GARDENS dearth of skilled drainage engineers. “Drainage engineers have to be reintroduced into the industry,” he says. “There are skilled drainage engineers and then there are people who have learnt how to use drainage software – they are two very different animals. “There aren’t enough civil engineers with sufficient experience in drainage to even understand the importance of the new guidance document.” Floodline Consulting technical director Faruk Pekbeken explains that he is often tasked with resolving “schoolboy errors” from engineers with inadequate drainage experience. Another area of concern is that ultimately it is the responsibility of the water companies to apply the criteria set out under the new guidance and determine which assets can be adopted. “I have a massive concern around how different water companies might interpret those rules and apply them in varied ways,” admits Nick Ayling, technical and regulatory advisor at Thames Water. Ayling, who also sits on the Independent Sewerage Adoption Panel, believes there is also a lack of understanding about the legal implications of referring to SuDS as sewers. If something is defined as Consultant WSP has demonstrated a joined-up conditions for pedestrians. a sewer, he explains, any property approach to highways, drainage and landscaping Work on site began in January 2019. owner in the area has the automatic with a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) scheme The scheme also introduced nine air pollution right to connect to it. in Marylebone, London. absorbing trees and 250m3 of rain gardens with “It’s a massive issue because planting. everyone can connect to it whenever The phased construction of 10 rain gardens was As well as reducing pollutants emitted into the they want and at whatever rate they delivered as part of the Marylebone Low Emission atmosphere, the rain gardens reduce the impact of want,” Ayling adds. Neighbourhood initiative. stormwater run-off and flash flooding. “You could end up with offsite For the client, Westminster City Council, the Strategic highway narrowing in the area was also reinforcement and offsite sewerage aim was to improve the public realm by reducing delivered as well as increasing footway width and systems with SuDS being filled in, the dominance of vehicle traffic, introducing the introduction of cycle parking. which defeats the object.” and enhancing greening schemes and improving The project was completed in August 2019. To further exacerbate this issue, under the new charging arrangements, water companies before adopting the new code. “When from his team, with some trepidation would also be responsible for the process starts, it opens up an about how the new code will affect covering the cost of increased opportunity to revise the guidance the industry’s use of clay or plastic capacity – an issue Chisholm refers to and tackle these issues head on.” pipes for projects. as a “gaping hole” in the new code. For Wavin, the new code is an But, as Lambley points out: However, Souto believes it is interesting development. The “While some key challenges remain, necessary to “get the ball rolling”, manufacturer’s product manager, the new code presents some claiming that it would be difficult Martin Lambley says the changes interesting opportunities for the to resolve some of these key issues have prompted a mixed response industry going forward.” N

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 43 Innovation News NEW INNOVATIONS THAT WILL TRANSFORM YOUR PROJECTS NEWCIVILENGINEER.COM/INNOVATIVE-THINKING

TRANSPORT FEHMARNBELT FACES DANISH/ GERMAN POWER CHALLENGE

Developing a railway traction power system compatible with the Danish and German power grids will be a key challenge for the Fehmarnbelt link, according to Atkins which became the project’s rail consultant last month. The 18km long immersed tube tunnel will connect Denmark and Germany with two electrified railway lines and a four lane motorway. When complete, it will be the world’s longest road and rail tunnel. Trains running through the tunnel will have two traction power systems – one for the Danish section, where the electric voltage is 25kV AC, and one for the German section, where it is 15kV AC.

ROADS ENERGY LOW CARBON COSTAIN TO BACKING SOUGHT UK ROADS INNOVATORS TO GET OFFER CLIENTS FOR MERSEY POTHOLE REPAIRS RESEARCH CASH LOW CARBON TIDAL POWER ALTERNATIVES PROJECT

Contractor Costain plans to Liverpool City Region mayor help tackle climate change by Steve Rotheram has urged the offering its clients alternative government to back plans for low carbon options for their the Mersey Tidal Power project. projects. The company’s Rotheram has asked the climate change action plan Liverpool City Region Combined commits to helping eliminate Authority to approve £2.5M in client and supply chain funding following a year long emissions via a whole life study of the impact of the approach to projects. By 2023 scheme. The study was The government has earmarked intelligence app to detect Costain will offer clients a low commissioned by the combined £900,000 for research into future potholes, using mobile phone carbon option for any scheme, authority and concluded that proofing UK roads. The money sensors to measure when with the zero carbon solutions there was a strong strategic will fund research by scientists, cyclists ride over them or swerve expected to be delivered by case for taking the project academics and tech-focused to avoid them. The aim is to help 2035. The contractor also hopes forward to address potential start-ups into spotting and local authorities identify when that by 2027, 75% of its vehicles future energy shortfalls and repairing potholes. Researchers potholes are forming so they can will be ultra-low emission. tackle the climate emergency. will develop an artificial act to fill them more quickly.

44 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 IN PARTNERSHIP Innovative Thinking WITH ANCHOR SYSTEMS ADDED STRENGTH Vulcan Earth Anchors are being installed across the UK’s Highways.

he Vulcan Earth Anchor range was designed by Anchor Systems (International) as a simple, reliable and cost-effective ground anchoring solution with the ability to provide immediate Tloading capacities from 1kN to 450kN in displaceable ground conditions with extensive applications. The Vulcan anchors have been used up and down the country supporting permanent and temporary works throughout the UK’s highways network, working with Highways England, local councils and large construction companies. The anchors offer a variety of uses from holding back sheet piling and retaining walls to slope stabilisation. The correct size of Vulcan Earth Anchor is determined from reviewing ground investigation data in conjunction with the load requirement. This also allows a suitable anchor tendon to be specified, either from high yield threaded bar or wire rope tendon. Installation is achieved by driving the anchor into the ground to the specified distance, typically using an excavator- mounted hydraulic breaker. Once installed a tensile load is applied with a fast acting hollow hydraulic cylinder, which rotates the Vulcan Earth Anchor into the working position. The anchor tendon can then be locked off and terminated. With their ease of use and speed Clockwise from of installation, Vulcan Earth Anchors left: M1 gained recognition across a vast array of of services, including advice, design, provide a time and cost saving alternative improvement applications internationally. equipment hire, site testing and to more traditional means of anchoring, project; Vulcan The anchor can be combined with a supervision, training and aftercare. particularly where tight programme Earth Anchor; number of accessories, tendons and plates Anchor Systems has an experienced schedules are involved. This, combined anchor being to form systems that can be utilised in team capable of providing solutions for a with the wide range of sizes available, loaded; anchor many different applications and solutions. range of situations, or of developing bespoke means that the Vulcan Earth Anchor has installation Anchor Systems offer a full range solutions and designs for specific projects.

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 45 Institution of Civil Engineers Record

ICE The open Council lectures take place on 20 and 21 April ICE opens Council lectures to the public Members and public are invited to a series of talks on the role of civil engineers and how infrastructure resilience is being assessed.

Three public sessions will be 20 April will present the held over two days and will findings of the ICE’s Enabling allow participants to contribute Better Infrastructure programme their ideas on how the which brings together global Institution could help members knowledge, case studies and tackle the issues facing the insights to help decision- world. makers meet the infrastructure The programme will look needs of society. at how ICE can help lead the This will be followed by way in assuring society that an evening reception in the infrastructure professionals Great Hall at One Great can be trusted throughout George Street. their careers. There will be two more It will also examine how to sessions on 21 April. best ensure decision and policy The first focuses on work makers have the best possible undertaken by the ICE for advice to allow them to address its In Plain Sight report on of the nation’s economic The second session will the challenges of today. infrastructure resilience, infrastructure are fully consider how technology and An evening lecture on asking whether vulnerabilities understood. innovation in infrastructure

ICE AWARDS ICE Last chance to ICE Awards ICE Council seeks members’ feedback on stand for a place on nominations: final proposed changes to voting arrangements for ICE Council reminder Non-Corporate members ahead of April meeting

Members have less than Nominations are still ICE Council is seeking views all the relevant information a month left to nominate open for this year’s ICE on the voting arrangements in detail. The Trustee Board themselves or a colleague for Awards. The annual awards for Non-Corporate members and Council have agreed the next ICE Council term. The recognise outstanding civil following a discussion at that any changes to voting 35 elected-member ICE Council engineering achievements and the Council meeting last rights should follow a wide is responsible for representing contributions to the profession December. A discussion paper consultation and members the views of the membership and the Institution. This year’s outlining a series of questions are encouraged to participate to the Trustee Board. There are awards ceremony will be on for ICE members to consider and share their views. Council 11 vacancies to be filled for the Friday 4 October at One Great is available on the Institution’s will debate the voting rights next term. Those elected will George Street. More information website. The paper explains proposals at its meeting in serve a three-year term of office on the award categories and current arrangements, and April and will draw on member with effect from 3 November the nomination process can proposed changes and outlines feedback. 2020. Nominations must be be found on the ICE website. what impact they would have. l The discussion paper submitted to the Governance Nominations can be made at The matter of voting rights can be viewed on the ICE’s Office by 31 March. ice.org.uk/careers-and-training/ is complex and brings with it Governance web page via this Go to https://www.ice.org. awards-competitions-and- wider questions about how link bit.ly/2SnFxX9 uk/about-ice/governance/ice- scholarships. The deadline for the Institution engages with its l Members can send feedback council to find out more. submissions is Friday 3 April. members. The paper sets out to [email protected]

46 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 NORTHERN IRELAND VIEW STORMONT RETURN BOOSTS OPTIMISM

After a three year hiatus, It is not surprising Northern Ireland has recently seen the return that the construction of its assembly and the appointment of Nichola industry is calling for multi- Mallon as the new minister year budgets John for the Department of Infrastructure. As the current Glass ICE chair for Northern Ireland, improved broadband network for all, and we must I look forward to engaging with “also make swift progress in addressing our energy the minister to discuss the needs and waste management, particularly in the infrastructure challenges facing the region. drive for net zero greenhouse gas emissions. We is changing civil engineering The “New Decade, New Approach” agreement look forward to a leading approach on the net zero and impacting on the skills clearly acknowledges the central role that strategy from the executive. necessary to be a civil engineer. infrastructure plays in connecting us all Given the pressures on the Northern Ireland and shaping our quality of life. A number of infrastructure budget, it is not surprising that infrastructure projects are highlighted for the construction industry is calling for multi-year HIGH SPEED 2 investment from the Northern Ireland Executive budgets and the establishment of an independent Masterton to chair and from the UK and Irish governments. The advisory body for infrastructure. minister has already noted her plans for a Multi-year budgets would enable longer-term High Speed 2 collaborative approach, building partnerships to planning horizons, more efficient delivery and deliver a sustainable infrastructure system that enable the government departments and their assurance panel supports improved wellbeing for all. supply chains to invest in people, specialist plant, Within the minister’s in-tray, there is already a technology and innovation. ICE Northern Ireland ICE past president Gordon range of infrastructure areas in need of immediate has recently commenced a piece of work to bring Masterton, has been appointed action and funding decisions – notably wastewater, together a range of sector experts in Northern to the Independent Assurance strategic roads projects and public transport. Ireland to shape a report examining the need for Panel for High Speed Two Across all the infrastructure sectors there is an an independent advisory body for infrastructure (HS2). The panel is appointed urgent need for adequate funding to maintain and for Northern Ireland – one that can support the by the Institution and provides improve existing infrastructure. minister and executive to make the strategic independent peer review and Capacity issues in many wastewater treatment decisions and prioritise the right investment to strategic advice on procurement works are leading to stymied development and a improve opportunities for all of us living and matters for the HS2 project. number of strategic roads projects are underway working here. Masterton said he felt or in the pipeline. Investment in an ageing rail The return of a devolved government privileged. “The expertise and network and bus fleet is urgently required and, in Northern Ireland is a time for optimism, impartiality of the assurance if combined with delivery of the 2015 Bicycle particularly for the construction industry, but panel will provide robust and Strategy for Northern Ireland, would go a long the challenges faced by the new Department healthy challenge to HS2’s way to encourage a modal change away from the for Infrastructure minister should not be internal processes, and indeed reliance on the private car. underestimated. any other matters put forward, There is a need to address the new lifeblood l John Glass is ICE Northern Ireland Committee improving the quality of of connectivity, by driving the provision of an chair procurement,” he added.

APRIL 2020 | NEW CIVIL ENGINEER 47 Institution of Civil Engineers Record

ICE The ICE Budget submission says Call to make infrastructure spending can help rebalance the most of civils economy spending opportunity

Ministers should take their “golden moment of opportunity” of the Budget to make firm decisions about developing sustainable infrastructure, National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) chair Sir John Armitt, told MPs and peers. He told an All-Party Parliamentary Group on Infrastructure (APPGI) event in February that it is time to implement infrastructure commitments outlined by the NIC in its National Infrastructure Strategy recommendations. The event was held ahead of the publication of PUBLIC SPENDING the government’s National Infrastructure Strategy this month, which ICE and NIC said needed to take a long-term ICE says government should use approach to planning and delivery. Treasury financial secretary Budget to boost infrastructure Jesse Norman spoke about the government’s commitment to “level up opportunities and A joined-up infrastructure address, in a sustainable l Devolve funding to focus on prosperity across the country”. strategy, devolution of funding way, the impacts of the UK immediate priorities such as This would be achieved by for asset maintenance and the population growing to 75M in asset maintenance “[putting] in place the roads, creation of a UK Investment the coming decades l Put in place the institutional railways and fibre optic cables Bank could help improve the l Building up regional strategic framework to identify long-term that will turbocharge the way infrastructure is delivered planning capability to ensure regional strategic need and economy,” he said. and maintained. no part of the UK is held back priorities ICE director general Nick These are some of the due to lack of infrastructure l Take tangible steps to target Baveystock told the meeting of recommendations made investment low productivity in infrastructure the pressing issues relating to by the ICE in its submission l Taking tangible steps to delivery including offsite infrastructure across the globe. to the Treasury ahead of the target low productivity in construction and Project 13 government’s 2020 Budget. infrastructure delivery l Support the evolution of Following the 2019 General l Support the evolution of funding models so that the Election the government funding models so that the infrastructure system pays for signalled its intention to focus future infrastructure system itself in the future on infrastructure investment pays for itself. l Support the levelling up as part of an “infrastructure The ICE recommends that the agenda to reduce regional revolution”, worth up to £100bn government: inequalities by creating a during this parliament. l Deliver a joined-up, UK financial institution to The Budget submission says evidenced-based National replace access to the European that Budget 2020 should focus on: Infrastructure Strategy based Investment Bank. l Delivering a national on the National Infrastructure l The full submission is at Armitt: Delivery imperative infrastructure strategy to Assessment http://bit.ly/2uwQBcF

48 NEW CIVIL ENGINEER | APRIL 2020 VICE PRESIDENT’S VIEW New Civil Engineer 4th Floor, Telephone House 69-77 Paul Street, London EC2A 4NQ

MARKETING SOLUTIONS Head of Sales | Francis Barham RISING TO THE (020) 3953 2912 | Francis.barham ONLINE ACCESS ENQUIRIES Email: [email protected] NET ZERO CHALLENGE EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Rachel Skinner (chair), Bill Grose, Alan Clucas, Andrew Mylius, Martin Knights, Mike Napier, Miles Ashley, Rob Naybour, Tim Chapman, Tony Gates, Zakiyya Adam, Aimi Elias, John Dillon, David Caiden, Fay What role should the Achieving net zero Bull, Stephen Wells, Simon Creer UK’s infrastructure Magazine of the sector play in achieving requires enormous Institution of Civil Engineers the target for net 1 Great George Street, London SW1P 3AA zero greenhouse gas 020 7222 7722 | www.ice.org.uk emissions by 2050? change, from how we travel, to That will be the focus what we eat and how we off set ICE MEMBERS’ ADDRESS Keith of this year’s ICE State CHANGES/ SUBSCRIPTIONS QUERIES Howells of the Nation report for www.ice.org.uk/myice to update your which I’m chairing the We’ll look at these issues from a policy address quickly online. For subscription steering group. “perspective, endeavouring to fi gure out what queries, please phone 020 7665 Achieving net zero requires enormous change, regulations, fi nancial incentives and public 2227, or email [email protected] from how we travel, to what we eat and how we education measures will be needed. offset. We cannot tackle it all, so we’re focusing As civil engineers, our challenge is to think SUBSCRIPTIONS on the contribution that our infrastructure about why we are doing things, as well as For subscription queries contact; networks can make and principally on carbon what we are doing and how we go about it. Esco 020 3953 2152 rather than other greenhouse gases. In answering the “why” question, our innate All rights reserved © 2019 New Civil Much work has already been done – for enthusiasm for shiny new projects will, at times, Engineer. Published by EMAP a member example by the Committee on Climate Change – come into confl ict with the question of whether of the Metropolis Group. Metropolis and many organisations are active in this space. we should be delivering them at all. Group respects the privacy of every We will therefore be seeking to identify the While our primary audience will be national, person for whom we have personal distinct perspective and contribution that we regional and local political decision-makers, we data. We comply with data protection can provide as civil engineers. will also aim to inform members’ debate and legislation such as the Data Protection Infrastructure, through its construction provide perspectives that they can bring to their Act 1998 and the General Data Protection Regulations which regulates and use, is a signifi cant source of the UK’s discussions with decision makers in the public the processing of data and ensures greenhouse emissions. While good progress and private sectors. Given the importance of this that your data is processed fairly and has been made in decarbonising our electricity topic, the ICE will be developing more detailed lawfully, is kept secure and only that data supply, much more needs to be done, given the guidance for the engineering community over necessary for any processing is kept. rising demand of our growing population and the coming months and years. While the report You can see our privacy policy at www. our insatiable thirst for data. Electrifi cation of will be UK focused, we hope other countries may metropolis.co.uk/privacy transport is already underway and some forms fi nd the recommendations helpful. of transport (heavy goods vehicles) will be more We are currently at the evidence gathering Printed by Precision Colour Printing Ltd, suited to other solutions such as hydrogen or stage, with the team at the ICE conducting Telford. Registered as a newspaper with the Post Offi ce ISSN 0307-7683; Issue biofuels. regional workshops, focus groups and expert No: 2085. Statements made or opinions The task of reducing emissions from domestic interviews before we start to synthesise expressed in New Civil Engineer do not heating has barely begun though. Many of the the evidence to inform our fi ndings and necessarily refl ect the views of infrastructure assets that we will be using in recommendations. ICE Council or ICE committees 2050 are already built, so we not only need It’s an exciting topic that will help inform the to consider how we can reduce carbon in the future we all live in – if you’re interested to know construction and use of new assets, but also more, contact [email protected] in terms of the retrofi t, reuse and operation of l Keith Howells, is an ICE vice president and chair existing assets. of the State of the Nation Steering Group

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