WHAT’S NEW IN OUR CIVILS AND INFRASTRUCTURE DELIVERY
WINVIC’S C&I DEPARTMENT IS MOTORING WITH HIGHWAYS FRAMEWORKS
Winvic was delighted to be awarded two Lot contracts across four regions within National Highways’ new Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF), from September 2021 for six years.
The two lots we won within Band C are Lot 8 Structures, Waterproofing and Expansion Joints and Lot 10 Structures, Structural Services and Concrete Repairs and we’re undertaking works across the south-east, east, north-west and north-east. We’ve worked closely alongside and collaboratively with National Highways on a number of occasions, and securing a place on the SDF marked the start of an even stronger working relationship. Social value was inherent throughout the procurement process, ensuring that suppliers are measured on their contribution and impact socially within each region. Plus, the SDF supports the delivery of National Highways’ decarbonisation, sustainability and environmental ambitions across its renewals programme.
National Highways regions won
In April 2022 we won the ‘General Works’ Lot contract with Lincolnshire County Council to deliver highways works across the county. The projects we’ll be undertaking on the A and B roads of Lincolnshire over four years will involve the creation of new infrastructure assets as well as infrastructure improvements; for example, it’s likely that we’ll be diverting and installing services and drainage, constructing roundabouts and widening highways. In fact, we’ve been doing just that on the A16 in Boston – scroll down to read about what we’ve delivered.
EMERGENCY ACTION IN YORKSHIRE
When the Framework period commenced, the Winvic team began to look in detail at the initial schemes with the National Highways project managers at our dedicated SDF office in Wakefield. Design teams were being assigned where Early Contractor Involvement was possible and delivery dates planned. However, within a month, a routine investigation by National Highways found that increased vibration from traffic on the M62 Ouse Bridge has started to damage the concrete under lane three and a bridge joint, which allows the carriageway to expand and contract with the weather. Within a day this became our first SDF project!
After more investigation, it was deemed all joints would be replaced and the design and installation of a temporary solution – to ensure the public was kept safe but encountered the least amount of travel disruption – and a permanent one commenced. It has been a complex process and collaboration has taken place with multiple specialists across different countries as the joints are bespoke and specific to this bridge and they are being redesigned for sectional construction; the existing rail joints span the whole width of the carriageway. That means in the future, any bridge joint failure can be repaired or replaced, and traffic can run normally without a reduced lane contraflow.
With ground remediation complete to ensure the vast scaffolding underneath the bridge would be stable and the working platforms erected, works could begin including the removal of existing joints with hydro-demolition equipment. The work was phased one side of the carriageway at a time to ensure vehicles could continue to cross the motorway bridge through a contraflow. Works to replace all of the Eastbound carriageway joints are ongoing and Westbound joint replacements, if instructed, will commence in 2024. Read more about the scheme at nationalhighways.co.uk
The M62 Ouse Bridge project has certainly been the greatest endeavour on the SDF to date, but with four geographical areas to cover and two Lots of work in each, we’ve been pretty busy! SDF South: The team have delivered 15 schemes in SDF South since we began the framework. Currently in the SDF South there are 2 live projects: joint replacement works on A23 at Hyde in West Sussex and a second scheme involving waterproofing works to Allington Bridge, Maidstone, Kent.
SDF North: The team have delivered a number of key infrastructure schemes this past year for National Highways totalling £15m+, including waterproofing and joint replacement works on the A1(M) and works on the M61.
LEVELLING UP WITH LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
The first project under this county Framework started in May 2023 and was the start of the Lincolnshire ‘Levelling Up’ road improvements. We’ve widened 3,070 m2 of carriageway on the approaches to the existing Marsh Lane roundabout on the A16 to two lanes and moving the alignment of the roundabout to facilitate its widening from 21.5m diameter to 27m. Also, a three-quarter mile active travel route will be created, which comprises widened pavements and the construction of a new cycle lane. To balance road user and workforce safety with negating disruption for drivers, we’ve reduced the two-lane carriageway to one lane and minimising the number of night-time road closures. When we handed the project over in December 2023, significant traffic signals, infrastructure works, 4,025m2 of carriageway treatment works and 410 metres of new drainage installation had been completed.
of carriageway widened
Charlotte Hughes, Senior project leader for Lincolnshire County Council
"The support provided by the Winvic team throughout the project was of a really high standard. They were quick to respond and supported the team throughout both the design and construction phases, by reviewing proposals, evaluating risks and helping us to deliver a scheme that met the challenging requirements of this project."
RAIL AND PUBLIC SECTOR FRAMEWORK WINS WITH PROCURE AND PAGABO
Readers from public sector organisations across the UK may be interested to know that they can appoint Winvic for infrastructure projects between £5 million and £30 million via the Procure Partnerships Framework.
Our place commenced on 1 November 2023 and continues for 4 years until 2027. Procurement options include two-stage mini-competition, single-stage competitive tender, or direct award and contracts can be in the form Design and Build or Build Only, and either NEC and JCT. So if you’re reading from a public sector authority or institution within the East Midlands or East of England, you can begin the process by visiting procurepartnerships.co.uk/frameworks/east-midlands or procurepartnerships.co.uk/frameworks/east-of-england please mention Winvic when you express your interest.
We can be contracted for rail projects via the Pagabo Framework that are between £5 million and £15 million or over £30 million and in London and South East, or that are over £30 million and in The Midlands.
WEST MIDLANDS INTERCHANGE IS FIFTH STRATEGIC RAIL PROJECT FOR WINVIC
Winvic was appointed as the design partner for West Midlands Interchange - 8 million sq ft of commercial space and a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) on a 734-acre site, making it the UKs largest intermodal logistics site when complete in 2034.
Then the contract was awarded for us to deliver the first phase of works, and this commenced in October 2023. This current phase is scheduled to be completed within a year and comprises new road infrastructure and works to the existing road and public rights of way network, reconfiguration and undergrounding of energy infrastructure, and earthworks required to create some of the development plots.
We are utilising BIM Level 2 to create a confederated digital model, encompassing multiple plans from different design partners, meaning we can identify and resolve clashes rapidly. This approach also helps to balance earth and materials – all of which will be retained on site and used to create a series of bunds adjacent to the community parks. Early-stage works also include the installation of tree protection fencing where trees are being retained, the translocation of hedges and treatment of invasive species. Within the next few months, Section 278 Highway works will begin and include the creation of a temporary site access from the A5, two new laybys, central reservation improvement works and cycleway and footpath creation on the A449. Two laybys on the A5 will be removed later in 2024 and, in the same location, we’ll construct a new roundabout, which will form the permanent entrance to West Midlands Interchange.
acre site
Rob Cook, Director of Civils and Infrastructure
“We’re thrilled that Oxford Properties and LCP values Winvic’s sustainability credentials and experience in designing and constructing similar schemes to West Midlands Interchange, as well as our commitment to community and stakeholder collaboration. As the leading main contractor in the UK for delivering complex Strategic Rail freight Interchange (SRFI) projects, we’re able to draw on our extensive project knowledge and assemble a skilful team to meet requirements, find innovative efficiencies and ultimately deliver the design stage output in a considered and forward-thinking way. After over a year of significant planning and design work for West Midlands Interchange, we are now incredibly excited to commence works.”
