Highways infrastructure project works
Great Yorkshire Way
Client
Midlands Highway Alliance via Doncaster Council
Contractor
Tarmac Contracting
Location type
Link road
Completion
June 2018
The challenge
Tarmac were tasked to work alongside the team from Doncaster Council to deliver the Great Yorkshire Way Phase 2 (FARRRS2), a new and final high quality highways link between the M18 and Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The aim of the new road is to reduced road congestion and dramatically cut journey times in Doncaster and further afield. The road will also benefit users of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
The team faced their biggest challenge on the 15th January 2018, where after returning from the Christmas break with a project under-budget and two weeks ahead of programme, lead company of the Joint Venture for Doncaster Council under the Midlands Highways Alliance MSF2 Framework, Carillion, went into administration.
The outcome
After two weeks of uncertainty, where despite no-one knowing the true status of their jobs, the team continued working to complete the project on time. During February, Tarmac permanently employed all key members of the team, along with ten operatives formerly employed by Carillion to maintain continuity.
Adding to this, the significant weather extremes of snow and heavy rainfall in the first quarter of 2018 provided further challenges that the team worked together to overcome. These included continuation and completion of bulk earthworks, and the construction of the carriageway in time for the Tour de Yorkshire; alongside the management and delivery of the artwork, a huge yellow ‘Y’ over 8m tall for the Yorkshire Gateway.
Results and benefits
The timing of this project was important. It was critical that the road was finished and the iconic Yorkshire Gateway artwork installed in time for the 2018 Tour de Yorkshire cycle race that was taking place on the new highway.
Despite all of the setbacks throughout the project, by taking a collaborative approach, the project was not only completed on time it was within the additional budget, and with £500k of engineering savings.
Joint planning meetings were held every two weeks with all parties, to discuss progress, risk reduction, and innovation, and monthly Early Warning Notice (EWN) meetings. The teams also came together to discuss critical items, agree action plans, and mitigate them swiftly.
Additional info
The cost savings included
- Amended finished levels to allow for the overlaying of existing carriageways - saving £90k
- Rationalised drainage design - saving circa £50k
- Removed need for pond liners due to the permeable drainage design – saving £30k
- Use of reinforced earth system for wingwalls to the structure in lieu of traditional reinforced concrete reduced the programme by 6 weeks
– saving £90k - Utilising existing drainage – saving £50k
Health and safety
Throughout the various stages of the project, health and safety was paramount in everything that was done. This combined with a taking a collaborative approach in all areas helped to maintain a safe working environment. The team carried out safety stand down events with the direct workforce and Tarmac’s trusted supply chain partners. In excess of 350,000 hours were worked on the project with no lost time or RIDDOR reportable incidents.
Community involvement
Social value was key to successful delivery of this project. Tarmac hired two new apprentices through an assessment day filled with exercises and presentations, visited Hayfield School, collected for a food bank at Christmas, took part in presentations and worked with the Lighthouse Futures Trust to provide internships for students with autism and learning difficulties. Tarmac also attended open evening events for the local community before major traffic management measures for weekend road closures.
