SAFETY BARRIER & FENCING PROJECT

M62/M18 Langham Interchange

Overbridge vehicle restraint system better by a mile

AGC: ‘productive and proactive’

A collaborative and innovative approach saw AGC successfully deliver a vehicle restraint system (VRS) on three structures for National Highways in the Yorkshire North East region. In total, just over a mile (1, 626m) of VRS was installed, including both parapets verge VRS and associated transitions. Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) led to enhanced customer outcomes – improving road user safety by replacing the existing parapet with one that meets current standards, while having minimal effect on journey times during construction.

Having identified that the original parapet at the M1 / M18 Langham Interchange, no longer met the required specification, client National Highways procured the upgraded solution through their Scheme Delivery Framework (SDF). AGC, the AmcoGiffen & Carnell partnership, were chosen to deliver the works and through ECI with designer Jacobs, they worked together to identify the challenges and potential solutions so that the construction phase, out on the strategic road network, could be reduced and de-risked.

ECI Scope

Early Contractor Involvement ahead of the parapet removal and installation included the following activities:

Trial holes to determine Waste Classification and the identification of services.
Temporary edge protection design and certification (Temporary Works process).
Permanent parapet replacement design and certification – this allowed for advanced manufacture of the parapet to reduce the lead in times for materials.
Bespoke parapet posts designed to ensure minimum set back was achieved.
Lead (Pb) testing of the painted parapet – results were above safe limit, so methodology of removal and disposal of the parapet was changed.
Identification of defects within the string course – redundant lamp column bases and strain monitoring stations, the remedial actions of these were incorporated into the main works scope.
Structural assessments of the bridges for both the loading of the Temporary VRS and to model the loading of the structure under the traffic management.

Customer Considerations

The initial thought for traffic management (TM) was for full closures of the link roads each night, providing a large work zone, when the roads were quieter. The drawbacks of this approach were a shorter working window as well as diversions which would lead to longer journey times and the potential of disruption to local communities caused by traffic using local and unsigned diversions.

Traffic data modelling was undertaken to compare the impact of overnight full closures against 24/7 lane closures of the two-lane link roads. It was found that the impact of losing 50% capacity 24/7 was less than losing 100% capacity overnight, so daytime working with full-time lane closures was agreed. The ability to work without interruptions would shorten the programme duration, while improving safety and reduce costs compared to working at night.

Other aspects which benefitted the road user by removing the need for future lane or road closures were: the identification of additional VRS requiring replacement and bringing into the programme; inviting other contractors to use TM to undertake cyclical works and technology maintenance; identification of bridge surface and joint defects and their repair, providing safer smoother journeys.

Enhanced Delivery

In total 958m of parapet (VC N2W1 LM 1.00m high*) and 668m of verge VRS was installed. This included the additional renewal of 400m of VRS that was identified during the works as being non-compliant. Work started in May 2024 and was completed in November, almost six weeks earlier than originally programmed.

Project partners included:

National Highways: client and asset owner.
Jacobs: principal designer (PD).
AGC: principal contractor (PC) responsible for temporary works, removal of existing and installation of new parapet / VRS and associated ancillary works.
Premier TM: Traffic management.
Metrail Construction: Bridge joints.

Tier two contractors included Verso who carried out specialist VRS design and supported us with the delivery; GVA for vegetation clearance and ecological surveys; Hardstaff Barriers for temporary concrete VRS barriers.

* The new parapet is tested and approved to BS EN 1317 with vehicle containment for a normal vehicle of 1500kg (N2) having a deflection width less than 600mm (W1).

Benefits

Safety

The AFR for both National Highways and supply chain staff was 0.0.
Zero RIDDOR or Lost Time Incidents.
ECI identified excessive Lead (Pb) content – managed and disposed of safely

Customer Service

TM optimised through traffic modelling to reduce impact on the road user.
Identification and absorption of additional works into the programme removed future closures.
Zero customer complaints throughout the scheme.

Delivery

Completed 23 shifts ahead of schedule, reducing programme by 15%.
Increased efficiencies of daytime working include reduced costs.
Intelligent phasing of the works allowed access to three parapets per phase.

"I have been grateful to work with such a productive and proactive Contractor like AGC. Not only did they complete the scope of the works to an excellent standard, they also regularly communicated with myself and the rest of the team presenting detailed reports on the works occurring and raising any issues that they identified presenting innovative solutions for the issues at hand. It has been a privilege working with AGC and I look forward to working with them in the future."

Joseph Hulme National Highways Project Manager

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SAFETY BARRIER & FENCING PROJECT

M62/M18 Langham Interchange

AGC: ‘productive and proactive’

ECI Scope

Customer Considerations

Enhanced Delivery

Benefits

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