Hello Everyone

I hope everyone is well

Work is progressing well on the Northern side of the project. You've probably seen the lads working in the verge alongside Whitehouse Way. This week we started drilling under Whitehouse Way and we've now made an initial hole all the way under and need to widen it so we can get the pipe through.

On the South side, work has been a little more problematic. As you know we have Traffic Management in place at the junction with Swan Road and Whitehouse Way and this will be in place for another week or so. While digging here, we've found a large concrete slab that we weren't expecting so have spent time investigating this before we start to break it out tomorrow.

I've attached a video of the pipeline drilling under Whitehouse Way.

Tony

Hi Everyone

Darren has provided me with information for this week's progress update.

Shotton Road/Doxford Drive - Northern end

Over the last week the northern team have been busy constructing the Drive pit behind Icarus’ black hoarding. We have also continued digging along Doxford Drive.

Once this stage is complete, work will start in the verge along Whitehouse Way.

Hunter Road/Swan Road – Southern end

You will probably have noticed that 3 way traffic lights have been installed on the junction between Whitehouse Way and Swan Road. We delayed as long as possible before setting up this Traffic Management as we appreciate the inconvenience that it causes and we sincerely hope it doesn’t cause any long delays.

When work progresses to the bottom of Swan Road we will need to cross Whitehouse Way. We will need to dig across the road but will do it in 2 halves so that the road can remain open. We discussed closing the road completely over a night shift on a weekend but for a number of reasons decided to proceed in this manner instead.

Additional Team

Due to the weather, work has stopped in the burn along Shotton Road. This team have been kept busy carrying out other important tasks that sometimes get neglected such as trial holes, kerb reinstatement, erecting and removing fencing as required, etc. 

I hope you enjoy your weekend

Tony

Hi Everyone

What a miserable day! After the highs of last week, we're right back down to earth with a bump with the rains this week!

I've been down to see the site team today and Darren has provided an update on progress so far.

Shotton Road/Doxford Drive - Northern end

We are making good progress along Doxford Drive towards Whitehouse Way and will soon start work on crossing Whitehouse Way. We have arranged for a Surfacing subcontractor to be on site to reinstate the car park between the industrial units and as much as Doxford Drive as is available to them by the end of the week.

Hunter Road/Swan Road – Southern end

Work is almost complete on the chamber at the corner between Swan Road and Hunter Road so we will soon be in a position to switch the Traffic Management to give us more space along Swan Road. This means that from Monday 3 July 2017 we will need to put 3 way traffic lights on the junction between Swan Road and Whitehouse Way.  2 of the 3 lights will be on Whitehouse Way and will be concurrently green, only turning red when a vehicle needs to exit Swan Road. Please be assured that this will be constantly monitored and if a backlog of traffic becomes an issue then we will review change as necessary.

Additional Team

Due to the weather, work has stopped in the burn along Shotton Road. This team have been kept busy carrying out other important tasks that sometimes get neglected such as trial holes, kerb reinstatement, erecting and removing fencing as required, etc. 

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week, and your weekend

Tony

Hi Everyone

I hope you are well and not still suffering with sunburn from the weekend!

I've been in touch with the site team today and Darren has provided an update on progress so far.

Shotton Road/Doxford Drive - Northern end

As you may have seen, we hhave now closed the junction of Doxford Drive and Whitehouse Way and this will remain in place for the next 7 weeks - we apologise for any inconvenience caused by this and will try to get our work done as quickly as we can. we has progressed this week, but not at a rate we would have hoped, largely due to the fact that we have uncovered numerous services that we weren't expecting which has slowed things down a little. Hopefully, we will soon be in a position to start work on driving the pipe under the carriageway on Whitehouse Way - this is quite a complex and challengin stage of work so we need to make sure we get it right!

Hunter Road/Swan Road – Southern end

Our team on the Southern side have also struggled with unchartered services so have not progressed as quickly as hoped. We have also been constructing an air valve chamber this week. Next week we hope to start working down Swan Road.

Additional Team

We also have a third team working in the area and they have been carrying out exploratory work to locate services in areas where we will be working soon. This will hopefully ensure that we don't get slowed down like we have been this week.

I was on the estate last week, talking with a number of businesses about the progress we are making and was pleased to hear some of the kind comments made.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the week, and your weekend

Tony

Hi all,

Its that time of the week again when Darren provides me with an update.  Tomorrow morning my colleague Tony will be on site and will be walking around.  Please feel free to ask him anything you want to know with regards to the scheme.

"Works have now progressed between the industrial units and the pipe is making its way down Doxford Drive. You will notice the junction has now been closed off Whitehouse way to enable our work to progress. No access points into any businesses have been blocked as part of the closure and a diversion is in place via Brindley Road. Over the next week the team will lay the pipe along Doxford Drive up to the junction. Following this they will be jumping to the other side of the road behind the black fencing and will begin constructing an area where the pipework is going to be pushed under Whitehouse Way. Once the this is complete the team will then carry out another excavation just behind the junction closure on Doxford Drive, which, providing we don’t hit any boulders, is where the pipe will reappear on the other side.

The southern gang are nearly at the top of Hunter Road now and we have commenced the permanent reinstatement. In the next couple of days we will need to install traffic management in the form of 3 way lights on the junction with Swan Road to give us adequate working room. As mentioned last week the 3 way lights will be in place for around 2 weeks while we manouver between existing services and construct the air valve chamber. Once this is complete we will the head down Swan Road towards Whitehouse Way with the traffic managment progressing along with us."

We will continue to keep you all updated.  Please feel free to rate our this portal by clicking on the feedback tab on the right hand side of this page.

Lets hope the sun contines to shine

Christine

Good morning and happy Friday!

Our site team are progressing well as I stated earlier this week.  Can I remind you all to keep checking the Traffic Management alerts and information.

These are updated regularly as the site team are moving fast around the area.

If you have any queries just comment here and I will be in touch.

Christine

Good morning everyone,

What has happened to the weather?

Although we have lost the sun from the sky the site team are still working hard.  Darren has sent me an update of their progress and the plan for next week.

Hunter Road/Swan Road – Southern end

This week the lads are progressing well along Hunter Road. We anticipate we will be at the top by Wednesday next week (14th). This means we will need to install 3-way lights on the Junction with Swan Road which may cause some minor disruption. The 3-way lights will be in place for around 10 days while we install the bends on the new main, construct the air valve chamber and set off down Swan Road heading towards Whitehouse Way.

Shotton Road/Doxford Drive - Northern end

The site team are working alongside Shotton Road and have now installed the pipe work associated with the Air Valve chamber and will continue laying pipes between the two industrial units. Darren anticipates they will reach Doxford Drive by Tuesday next week (13th). At this point we will need to install 2-way lights on Doxford Drive to allow us the safe working space required.

Other works

As mentioned in the last update we need to complete some additional trial holes to verify service depths under the footpaths we are crossing. These are currently underway along Whitehouse Way and will be complete by the end of the week.

I hope we see the sun again over the weekend. Have a great weekend and stay safe.

Christine

Good evening everyone,

I thought it would be good to provide you all with another update from our site team.  Darren Whale and his team have been working hard in this great weather.

Our team will continue laying the rising main between the industrial units heading towards Doxford Drive which also involves the construction of an air valve chamber. It is anticipated they will complete this section by the end of the week, which means 2-way lights will be in place on Doxford Drive from 12/6/17. Once the team reach Doxford Drive they will turn and head towards Whitehouse way.

Following the completion of the trial holes last week the site team can now drop back on to installing the rising main along Hunter Road. We anticipate they will be at the end of the current road closure by the end of this week so a single lane closure with 2-way lights will be in place along the remainder of Hunter Road from from 05/06/17. As the team reach the Hunter Road junction with Swan Road we will need to install 3-way lights to allow us adequate working room when going round the corner towards Whitehouse Way. We will let you know a date closer to the time.

Two further trial holes will be carried out through the footpath along Whitehouse Way. This means we will need to close the footpath and install a diversion route for pedestrians. One of the trial holes will be located opposite Doxford Drive while the other opposite Swan Road. These will take place from Wednesday 7th June.

If anyone has any questions please comment here, then me or one of my colleagues will respond.

Christine

Good morning everyone,

I hope everyone is enjoying the great weather?

Driving to work with the sun in the sky is fabulous.

I have been passed some photos from our very busy site team to show you the work they are carrying out.

Wishing you all a great bank holiday weekend, stay safe and enjoy.

Christine

Hi Everyone

I have had a great catch up with the site team, and Darren Whale, the site manager has provided an update.. As you know and will of seen, we are working in two different areas so Darren has split the update down

Northern End - Near Shotton Road

The rising main (new sewer) installation has progressed well in the verge along Shotton Road and will be complete by the early part of next week. We will then turn and head between the two industrial units currently sat empty up to Doxford Drive. We are hoping that traffic management will start been placed on Doxford Drive from W/C 05/06/17. Initially we will have 2 way lights but as the work continues towards to the junction with Whitehouse Way we will need to close the junction and divert traffic round via Brindley Road for 3 weeks.  We will update you via the portal on our progress.

Southern End - Near to Hunter Road

Our crews have been undertaking trial holes for the early part of this week to determine the precise position on existing services (BT, Gas, Electric).  When this is completed we will continue with the installation of the rising main along Hunter Road up to the Junction with Swan Road. Currently we have the bottom of Hunter Road closed but as we progress beyond the current closure we will be installing 2-way lights on Hunter Road. This is expected to commence W/C 29/05/17.

Enjoy the early glimpse of summer this week!

We will be posting photos of the site later today

Tony