Project focus on roads: A595 improvement

The costs of preparing a tender for a major construction scheme can run into hundreds of thousands of pounds, the loss of which to the unsuccessful bidder is difficult to ignore.

Several clients, including the Highways Agency (HA), are moving to the early contractor involvement (ECI) method of procurement, which means no abortive bid costs, and increased and improved contractor input from day one.

The A595 Parton to Lillyhall Improvement is one such contract. Forming 5.1km of dual carriageway, and bypassing the villages of Distington, Common End and Howgate, it will reduce the traffic passing through from 22,000 vehicles per day to around 3,500.

John Atkinson, project manager at the HA, has dealt only with ECI schemes. "I can only see the benefits that have emerged," he says. "I would find it strange working in an environment where the contractor has had no early say in the development of the scheme - it is very valuable."

The HA, together with Morrison Construction (part of the Galliford Try Group) commenced work in 2003. "One of the big advantages of ECI was to get Morrison involved as part of the team at that very early stage where we were preparing our draft orders, and to have them come with us to the enquiry," Atkinson explains. "From the client's point of view, it was a tremendous resource to have them and representatives from Hyder Consulting there with us."

Mike Mann, Morrison's project manager at the Cumbria site, agrees. "That's right, historically we would only come on at the construction phase, but here we were also involved, with Hyder Consulting, in the design phase. That became a big plus in looking at budgets and trying to come up with constructible options."

Some 40 objections were raised at the initial inquiry, but issues regarding the site access points, and the site compound, were addressed through Morrison's presence. "Information could be given to the public that the client alone may not know, such as working practices," says Atkinson.

Refuse site

Two quarries on the site have been used as landfill, one for household refuse in the 1980s and one with mine waste in the 1970s. Although the initial design had the road built over the household refuse site, its depth would have made the construction difficult.

"We realigned the road, which saved quite a lot of money because we didn't have to dispose of an awful lot of refuse, which is expensive," says Atkinson. "Potentially that was quite a risky item of the design phase, but working with Hyder Consulting we helped to maintain the scheme within budget."

Adjusting orders after the design stage is costly and time-consuming. "That quarry was a big risk item in terms of design and the cost," adds Mann, "so picking up the risk early enabled us to adjust the orders effectively."

Contractors often have a better idea than clients of the lead times required by utilities companies. As Morrison was involved in the design at an early stage, it was able to identify that a high-pressure gas main would need careful consideration.

"There were lots of gas and water mains throughout the scheme that had to be diverted, including a high-pressure gas main that was expensive to divert because it had to be done when it was live," says Mann. Early involvement ensured this to be scheduled at a convenient time - at a cost of £650,000.

"There was a set window when this could be diverted, a 10-week period over the summer," he goes on. "We actually placed an order with the gas people last year just as the notice to proceed was issued, because they needed a 30-week lead-in. There was a risk to the contract in that if it wasn't done this year, it would have to be done next year, which would have left a part of the road that we couldn't construct. It was good that we could stay on top of that as a risk to the scheme and react to it."

Any project cutting across the countryside needs careful ecological assessment, and Creswell Associates was brought in by Hyder to advise on these issues. As a result of the many specialist surveys, a bat guidance bridge has been built, which consists of steel posts with wires that will help to keep the bats roost intact once the scheme is in place. And two chambers (well-insulated cylindrical ground habitats) have been installed for use as hibernation chambers, and possibly maternity roosts.

Another ecology issue was the discovery of great crested newts in the ponds around the quarries. With this area to be sterilised, four new ponds were sunk, and more than 200 newts, and many other species, were translocated under licence.

The local environment is such that the area attracts many tourists, and the route for the new road crosses Sustrans' coast-to-coast cycleway twice. To offer protection to users, an old railway line that runs alongside the new road has been converted to cycle track, and one of the architectural features of the project is the precast concrete arch that accommodates the cycle track and a footpath.

Four structures

The project included the construction of four structures - a bridge, a pedestrian overbridge, an underpass, and a box culvert. Mann explains why pre-cast materials were chosen. "We look at options in terms of structures, where we can, to incorporate precast concrete as it saves time on-site, brought on as we need it. We used that in the Lowca bridge beams, which saved quite a bit of work over the river, speeding up the programme. For the reinforced arch at the far end we wanted a very open structure as it's quite long, and this was erected within one week. The wing walls, too, are precast."

"For the Distington over-bridge we utilised steel beams - nothing brand new to the industry, but keeps it all constructible, keeps the cost down, and the programme moving."

With 375,000m3 of earth to move, it was important to minimise importing or exporting spoil. "The project includes a major earth moving operation. Because of the complexity of the programme, and restrictions of the gas mains and the newts, we decided to keep it in-house, not subcontracted," explains Mann. "Earthworks are very weather susceptible, and we felt that we'd be able to control the risk of delay with the earthworks to ensure that all materials are utilised fully. It is a fine balance with the cut and fill."

"Extensive sections of 450m to 500m of reinforced earth incorporate geo-grids and drainage blankets, which is a good use of site materials, and saves a lot of money in not importing materials such as stone."

Project length

So has the early contractor involvement been a success for both contractor and client?

Atkinson is convinced that ECI shortens the overall length of a project. "A big advantage is getting rid of the contractor preparation period."

Mann agrees. "We're two years on site, it's been quite a fast process, and certain parts of the process have been speeded up by ECI. And it's provided more certainty in terms of programme and budget, which is a plus point for the HA. After nearly a year on site we're on time and on budget, so in that sense it's working."

"You have ownership of the budget," Atkinson adds, "whereas in previous contracts, you would have been given a budget prepared by somebody else, which may not have had any direct bearing on your scheme - it could have been taken from examples of previous schemes, and average costs, not embedded in the work you're actually doing."

"We set out with a charter where we identified our common objectives and we've got far more in common than things that separate us. It gives us an opportunity to highlight those and understand that what's good for the HA is good for Morrison, and vice versa."

"We have regular liaison meetings at the site office with community leaders, police and so on, and we discuss any impacts or concerns the public have. We like to feel that the site is not an alien territory to them, if there a problem they can come and talk. Something we take very seriously is making sure that the impact we are bound to have is properly talked through. A good contractor should do that anyway, but we have this as part of the ECI process."

"I think the ECI process has worked very well," enthuses Mann. "You get to meet people several years before the construction phase starts, you know all the people involved and the various characters, and you develop a very good team culture."

All parties agree that the partnering aspect is the main improvement upon design and build schemes, and that ECI should contribute to the smooth running of many future projects.

Fact File

Official Name of Job: A595 Parton to Lillyhall Improvement

Contract Value: £35.2m

Start Date: January 2003 (on site January 2007)

Completion Date: Autumn 2008

Client: Highways Agency

Main Contractor: Morrison Construction

Key Specialists/Advisers: Hyder Consulting Capita Symmonds