Newsletter No 12. Week Commencing Monday 11th January. First published Friday 8th January 2021.
This newsletter is to provide you with an update on the Greengates Junction Improvement works. On Monday 4th January 2021 the UK Government ordered a national lockdown in England, but confirmed that the construction industry may continue as it has done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. We would like to assure you that, in line with government guidance, construction on Greengates junction will continue as normal. Please note traffic management measures remain in place at Greengates junction to enable us to work on all four arms of the junction. Please plan your journey accordingly if you are passing through the junction. Additionally, we are aware that a small number of road users are making dangerous manoeuvres around the traffic management measures which jeopardise the safety of others. Should you witness any dangerous or illegal manoeuvres, please report these directly to West Yorkshire Police. We have also been receiving reports of people interfering with the traffic management measures in place, including moving cones and taking down signs. A member of the public has recently suffered an injury as a consequence of this and we urge members of the community to please keep in mind that it is illegal to tamper with traffic management measures. Doing so puts our workforce and other members of the public at risk. Howard Civil Engineering and Bradford Council would like to thank those who are driving safely through the junction. Your continued patience and understanding as we undertake improvement works are greatly appreciated.
Progress, the past two weeks
We are pleased to say we now have completed reduce level dig excavation on the section of New Line opposite the P-Loop area, having removed over 1,000 tonnes of material which was unsuitable for the reformation of the widened road. This will be replaced with a mixture of aggregates.
Since our return to work on Monday 4th January, we have continued to construct the new retaining wall on New Line alongside the Farmfoods boundary. These works will continue over the next two weeks.
In the P-loop area, work to form the new road and footpaths is ongoing. We have continued installation of drainage works, including the partial road crossing for the connection to the main sewer, and have also undertaken work to identify and divert five uncharted services.
The next two weeks
Over the next two weeks we will conduct further works to confirm the route of an existing gas main along New Line, opposite the P-Loop area, which will facilitate the completion of service and utility diversions in this area of works. Further down New Line, we will be continuing to construct the retaining wall along the new Farmfoods boundary. In the P-Loop area, we will continue to identify and divert unknown services as we commence the reduce level dig excavation of approximately 750 tonnes of material from this area. This excavation will enable us to form the road widening along the stretch of Harrogate Road opposite Aldo's Italian, including the completion of surface water drainage installation, the laying of kerbs and footpath edgings, the placing of ducting for required known service diversions and eventually the installation of tarmac surfacing. Yorkshire Water will also be establishing a compound on the grassed area at the entrance to Sainsbury's on New Line in order to commence diversion of the existing water main. Please rest assured there should be no disruption to your water supply during this period.
Traffic Management
Please note current traffic management measures along Harrogate Road have been relocated closer to the arm of the junction to close off the existing Farmfoods entrance while we undertake removal works on this corner. As of Sunday 18th October 2020, roads have been reduced to two lanes in all directions to enable us to progress with ongoing junction widening works. We anticipate that these traffic management measures will be in place for the foreseeable future, certainly throughout the Christmas period. Please allow extra time for travel when passing through the junction. Howard Civil Engineering have worked alongside Bradford Council to ascertain the most efficient traffic management measures to enable us to complete the junction improvement works with the highest consideration for safety of our operatives, road users and pedestrians. We apologise in advance for any disruption and delays which you may encounter as a result of these works and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Howard Civil Engineering in the community
We would like to extend our greatest thanks to pupils at Immanuel College, Bradford, who have kindly allowed us to display some of their fantastic artwork on site. The theme of these pieces is 'regeneration' - perfect for the new year! You can see these mesmerising pieces on display on the fencing along the P-Loop area and Farmfoods.
Your site contacts
There are several ways you can contact the site team to report faults, voice any concerns or ask any questions you may have. The HRNL Junction Improvement Scheme is managed by the following members of our experienced and highly approachable team: Tony Kilbane (Contracts Manager), Simon Doling (Site Agent), Mick Bottomley (Site Supervisor) and Fahd Mahmood (Site Engineer). Please rest assured there will always be a representative on site during working hours should you have you questions about the scheme. To contact Howard Civil Engineering remotely, please contact your Community Liaison Officer, Sophie Henderson, at greengates.junction@howardcivileng.co.uk or contact 07793654086. To contact a member of Bradford Council, please contact David Aspinall via email at david.aspinall@bradford.gov.uk.
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