Birse receives top marks

by Lisa Reeves

Friday 10^th July 2009

Fri 10^th Jul 2009

Birse Civils have achieved 37.5 out of 40 in their recent Considerate Constructors Scheme audit for the A34 Alderley Edge Bypass. With a score far exceeding the industry average of 30, Birse were recognised for their high levels of community engagement.

The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a national initiative which has been set up by the contruction industry to improve its image. Sites that register with the Scheme sign up and are monitored against a Code of Considerate Practice, designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirements.

All sites registered with the Scheme are monitored by an experienced industry professional to assess their performance against the eight point Code of Considerate Practice which includes the categories: Considerate, Environment, Cleanliness, Good Neighbour, Respectful, Safe, Responsible and Accountable. Birse received top marks in three out of the eight categories.

In the report, the Monitor commented " The site is exemplary in their approach to all affected by the project. What can not be included in this report is the extensive involvement with the diverse members of the community.”

Tags:: A34 Bypass, Birse, Considerate Constructors Scheme

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Wendy Harkin

Friday 10^th July 2009 at 12:10 pm

We were pleased with our CCS score of 37.5, however, as always there is room for improvement, we will be as considerate as we can on the A34 project and hopefully achieve a maximum of 40. (Wendy, Public Liason Officer Birse).

Susan Holland

Sunday 19^th July 2009 at 5:31 pm

Very well deserved, Wendy. I have no direct experience of major road building and the ramifications of such but thus far, Birse appear to me to have shown outstanding sensitivity and as one of those diverse members of the community with whom they have engaged, I (and The Friends of Alderley Edge park) have nothing but the highest praise for them. Well done!

Vivien Holroyd

Monday 17^th August 2009 at 12:45 pm

I am surprised that Birse received such praise. Susan Holland obviously does not live within sight or earshot of the development. Wilton Crescent is subjected to dust (we cannot hang washing out and pointless having windows cleaned) and constant noise from wagons and diggers lined up at the bottom of the gardens. Work starts at 7 a.m. (sometimes earlier) with deliveries of hardcore creating an unbelievable noise. Having walked around the bypass on Saturday and seen the large number of possible areas suitable for use as a holding area, I think Birse are very inconsiderate to the few residents directly affected. Work began on this project without anyone being informed when the diggers suddenly appeared in the field and started digging it up. It would have been nice if the Public Liaison Officer had warned the residents this was about to happen. In fact there has been no communication whatsoever from her during the past four months. On the subject of cleanliness, Ryleys Lane, by the tunnel, is littered with chocolate wrappers and crisp bags.

Roland Rae

Saturday 29^th August 2009 at 10:19 pm

Must be hell for the residents in Wilton Cresent , mind you I've just seen the midday news and three soldiers have just been killed in roadside bombs, so a bit of dust and crisp wrappers isn't that bad .

Sunday 6^th September 2009 at 10:43 am

I quite agree. Nothing is worse than the loss of life under any circumstances. I was merely responding to previous comments regarding the 'sensitivity' and 'consideration' shown to the public by Birse, something which the Wilton Crescent residents have not experienced.

Jean Wearne

Monday 7^th September 2009 at 8:25 pm

All of us who live on the McManus-built estate knew that the by-pass was planned. Like a visit to the dentist the work in progress is brief pain for a longer gain.
And morally can we claim compensation for what we knew was coming?

Wednesday 9^th September 2009 at 9:21 am

What longer gain ?
The traffic in Alderley is only bad at school drop off and pick up times, and that situation will not change.
You need look no further than Handforth to see what a bypassed village soon looks like.

Marc Asquith

Thursday 17^th September 2009 at 7:51 am

Well Vivien, your personal gain will be that traffic volumes along Ryleys Lane will fall by an average of 1/3rd. The main problem with the traffic flows through Alderley - unlike Handforth - is that the through traffic has to interact with the almost stationary school run - drop off / pick up. The main block for the through traffic could be argued to be the Pelican Crossing outside AESG. The bypass will separate the greater proportion of these two streams allowing the through traffic to flow freely around the village. Sure, the problem mainly goes away during the school holidays but they are there for more than 60% ??? of the time. I suppose we could have sought to move the schools to a different site but I fear that the Council does not have the power to force long established private schools to move.

Funding to provide a bypass is only given if the Council could show a positive CoBA ( Cost benefit analysis ). The bypass showed such a strong CoBA in its first design that we could afford to spend quite a lot of money on mitigation features - such as the bridge under the railway in Nether Alderley. So the benefits have always been accepted as being substantial.

Coming back to Ryleys Lane, it is expected that almost all the through traffic from Chelford will use the bypass. That will take away the tipper trucks which rumble ( particularly when empty ) along it disturbing all those who live on Windermere and Meadscroft Drive and back onto Ryleys lane as well as the residents of Ryleys lane itself. The maths indicates that the majority of the residual traffic on Ryleys will be the school run. Now that seems like a real benefit, and for you, no queue to get from Eaton Drive to London Road and then no queue along London Rd towards Wilmslow. That said, I have to concede that sadly a small number of residents will lose a view over open fields but we have tried to keep the bypass as low as possible throughout its run to mitigate that effect.

Rest assured that lots of consideration has been given to the effects of the bypass there are quite a few of us working hard to try to make life in the village better for everyone.