Birse Civils and Cheshire East Council have been awarded the Integration and Collaborative Working Award at the North West Construction Awards.
Hosted by Centre for Construction Innovation North West (CCINW), the awards recognise the achievements of the North West construction industry, showcasing the best and most innovative construction projects and working practices in the region. The Integration and Collaborative Working Award seeks to find examples of procurement, systematic project management, collaboration up and down the supply chain, integrated logistics, as well as evidence of improvements as a result.
Roy Stewart, Chief Executive at CCINW, commented: "The Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass is an exceptional project and a fine example of collaboration and integrated working between client, contractor and the supply chain - an excellent project with fantastic end results that shows just what an truly integrated team can do."
The construction of the bypass included three road bridges, a rail bridge over the West Coast Mainline, a footbridge, 1km of bentonite slurry wall and a bored pile retaining wall. The works also included construction of a new roundabout and modifications to an existing roundabout.
The bypass was also named North West Transportation Project of the Year 2010 at the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation Awards and at the Builder & Engineer Awards 2010 the prestigious Builder & Engineer Civil/Highway Project of the Year was awarded to Cheshire East Council and Birse Civils for the Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass.
The project, which was delivered six-months ahead of schedule, will now go forward to the National Constructing Excellence Awards in London in November.
Comments
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I was against the bypass but have to admit it has made a positive difference to our village.
No one can say that the work done on the bypass construction is not good, but the question is what effect it will have on the retail prospects of the village.
Prior to its construction amongst others we lost the antique shops, the DIY shop, two bakers, the fish mongers, the sweet shop, Billsborough's hardware, the Legend, the Gallery, individual shops such as Nota Bene, two greengrocers, three menswear shops, and so on.
Remove the cafes, restaurants and esate agents there is not much left. Tesco and Waitrose? Why come to Alderley when you can park for free at Handforth or Wilmslow?
The bypass has taken away the opportunity for any passing trade for the few remaining shops, and there are few incentives to come off it to visit the village.
Incidentally the village may be quieter, which supports my point but there has been no effect on Ryleys Lane where the three schools are. And it is certainly not quieter for those living between the bypass and the village with the constant noise of speeding traffic.
I'm sorry but you miss my point. Many shops did go long before the bypass for many reasons, but my concern is that because fewer people are now passing through the village the prospects for retailing are not as good as they were and may result in the complete demise of that economic sector within the village. Currently there is very little to attract revenue in to it. Even the restaurants, cafes and hotels may suffer as those establishments in other bypassed villages have found. What is to be done I have to confess to not knowing the answer but someone must.
As for the answers to problems that have not arisen yet I don't know the answer either.
I am delighted to now be using the bypass which has now taken a good 5-10 minutes a day each way off my commute. Prior to its opening and having to crawl through the village I was NEVER tempted to 'pull over and have a look' at the shops etc mainly because parking was too stressful - cars up your a**e end and the general impatience of other drivers.
I think that bandwaggon may have moved on.