Highways
"Frameworks and early involvement enable us to add genuine value to highway projects." John Crane, Managing Director, Civil Engineering
Osborne’s technical expertise in the highways sector ranges from building complex structures to installing variable message signs. Recent projects include improvements at Junctions 25 and 21 of the M1, where we widened the carriageway and installed new signals to improve traffic flow.
This work was carried out under one of two framework agreements Osborne has with the Highways Agency. One for work on the Agency’s network in the Midlands and the second is a national technology framework for installing variable messaging and CCTV.
Another project is the A350 Westbury bypass. This is an Early Contractor Involvement scheme awarded to Osborne in November 2006, and valued at £21.6m. Works are planned to start in January 2009. The bypass will halve traffic in Westbury, improving the local environment and transport links for local businesses.
Safer working
Our priority in all highway projects is to ensure the work is carried out safely with minimum disruption to road users. Often this means out of hours working, and we have a directly employed workforce and supply chain partners that understand the challenges and complexity of this type of work.
We recently initiated a range of measures to make the working environment for our highways operatives even safer, including sequential lights leading into works areas, and driver assessment and training.
Best value
We are acutely aware that projects must be delivered within tight budgets and, through frameworks and early contractor involvement, aim to contribute our technical expertise and engage with stakeholders to drive out excess cost and deliver better value. Osborne is well known for its open approach to working with clients and supply chain partners with whom we have earned a reputation for quality, reliability and technical innovation.
It is difficult to explain just how good this site is (Hampshire NMIS MBU Phase 3 – M3). They seem to have thought of everything and then some more. The management have endeavoured to embrace the aims and objectives of the scheme and to make the site as good as can be. An excellent example of how to do it.
Peter Crane, Auditor, Considerate Constructors Scheme.
For more information contact civilengineering@osborne.co.uk