Does Early Contractor Involvement Really Make A Difference?

Early contractor involvement in infrastructure projects is often promoted as the key that unlocks innovation and value. But, do the claimed benefits match reality?

Here, we take a look at one project that featured early contractor involvement to see what effect it had on the outcomes. The project in question was far from straightforward; It involved creating a new slip road for the A419 that spanned the Great Western rail line near Swindon.

The Project

The New Eastern Villages (NEV) near Swindon is one of the largest greenfield developments in the country. It will cover 700 hectares with 8,000 new homes, schools, and facilities.

Significant road enhancements were needed including a £30m scheme at White Hart Junction. This junction acts as a link between the NEV, Swindon and the A419 connecting to the M4 and M5. The new slip road across the rail line was a critical element.

Swindon Borough Council (SBC) opted to use the National Highways Collaborative Delivery Framework (CDF) framework with an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) stage and a hold point prior to ‘design and construct’. The fact that Osborne Infrastructure Limited is an approved contractor for both Network Rail and National Highways and operates an integrated infrastructure team was an added advantage.

Benefits of Early Contractor Engagement

Early engagement facilitates both collaboration and innovation. Osborne Infrastructure Limited and the designers Atkins had to contend with a busy rail route from London to Bristol, overhead line equipment, and multiple stakeholders. A fully modular bridge was an important part of the solution.

As well as the modular bridge design, early contractor engagement created the space to introduce the following enhancements:

• Every structural element was precast offsite, including the abutments, parapets, deck beams and the vertical supports to the reinforced earth approach roads.
• Bridge bearings were eliminated to reduce future maintenance.
• A standard piling rig sitting on a specially designed secure platform enabled daytime working without interrupting services.

The modular approach also allowed the major structural elements to be installed using standard maintenance line blocks without the need for long blockades.

Infrastructure projects where highways and rail intersect are often the most demanding. This is where early contractor engagement comes to the fore; allowing multi-discipline teams to collaborate and develop optimum technical solutions with guaranteed buildability.

To learn more about Osborne’s integrated and innovative approach visit our transport infrastructure resource centre or contact Mike Todd ([email protected]).