During early September (2024) Peninsula Transport Technical Director Ewan Wilson and Project Manager Kim Hawes visited the nearly completed A303 Sparkford to Ilchester scheme. Hosted by National Highways and their contractor Galliford Try, the visit was an up-close opportunity to see the high calibre, detailed work National Highways deliver on the Strategic Road Network to improve much needed connectivity to the South West.
Over 23,500 vehicles use this section of the A303 daily with an increase during Summer, causing congestion, delays, lost productivity, and increased risk to user safety. The project is set to improve capacity at a very constrained point on this key route as well as delivering huge improvements to safety, journey times, community, and economic growth linked with a comprehensive environmental mitigation package of measures.
The team immediately noticed the professionalism of the A303 delivery team, and following the visit, it was announced that National Highways and delivery partner Galliford Try had achieved a phenomenal and well-deserved 45/45 on the Considerate Constructor’s scheme. This is in addition to the A303 Sparkford to Ilchester scheme winning National Highways’ industry customer focussed network management – Diversion Route Best Practice Award, for maintaining movement of traffic throughout the scheme’s construction.
All aggregates excavated from the cutting for delivery of the new layout has been reused elsewhere in the same scheme, reducing waste and emissions. Five attenuation ponds have been delivered to improve drainage across the extent of the new road. A huge quantity of native, deciduous trees are being planted to compensate for those that were removed, resulting in a net gain which further supports sustainable drainage and habitat creation. A bridge and an underpass have been built to connect local communities and provide a safe crossing for pedestrians, cyclists and equestrian users and the old at-grade crossings which posed greater safety risks have been removed. There are even badger tunnels to enable the local badgers to cross safely. Community engagement activity has enabled the local community to benefit from nearly £60k of National Highways’ social value fund funds, which are being spent locally.
Key takeaways from the visit were that the work involved behind the scenes in improving the environment and facilities for local communities should be recognised in equal measure with the main achievement of delivering a huge, new strategic road project. The team were keen to spotlight the scale and complexity of the scheme, as well as work that can often go unnoticed on large infrastructure schemes, including biodiversity, tree planting, community engagement and improvements to drainage.
The scheme is due for completion during Winter 2024/ 25 and you can find out more here.
