General
Night shift works completed all the planned utility crossings and temporary island surfacing to enable the installation of the Phase 1 Traffic Management with the exception of the Helix pedestrian crossing island.
Settlement at Alexander Avenue link road has reached the stage where the project’s engineering designers WSP are happy to allow post-settlement core penetration test (CPT) to be carried out to test soil suitability for next phase of surfacing.
Confirmation of CPT results will permit an early start to the link road construction
Agreed programme progress
Procurement progressing in line with the programme with orders placed or being progressed for long lead time items.
SGN (gas) diversion at Westmains started early and is now complete.
Settlement progressing in 4 of 7 areas with the potential for an early start at Alexander Avenue.
August Progress
Westfield to Etna Road
Check Dams (to reduce water flow) installed within the swale (shallow drainage channel) from Gateway to Etna Road. The swale has been constructed to tie in as much as possible with the Scottish Water diversion required to allow completion.
Westfield to Midthorn Crescent
Test pile platform installed at Ineos and test pile sleeve installed at Midthorn Crescent.
Drainage work across the footpath started and ongoing
Utilities
SGN (gas) diversion at Westmains complete.
FC02 (Private pumped sewer) diversion under the swale on the A904 started and due to be complete week commencing September 2
Available road crossings for various utilities and drainage complete.
Temporary surfacing for Traffic Management
The removal and temporary surfacing of various islands to allow for Phase 1 Traffic management complete. The island at the Helix pedestrian crossing will be completed nearer the implementation of Phase 1 Traffic Management allowing the Traffic Signals to be installed on temporary bases.
Look ahead key milestones
Alexander Avenue link road
Ground test rig booked for September 5. Following acceptable post settlement results, the construction of the link road can commence.
Piling
Test pile install planned for week commencing September 9 with static load testing to follow. Protection slab tubular pile install and sheet pile retention for Midthorn Crescent.
Communication and community engagement
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
In partnership with the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE) Scotland, Balfour Beatty are delivering a mentoring programme for Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students who are studying the following disciplines:
The programme has been developed by Balfour Beatty as part of our Value Everyone action plan in Scotland, which aims to create more diversity and inclusion, and to bring expertise into our business from multiple backgrounds. The programme will also support our refreshed Sustainability Strategy targets to increase minority ethnic and black representation by 60% in the UK by 2030.
To kickstart the mentoring programme we invited the students to take part in an outdoor activity residential experience which created the opportunity for students to meet each other, the wider Balfour Beatty team, take part in group challenges and team building activities and begin to shape their individual goals and aspirations for their mentorship.
Local Employment
Balfour Beatty’s Materials Testing Manger worked in partnership with the local Job Centre Plus partners to identify potential candidate for a local Material’s Testing Technician role. After two group interview sessions, seven candidates were offered a work trial with one candidate being successfully offered a role.
Educational Engagement – The Big Design Challenge
A suite of bespoke educational resources has been developed for local High Schools in Falkirk as part of the pilot programme – The Balfour Beatty Big Design Challenge. The team are in discussions with the school to identify participants and a programme launch date for this term.
