Construct - Issue 49

04 MATERIALS CIRCULAR ECONOMY

06 SOHO PUBLIC REALM

14 BANK

JUNCTION UPGRADE

CONSTRUCT ISSUE 49

Foreword

04

18

AndrewHansen CHIEF EXECUTIVEOFFICER

I am delighted to introduce the latest issue of Construct following our recent acquisition by VINCI Construction. This is an exciting new chapter for our business that will allow us to continue delivering for our clients as we always have, but now with the additional firepower of a globally recognised company. As we embark on this exciting new journey, our focus remains firmly on people—both those who benefit from high-quality infrastructure and those with the skills to deliver it. Every day, our work connects people, and we are committed to providing solutions that improve daily lives and strengthen communities, ensuring everyone has access to essential services and networks. Delivering public realm schemes like Browning Street, Manette Street and St John’s Wood High Street, which transform busy roads into attractive community spaces, is particularly rewarding. Measuring the delivery of these projects helps us better understand our customers, to ensure that we can support them whilst we deliver our works. The communities we work in are vibrant and diverse, and we are working hard to ensure that our business reflects that. Diversity will remain a key focus of our business moving forward. A diverse workforce leads to more creative and innovative thinking, which is vital if we are to meet the challenges of carbon reduction and economic constraints. As ever, our aim is to support the great people who work in the business, value and nurture the long-term relationships we have with our clients and partners, and delight our customers – wherever we meet them. A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS WITH THE BUSINESS COMMITTED TO KEEPING OUR COMMUNITIES CONNECTED

Contents

04 ROAD MATERIALS

PUSHING RECYCLING BOUNDARIES

06 PUBLIC REALM

IMPROVING SOHO’S STREETSCAPE

08 TOLWORTH ROUNDABOUT

BUSY INTERCHANGE UPGRADE

11 CROYDON

FLOOD ALLEVIATION

12 ST JOHN’S WOOD

HIGH STREET MAKEOVER

14 BANK JUNCTION

JUNCTION REMODELLED

17 MERTON

LOW CARBON ROAD

18 ROBOTICS

INNOVATIVE SURVEY TOOL

20 SAFETY

AI IN THE DEPOTS 22 5 MINUTES WITH

RHIANNON MORGAN

24 EDI

EMPLOYEE NETWORK FORUMS

25 NEWS IN BRIEF 26 A JOB WELL DONE & SOCIAL MEDIA

Business

In 2024 FM Conway celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its Heathrow asphalt and recycling plant. The plant marked this milestone by producing its four millionth tonne of asphalt since opening in 2014. When it opened, the Heathrow asphalt plant signified the expansion of FM Conway’s customer base and the business’s willingness to cater for

the growing demand that had been established by its first plant at Erith in Kent. With its strategic location to the west of London, the Heathrow plant has enabled FM Conway to strengthen its ability to service London’s road network. It has also been at the forefront of advancements in

recycling standards and practices. The plant has been instrumental in pushing the boundaries of recycling within the industry through the production of materials that incorporate higher percentages of recycled asphalt product (RAP), contributing significantly to the shared sustainability goals of FM Conway and its clients.

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Project

FULL CIRCLE

TWOHIGH-PROFILECONTRACTSHAVE DEMONSTRATEDTHECIRCULARECONOMY INACTION, WITHMATERIAL RECYCLEDAND PUT BACK INTOTHE SAMEROAD

FM Conway has been incorporating recycled asphalt product (RAP) into its surfacing materials for many years, but the ultimate example of a circular economy is to re-use RAP within the same project. The business has now achieved this on two very different schemes: Piccadilly in London and the A34 Newbury Bypass in Berkshire. “This is about us planing off the material, taking it back to the recycling plant, making the RAP and putting it back into asphalt and then returning it to the same site,” explains FM Conway technical director Mark Flint. “That is true circularity.” On the A34, this was achieved by reprocessing the planings at FM Conway’s nearby asphalt plants and incorporating them into both the binder course and surface course asphalt products. By day three of the contract, the material that was being laid incorporated asphalt that had come out of the road, with 30% recycled content going into the surface course and 40% in the binder. It was the first time this had been done on a National Highways project, but it could soon become business as usual. The organisation is aiming to achieve net zero carbon by 2040, and replacing virgin materials with RAP taken from the site can make a big contribution. The circular economy measures at Newbury saved an estimated 98,000kg of CO 2 e.

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NEWBURY BYPASS

In March 2023, FM Conway

asked to resurface the southbound carriageway of the A34 Newbury Bypass, which had lost skid resistance and had ride quality issues and carriageway rutting. As time was tight, National Highways asked FM Conway’s consultancy team to do the design, which enabled the business to put forward a design that incorporated

up to 30% of recycled asphalt product (RAP) materials in the surface course and up to 40% in the binder course. This is not a standard National Highways design, so the business applied for – and was granted – a ‘departure’ to the specification. The business is optimistic that this mix will now be

accepted for future schemes on the network.

to be resurfaced during the project in February 2024, with a total of 13,480m 2 of new carriageway laid. A total of approximately 1,635 tonnes of binder course and 1,635 tonnes of surface course asphalt was supplied to the project, with the RAP material incorporated into the surface and binder courses. The surface layer was laid with FM Conway’s SureLane warm-mix polymer In all, an area of 109,875.6m 2 of carriageway was resurfaced during five night shifts, with an average of 394 tonnes of material laid per shift. planed materials recovered from day one of the scheme recycled, reprocessed and re-laid by day three. The circular approach saw

secured a place on National Highways’ Pavement Delivery Framework

The £2.5 million project involved planing in two passes: one to remove the top 45mm, and the

for the South Region, which includes Area 3

covering Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Dorset, Hampshire, Surrey and Oxfordshire. After only a few months on the framework, the business was

second to a depth of 100mm. The new surface was then laid in the form of a 55mm thick warm mix Enviro binder and 45mm thin SurePhalt E surface course.

PICCADILLY

FM Conway’s contract to resurface Piccadilly in central London was the first time the circular economy aspect of recycling was seen on the capital’s roads. Working as the City of Westminster's highways partner, FM Conway removed the surface and binder courses, took the planings to its Heathrow asphalt plant for recycling, then incorporated this RAP into the binder course that was laid in the next shift. The entire 1.6km length of Piccadilly from Piccadilly Circus to Hyde Park Corner was planned

modified stone mastic asphalt product, which

was chosen for its durability benefits.

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Project

SOHO

LOCATION

London’s Soho is one of the busiest areas of the entire capital. By day, it is home to businesses and shops, many servicing the creative industries, while its nightlife is famous the world over. This combination gives the district its excitement and buzz, but the sheer number of people living in, working in and visiting Soho can be a challenge when it comes to carrying out construction. “Footfall in the area is very high, and there are a lot of businesses that need access, meaning stakeholder engagement is really important,” says Mark Goudy, head of contracts at FM Conway, who led a major public realm project in the heart of Soho, which was completed in 2024. A LONDON THOROUGHFARE HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTOANATTRACTIVE PEDESTRIANAREA THANKS TOACOMPLEX PUBLIC REALMPROJECT

The project focused on three roads: Manette Street, Greek Street and a section of Charing Cross Road. These roads abut a new mixed use development, Ilona Rose House, which was built recently by one of the area’s biggest property owners, Soho Estates. The developer’s planning permission from the City of Westminster included a Section 278 agreement to improve the public realm around the new building to reflect Westminster’s aims for the wider Soho area as well as matching Soho Estates’ aspirations for its new development. “Manette Street was previously a one way street running from Charing Cross Road, under the Pillars of Hercules pub to Greek Street,” explains Soho Estates head of investment and development Nick Lawson. “The City of Westminster wanted to pedestrianise the street and improve the public realm, which tied in with our vision for the road.” He adds: “It was in need of transformation, and is now a pleasant and inviting route into Soho.”

Russell Sq

Goodge St

Tottenham Court Rd

PROJECT LOCATION

Oxford St

Soho

Covent Garden

e s

Charing Cross

m

a

h

T

e r

Green Park

Waterloo

The Mall

R i v

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LIFE The transformation involved replacing the road surface in Manette Street with York stone paving and granite setts, planting trees and installing new lighting and cycle stands. The same palette of materials has been used for Greek Street and Charing Cross Road, where new road surfacing has also been laid. FM Conway divided the work into two phases, starting with the 100m stretch of Charing Cross Road, as that had the biggest impact on traffic across Westminster. The work included constructing a new layby, and once that was completed the team used it for delivering materials to Manette Street and Greek Street. The biggest challenge was carrying out the work while minimising disruption to the existing businesses and the new tenants of Ilona Rose House. “The building was open, and people were always coming and going, which needed careful consideration and planning,” says Nick.

led by senior contract manager Liam McKay, had to ensure people always had access to the building whatever was going on outside. “We had lots of different temporary accesses throughout the build, and also tried to screen the works from the reception so it didn’t feel as though they were in the middle of a construction site,” explains Mark. Understandably, the other shops and businesses within the project area were also concerned about the impact of the works. FM Conway’s customer liaison officer Helen McConnell worked continuously to ensure their needs were accommodated, supported by project manager Chris Collins. “Communication was absolutely key,” says Mark. “It was a construction site, so we had to work to limit the disruption as best as possible, and everyone bought into what we were doing. They could see how proactive we were being to support them.” Work is now complete, and the new public realm has achieved the transformation that both The City of Westminster and Soho Estates were looking for.

FACTS

Contract Ilona Rose House Public Realm Client Soho Estates

Value £740,000

Contract period 2023 - 2024

FM Conway division - Term Maintenance

The main entrance to Ilona Rose House is on Manette Street, so the construction team,

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Project

MANAGINGCOMPLEXPROGRAMME CONSTRAINTSWAS KEY TO BOOSTINGCAPACITYATAN IMPORTANT LONDON INTERCHANGE MAKING SPACE

LOCATION

Tolworth roundabout is a busy interchange in southwest London where the A3 trunk road meets the A240 and the main roads into Kingston and Surbiton. The A3 runs below the roundabout, with slip roads taking the traffic between the levels, while pedestrians and cyclists can cross via a path and bridge through the middle of the roundabout. It has always been a busy junction, but traffic levels are set to rise significantly with the construction of the Signal Park housing development on the southwest edge of the roundabout and a new HQ for supermarket giant Lidl further south. “We recognised that we would need to do something to mitigate this increased traffic, particularly the impact it would have on bus operations,” says Stuart Eastmond, project manager for Transport for London (TfL), which manages London’s traffic network. “Our modelling showed that buses in the area could be significantly delayed during the morning and afternoon peak periods if we didn’t act.” TfL aims to prioritise public transport and active travel but recognised that, in this case, it would need to create additional

capacity for road traffic by adding an extra lane to the northbound side of Kingston Road and remodelling the roundabout. However, TfL also saw the project as an opportunity to upgrade the area for pedestrians and cyclists, encourage biodiversity and manage flood risk from surface water run-off.

Wimbledon

Kingston upon Thames

Bushy Park

A3

Surbiton

River Thames PROJECT LOCATION

A309

Chessington

A240

Epsom

Initial design started in 2017, with FM Conway appointed as contractor under

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its Surface Transport Infrastructure Construction (STIC) framework contract with TfL in 2021. “This is one of the more complicated jobs we’ve had on the framework to date,” says FM Conway contracts manager Matt Holland. “It’s been a success because there’s been such good collaboration between all parties.” The bulk of the work was on Kingston Road, where the extra lane has been added on the northbound side and footways have been changed on both sides and in the central reserve to create more space for cyclists and pedestrians. But the FM Conway teams also worked on the roundabout itself, changing the kerb line, upgrading substandard parapets, infilling two subways with lightweight foam concrete and upgrading the surface-level light-controlled crossings. Challenges included programming the works to minimise disruption, coordinating with the contractor building the access into the new housing development, and ensuring there was no impact on the smooth running of the A3. Regular meetings with key stakeholders were critical to the project’s success, says Matt: “TfL had instigated coordination meetings with the housing

developer and local authorities two years before we got onto site in April 2023. We joined those meetings six months before we started work. There are many programme risks when you have interfaces with other parties, so it was really helpful that the meetings were already set up.” Work started on the southbound side of Kingston Road, with the intention of building the new lane on the northbound side next. But delays with utility companies and negotiations over land acquisition meant that the work had to be reprogrammed to be done in small sections, rather than all in one go. “It was challenging at times where the works areas were small, because of the size of machines and the number of operatives working in a small area,” explains FM Conway’s site agent Philip Yau. TfL’s drive to use the project as a catalyst for environmental improvements resulted in sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS) being installed throughout the works to capture surface water run-off. These included permeable paving for footways and cycleways, rain gardens and tree pits. u

FACTS Project Tolworth Roundabout Improvements Client Transport for London Contract period 2023 - 2024 FM Conway divisions - Major Projects - Surfacing - Lighting - Traffic Management - Water and Drainage Management - Aggregates & Asphalt - Consultancy

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The largest area of SuDS is in the middle of the roundabout, where a rain garden was created using tiers of gabions to hold and slow down the flow of water. Planting contributes to this attenuation, as well as enhancing the environment for pedestrians and cyclists and helping to improve air quality. Together, the SuDS measures on the project can collect run-off from over 6,000m 2 of road surface and delay it getting into the sewers during high rainfall. The planting also filters out pollutants, so the run-off is cleaner when it eventually reaches the sewer system. As well as widening the Kingston Road, the new layout creates additional capacity on the roundabout by utilising space in the outer lanes that was previously closed to traffic because the parapets did not meet modern safety standards. FM Conway has replaced them with a new, higher, parapet system consisting of a reinforced concrete base topped with steel barriers. Work to demolish the old wall and build the new parapets was carried out while traffic continued to flow, thanks to the installation of an encapsulation system constructed of scaffolding wrapped in polythene. “We had to construct the new parapet system on top of the existing bridge structure, but we had to make sure we didn’t damage that structure,” explains Philip. “Instead of using traditional heavy equipment for demolition, like peckers and breakers, we opted for hydro-demolition, which uses high-pressure water jets to cut away the concrete.” “We had to construct the new parapet system on top of the existing bridge structure”

TOLWORTH ROUNDABOUT

Key:

TOLWORTH BROADWAY

EWELL ROAD

Signalised pedestrian crossings

BUS STOP

BUS STOP

Raised tables Cycle lane Existing kerbline removed

BUS STOP

Improved road markings

TOLWORTH RISE NORTH

CLEAR

CLEAR

KEEP

CLEAR

KEEP

KEEP

BUS STOP KINGSTON BYPASS

BUS STOP

SURB SURB A3(N) A3(N) EWELL

EWELL

BROAD OAKS

Improved road markings

SURB A3(N) A3(N) EWELL

CLEAR

EWELL

KEEP

KEEP

CLEAR

Landscaping and rain gardens

CLEAR

KEEP

TOLWORTH UNDERPASS

KEEP

CLEAR

SURB

SURB

A3(S)

EWELLEWELL

Improved crossing

Existing subway access closed

KEEP

KEEP

CLEAR

CLEAR

KEEP

CLEAR

HOOK RISE NORTH

KINGSTON BYPASS

New uncontrolled crossing to access subway

KINGSTON ROAD

Existing subway access closed

HOOK RISE SOUTH

Hollywood Bowl

BUS STOP

Additional traffic lane to improve access to A3

KEEP

CLEAR

New shared area for cyclists and pedestrians

TOBY WAY

NEW HOUSING DEVELOPMENT

DONALD WOODS GARDENS

Tolworth Rail Station

3-TIER ASSESSMENT

During the Tolworth project, FM Conway’s site works were assessed under process, which aims to ensure that road users of all abilities can get around easily while works are under way. The first two tiers cover pre-design TfL’s 3-Tier Assessment

and design, while Tier 3 looks at the accessibility of temporary layouts. “When Michael Barratt MBE [the assessor] came to site, it gave us a very good insight into what you have to consider as a member of public, for example if you rely on a

wheelchair or on tactile surfaces,” says Philip. The approach has gained industry recognition as a finalist at the CiTTi and Highways Awards, with FM Conway now looking to adopt the assessment process on all its projects in future.

All the major works were completed in April 2024.

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Project

FLOOD FOCUS

TARGETEDMAINTENANCE IS ENSURINGTHAT RESIDENTSREAP THEBENEFITSOFAPROGRAMME TOREPLACEDRAINAGE INFRASTRUCTURE

New drainage infrastructure

Specialist teams from the London Borough of Croydon and FM Conway are working in partnership to tackle long-term surface water flooding problems with a programme of regular maintenance that targets blocked and damaged drainage infrastructure. “The programme came about because we had a number of hotspots that flooded every time it rains,” explains Daisi Osibona, Croydon Council’s senior engineer for network maintenance. FM Conway senior engineer Naveed Aziz says that Croydon’s susceptibility to surface water flooding is due to the hilly nature of the area’s terrain, adding: “Geographically, the borough is split into two halves. In the north, most surface water run–off goes into Thames Water’s storm sewer network. The south half sits on good draining chalk, and surface water runoff goes into soakaways, which Croydon Council maintains. Over the years, some of these soakaways have accumulated compacted silt. Some are over

100 years old, which explains why they are starting to fail – they are reaching the end of their design life.” Replacing soakaways can be complex, especially under the carriageway. New soakaways are made from perforated precast concrete rings that can be 3m in diameter and 4m deep, requiring specialist equipment and procedures. “These are confined spaces, so we have risk plans, breathing apparatus, and people with specialist training,” explains FM Conway’s service delivery manager Rob Polley. “We’ve got a very experienced team of operatives. Because these are categorised as high-risk works, we have temporary works permits in place and the team works closely with the local community, bus companies, TfL and neighbouring local authorities to address any concerns before starting work.” Residents are already seeing the benefits of the programme and its focus on long-term flood alleviation across the borough.

is targeted at flooding hotspots

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Project

POWER TOTHE PEOPLE

CONSULTATION IS KEY TOTHE SUCCESS OFAPUBLICREALMPROJECT THAT ISDELIVERINGBENEFITS TOTHE COMMUNITYANDTHE ENVIRONMENT

“We consider our customers to be everyone we interact with or who is impacted by our works”

Public realm improvements have the potential to improve the lives of many people who live, work and spend time in the area, so it is vital that those people are included in the decision-making process and that their voices are listened to while work is going on. This philosophy has underpinned a project to enhance St John’s Wood High Street in Westminster, delivered by FM Conway, The City of Westminster's highways partner. “As a business, we consider our customers to be everyone we interact with or who is impacted by our works,” says FM Conway customer experience director Maria Pratt. “We want to understand what our customers want from us and make sure we delight them through the work we do.” The decision for the project to go ahead began with a consultation exercise. During the Covid pandemic, Westminster introduced temporary measures to promote al fresco dining on the High Street and provide additional space for pedestrians. A survey in 2021 found that 84% of residents and businesses favoured turning the temporary measures into permanent public realm enhancements.

LOCATION

St John’s Wood

London Zoo

PROJECT LOCATION

Lord’s Cricket Ground

Regent’s Park

A5

Regent’s Canal

A501

Marylebone

Paddington

From then on, consultation and engagement were at the heart of the project. Before detailed design began, The City of Westminster worked with residents and stakeholders to develop an outline design that would work for everyone. “The scheme built on the success of the al fresco dining measures, by creating additional space for tables and chairs, but it has also been designed to provide wider benefits for the community and the environment,” explains The City of Westminster’s programme assurance manager Simon Morgan. FM Conway’s design partner WSP took that outline design forward to develop a scheme that involved making the High Street

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ST JOHN'S WOOD HIGH STREET IN NUMBERS 3,607m 2 of public realm enhancements 17 new trees 20 new cycle stands

33tCO 2 e carbon saving

one-way, widening footways by 1m on both sides of the road to give more space for pedestrians, changing junction layouts to reduce traffic speeds and make it easier for pedestrians to cross, installing new streetlights and benches, and planting 17 trees to provide urban shading and improve air quality. Once the project was on the ground, FM Conway employed a full-time project liaison officer who spoke with residents, business owners and visitors every day to understand their concerns and ensure the works caused the least disruption possible. And at the end of the job, a post-construction survey was carried out to establish how the scheme had been received locally and how well the construction process had been managed. The survey showed that most people are pleased with the enhancements and were happy with the overall management and execution of the construction and with communication during the works. It also provided some useful feedback for future projects, particularly on ensuring that people with disabilities can navigate through sites.

Westminster’s aims to reduce carbon. The City Council wants to incorporate low carbon methods and materials in future projects and had agreed with FM Conway that the St John’s Wood High Street enhancements should be the City’s first low carbon public realm scheme. “We’ve previously adopted low carbon practices for smaller tasks and on smaller scale projects, but this was a really good opportunity to see how easy it would be to upscale,” says FM Conway senior contracts manager Derek Sampson. The scheme achieved an 83% reduction in carbon compared with traditional methods, mainly by using electric-powered plant and equipment, as well as sourcing materials close to home. “We share Westminster’s appetite and ambition to deliver public realm improvements while reducing carbon, and we will continue innovating so that we can achieve that,” says Maria. “We also want to make sure that there is two way communication between us and our customers throughout all our projects. Communication should be a continual process.”

FACTS

Project St John’s Wood High Street Public Realm Improvements Client The City of Westminster Contract period 2021 - 2024 Contract value £2.02M FM Conway divisions - Term Maintenance - Surfacing - Lighting - Water and Drainage Management

Another issue that emerged from the survey was that residents and businesses support

13

Project

contributes to making the area one of the busiest commuter locations in the UK. High numbers of pedestrians, cyclists, buses and taxis converge at Bank Junction, creating an environment that can be congested, polluted and unsafe. This is why the Corporation decided to implement a plan that, when finished, will see conditions vastly improved for all road users. Since October 2022, FM Conway has been working to remodel the junction. New, wider pavements and traffic-free areas have been laid to create a much more pedestrian- “Because of the location, and having to retain access for buses and pedestrians, we had to remain adaptive and flexible”

LOCATION

Over the past decade, the City of London Corporation has been working to improve Bank Junction, one of the busiest junctions in the City. The final – and most ambitious – phase of the project started in 2020, when the Corporation took the bold decision to dramatically reduce the number of vehicles that could use it and to make it far more pedestrian and cycle friendly. For the last two years, FM Conway has been constructing the ‘All Change at Bank’ project to help the Corporation achieve this aim. Bank Junction is the meeting point of a number of thoroughfares that have been there for centuries, including Cornhill and Threadneedle Street. Prominent buildings on the junction include Mansion House – home to the Lord Mayor of London – the Royal Exchange, and the Bank of England, which gives the junction its name. As well as being home to these historic buildings, the junction sits at the heart of the City’s financial district, which attracts thousands of people to its offices every day. And, right underneath the junction is the sprawling Bank Tube station, which

Liverpool Street

PROJECT LOCATION Cornhill Queen Victoria St

Princes St

St Paul’s Cathedral

Bank

Cannon Street

R i v

e r

T h a

m e s

Southwark

London Bridge

REMODELLINGAMAJOR JUNCTION IN THECITYOF LONDONHASCREATED ASAFER, CLEANER, LESSCONGESTED, PEDESTRIAN-FRIENDLYENVIRONMENT CITY STREETS

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friendly environment and the main carriageway has been made narrower and simpler, to make it easier for road users to get into the right position on the road. There are also fewer places where vehicles can turn, which should reduce the risk of collisions. The pedestrian areas have been paved with York stone and granite setts, giving a high- quality finish that matches the surrounding buildings, and FM Conway has also put in seats, planted trees and installed sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS), which use natural methods to keep surface water out of the overloaded sewer network. FM Conway senior contracts manager Daniel Thomas says the main challenge on the project has been its location: “It wasn’t complicated, but because of the location, and having to retain access for buses and pedestrians, we had to remain adaptive and flexible. “A lot of time was spent moving things around and working in small areas,” he adds. “One construction phase could easily have 10 sub-phases. The City is far busier from Monday to Friday, so we did a lot of work on Saturdays and out of hours.”

One physical challenge the team had to deal with was the Tube station, whose structure is only just below the road surface. “We were very restricted in terms of the weight of machines we could use when we were taking up the road surface and laying the new paving,” explains Daniel. “Everything had to be done with small excavators or hand dug, which is much slower than using a large machine.” Removing the road construction also exposed some amendments that were made to the Tube station in the 1960s and 70s but had not been recorded – such as the power supply to some of the traffic signals running through scaffold tube from the station. “We were uncovering things as we were going that weren’t planned for, which was quite challenging from a programming point of view,” says Daniel. “We were good at being flexible and pivoting.” Bank station has 16 different entrances – the most of any station on the Tube network – of which nine are within the junction area. This made it particularly difficult to prevent the works disrupting pedestrian movements. “It was most problematic on the north side, because the footways were far narrower u

FACTS

Project Bank Junction Remodelling Client City of London Corporation Contract period 2022 - 2024 FM Conway divisions - Term Maintenance - Surfacing - Lighting

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Raised section of carriageway Key: Existing raised section of carriageway New York stone paving Tree Planter Stone seating Benches Cycle stands Tactile paving BANK JUNCTION

BARTHOLOMEW

LANE

PRINCES STREET

Bank of England

THREADNEEDLE STREET

Royal Exchange

POULTRY

ST MILDRED’S CT

M A N S I

O N H

O U S E

CORNHILL

T

T R E E

S

L O M B A R

Mansion House

D S

T R E

BUCKLERSBURY

QUEEN VICTORIA STREET

E T

WALBROOK

MANSION HOUSE PLACE

and there are two entrances there,” recalls Daniel. “We were very limited in space, but we tried to maintain access as far as possible. We could only close an entrance for the absolute minimum amount of time, and it was always over the weekend, not on a weekday.” The Tube station also had an impact on where the Corporation-designed SuDS features could go, as Daniel explains: “The SuD beds are in Queen Victoria Street, because you are not on top of the station there, which means you can dig deeper.” The SuDS beds are in-ground planters that store water during heavy rainfall and release it slowly into the drainage pipes when they are not full. Green features like the planters and trees also improve air quality and help to further enhance the perception of the junction as a place.

Ben Bishop, senior project engineer at the City of London, says: “The ‘All Change at Bank’ project has seen the most significant change take place at Bank Junction in over a century. This final phase of work has been in the planning for many years; I spent two years completing the construction design prior to works commencing on site in 2022. “Over the past two years, FM Conway have constructed the City’s design to a very high standard. It is testament to the good working relationship between the City and FM Conway that the work has progressed effectively and in line with the City’s overall phasing, traffic management design and expectations. We hope the public will enjoy spending time at Bank for years to come, and I would encourage visitors to the City to pass through the junction to see for themselves.”

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Project

GOING ELECTRIC

AN IMPORTANTMILESTONE ONTHE JOURNEY TONET ZEROHASBEENACHIEVED WITHANALL-ELECTRIC TRIAL INMERTON

The London Borough of Merton’s target to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050 aligns closely with the carbon goals of its long-time highways partner FM Conway. In support of this aim, the two organisations have collaborated on a low carbon resurfacing project involving the most electric plant ever deployed on a UK public highway scheme. “Achieving net zero in road construction is challenging due to the carbon footprint of bitumen and traditionally diesel-powered machinery,” explains London Borough of Merton highway engineer Gary Marshall. “We have trialled different products, and a limited use of electric hand tools, but I was keen to know the carbon reduction potential if we looked at all the activities on a scheme.” and footways needed resurfacing. The carriageway work involved planing 40mm and replacing it with a warm mixed dense surface course material containing 30% recycled asphalt product (RAP). The entire process was delivered using electric plant: a Sany electric planer, a Dynapac Electric City Marian Road, a 300m long residential street, was chosen for the trial as both carriageway

paver and a Dynapac CC1000 fully electric roller.

All plant and hand tools on the project were electrically powered

The new hand-laid footway consisted of a cement-bound granular basecourse, a binder layer incorporating 80% RAP, and a dense surface course with 60% RAP. All power hand tools used for the footway reconstruction were electric, including disc cutters for the kerbs and a compaction plate. “We’ve carried out numerous low-carbon schemes that focused on decarbonisation through materials innovation, but our focus here was to reduce the carbon associated with the surfacing plant,” explains FM Conway carbon manager Muhammad Ikram. “Despite being a small contributor to the overall carbon, it is one of the more difficult areas to decarbonise.” Swapping from diesel to electric cut the carbon associated with plant and equipment on the project by 95%, contributing to a total saving of 16.7tCO 2 e. FM Conway surfacing director Paul Padfield says: “We’re always exploring greener solutions for our clients. Trials like this help us understand what we can achieve and are an important step towards net zero.”

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Innovation

SAFETY DOG TRIALS

ANAI-POWEREDROBOTIC ‘DOG’ IS REVOLUTIONISING SAFETY BY ELIMINATING THE RISKOF CONFINED SPACE ENTRY Developments in technology have the potential to hugely improve safety, as the structures division is discovering during trials of an artificial intelligence (AI) robot ‘dog’ that has the capability to eliminate the need for humans to enter unsafe confined spaces.

The robot quadruped is fitted with LIDAR and a 180-degree high resolution camera

authorities include investigating sudden collapses in the road or footway, as FM Conway structures director Adam Barnes explains: “At least 20 times a week, one of our teams will receive a notification that there has been a partial collapse or void in the highway or footway, and they will have to be on the spot to investigate within two hours.” Voids in the carriageway or footway can be caused by damaged utility services, poor reinstatement, water ingress in the underlying road layers, or the collapse of a basement or underground structure. “Our teams might not have a lot of information on what the structure is or how it was built,

Many of FM Conway’s long-term maintenance contracts with highways

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and there’s usually only one point of entry,” says Adam.

The first task is to close the section of road or footpath and carry out a visual assessment to identify what the defect is. This is usually done with endoscopic cameras, but these give limited information and require putting people in proximity to the defect. “The next port of call is to decide if we need to do a full dimensional survey and condition report,” explains Adam. “At the moment, that means sending a highly trained operative into a challenging environment to gather information. It could be a confined space that is dark and dirty, partially damaged or collapsed, with uneven brick or rubble. From a safety and risk point of view, we want to avoid sending someone into that environment if we possibly can.” “We can take pictures and collect dimensional information with enough accuracy to give us the critical information quickly” This is where the robotic quadruped comes in. The device being trialled – dubbed ‘Robodog’ by the team – was initially developed for search and rescue, so it is extremely robust and can fit into very small spaces. It walks across uneven surfaces easily and can collect all the data the team needs to assess a void and its condition. “The Robodog is fitted with a 180-degree field of view high resolution camera and built-in Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR), so we can take pictures and collect dimensional information with enough accuracy to give us the critical information quickly,” says Adam.

“If it is operating in an area with poor lighting, it can even use the LIDAR to navigate.”

The robot can be controlled from any smartphone via the device’s built-in Wi-Fi or fitted to a video-game type controller. “It’s super intuitive,” says Adam. “The simplicity is one of the things that makes it very attractive.” The device’s AI and machine learning capability mean it can be ‘taught’ – for example to recognise or avoid certain objects – and it can be fitted with attachments, including a robotic arm to collect samples. “When we do a traditional visual inspection, we have to get close to the collapsed area,” explains Adam. “We do a plan of work and a risk assessment, but there is always an element of engineering judgement when you’re trying to assess how close is safe. By using a robotic device to carry out that assessment, we could completely eliminate that risk profile.” The team is spending three months trialling the device, putting it through its paces in all the different environments and scenarios it could encounter before deciding whether to invest in one. “I think it has huge potential – not just for our team but for all teams across the business,” adds Adam.

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Safety

SMART SAFETY TECHNOLOGY ISBEINGUSEDTO UNDERSTANDUNSAFE PRACTICESAND REDUCE THERISKOFACCIDENTSAT ASPHALT PLANTSANDDEPOTS

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In its desire to enhance safety and prevent accidents, FM Conway is using artificial intelligence (AI) to gain deeper insights into operational practices at its asphalt plants and depots. The technology is helping identify areas where safety systems can be improved to mitigate potentially risky situations and activities. The initiative stems from FM Conway’s Big Ten in 10 health and safety strategy, which leverages emerging technologies to enhance safety and eliminate risk from working practices. “When we plan work, we usually assume it is a linear sequence of activities, but the reality can be very different,” explains FM Conway SHEQ director Kevin Stevens. Safety professionals like Kevin use the term ‘practical drift’ to describe circumstances that result in actual performance varying from planned performance, which may impact on safety. “We wanted to find opportunities to address potential hazards before they result in an event,” he says. AI is an important tool because it can identify patterns of behaviour. An example is the reversing cameras installed on the business’s Liebherr loading shovels used to move materials around the asphalt plants. These machines spend around 50% of their time in reverse, so it is crucial that operators can manoeuvre just as safely in reverse as going forward. The cameras have been ‘trained’ to alert the operator and slow the machine down if they identify an object behind it. Crucially, they can tell the difference between a human and any other object, and if the camera detects a human within 8m, it issues a warning and automatically stops the machine. The system also records all these events, generating heat maps showing what is happening on the site and where the high risk areas are. “We can then look at why people are in that area, or why they are crossing at a hazardous location,” says Kevin. “Near misses usually require people to be there to spot something happening. With the cameras consistently picking up near misses, we get valuable information on where to focus our investment to reduce risks.”

with magnetic locking gates at all its asphalt plants. The gates are linked to traffic lights and only open when drivers have been signalled to stop. The system also projects red or green lines on the crossing surface to make it clear when and where it is safe to cross. AI CCTV cameras are also being installed at all FM Conway depots as ‘virtual supervisors’. They are trained to look for non-conformities and unauthorised access, so will pick up if someone is not wearing the correct PPE, if a vehicle is going in the wrong direction, or if someone falls over – which is vital for lone working. “All these incidents get reported back to a central system, helping us identify where the problem areas are,” explains Kevin. “We can use it to change processes and improve our safety systems in understanding why people make incorrect decisions. “Physical controls will always be required, but these technological tweaks help us identify practical drift.” At the Erith asphalt plant, for example, the cameras picked up staff checking stockpile levels while machinery was operating. “Through monitoring, we were able to identify a pattern of times when staff were checking stockpile levels during machinery operation. With this information, it was easy to change the process and eliminate human interventions in high-risk areas,” says Kevin. “For any risk professional, data is king, and this technology gives us the opportunity to get a detailed insight into what’s happening and improve our systems to provide better support to our people.”

As a result, the business has invested £1.2 million installing FHOSS walkways fitted

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Interview

Q A

Q A

ON THE ASPHALT INDUSTRY

How did you get into the asphalt industry?

What have been the biggest changes since you joined ?

I completed an English Literature degree at university, but I wasn’t completely sure of my career path, so at 21 I took a temporary job at Tarmac. I loved it from the get-go. I ended up staying for 15 years, by which time I was senior commercial manager. I joined FM Conway in 2016 as head of commercial and became commercial director of Aggregates & Asphalt (A&A) two years later. Then, in 2022, I was appointed managing director of A&A. Over all those years, I’ve had great fun, and the thing that really stands out for me is the people. I’m a great believer in employing the best people for the role, and I think the most successful teams are eclectic and diverse.

The asphalt industry has seen significant advancements in technology in the last decade. When I started at FM Conway, we had just two asphalt plants at Erith and Heathrow, but it was clear that the growth opportunities were huge. I understood early on that we needed the right people in place to deliver for our clients. Now, we have seven plants and a bitumen terminal, with plans to extend the terminal and build our eighth plant next year. This will be our first outside the Southeast and will help to serve Toppesfield’s business, as well as other strategic customers. We’ve become an industry leader in materials recycling, and that success has been driven by employing people who are friendly, engaging, and understand our customers’ needs. Sixty per cent of our sales are external, which is a testament to our reputation. Sustainability has always been a key focus. Our efforts span the entire company, including A&A, where we are changing our energy sources in terms of what we burn and how we burn it. The majority of the material we produce is warm mix and we are constantly researching new technologies to further reduce our carbon footprint. The asphalt industry as a whole is moving towards more sustainable practices. We lead the industry in RAP utilisation, and that’s a drum we will keep banging. We are finally seeing it accepted as a mainstream material, with National Highways aiming for 30% high PSV recycled content in surface courses to be business as usual. That brings new challenges in terms of ensuring we have enough feedstock, but we are committed to developing a closed loop system and supporting the circular economy. How is carbon reduction affecting the business?

Q A

Q A

How has your role within FM Conway evolved?

Initially, my focus was on commercial aspects, but as the company grew, I transitioned to a more all-encompassing role with an operational mindset, collaborating closely with the senior leadership team. A&A has been a significant part of that business growth, and we have been constantly adapting to help our clients achieve their goals, particularly around sustainability. Since working as managing director, I have a renewed knowledge and respect for the processes of running asphalt plants operationally.

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MARK TOOLEY CIVIL ENGINEERINGDIRECTOR FMCONWAY

RHIANNON MORGAN

MANAGING DIRECTOR, AGGREGATES & ASPHALT

Q A

What other challenges is the industry facing?

We need to be realistic about why people don’t want to join and do everything we can to make everyone feel welcome. I think we should talk about all the good stuff we do to as wide an audience as possible. It doesn’t matter how you come into this industry, as my background shows. What’s important is that you have the right mindset and behaviour, and are not afraid of hard work.

One of our biggest challenges is making sure we’re secure for the future in terms of people coming into the industry. It’s something the entire construction sector is facing, but the asphalt industry is niche, with an ageing demographic. The whole sector needs to come together to entice new people.

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People

GIVING VOICE

FORUMS THATGIVE FM CONWAY’S PEOPLEAVOICE AREVITAL INACHIEVING ITS EQUITY, DIVERSITY& INCLUSIONSTRATEGY

One of the most successful outcomes of FM Conway’s Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) strategy has been its employee network forums, which are intended to support underrepresented groups in its workforce and the wider industry. “Our forums were created to give people a voice,” explains head of EDI Ella Cole. “How do we know what we could be doing better, if we don’t ask? As they are entirely employee-led, it is up to each forum to identify ideas for positive change.” The business currently has four active forums, focusing on individuals with disabilities, women in construction, the LGBTQIA+ community, and global majorities. A neurodiverse forum will start soon. “There is no fixed agenda, but it is important that people see actions coming out of the forums,” says recruitment manager Victoria Hillary, who currently leads the Disability Confident Forum. “By driving change through our own passionate people, we’ve already seen several initiatives delivered.” These include a new audit form to assess if more could be done to improve accessibility

at offices, plants and depots and input into adopting Transport for London’s 3-Tier Assessment process for all FM Conway's projects. Meanwhile, the Culture & Faith Community, led by civil engineering apprentice Tayabah Abdul-Qadir, has updated the company’s monitoring request form to make it more inclusive and is helping the business improve its support for people wishing to practice their faith. The Female Forum, led by business analyst Lauren Parsons, is well established as a networking community, delivering bi-annual women’s events and careers days, as well as ensuring female PPE, maternity PPE, and breathable vests for operatives going through the menopause are easily accessible. “Driving change is purely down to our people, as can be seen in our Disability Confident Leader and veteran Armed Forces Gold Covenant status,” explains diversity and inclusion manager Ellie Stevenson. “By giving people a voice, it ensures that every person who works for us feels valued and included.”

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News in Brief

CSR REPORT

The business has released its 2023-2024 Social Value Report, revealing a total social value of £93,928,091. For the first time, it also highlights the company’s environmental best practices, measured using the National TOMs framework. The business has achieved year on-year increases in social value through initiatives like renewed sponsorship of the Street Soccer Foundation, and advancements in its Equity, Diversity & Inclusion strategy.

LCA MILESTONE

VINCI ACQUISITION

The agreement signed by VINCI Construction to fully acquire infrastructure services business FM Conway was completed on Friday, 31st January 2025. FM Conway now joins the network of VINCI Construction to support the further growth of the company and bring additional firepower to its already successful business

FM Conway joined the London Construction Academy (LCA) in celebrating 10 years since it was founded by former chairman Michael Conway as the London Academy of Highways Excellence in 2014. Previously funded by the Worshipful Company of Paviors, the LCA is now a registered charity, with FM Conway committed to supporting its future and helping hard-to reach individuals develop their construction skills.

model, with a clear focus on innovation and sustainability.

FM Conway will continue to operate as a standalone business but benefit from the wider group support and resources.

LORDMAYOR’S SHOW

— On parade FM Conway proudly participated in the historic Lord Mayor’s Show in 2024, marking over 800 years of tradition to celebrate the new Lord Mayor of the City of London. The FM Conway team, dressed in the company’s colours, carried a large inflatable hard hat and showcased its new Vok electric cargo bike and a signature green lorry as one of the parade’s many vibrant floats.

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