Thamesdown Drive Resurfacing

About the project

Thamesdown Drive is a busy dual carriageway distributor road in Swindon. The contract required Enable Infrastructure (formerly BCM Construction) to plane off and resurface 20,000 sq m of failing wearing course. Ultilayer 10 Surf PMB PSV68 asphalt was used. In addition, sections of the regulating and binder course amounting to approximately 300 t needed replacing. The project also included the replacement of white-lining and bridge joints, as well as new slot-cutting and cabling for traffic signal controls. 

The road spanned 11 junctions, providing access to housing, numerous businesses and an out-of-town shopping centre. An extensive traffic management plan thus had to be first designed and then implemented throughout the four-week duration of the works to allow for both daytime and night-time working.  

The challenge

• Working in a residential and commercial estate
• The need to work, including operating noisy plant, at night
• Maintaining traffic flow
• Environmental – bees’ nests were found in kerb lines 

The solution

• We established and maintained good communications with all stakeholders. This included letter drops to local residents and businesses, and close liaison with the council (our client), who cascaded messages to residents using social media.
• To minimise any adverse impact of night-time working, we planned carefully so that we could give as much advance warning as possible and we also took steps to avoid working through the night.  
• To help us maintain traffic flow, we held daily planning meetings, allowing us to prioritise issues around safe access and egress. We also employed a traffic management consultant and liaised with the emergency services to ensure they would face no obstructions. 
• We drew up mitigation plans to move the bees’ nests.