WITH the canal network facing the growing challenge of climate change driven storms and floods, the Canal & River Trust will bring in technical experts to make sure its waterways are safe and open. The charity’s in-house team can now call for specialist support to help look after the network’s reservoirs, embankments, cuttings and other structures.
Long-term framework contracts have been awarded to Arcadis (UK) Ltd, RSK Environment Ltd and Geotechnical Engineering Ltd. Referring to the millions of pounds of damage caused by recent storms, the trust’s chief infrastructure and programmes officer Malcolm Horne said: “To keep our canals safe and available for years to come, we must make sure our historic structures are sound, and that we’re planning our works with the best possible knowledge, both from our in-house expertise and drawing on the latest advances from other industries.”
A key way of establishing the integrity of these structures is by carrying out a programme of ground investigations. They are also used to assess potential contamination and put in equipment to monitor potential ground movement of canal structures or groundwater levels. The inspections are an integral part in the design of construction projects and allow the trust to assess the condition and likely future behaviour of its canals, reservoirs and river navigations. When planning works are needed, the trust has also agreed terms with specialists in technical engineering and design services from Arcadis Consulting (UK) Ltd, Pell Frischmann Consultants Ltd and Stantec UK Ltd. The new contracts were awarded following a rigorous five-stage tender process carried out over 18 months. The contracts are for a period of up to eight years, with an initial term of four years.
CRT is the owner of the third largest collection of listed structures in the UK, managing 1579 locks, 55 tunnels, 2969 bridges, 279 aqueducts and 71 reservoirs. It moved from a single to multi-supplier model for its Professional Service and Geotechnical Inspection contracts from April 1.
