Major award success for VolkerLaser Woodhouse tunnel scheme
A project to repair and upgrade the Woodhouse Tunnel A58(M) in Leeds carried out by VolkerLaser has won the Project of the Year (subcontract over £2m) award at the Construction News Specialist Awards 2016.
The project, our largest to date, involved over 400 night time possessions of the tunnel which is used by more than 75,000 vehicles. Over two years, VolkerLaser teams worked through the night to carry out strengthening and waterproofing works to the tunnel before reopening the tunnel to traffic before rush hour each morning.
At the awards ceremony, held at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane in London the judges praised the project team’s holistic approach to the scheme. They were impressed that they delivered not only an excellent engineering project, but one which demonstrated true collaborative working, value engineering, exemplary health and safety and impressive community and stakeholder working.
Thanks to the collaborative relationship between VolkerLaser and the clients, Carillion and Leeds City Council a significant saving of £3.5m on scheme efficiencies was made. Several months were also taken off the project timeframe.
VolkerLaser regional director, Keith Barrow said: “We are absolutely delighted to win this prestigious award. It recognises the work undertaken by our teams as well as the benefits a close collaborative relationship with clients can have and the difference it can make in the delivery of a project.
“Utilising a combination of traditional construction techniques and specialist repair and strengthening services, we were able to complete the works with minimal disruption to road users. Everyone involved should be very proud of what has been achieved over the past two years.”
The Construction News Specialists Awards are the only national awards celebrating the best specialist contractors in the UK.