Kings Dyke level crossing vegetation clearance

We cleared the site using a specialist tracked unit with a fixed-tooth mulcher, reducing the level of disturbance caused to the on-site livery.

Client:

Cambridgeshire County Council

Background

Kier has been awarded a £17-million contract to design and build a new road and bridge over the Ely to Peterborough railway line. This will replace the King’s Dyke level crossing, which lies on the A605 between Whittlesey and Peterborough. The level crossing is currently a significant pinch point for traffic and has seen numerous accidents.

The proposed scheme is for a new single-carriageway road south of the A605 that will cross the railway line on a new bridge. The work includes constructing two new three-arm roundabout junctions, two underpasses to maintain private access requirements, a footway along the full length of the link road, two infiltration ponds, a surface-water attenuation ditch, safety fencing, soft landscaping, a site compound and temporary access to the brickworks.

Actions

Cleared more than 7000 m2 of dense scrub and undergrowth
Removed more than 1000 m2 of hedgerows of varying heights
Cleared more than 15 trees with girths up to 500 mm
Cleared two trees with girths of 500–1000 mm
Removed one tree with a girth of more than 1000 mm.

Results

Using a specialist tracked unit with a fixed-tooth mulcher, RSK Habitat Management was able to clear the site within two days and thus to complete the work three days ahead of schedule. Mechanising the work helped to reduce Kier’s supervision requirements and associated costs, and to reduce the level of disturbance caused to the on-site livery.

“They were highly professional and efficient and took every opportunity to minimise disturbance to the on-site livery and other stakeholders. I was very impressed with how they were able to undertake the work ahead of the programme and would not hesitate to use them again for future work.”
Robin How Project Manager, Kier