INFORMATION REPORT
CRT67
TEXT IN RED CONFIDENTIAL
APPENDIX 2 : OPERATIONS/TECHNICAL REPORT
This Report is for information only and no decisions are required on this occasion.
1.0
Major Works
1.1
The Major Works programme continues to progress broadly to plan. An additional £1m
has been transferred from the Waterway General Works area to enable a series of more
complex High Priority Defect Notifications to be delivered through the Kier May Gurney
framework contractor route.
1.2
Due to our improved financial performance (outlined in the Finance Director’s Report) it
has been possible to release during the period an additional £2m funding for major works
and still retain £2m of contingency cover (which is being earmarked for potential
additional vegetation works early in 2014 as described below). The additional major works
funds have been allocated to projects which were pre-planned ready for delivery involving
additional spot-dredging, bridge maintenance/ painting, water loss mitigation, culvert
relining and cutting stabilisation.
1.3
The Major Works programme has been adjusted to accommodate increased costs from
the emergency repair of a collapsed lock wall on the Aylesbury Arm where the project has
proved more complex than anticipated and to cover a series of recent emergency culvert
collapse situations.
1.4
The culvert collapse works have been required on the Leeds/Liverpool canal at Rishton,
on the Monmouthshire & Brecon canal. and on the Rochdale canal at Mytholmroyd and
on the Shropshire Union canal. The causes of the failures are varied; the Leeds/Liverpool
failure appears to have been a long developing bed leak into a very deep culvert;
Rochdale seems to be high water surcharging the culvert and forcing the collapse of the
overlying canal bed, the Monmouthshire & Brecon is a fairly typical bed leak which was
identified before any wider damage occurred and the Shropshire Union has suffered
damage to unmapped culverts during dredging operations. The photographs overleaf
show the Leeds/Liverpool works underway and the Rochdale site drained down in
preparation for works commencement:
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Leeds/Liverpool canal, Rishton
Rochdale canal culvert collapse
2.0
General Works
2.1
The Waterway Units continue on plan to deliver the key objectives of High Priority Defect
repair, Planned Preventative Maintenance, vegetation management and customer service
delivery.
2.2
The focus on High Priority Defect repairs continues with over 2300 completed from the
annual target of almost 5000. A recent Internal Audit confirmed that the processes
involved in managing this programme of repairs are sound with only a small number of
process improvements identified which are now being implemented. The photograph
below illustrates a typical repair being undertaken on a bridge structure by one of our
apprentices:
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2.3
October Storm
2.3.1 The storm in late October which hit the southern half of the country inflicted only minimal
damage on the network mainly in the form of fallen trees in London and the southern
Grand Union canal. The framework vegetation contractor, Fountains, mobilised very
quickly and dealt with all fallen trees very rapidly.
2.4
Additional offside vegetation programme
2.4.1 The contingency cover retained of £2m (described above) is planned to be allocated to a
major offside tree and vegetation clearance programme. Offside vegetation is the most
significant area of boating customer dissatisfaction after dredging (on which we have
already committed to a significant 10 year programme) and the programme being
developed aims to deal with areas of highest priority following consultation with boating
customers during the October round of User Group Meetings.
2.4.2 The programme will target 220km of offside vegetation clearance across all 11
waterways. An initial allocation of £500k from contingency funding will be released in
December, with the remainder (up to a further £1.5m) released for expenditure during
January to March subject to no other higher priority requirements arising during the
winter.
2.4.3 This programme of work is being given significant publicity within the boating community,
who will be invited to make further representation during the next few weeks.
2.5
National customer service delivery contracts
2.5.1 The major new contracts for vegetation management (Fountains) and waste management
(BIFFA) started at the beginning of October and have mobilised well. Early indications are
positive that the annual efficiency savings of around £1m will be achieved with improved
customer service delivery.
3.0
Volunteering
3.1
The volunteering programme continues to grow and deliver real benefits across all
waterways. The following photographs illustrate the growing diversity of volunteer activity:
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Waterway Recovery Group undertaking canal wall repairs on the Swansea canal
Claverton Pumping Station water wheel in process of repair by K&A volunteers
4.0
Heritage – National Consent Order
4.1
As reported at the last meeting English Heritage are working with us to develop an
overarching Listed Buildings Consent Order to cover the Trust’s whole estate of heritage
buildings. We have recently been granted £10k by English Heritage to develop the
framework for the first Consent Order under this new and exciting initiative.
VINCE MORAN,
Operations/Technical Director
November 2013
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