Surfacing and landscaping works to prepare London’s busy South Bank for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee are currently being undertaken by FM Conway.
FM Conway’s Highway Maintenance division is the main contractor on the £4 million project and is working on behalf of Southwark Council and Lambeth Council, with finance provided by the Mayor of London’s office.
Due for completion by March 2012, the project will be conducted over eight stages to improve the current paving and surfaces. The completed project will deliver resurfacing and hard landscaping improvements stretching along the South Bank of the Thames from Lambeth to Southwark.
In Southwark, work has already started around Clink Street and Bank End and the entire project incorporates works to prestigious London monuments, including the London Eye, Tower Bridge, the Millennium Bridge, Tate Modern and Southwark’s world famous Globe Theatre.
Commenting on the ongoing works in Southwark, Matt Joel, Contracts Manager for FM Conway, said: “It’s fantastic to showcase FM Conway’s expertise on such a prestigious project and we are taking the utmost care to ensure that our products, materials and workmanship are all up to scratch and delivered on time.”
In the neighbouring Borough of Lambeth, refurbishment works will be completed to the surfaces between the Oxo Tower and the National Theatre. The first phase of works has commenced outside ITV’s headquarters and the IBM building, where FM Conway’s teams are refurbishing and replacing sections of the existing paving.
Ray Milner, Contracts Manager for FM Conway’s works in Lambeth, said: “This scheme will greatly improve the aesthetics of Lambeth’s South Bank and the surrounding area. The project will use the highest quality materials, including granite kerb setts and resin bound gravel.”
The project poses a variety of challenges and requires effective management, not least due to the high footfall of tourists and residents who use the South Bank daily. As such, much of the work is scheduled for completion during the night, with the remainder conducted through the day using a system of managed sectioning.
FM Conway has also applied for the South Bank project to be added to the Considerate Contractor Scheme in Southwark – this scheme assesses health and safety issues on sites across London. During the scheme FM Conway will also be monitored by external health and safety auditors.
FM Conway will be deploying a mobile communications unit to the sites for each phase of work, to liaise with residents and provide information on the project and progress to date. Karl Flanagan, Service Delivery Manager for FM Conway, said: “So far the proposals have been well received and we have obtained excellent feedback. As the project progresses we will use the mobile communications unit to keep local residents up to date on progress.”
The South Bank improvement works will be completed by FM Conway in time for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee in June 2012, when a flotilla of more than 1,000 boats will cruise the Thames in honour of Queen Elizabeth II. More than one million people are expected to throng the South Bank to watch the spectacle.
