Go Plant Fleet Services supports key A14 road improvement project in the UK
Go Plant Fleet Services has been carrying out a major road sweeping operation on Highways England’s £1.5 billion A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon improvement scheme for the past 12 months, and the company’s contract has just been extended to the end of 2021 to include the completion of the Huntingdon Town Centre works.
The improvement scheme, which features a new bypass for Huntingdon and upgrades 21 miles of the A14, is being delivered for Highways England by the A14 Integrated Delivery Team.
Go Plant Fleet Services, one of the largest and most experienced providers in the UK, was contracted in 2018 to provide a quality, fully compliant and cost-effective solution for all site road cleaning activities.
More than 10 of the company’s high-specification vehicles, each manned by expert operators and all based at the company’s growing South Midlands depot, have been a feature on site ever since.
Four state-of-the-art ‘Back To Black’ machines are being used to deep clean surfaces in preparation for the laying of new road along all six sections of the scheme stretching from Alconbury to Huntingdon.
Seven 18-tonne road sweepers have meanwhile been keeping works access, plant crossings, compounds and other roads in the vicinity cleaned throughout the operation.
The company will ramp up its presence on site as the project nears completion and will bring in three more vehicles from its extensive fleet of Beam sweepers to create a spotless finish before the new scheme is officially opened.
Adrian Bates, Manager of Go Plant Fleet Services’ South Midlands depot near Kettering, said: “The A14 project is one of the biggest road improvement schemes in the UK at the moment.
“The work requires a substantial sweeping operation, so this is a significant contract for us and we’re obviously delighted it has now been extended.
“We initially took over the contract when the company acquired SM Sweepers last Spring, but had to meet the criteria demanded by the Integrated Delivery Team relating to our capability, capacity and credentials for contracting work.
“Go Plant Fleet Services has many years of experience in this type of project along with the depth of in-house expertise, the range of high-specification machines and the number of highly-trained, qualified operators that’s second to none across the UK.
“We were subject to an in-depth audit surrounding Key Performance Indicators and there were a number of requirements relating to compliance and health and safety.”
South Midlands was the first of Go Plant Fleet Services’ nationwide network of 49 depots and service centres to achieve FORS Silver accreditation.
And that was another key factor in securing the A14 contract, according to Mr Bates.
He added: “The fact we’ve gained FORS Silver illustrates we employ good practice and comply with all requirements laid out by the FORS Standard.
“It shows that our entire fleet is compliant with the CLOCS Standard and Work Related Road Risk and that our drivers are properly trained and hold CSCS Cards as well as HE Passports.
“Safety is a critical issue, of course, and that’s a major focus for us here so we always meet any criteria where that’s concerned.
“As for our vehicles, we operate the most comprehensive and modern fleet of high-specification specialist machines in the business and more ‘Back to Black’ sweepers than anyone else too.
“All of those on the A14 project are fitted with live cameras as well and that enables us to monitor driver activity, ensure compliance and resolve any issues that arise straight away.”
