Improving rail access at Forster Square train station

BAM was responsible for arranging for all utility providers who owned assets within the platform alterations to make necessary diversions to their assets. Following a site visit, ULIS (initially there to look at the water main diversion) recommended that it take on the responsibility and ownership of excavating a multi-utility trench for all the utility companies involved (water, gas, BT, and electric).

This reduced the number of utility asset owners needing to attend the site and conduct work, eradicating the need to re-excavate trenches one after another. Most importantly, it minimised the carbon footprint on this site while providing BAM with an overall financial saving on their costs for the required diversion works.

Additional works were requested while on site, such as excavating additional crossings for new BT connections and tarmacking sections of ground excavated by BAM Nuttall. BAM requested weekend work to accelerate the programme due to their internal deadlines on the wider project. ULIS delivered some weekend working days to assist this where possible.

The programme timescale was initially set at 13 weeks, but the works were completed, and all assets were diverted in 9 weeks, which ensured that all of the platform alteration works were completed by Christmas 2023.