International wheel cleaning equipment manufacturer Wheelwash has been contracted to supply wheel washing equipment for site vehicles on the prestigious A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement scheme.
In March 2016, the A14 Independent Delivery Team, a joint venture formed by Skanska, Costain, Balfour Beatty and Carillion, was awarded the £1.5bn contract by Highways England to upgrade the existing A14 between Ellington, west of Huntingdon and the Milton junction on the Cambridge Northern Bypass.
The scheme includes a new bypass to the south of Huntingdon, carriageway widening on the existing A14 between Swavesey and Girton and improvements to the Cambridge northern bypass. There will be junction improvements, a widening of the A1 trunk road between Brampton and Alconbury and new local access roads. In addition, the existing A14 between the Ellington and Swavesey junctions is to be de-trunked (for instance, returned to county road status), the viaduct over the East Coast Mainline at Huntingdon will be removed and road connections to the existing A14 from within the town will be modified.
A project of this size and complexity calls for different models of Wheelwash units along the route to ensure safety regulations are met. Prior to being awarded the contract, Wheelwash Ltd conducted a number of site visits to identify the requirements and offer the most appropriate systems.
While the A14 IDT, working on behalf of Highways England, considers safety as its top priority, the project is also dedicated to protecting wildlife and the environment. The IDT’s procurement team selected Wheelwash to supply cleaning stations after careful consideration and detailed analysis of the marketplace. Wheelwash offers a complete range of products from dry ramps to spray systems and is a one-stop-shop for all wheel cleaning requirements. The spray systems offer high-performance, low-energy solutions, with recycling of washer water.
Wheelwash and the A14 IDT have collaborated for more than 12 months to ensure the high standards required on-site are met and that key personnel are on hand to serve the installation and maintenance of the units. All Wheelwash engineers have completed the mandatory A14 IDT health, safety and first aid training and stringent induction process which is undertaken by all personnel before they are allowed to work on-site.
Wheelwash has adapted new Wheelwash systems to the hired fleet to meet their requirements, delivering a combination of sale and rental units throughout the project. We maintain continuous customer support, including servicing and offer education in optimising results from Wheelwash systems, as well as complying with the requirements for detailed RAMS and lift plans.
Wheelwash managing director Ian Jolly commented: "We are delighted to be working on the A14 scheme and have worked closely with the IDT to ensure their site requirements are met. We look forward to continuing this relationship and will remain in close collaboration to meet demands as they arise."