We recognise that building the railway could have an impact on local communities, businesses and the environment. As part of our design development, we’re assessing these impacts and how they could be mitigated.
We’re still at an early stage of developing our construction approach. However, we want to reassure people living locally by outlining how we’re looking into ways we would manage the potential impacts on communities and the environment during construction.
What is a Code of Construction Practice?
A Code of Construction Practice (CoCP) is an industry-standard set of guidelines and best practices that govern the construction process of any significant project. We’ll develop a draft CoCP and submit this as part of our Development Consent Order (DCO) application. The draft CoCP will be informed by the findings of our assessments which will determine the need to address specific potential impacts which may arise from construction activities.
What will the Code of Construction Practice address?
The draft CoCP will set out a range of mitigation measures and principles which contractors would be required to follow when building East West Rail, including engaging with stakeholders and the community through regular meetings.
Below we've outlined examples of construction impacts and the types of measures that may be included in the draft CoCP.
Examples of construction impacts and protective measures
Community engagement throughout the construction phase, including advance notification of work to local residents, businesses and other stakeholders that may be affected.
Lighting directed away from any sensitive receptors such as residential neighbours and known areas of nature conservation significance.
Working areas appropriately fenced.
Measures to reduce the likelihood of an environmental incident such as good housekeeping, daily inspections and monitoring compliance.
Controls on working hours.
Wherever possible, selection and location of machinery and haul roads away from areas where they could cause disturbance.
Controlling noise at source, or use of noise barriers.
Monitoring noise and vibration to enable corrective measures where necessary.
Measures to minimise dust, such as water spraying of exposed ground and sheeting of stockpiles.
Minimise the use of diesel and maximise the use of sustainable energy sources to provide on-site power supplies.
Use of electric vehicles and plant.
Managing construction traffic routes, deliveries, waste removal and lorry movements.
Site access arrangements, including workforce travel plans.
Prescribed practices for handling soils and reinstatement arrangements.
Land access arrangements that take into account potential impacts on farming activity.
Following licensing requirements for protected species and having a clerk of works available to advise, supervise and report on biodiversity and ecology matters.
Tree protection including definition of root protection areas.
Implementing temporary measures during construction to protect notable landscape elements and to reduce adverse visual impacts of construction activity. This includes control of light spillage.
Additional archaeological investigations may be required, prior to construction commencing.
Procedures to be followed for unexpected archaeological finds.
Protection of designated above-ground assets, such as listed buildings.
Measures to control and limit the effects of settlement, for example during excavation for any below-ground structures and tunnels or from dewatering.
Procedures to be followed to undertake detailed ground assessment work where necessary and to identify remediation measures where required.
Use of waste management plans, in accordance with legislation, to reduce waste produced by effective segregation and storage, and maximise reuse and recycling.
Measures to control and prevent pollution, such as using temporary site drainage and bunded storage areas.
Controls to manage run-off during construction to protect the quality of surface water and ground water resources.
Controls to meet requirements to avoid any significant increase of flood risk, to be agreed with the Environment Agency.