An ECS and FCS Collaboration Achieves Remarkable Success with Recently Tendered Environment Agency MEICA Framework Agreement
ECS Manufactures Footbridge Made From Recycled Plastic
The National Trust were investigating the possibility of replacing a damaged footbridge in a very isolated location (Hardcastle Crags, Hebden Bridge).
The replacement bridge, being made from KLP Recycled Plastic, has excellent properties as well as being manufactured from 100% recycled polypropylene waste. It is an excellent replacement for timber products as it is wholly maintenance free with an extremely long life.
By merit of a previous working relationship with the UK supplier of KLP, ECS were invited to lead the project and provide the Trust with a finished solution given the challenging installation criteria.
The scheme had particular difficulties:
– the site was extremely inaccessible—no plant could be taken to the location and all tools and materials had to be hand delivered to site
– the site was of an environmentally sensitive nature, and so the impact of all operations had to be minimised.
– alternate access for the public was difficult so the time taken to dismantle the existing bridge and commission the replacement needed to be kept to a minimum.
ECS worked in partnership with Lankhorst, the UK distributor of KLP, to form an effective design for the bridge to meet the Trust’s specifications.
The materials were procured by ECS and the bridge was pre-assembled at ECS premises. Several enhancements to the outline design were made at this stage. The bridge was dismantled, packaged and delivered in manageable pieces to an agreed location close to the installation site.
In partnership with the Local National Trust Ranger Team and with some assistance from volunteers, the materials were safely moved to a location adjacent to the existing bridge. The existing bridge was quickly dismantled, without the use of heavy plant or lifting equipment and the new bridge erected within a 4-day window, thus minimising the impact on the public using the site.
Reclaimed materials from the damaged bridge were used to repair an existing adjacent bridge with the surplus being used to form a suitable habitat for local wildlife.
The finished product fully met the Trust’s initial scope and the Supervising Engineer and Local Ranger have expressed their delight both at the finished product and the capability and conduct demonstrated by the installation team.
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