Considerately maintaining the transport network for Plymouth City Council – Amey LG Ltd
Amey LG Ltd is part of Ferrovial – one of the world’s leading infrastructure management and investment companies.
Amey LG Ltd work as Plymouth City Council’s highway contractor at its main depot in Prince Rock to manage and maintain the city’s transport network, undertaking planned maintenance, emergency reactive works and improvement schemes.
Prince Rock depot accommodated more than 200 Plymouth City Council staff working for the Street Services Division, Cleansing and Waste and Parks Services, including associated vehicles and plant.
A total of 85 members of staff who, along with contractors and suppliers, maintain over 900km of roads, 28,000 street lights, 180 highway structures and 35,000 gullies, plus other highway assets.
Site Manager, Chris Davey, Amey LG Ltd has commented on the benefits of registering with the Scheme:
“Registration with a nationally recognised Scheme endorsed by local authorities, main contractors and the Government has significantly improved our profile as a key provider in Plymouth. Being a considerate constructor has given us a platform from which we have been able to actively improve the image of the highways industry in the city.”
As a company Amey has four core values – to be Progressive, Accountable, Collaborative and Effective (PACE), which align with the requirements of the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice.
The project encountered a significant challenge, to ensure the safety of their workforce, as the majority of work took place in an extremely hazardous environment, on highways.
Here are some examples of best practice initiatives carried out by Amey LG Ltd, to comply with the Considerate Constructors Scheme:
- A new arrangement was implemented for the material loading bays so they were ordered according to which materials the operatives would need during the day, similar to a factory assembly line.
- The new arrangement eliminated long waits and frustrating delays with vehicles backed up, waiting to access the bays. The work gangs were out of the depot within half an hour in the morning, with improved productivity during the day.
- Each member of staff was given the opportunity to take an extra day’s leave if they used it to support the local community, staff were actively encouraged to do this and to regularly organise community involvement days to support local charities and community projects.
- Between 2014 and 2015, 70 staff days were spent volunteering in the community.
- Ward councillors were regularly invited to visit the site when work was being undertaken in their area, so they got a first-hand briefing on what was being done and provided the opportunity to pose any questions or concerns.
- Many of the community days focused on improving the natural environment, such as the historic Ford Park Cemetery where, over the past two years, 37 Amey volunteers spent their community days helping maintain the 34-acre site, including resurfacing the approach road.
- Steps were taken to protect the environment as all 34 vehicles had Euro 5 engines which have low running costs and reduced carbon.
- A bespoke works programming platform was used to schedule the most efficient daily routes for their highways gangs. This platform reduced mileage and carbon emissions as well as increasing productivity.
- The company had its own Target Zero campaign to drive safe working practices and to ensure no employees or member of the public was harmed as a result of the project. The campaign strategy involved tailored Target Zero action plans for each account. As a result more than 1000 days without an accident was achieved.
- It was identified that the highest risk of injury for road workers was from traffic incidents, specifically vehicles travelling too fast near to, or even in, work areas. In light of this the ‘My Family’ campaign was introduced which focused on improving road workers’ safety.
- The ‘My Family’ campaign used slogans such as ‘Slow Down, my Daddy Works Here’ and ‘Kill Your Speed, not my Mum’ which were incorporated into vehicle signs in Plymouth. All the images were of Amey staff working on the project, pictured with family members.
- Before launching the campaign, they engaged with their client Plymouth City Council, along with Devon and Somerset Constabulary, both of whom endorsed the campaign and had their logos on the signage.
- An extensive training programme for staff to support their ongoing development was implemented. Over the space of a year, 27 training courses were held with over 50 members of staff receiving training.
- Goodie bags were distributed at Christmas.
- All staff received a free annual health check and had access to green travel information and cycle to work schemes.
