The project included improvement work to six junctions around the Castlefield area of Manchester, centred on the junction of the A57 Regent Road and the Manchester and Salford Inner Relief Route.
Our works commenced in December 2018 through to November 2019 to supply and install 75 new street lighting columns and CCTV masts, 350 new signs and bollards, 50 new DNO connections and all associated groundworks, including 1500m of PCN cabling. We also carried out the removal of 150 signs and 60 columns, including 3 x 25metre high masts. Manchester City Council and City of Salford had very different materials specifications which required work trackers to ensure our workforce fully understood and implemented the correct sign posts, columns and lanterns at the stated locations.
We supplied, installed, commissioned, and delivered luminaires with the Philips (Signify) CityTouch CMS system, providing the client full visibility and control of the street lighting from a centralised dashboard, to securely monitor light points, set schedules and adjust light levels on demand.
This project got off to a particularly difficult start as our client, Dawnus Construction, the main contractor originally appointed to carry out the works went in to administration shortly after construction had commenced. Through our collaboration with Manchester City Council, we were introduced to the new contractor John Sisk & Son Ltd, and were able to continue works on the project and minimise the losses incurred due to the demise of Dawnus Construction.
A change in main contractor was a major upheaval to the works programme, so a huge effort was required for the whole team to restart the works and revive the project, including acceleration to make up for the lost time. We were initially appointed to complete 4 of the junctions (A to D), and following the successful delivery of the works, we were subsequently appointed to complete Junctions E & F.
On completion of the project, Christopher Walmsley, John Sisk & Sons Ltd.’s Quantity Surveyor commented: “Altitude Services was a subcontractor to John Sisk Limited on our Manchester & Salford Inner Relief Road project in 2018/2019. Our contract with Altitude was approximately £350k and covered the external street lighting and traffic signs, including removal of 3 existing 25m high masts.
Altitude were great to work with from the start – Sisk had to step into a live project due to the original contractor going into liquidation, so it was an unusual situation, but Altitude quickly stepped up and worked closely with our commercial and project delivery teams to establish a new scope of works and contract.
On site, Altitude carried out the works in a timely and professional manner, with adequate resources and good supervision. The work was completed to a high standard, and experience and skills were evident throughout their work crews. Altitude’s HSEQ Manager regularly visited site to audit the works, clearly Altitude are very diligent in terms of the health and safety of their workforce and the public.
Altitude’s excellent industry knowledge shone through, their willingness to work collaboratively to provide cost effective solutions to issues that arose really helped the project along.
Works were completed with minimal snagging, which was rectified quickly and without any fuss, and on completion Altitude provided comprehensive O&M Manuals including all test certificates and as-built information.
Sisk has appointed Altitude on several other projects since MSIRR, and I would be happy to recommend them for any external lighting and traffic sign works without reservation.”
