Coalfields Link Road Phases 2 & 3

VHE were awarded the contract for Phases 2 and 3 of the Coalfields Link Road in Barnsley, following the completion of Phase 1 several years earlier. The project involves the construction of approximately 2.5km of single carriageway, including three roundabouts and ancillary works.

The new road was constructed on embankments of up to 11m in height and in cuttings to a depth of 6.5m. The project also involved the excavation of a cutting approximately 7m deep under the existing Engine Lane, including re-inforced earth as a sub-structure, a soil containment system and shrub planting. Linking to the ends of Engine Lane is a new 35m span equestrian footbridge.

The project was carried out in a partnering arrangement between VHE and Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in order to achieve the client's objectives in respect of cost, time and quality, to introduce value engineering and to avoid disputes. An inaugural workshop was held to establish the partnering charter and to ensure that a positive partnering culture existed from the start of the project.

The completed link road removes the heavy volumes of traffic using the A628 Pontefract Road onto a bypass of Shafton village. The project was the final phase of the construction of 5.5km of new road running from Shafton on the northeast side of Barnsley, connecting to the A635 south east of Darfield.