M25 widening and access to Heathrow Terminal 5/media/Files/A/Atkins...WS Atkins plc 02 Annual Report 2004 M25 widening and access to Heathrow Terminal 5 Atkins is Agent to the Highways

WS Atkins plc Annual Report 200402

M25 widening and access to Heathrow Terminal 5Atkins is Agent to the Highways Agency and Heathrow Airport Ltdfor the widening of the M25 between Junctions 12 and 15 and for the provision of a free flow spur road to Heathrow Airport’s new Terminal 5.

PlanAtkins prepared plans to create road access to the new terminal in conjunction with the road widening work. Integrated teams ofplanners, engineers and environmental scientists investigated theimpacts on traffic flow, the economy and the environment ofnumerous scenarios, consulting with key stakeholders includinglocal authorities, environmental bodies and the public. Atkinspresented the access case at the four-year Planning Inquiry thatbegan in 1995.

DesignThe access road was particularly challenging in both environmentaland engineering terms. The design solutions factored in single pointdecision-making by drivers, avoidance of rivers and environmentallysensitive land, and minimisation and recycling of excavated waste.Crucially we developed a design that could be constructed without loss of essential motorway capacity during the two-yearworks programme.

EnableThe Atkins team is carrying out Employer’s Agent duties on the site throughout 2004 and 2005. At the procurement stage, wedeveloped an innovative tendering approach to ensure overall bestvalue solutions rather than merely lowest face value cost. We arenow working closely with both clients and contractors, focusingheavily on the safety and convenience of the travelling public. Toensure maximum capacity during the works programme and to keeptraffic moving, the contractor is required to maintain four lanes openthrough peak periods, and to provide 24hour CCTV surveillanceand state-of-the-art incident clearance. In advance of the works, a public video was issued to Channel crossing operators and shownat motorway service areas to help motorists plan their journeys.

belowWe used virtual reality techniques tounderstand the experience of drivingalong the access road and ensure driverswould not be distracted by aircraft usingthe new terminal.

WS Atkins plc Annual Report 2004 03

“Atkins’ positive approach hascontributed significantly to theongoing success of the project.”– Terry Williams (Highways Agency).

“We have an excellentrelationship with theAtkins team.”– Tony Power (BAA plc).

aboveThe spur road was specially designed tominimise the severance effect on theColne Valley. Extra height and span andminimum column supports will improvethrough views.

“Managing major civilengineering works onthe busiest motorway inEurope is a hugechallenge. An excellentstart has been made tothe construction andduring the first fivemonths over 25 millionjourneys have beencompleted through theroad works.”– Paul Luft, Atkins Senior Engineer, seenleft on site with Wan Sim Tan, GraduateEngineer.


belowAtkins is performing structural assessments on80 miles of tunnels, 2,800 bridges and structuresand nearly 100 miles of embankments tounderstand the condition of the assets andidentify any necessary repairs or replacement.

“The Metronet bid team achieved a fantasticlevel of integration, with engineers of alldisciplines workingtogether to decide howbest to deliver LondonUnderground’s serviceaspirations. I think wewere all genuinely excited to be involved in the start of such asignificant project, and to feel that we had a realmandate to transformthe daily journeys ofmillions of networkusers.” – Andrew Love, Atkins Signalling Engineer and capability consultant seconded to theMetronet bid team.


Improving the London UndergroundAfter years of under-investment a massive upgrade project isunderway to transform the London Underground into a modernand efficient transport network. Atkins’ core skills are central to the £17bn renewals and upgrade programme.

PlanFinancial close of the Metronet PPP contracts represented theconclusion of four years of detailed planning. Over 200 Atkinsengineers, planners, quantity surveyors and accountants wereseconded to the bid team over this period, planning and pricing the programmes for asset management, capital investment andperformance improvement.

DesignIn the first year of the PPP contracts, more than 350 of our railexperts in the UK and Denmark started work on designs for therefurbishment and modernisation of 150 stations. By the end ofMarch 2004 we had submitted initial designs for a number ofstations including Oxford Circus, one of the network’s busiest.Design work on a further 68 stations will be delivered during thenext year.

We are also designing and building new communications systemsincluding passenger information, CCTV and public address systems, Help Points and destination indicators.

EnableOne of the exceptional challenges in this project is enabling thenetwork to operate with minimal disruptions while undertakingsignificant modernisation and refurbishment work. Behind thescenes, our project and asset managers and our experiencedengineers are making a significant contribution to ensuring thatwork on the stations and civils infrastructure proceeds to plan.

belowOur Station Design Team has proposedthese initial designs for Turnham Greenstation. In all, 150 stations will berefurbished including 10 by the end of 2005.

leftAtkins is working on the Bakerloo, Central,Victoria and Waterloo City (BCV) lines andthe District, Circle, Hammersmith, City,Metropolitan and East London sub-surfaceline (SSL). Together they account for overtwo thirds of the London Undergroundnetwork and carry 2 million passengers daily.


An iconic resort for BahrainA string of islands linked by bridges in a lagoon, forming a uniquesetting for 1,800 villas, retail and leisure facilities and a centrepiecemarina: this was the concept conjured by our designers for a newresort in Bahrain. It was a dramatic vision which captivated theclient, securing Atkins a commission to design and assist in theprocurement of the £550m development.

Atkins is providing a full range of professional services to the project,including architecture, engineering design, construction supervisionand project management. The resort is due to be completed in early 2009.

PlanThe value of a scheme depends on the quality of the concept design,a philosophy demonstrated in Atkins’ award winning design of theBurj al Arab, the celebrated seven star landmark hotel in Dubai. Thesame ethos underpins the visionary masterplan for Durrat, unveiledin April 2004.

DesignProjects such as Burj al Arab have proven our ability to assemble a multi-disciplinary team from our own resources, supporting worldclass iconic design with detailed engineering. The Atkins team willbe responsible for all the design including ground and marineengineering, utility infrastructure and the design of the villas andhotels including the environmental and ecological challenges posedby the scheme.

EnableRealising the project will be a huge undertaking. Progress will beclosely monitored by a dedicated site team which will be responsiblefor ensuring that all aspects of quality are properly supervised.Environmental studies have addressed in detail the impact of thedevelopment, which will be monitored closely throughout theproject life cycle.


Mahmood Abdul Rahman, General Manager of the Durrat Khaleej Al Bahrain Company,described Atkins’ designs as “examples ofperfection and magnificence.”

rightOur coastal engineers used numericalwave simulations to ensure that the resortwill be appropriately protected from highwater levels and storm wave conditions.

belowThe twelve man-made islands andextensions to the existing mainland willhave a surface area of over six millionsquare metres. 20 million cubic metres of new land will be reclaimed.

belowBahraini pearls are reputed to be the most beautiful in the world andBahrain was famous for its pearl fishers in the first half of the 20th Century. Ourdesigners based their concept for theresort on a string of pearls.

“This is the project of a lifetime. Technicalchallenges aside, we are developing a newglobal landmark whichwill be as instantlyrecognisable as theSydney Opera House.”– Simon Crispe, Atkins Commercial Director (Middle East Region).


Colchester GarrisonredevelopmentColchester Garrison is home to 16 Air Assault Brigade, Britain’sprimary rapid reaction force. Atkins is a member of the RMPAconsortium awarded a 35-year Private Finance Initiative (PFI)contract by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to redevelop and runfacilities at the site. The project will provide high quality, servicedaccommodation for the 3,500 military personnel who live and work at the garrison, as well as training, recreation, education and welfare facilities.

PlanWorking closely with the MoD and design and build contractorSir Robert McAlpine Ltd, Atkins planned a development to meet theneeds and the aspirations of the army of the future while satisfyingaffordability criteria and local Town Planning requirements. Atkinsprepared design information in support of the planning submissionfor 137 buildings together with an environmental statementcovering ecology, ground contamination and air quality in relationto both the new garrison facilities and the re-development of theold site. After extensive public discussions and negotiations,Planning Consent was granted in July 2003.

DesignOur 160 plus team of architects, civil and structural engineers and landscape designers brings the array of skills needed for thiscomplex project. Detail designs and production information are now in preparation which will allow the contractor to implementthe scheme efficiently within the parameters of the PFI contract.

EnableMore than 95 per cent of the redeveloped garrison will be newbuild. To meet tight time scales, some of the accommodation will be prefabricated and assembled off site to reduce construction time and improve the quality of installation. Design will continue to December 2005 with construction progressing through to 2008.Our Defence Asset Management team is providing building andestate maintenance services together with energy and wastemanagement for the duration of the 35-year contract.

above, belowOur designs for the GarrisonHeadquarters, including the well-definedentrance and high quality interior fit, set a high aesthetic standard and aim to provide a sense of pride and place for the 3,500 military personnel based at Colchester.


“One of several innovative ideas was to co-locatethe client team of design coordinators with theAtkins design team, with the object of speedingup communication and decision making – this hasproved particularly successful.”– Barrie Nickolls, Design Manager, Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.

“Over the next eighteenmonths my team of 160 will deliver co-ordinatedmulti-disciplinary designsto enable Sir RobertMcAlpine to meet theirdemanding constructionprogramme. It is alogistical challenge and we have enhancedour design proceduresand methodology tomeet it. We have alsodeveloped a number ofinnovative CAD tools toensure a consistent andefficient approach acrossthe project.”– Valerie Evans, Atkins Project Manager.

belowWe have prepared detailed façadedrawings to demonstrate the quality of the designs. This one shows thearticulation of the bay elevations for the Brigade HQ.


Re-signalling on the West Coast Main LineThe project to renew signalling infrastructure on a 30-mile sectionof the West Coast Main Line between Rugby and Wolverton wasan important part of the programme to upgrade the line speed to125mph by Autumn 2004.

PlanTo ensure safety at high speeds and optimum performance, Atkinsused virtual reality technology to review many of the signals andensure each one was clearly visible to train drivers. Where necessary,signals were repositioned to improve visibility and conform to theUK’s strict rail infrastructure standards.

An Atkins-led team developed and commissioned signallingmodifications for the driver training areas required by Network Rail for the new Virgin Pendolino tilting train. Drivers must undertakecomprehensive training test runs on the track before the line speed is uprated.

DesignWorking in close partnership with infrastructure operator NetworkRail, Atkins designed and delivered a new signalling control systemand data transmission links; new, improved train detectionequipment using axle counter technology; and new LED signals and point operating mechanisms. All these will improve rail trafficflows and system reliability.

EnableDuring the early design work for the control system it became clearthat there was a need to accelerate part of the programme to meetthe overall time scales for the project. Consequently a new tool wasdeveloped to automate design of the control system data, savingseveral weeks of design and testing time.

rightOur team has delivered 100 new signalson 85 signal posts and 15 gantries.


“Rugby has been a challenge to meet Network Rail’s needs, both technicallyand in terms of time scale. Our expertise in this specialist field of engineeringhave enabled us to solve all the problems the project has presented us with andyet still meet some very tough deadlines. We have only been able to achievethis through the contribution of our excellent people.”– Liz Plumb, Atkins Director Signalling Projects.

rightThe WCML is Europe’s busiest mixeddensity railway, used by 2,000 passengerand freight trains daily, including the new tilting trains servicing the busy routebetween Manchester and London.

aboveAt high speeds, communication betweentrain drivers and signal boxes is cruciallyimportant. We delivered majormodifications to the radio system toimprove operational links with the newsignalling control system.


“This is an exciting challenge to our team todeliver to Belfast a 21st Century sewerage system, thereby providing significantenvironmental benefits to the local community.” – Dr Alan Skates, Project Director.

belowThe Atkins team, led by Dr Alan Skates(second from right), reviews the projectplan with members of the team fromWater Service, Northern Ireland.

belowThe streets of Belfast were subject tofrequent flooding before the existingVictorian sewers were constructed. This project will provide the city withinfrastructure to meet current and furtherneeds, and reduce the pollutant load on the River Lagan by 85%.

“I am confident that thecombined skills of WaterService and the AtkinsTeam, together with thecontractors, will deliver a landmark project.”– Katharine Bryan, Chief Executive, Department for Regional Development of Northern Ireland, Water Service.

leftInspection of a vortex drop shaft whichfeeds flows from branch sewers into themain tunnel.


A modern wastewaternetwork for BelfastBelfast’s crumbling sewer network is being repaired and upgradedunder the largest contract of its kind ever let by the Water Service inNorthern Ireland. As lead consultant, Atkins is responsible for design,procurement and management of the project, which will cost £100mand aims to prevent flooding and reduce pollution in the city.

PlanAny major construction project can affect people living nearby andthe local environment. Atkins is aiming to ensure that potentialadverse effects are minimised, with environmental specialistsworking alongside engineers for the duration of the work. AnEnvironmental Management System will be used to ensure thatenvironmental factors are taken into account and monitored asconstruction progresses.

DesignThe project will present many technical challenges to Atkins’geotechnical and civil engineers. The works include 9km oftunnelled interceptor sewer ranging from 1.8m to 4.0m diameter, a 16m3/sec capacity tunnel pumping station, upgrading of 18km of existing sewers and modifications to existing combined seweroverflows. This will help to minimise the chance of flooding withinBelfast and reduce pollution in the River Lagan.

EnableAt the outset of the project, Atkins introduced a procurementstrategy to ensure that each element of the project was fullydefined before tendering began. By the end of the year, this hadalready realised considerable cost savings for the client. Otherservices for this project will include supervision of construction,commissioning and hand-over on completion.

belowA contractor making final checks on the segment lining of a new tunnel


“In my view, the Groupis in better shape than at any time sinceflotation.”

Chairman’s statement

The CompanyIn my view the Group is in better shape than at any time sinceflotation in 1996. In my statement last year I outlined our medium-term objectives of returning to historic operating margins andimproving financial performance on a sustained basis. Our resultsfor the year ended 31 March 2004 represent substantial progress in our delivery against those objectives.

Continued focus on cost reduction, margin improvement and cash generation has delivered results ahead of expectations. Our performance also includes the first year of activity in theLondon Underground Metronet PPP companies in which we are a shareholder.

Our cash position emphasises the quality of these results, with cashinflow from operations of £94.4m (2003: £26.6m). In addition,disposals and the reimbursement of Metronet bid costs enabled theGroup to end the year with net cash of £68.4m compared with netdebt of £71.9m at 31 March 2003.

PeopleThe excellent results we have delivered this year reflect the talent andcommitment of Atkins’ 14,000 people. They define the capabilityand potential of the Group and I am sure that our shareholders willjoin me in congratulating them on their achievements in 2004.

In a world where talent is scarce we continue our efforts to remainthe employer of choice for graduates and experienced professionalsin the markets in which we operate. We have recently introducedflexible benefits and improvements in incentive schemes andopportunities for staff feedback. We are committed to continuingthis progress in 2005, focusing on maximising career developmentopportunities and increasing staff retention.

Social responsibilityThis year sees the publication of our first stand-alone CorporateSocial Responsibility (CSR) report, to be distributed with the AnnualReport and Accounts. CSR will become more significant to ourbusiness going forward.

Documents

M25 widening and access to Heathrow Terminal 5/media/Files/A/Atkins...WS Atkins plc 02 Annual Report 2004 M25 widening and access to Heathrow Terminal 5 Atkins is Agent to the Highways