Overview:
Built in the 19th Century, Harold Wood railway station serves the Harold Wood area of Romford in the London Borough of Havering. The station formed part of the Shenfield-Liverpool Street metro service, which has now been integrated into the new Elizabeth Line, as part of Transport for London’s (TfL) flagship Crossrail project. In partnership with Havering Council, a £4.1m scheme funded by the TfL Crossrail Complementary Measures programme was commissioned to carry out extensive improvement works at Harold Wood, as well as to nearby Gidea Park and Romford stations. Marlborough Highways was selected as the contractor, tasked with bringing to life the ambitious vision of extending the Crossrail experience beyond Harold Woold station, by converting part of the station car park into an attractive urban plaza that encourages sustainable travel.
The Challenge
Working in close collaboration with Crossrail, Network Rail, Rail for London, TfL and Havering Council, Marlborough were charged with delivering a bold urban realm scheme at Harold Wood station in accordance with plans devised by the Jacobs Engineering Group. The designs were influenced by extensive community and stakeholder consultation, which placed accessibility and sustainability at the heart of the project. The completed scheme had to create an inviting first impression that could be enjoyed by rail users and the wider community, in a manner that would complement the station and the surrounding environment.
Converting part of the Harold Wood station car park into a welcoming urban plaza had to be completed cost-effectively and to the highest standards using quality materials. A two-metre level difference between the road and plaza levels was required, so the design involved an innovative curved ramp that would encircle the central open area. The space had to be attractive, well-lit, and feature seasonal planters as well as additional secure space for cycle parking. The station would need to remain operational throughout the works, with minimum disruption caused to commuters, residents, and local businesses.
The Solution
Marlborough’s project team proposed improvements to the original design, providing more cost-effective solutions to the complex engineering challenges that the scheme presented. Initial works were carried out quickly and efficiently, with a section of the former station car park cleared and prepared for repurposing well within schedule. However, the early phase of the Covid-19 pandemic caused some disruption to works, before time-frames were expertly re-evaluated and the necessary changes to operational practices could be introduced on site, to ensure a safe working environment for all those involved in the project.
The construction of the curved ramp that encircles the central open space posed a number of logistical challenges, which involved innovative solutions through the use of specialist materials by highly skilled in-house operatives. By installing seasonal planters and a feature tree, which collects rainwater, a bio-diverse and pollinator friendly landscape was created that the community can now enjoy. Working closely with local stakeholders, Marlborough ensured that rail passengers had access to the station throughout, while minimising disruption to pedestrians, road users and local businesses.
Fact File
Client Havering Council
Date October 2019 – May 2021
Duration 19 months
Value £1.4 million (as part of a bigger multi-station £4.1 million scheme)
Project
- Reclaim of section of the station car park
- Creation of a two-metre level difference between the road and plaza levels
- Fitting of a curved ramp that encircles the central open space
- Installation of a terraced landscape area with a tree and seating
- The use of high-quality paving, stepped-planters and single seats to create an amphitheatre-style urban space
- The creation of open area with clear sight lines and effective CCTV/lighting
- Installation of stairs leading from Station Road to the ticket office and platform
- Improved cycle storage
Team
- 1 full time Project Manager
- 1 Quantity Surveyor
- 2 Site Foreman
- 6 Marlborough Operatives across all trades
- 2 Specialist Subcontractors for PCC wall installation and balustrades
Client savings
- The project was completed to budget, despite the challenges to the works posed by the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Marlborough managed technical constraints such as high voltage cables in the plaza area, through effective collaboration with TfL and Havering Council.
Quotes from client
“Despite the delays caused by the pandemic, I am very happy to see the station now fully reopened. These upgrades at Harold Wood Station will help to make a real difference to the people who move through the area every day, making it a much more pleasant journey and experience for the whole community.”
Councillor Roger Ramsey, Cabinet Member for Finance and Property, Havering Council
“It has been really positive to see the improvements that have transformed the area around Harold Wood station. The welcoming new public plaza makes it a more inviting area for those living and working in Harold Wood as well as visitors, ahead of the Elizabeth line opening.”
Penny Rees, Head of Network Sponsorship, Transport for London
“One of the things I value most is their very collaborative and transparent team culture. It makes a big difference to have a contractor that wants to work closely with us and is supportive and responsive. With Marlborough, I get a team who are attentive, work collaboratively and honestly with me and don’t lose focus on delivering first class communications and compliance.”
“From the design stage, Marlborough has been fundamental in delivering the Broad Lane Square improvements scheme. During the works, not only did the team manage to keep to the programme, but they went the extra mile to ensure attention to detail and came up with innovative solutions to address issues encountered on site. My thanks on behalf of Haringey goes out to Marlborough for their dedication to deliver.”
“Working alongside our Term Service Contractor Marlborough Highways, we successfully completed renovations to the Crowstone Footbridge. The designs were provided by Marlborough, and the work was unique. The scheme was completed to budget and ahead of its programme duration.”
“I would like to thank you and your team for your efforts, the Marlborough crews were professional, courteous, and hard working all day and ensured the event went without a hitch. You and the team were a credit to the company, demonstrating commitment and support to the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.”
“I just wanted to say what a pleasure it has been to work with Marlborough Highways over the last six months. The quality of work is superb, and there has been some excellent collaboration between Milestone and Marlborough to complete, what at times, has been quite a challenging scheme. I hope to work with Marlborough on another project in the near future.”
“Marlborough worked with us in constructing a 1.3km cycle track. There were a number of technical difficulties to overcome, and their gifted foreman worked to propose some innovative solutions to the challenges we faced. The result is a facility that the locals are proud of, providing walkers and cyclists with alternative access to the hospital and nearby school. The scheme was a lot of hard work, but well worth it.”
“Marlborough attracts people who take care and have pride in their work. Several gangs of Operatives worked tirelessly for six months to reconstruct drainage networks, lay more than 3km of high quality bespoke granite kerbs and granite channels blocks to ensure positive drainage. The technical compliance, attention to detail and level of quality finish along the entire carriageway was exceptional”.
“We saw huge benefits in appointing Marlborough as our full service contractor and we’re impressed – they’ve delivered consistent high quality service and superior quality control across every project. Marlborough, provide us with a ‘one-stop’ shop solution – we get the same quality of service and better control across all aspects of the project.”
Please see our privacy notice for more information on how Marlborough Highways Ltd take care of your details.