Overview:
Hackney Council is committed to net zero emissions across all its functions by 2040, with more than £26 million dedicated so far to schemes that are making the borough a greener destination to live and to work. The Capital Lantern Replacement Programme forms part of the council’s Net Zero Energy Strategy, which is seeing the conversion of approximately 2,400 lanterns throughout Hackney to LED, helping to reduce running costs and improve street lighting. As Hackney Council’s long-term contractor, Marlborough Highways was tasked with carrying out the lighting works to a high standard while causing minimum disruption to the community.
The Challenge
The London Borough of Hackney is the third most densely populated borough in the UK, with unique pressures on transport and civic systems. Much of the street lighting had become inadequate, too costly to maintain, and often substandard. As part of its commitment to Net Zero, the council tasked Marlborough with the project of upgrading the street lighting throughout the borough, converting dated, inefficient lanterns, into modern, sustainable LED powered sources of light, that would help create safer environments for pedestrians and road users.
The programme of works required a team of highly skilled engineers and electricians, with specialist street lighting knowledge and expertise in the use of cutting-edge LED technology. The upgraded lanterns would need to reliably provide well-lit roads for years to come, creating a more welcoming night-time environment, while using less energy. A programme of footpath closures would need to be coordinated throughout, and no street could be temporarily left without adequate lighting during the period of works.
The Solution
Marlborough has 30 years’ experience in providing street lighting solutions for its highway maintenance contracts and project based public realms schemes. During the programme of works their in-house team worked on a range of street lighting types of varying ages, many of which came with their own unique electrical challenges, requiring specialist works. Marlborough installed a CMS system, which allows the borough’s new LEDs to be managed holistically and more efficiently, while saving on energy costs.
The long-term project took place over an intermittent time-period in line with the client needs, with Marlborough carrying out the works methodically street by street, with minimal disruption caused to residents and businesses. Lightweight MEWPs were used on site, allowing Marlborough operatives to access bulbs and wiring, without the need for full road closures. And despite the need to repair cosmetic damage to some lampposts, the programme ran to budget and to time.
Fact File
Client Hackney Council
Date 2022 – 2023
Duration 6 Months (Works took place over intermittent timeframes in line with client needs)
Value: £1,440,000
Project
- Conversion of 2,400 lanterns to LED
- Replacement of steel and iron columns as required
- Extensive electrical works including complex wiring and the installation of a CMS system
- Works to maintain and refurbish existing street lighting infrastructure
- Coordination of temporary footpath closures
Team
- 1 full time Project Manager
- 1 Supervisor
- 2 Marlborough Operatives across all trades
- 2 Subcontractors
Client savings
- No road closures were necessary to complete the works, ensuring minimum disruption to vehicle users.
- Higher than anticipated energy cost-savings achieved as whole-sale electricity prices have risen.
Quote from client
“I was really pleased to visit highways contractors Marlborough with Cllr Coban as they installed new street lamps in Lee Conservancy Road in Homerton. By replacing lamps with energy efficient LEDs, we are reducing our energy consumption, which will help us to reach net zero by 2040”.
Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney
“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.”
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