Overview:
At the Goresbrook interchange in Dagenham, East London, where the A13 meets the A1036, there is a busy double roundabout known locally as the ‘Witches Hats’. Commissioned by (and working in partnership with) Barking & Dagenham Council’s regeneration company Be First, Marlborough Highways was tasked with resurfacing the entire feature in under a week, while managing the required road closures and diversions.
The Challenge
Providing access to a major industrial zone to the south, a large retail complex to the east, and entertainment and residential areas to the north, the Witches Hats double roundabout is one of the most congested in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham. Used by local shoppers and commuters working in central London, the roundabout is also vital for HGV drivers, with Ford, Eddie Stobart and DHL amongst the companies to operate nearby facilities.
Since the double roundabout’s construction in 1999, the road surface had been maintained and periodically improved. However, the overall quality of the tarmac had diminished, becoming dated, less durable and offering vehicle users a poorer driving experience. Furthermore, the paint lines had faded, with the roundabout lanes and approach roads starting to look tired and discoloured.
Barking and Dagenham Council needed a solution that would result in a high-quality, long-lasting surface, with clear and well-defined road markings. Given the logistical importance of the site, it was also important that works were carried out quickly and professionally with minimum disruption to road users and the wider community.
The Solution
In close collaboration with Be First and Barking and Dagenham Council, Marlborough devised a five-phase schedule of works. Taking place at night, to minimise disruption, 20 operatives worked each shift, with an innovative programme of road closures keeping vehicles moving throughout. While Marlborough’s Traffic Management team implemented diversions, including with the use of a brightly lit IPV, surfacing gangs took their positions so that they could begin works without delay.
Each night an entire section of the roundabout was completed. This included the removal of the existing surface, the laying of asphalt, the compaction of the tarmac, and the placement of line markings. Each completed section was then re-opened the following morning, in time for the rush hour traffic. Throughout the process, vital access was maintained to the nearby industrial, residential, and commercial areas, with the quality and speed of the work praised by the client.
Fact File
Client: Be First
Date: August 2023
Duration: Five nights
Surface area: 6,120 square metres
Value: £300,000
Project
- Excavation of existing road surface
- Laying of high-quality asphalt
- Compaction and smoothing of tarmac
- Line markings
- Devising and delivering complex Traffic Management plans
- Implementing road closures and diversions
Team
- 1 full time Project Manager
- 1 full time Supervisor
- 1 full time Site Foreman
- Approximately 20 skilled operatives
Client savings
- The initial programme called for a seven-night schedule of works, but thanks to meticulous planning and an inventive traffic management strategy, Marlborough successfully finished the project in only five nights. This not only saved valuable time and resources but also minimised inconvenience for road users.
Sustainability
- Key materials were sourced locally which meant they could be moved quickly and easily on and off the site, with transportation costs and associated emissions kept to a minimum.
- Marlborough’s newly acquired Hamm tandem rollers were deployed to the site. Featuring state-of-the-art Hammtronic technology, the plant machinery allowed operators to work more sustainability by achieving optimum compaction, while saving on fuel and time.
Quotes
“Marlborough brought a wealth of expertise to the double roundabout scheme at the Goresbrook interchange, allowing for the job to be completed quickly, safely and to a high standard. Drawing upon their wealth of experience from previous works here in Barking and Dagenham and elsewhere in London, I am grateful to Marlborough’s team for devising effective traffic management solutions for the unique challenges posed by this project.”
Graham Nichols, Construction Manager, Be First
The Witches Hats
The Goresbrook interchange features a pair of large cone shaped artworks; with one situated on each of the twin roundabouts. Named after the Greek mystical sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis, they were created by Thomas Heatherwick and have a tarmac skin and matching black pinnacles. During the surfacing works, care was taken to ensure that the installations were not altered or damaged, with the ‘Witches Hats’ (as they are affectionately known) considered local cultural icons.
“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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