A 500-tonne crane lifted a new bridge into place as part of work to create a new elevated junction on the M49 and provide a much-needed connection into the Avonmouth and Severnside Enterprise Area from the motorway network.

The M49 was due to be closed for the whole weekend, from 8pm on Friday, 21 June to 6am on Monday, 24 June, to enable this key part of the project, which involved lifting bridge beams, decking and other infrastructure into place immediately next to the existing bridge at Farm Lane.

But once the 500-tonne crane had manoeuvred the three bridge beams into place, two 55-tonne cranes set about installing the decking, and work was completed ahead of schedule and the M49 reopened to traffic around mid-morning on Sunday, 23 June.

Located to the south of the Western Approach Distribution Park and west of the village of Easter Compton, the two bridges will be linked into a single roundabout spanning the motorway with new access and exit slip roads connecting fully with both northbound and southbound traffic.

The £49 million scheme will not only promote economic growth in this area of Bristol, but also reduce the numbers of HGVs and other vehicles on the local road network.

Highways England is working with partners, including South Gloucestershire Council, Bristol City Council, the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership and contractors Galliford Try.

And Nick Aldworth, Highways England’s South West Regional Delivery Director said:

The bridge installation marks a significant milestone for this strategically and economically important scheme for the South West and the Bristol area.

Its proximity to the motorway network, railways and port makes it an ideal area to develop and encourage economic growth, and the road scheme has a phenomenally high benefit. Every £1 invested in this scheme will bring more than £30 into the local economy, generating more than 14,000 jobs in the long term.

It’s pleasing to reach this stage of the project, and I’m delighted that we were able to complete such a complex operation ahead of schedule. In terms of partnership working, our project team and contractors Galliford Try worked hard to make the operation a success and that ultimately minimised the disruption for motorists using the M49.

The new M49 junction project is the first Road Investment Strategy scheme to start construction in the South West, one of six multi-million pound road schemes aimed at boosting the economy, tourism and heritage in the region, all funded by the Government’s biggest-in-a-generation £15 billion investment in motorways and main A roads.

Construction of the new M49 junction is due to be completed this winter and Duncan Elliott, Managing Director of Galliford Try’s Highways business, said:

The Avonmouth junction scheme will bring far-reaching benefits and during construction, we are keeping local communities updated on progress and keeping any disruption to a minimum.

For more information, got to the scheme website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

Typhoons first intercepted a Russian military transport aircraft before later intercepting two Russian Flanker fighters and another military transport aircraft.

This is a routine mission for the Typhoons conducting NATO enhanced Air Policing, providing reassurance that the UK is working in partnership with Estonia.

The contacts on both scrambles flew safely and operated in a professional manner throughout the intercept.

A Typhoon pilot from XI(Fighter) Squadron, attached to 121 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW), who was conducting Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) duty when the first scramble was called said:

We were scrambled to intercept a single aircraft that was flying down the Finnish/Estonian border from the East. We were tasked to identify the contact and shadow which is standard protocol.

We identified the contact as an AN-12 (Cub) military transport and shadowed it in a westerly direction. Once the task was completed we were cleared to leave the contact and conduct training in segregated Estonian airspace.

On the second scramble, one of the Typhoon pilots commented:

We were scrambled to intercept three contacts that were transiting from north west Russia around Estonia to Kaliningrad. We were tasked to identify the contacts and shadow them.

We intercepted the aircraft off the west coast of Estonia, identified the contacts as an IL-22 (Coot B) military transport and two SU-27 Flanker fighters. The contacts were shadowed southward before handing them over to Swedish Quick Reaction Alert aircraft, two SAAB Gripens.

The Royal Air Force is deployed on Operation AZOTIZE in Estonia in support of Baltic Air Policing. This is the tenth and eleventh QRA scramble and intercept respectively since the RAF took over enhanced Air Policing (eAP) from the German Air Force on 3 May 2019 as part of Baltic Air Policing.

The UK operates in support of NATO to reassure our allies and is a further demonstration of the UK’s commitment to the security of the region.

From proposing extra help for airline passengers to protecting pensions and from climate change to social care funding – the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) is showcasing the work we undertake for clients through a suite of newly-published case studies. They can be accessed via a quick link at the top of the GAD website front page.

Actuaries have analytical skills that help our clients’ decision-makers take account of risk and uncertainty. The case studies highlight the vital work and projects which GAD teams deliver as part of the checks and balances of public life.

Wide ranging expertise

Among the examples now featured are stories which illustrate how GAD’s expertise has led to:

• proposed increased assistance for stranded airline passengers
• help for developing countries to plan more effectively for natural disasters
• advice on protecting pensions of public sector workers
• assessments of the actuarial valuations of local government pension funds
• comparisons of survivor pension benefits for people in same-sex and opposite-sex relationships

Complex projects

Reflecting on the breadth of work which GAD teams deliver for clients, the Government Actuary, Martin Clarke said: “These case studies perfectly illustrate the wide-ranging and complex projects that GAD teams work on.

“We provide expert actuarial analysis that helps deliver meaningful and cost-effective solutions and recommendations for government clients and across the public sector.”

Further updates

This bank of case studies, which will be expanded over time, reflects the main areas where GAD excels namely insurance, investment, modelling, quality assurance, pensions and social security.

The Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) announces the appointment of Alison White and Ian Wilson as non-executive directors on 1st September 2019.

Alison is an experienced Non-Executive Director and Chair, who works with a range of public sector organisations undergoing transition and change. Her executive background is in business. Having qualified as an accountant and MBA, she led operations and commercial business for the Royal Mail Group and then for the next five years, a range of businesses in turnaround as an interim Chief Executive. Alison’s portfolio of public appointments include her role as Chair of the General Osteopathic Council, Chair of the Architects Registration Board and Lead Non-Executive Director for the Wales Office. Her skills mean she blends strong strategic, financial and commercial skills, with professional expertise in corporate governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, board accountability, proportionate regulation and the transformation of organisational performance. Alison will chair GAD’s Audit and Risk Assurance Committee.

Ian is a Chartered Accountant and was previously the Director of Business Services at Network Rail where he was responsible for the delivery of shared services across the organisation. Prior to joining Network Rail in 2013, Ian worked in the global IT industry with Hewlett Packard for more than 20 years where he held a number of senior international finance and business services roles. His other roles currently include being Chair of EDS UK Pension Funds since November 2017, non-executive director with the Ministry of Defence’s Defence Business Services Risk and Assurance Committee since May 2018 and Non-Executive Director with BPDTS Limited since June 2018.

Commenting on the appointments Martin Clarke, Government Actuary, said: “GAD has a highly capable group of talented actuaries who are dedicated to public service. I am delighted about these recent appointments to our Management Board and Audit and Risk Assurance Committee. I look forward to their contributions in improving the department’s capability and value for money.”

Martin Clarke, Government Actuary

Notes:

Alison and Ian will replace Angela Marshall and Louise Redmond who were both appointed as non-executive directors in September 2013 on 3-year appointments. These were both renewed for a further 3 years in 2016. Alison and Ian will join Geoffrey Podger who has been Chair of GAD’s Management Board since November 2015, also on a 3-year appointment, which was renewed for a further 3 years in 2018.

Standing within Stoke Park is one of Bristol’s more prominent landmarks, The Dower House.

The imposing, 1760-built Dower House retains some of its original 16th Century features and its striking yellow appearance makes it a familiar landmark within Stoke Park, which spans either side of the M32.

The 270-acre landscape, however, is now listed on Historic England’s national ‘at risk’ register.

And as part of Bristol City Council’s Conservation Management Plan, and supported by Historic England, Highways England is funding and implementing a scheme to reduce the impacts of the M32 on the historic landscape.

The cultural heritage scheme will involve the planting of hedging and trees to screen the M32, as well as installing new livestock fencing to protect it from grazing, a new stone track to improve pedestrian and farmer access, drainage within the M32 underpass to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists, and stabilising the historic Tomb of Horatii monument.

The work is taking place alongside the reinstatement of grazing on the historic landscape, which is supported by Defra under a Countryside Stewardship agreement.

Highways England route manager Sean Walsh said:

Highways England is delighted to be partnering with Bristol City Council to realise this important cultural heritage project.

Our designated funds programme was developed so that we can invest in projects beyond our traditional road build and maintenance, and this is a glowing example of how this funding can have a positive impact on people and communities.

The work will enhance the landscape for local communities and the planting will also provide visual screening from the M32 which divides the Stoke Park landscape.

The historic landscape is a significant public open space in Bristol with a complex mosaic of open parkland, limestone grassland, ancient and ornamental woods, scrub habitats and historic ponds which support several species of breeding bird such as the reed warbler and reed bunting.

Deputy Mayor Asher Craig:

Stoke Park Estate is nationally important, the best surviving example of work by the influential mid-18th century astronomer, Thomas Wright.

Bristol City Council and the local communities value this distinctive city gateway landscape, and in parallel with projects in partnership with Historic England, Natural England and the University of the West of England, we welcome the opportunity to work with Highways England to reduce some of the impacts of the motorway along its immediate boundary.

The scheme has received £127,000 from Highways England’s Designated Funds, and will be completed by the end of March 2020.

The Government allocated £675 million of funds to Highways England over a five-year spending period covering 2015 to 2020 – a series of ring-fenced funds designated to address a range of issues including Environment, Cycling, Safety and Integration, Air Quality and Innovation.

The Highways England Environmental Designated Fund of £225m has been set up to improve the environmental performance of the Strategic Road Network. It is to be used for projects that are ‘beyond business as usual’ which will help achieve benefits for one, or preferably a combination of areas including: cultural heritage, biodiversity, landscape, flooding and water quality, carbon emissions and noise pollution.

Elsewhere in the South West, designated funding is also helping Highways England to support Stroud District Canal and the Cotswold Canal Trust in a £4 million project to restore a section of the Cotswold Canal near M5 Junction 13, assisting Cornwall Council to deliver a number of cycling, habitat and heritage projects alongside the A30 and supporting Sustrans to deliver a number of cycling initiatives around the new M49 junction scheme at Avonmouth.

For more information regarding Highways England Designated Funds, go to the website.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.