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Richmond Park


Description of Works

FM Conway was commissioned by the Royal Parks to deliver a design and build project to improve the infrastructure of Richmond Park whilst maintaining the iconic look and feel.  

The improvement works had to be delivered in six packages, with each package aimed at reducing disruption to the public by keeping road closures down to a minimum.  Our FM Conway traffic management team ensured diversions were in place to maintain access to the park and advanced warnings of closures were issued along with an operative presence at each closure to ensure the public were kept informed.

Jeremy Cox, Principal Engineer lead the team who took a sensitive approach to maintain the look of the parks and presented a number of benefits in the design proposal. Design of the carriageway pavement was undertaken in accordance with HD 26/06 Pavement Design and Interim Advice Note 73/06 Design Guidance for Road Pavement Foundations (Draft HD25).

Proposed Benefits:

  • Expected design life of at least 20 years
  • Improved look and feel to park entrance
  • Resolved drainage from unbound track
  • Carriageway failure addressed using resilient materials
  • Use of surfacing materials best suited to roundabouts
  • Improved access and egress from car parks
  • Protection to piers (listed structures)

 

 

Services used on this project Surfacing Consultancy
Delivering Innovation

The project incorporated FM Conway’s own asphalt product, Envirobase, which contains a high percentage of recycled Asphalt (RA) which has been derived from Reclaimed Asphalt Pavements (RAP). Envirobinder was also used, which contains a minimum of 50% RA, although in some cases it can be up to 70%.

The product range dramatically reduces embodied carbon compared to materials manufactured using primary aggregates, without impacting on quality. To find out more about FM Conway’s asphalt products, please click here.

The design for the 6th package entitled ‘Richmond Gate Approach’ was devised based on previous information from the parks. The design aimed to straighten vehicle movements entering the park by realigning the kerb on the North side of Sawyer’s Hill and modifying the existing central island.

The consultancy team met with the Royal Parks on site and discussed the proposals. A number of proposed measures were to be included within the design:

  • Granite sett construction in the carriageway in advance of the central gate piers
  • Modification of the central island and northern kerb line of Sawyer’s hill
  • A new informal pedestrian crossing at the west end of the central island
  • Removal of the existing dropped kerb on the south side of Sawyer’s Hill to the east of the gate

Construction began on 3rd September 2018 and was completed well within the scheduled completion date of 10th October 2018. The initial designs from FM Conway’s Consultancy division were based on information that was provided by Atkins’ ‘Carriageway Improvement Management Plan’ and Core samples for Kingston Gate approach road provided by Jean Lefebvre in 2016. Construction of package 6 was put on hold until 2019.

Package 5 was removed from the works during construction and replaced with package 7 which comprised of a section of resurfacing and patch repairs on Priory Lane.

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Challenges and Solutions

Tar was found within the existing pavement construction after core samples were taken, which was taken back to FM Conway’s Heathrow Asphalt plant for disposal.

FM conway maintained contact with Pembroke Lodge, a wedding venue within the park along Queen’s Road, to ensure there was no disruption to any events that they may have been holding. The works were split in the surrounding roads of the venue to ensure disruption was kept to a minimum.

Paul Martin, contracts manager, even received praise from a member of the public, after he opened the road for a family so that they could reach a local hospital to say goodbye to their father.

Outcomes

As a result of the focus on the public, the completed project received a positive reaction from the public via social media. The Twitter account ‘Richmond Park Cyclists’ started the compliments with many other users praising the newly-surfaced roads.