Engineering projects land access

[BestWestern]

So, chatting to a colleague recently who'd had a bigwig from the GWML wiring on his train. This chap had apparently mentioned that the project is many many £££'s overbudget, and that a sizeable part of the additional cost was from land owners taking the Michael regarding NR having access to carry out their work lineside. I must admit I hadn't thought of that as major consideration; I assumed they just accessed from the line. Is this piffle or can it be a major headache during engineering jobbies?

 

[swt_passenger]

If you include the third party land requirements for a bridge replacement under the 'electrification' heading, then there can be issues. It isn't that unusual to have to divert roads over bailey bridges for example, and you could easily end up with a large works compound and hardstanding for the replacement bridge launch, or ground improvements to support one of those massive mobile cranes for a couple of weekends. Another thing I've seen is the local authority requiring road junction improvements where the access to a site compound meets the local major road.

All to be reinstated afterwards of course.

As you suggest the basic wiring along the track ought to be more containable, but have a look at some of the photos in the Liverpool - Manchester thread - there are many instances of the work on viaducts etc being done from the adjacent land, via scaffold towers and using road going cranes etc...

 

[Bald Rick]

. Is this piffle or can it be a major headache during engineering jobbies?

Major headache, even for relatively small jobs.

Witness the levelling of a hill next to Bourne End Junction on the WCML to provide level hard standing for the new track prior to installation. When the job was done the hill had to be reinstated.

 

[BestWestern]

Interesting. So, what's the 'procedure' usually? NR approach the land owner with some sort of 'standard tariff' and hope they don't have greater ambitions? Or are things worked out on a 'case merit' basis, or just agreed from scratch? Is there some sort of mandatory order which can be enforced if the land owner indulges in a spot of excessive **** taking, rather like a compsory purchase order?

 

[Bald Rick]

Interesting. So, what's the 'procedure' usually? NR approach the land owner with some sort of 'standard tariff' and hope they don't have greater ambitions? Or are things worked out on a 'case merit' basis, or just agreed from scratch? Is there some sort of mandatory order which can be enforced if the land owner indulges in a spot of excessive **** taking, rather like a compsory purchase order?

Without giving away any trade secrets, land owners are approached with a fair offer that more than compensates them for their trouble. If the land owner says no, then NR will usually go somewhere else, and the land owner misses out on a pay day. There is no other way of getting the land short of a CPO.