The Rochester Bridge Refurbishment Project is an 18-month scheme to refurbish the three bridges owned by the Rochester Bridge Trust.
The work is paid for by the Trust – no funding comes from the public purse – and has been planned as an additional overhaul to complement the routine maintenance that is carried out on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. However, anyone who has encountered the Rochester Bridge Trust will know that it has a small, mostly part-time, team of staff, meaning it would be physically impossible for the charity to do the work itself. Instead it makes use of professional agents.
For the refurbishment project there are two particular agents that are of interest: Arcadis and FM Conway.
Bridge Engineer
Arcadis is the official Bridge Engineer to the Trust, and for the refurbishment Stuart Hercus, the Project Manager, is its representative.
The Project Manager’s duty is to manage the contract on behalf of the Rochester Bridge Trust, ensuring all objectives are met with regard to budget, programme and quality. This includes monitoring the progress of works and agreeing schedules; reviewing and accepting the Contractor’s designs; and assessing the amounts due for payment. Stuart will assess the effect any proposed changes to the programme may have.
Stuart is also the direct liaison between the Trust and FM Conway.
Main Contractor
As the main Contractor, it is FM Conway’s duty to provide the refurbishment works in accordance with the scope of the Rochester Bridge Trust.
This role comes with a number of responsibilities, not least it is FM Conway’s job to ensure the site is kept safe. This includes protecting both workers and the public. Appropriate traffic management is their responsibility – gaining permissions, and co-ordinating and maintaining an appropriate level of management to satisfy the general need for safety while causing as little disruption to the travelling public as possible.
Behind the scenes, FM Conway is required to liaise with statutory stakeholders such as the Port Authority and Environment Agency; to co-ordinate suppliers and sub-contractors; and to manage all personnel, plant and materials.
Should any changes to the programme or designs be required – this is a working site after all – it is FM Conway’s role to agree any impact with and obtain permission from the Project Manager.
Regular updates about the Rochester Bridge Refurbishment project will be provided on this website, alternatively you can contact enquiries@rbt.org.uk or call FM Conway’s Public Liaison Officer on 07917 518529.