No barrier on concrete quality for Charcon

Charcon Construction Solutions, part of the Aggregate Industries Group, has supplied structural concrete barriers for a project on the M6 motorway.

The structural precast concrete barriers were successful introduced as part of the £274m smart motorway project being undertaken by Highways England between junction 16 at Crewe and junction 19 at Knutsford.

A new 20-mile-long safety barrier installed in the central reservation, which involved placing a rigid concrete barrier in the central reserve, instead of steel.

This is designed to lower the risk of vehicles crossing onto the opposite carriageway and is likely to require fewer repairs, helping to eliminate the need for lane closures.

The motorway upgrade will also see the hard shoulder converted to a permanent extra lane, along with new variable speed limits, helping to tackle congestion and keep traffic flowing.

Working in partnership with Delta Bloc UK, who supplied specially designed moulds, Charcon Construction Solutions manufactured around 5,000 barriers, at four tonnes each, to the exacting specifications.

The products were manufactured off-site in factory controlled conditions, which meant the quality of the product could be guaranteed first time.

Richard Baldry, General Manager for Charcon Construction Solutions, said: “We have been working with Delta Bloc over the last five years, and truly believe in the product we have created.

“The benefits of using Charcon Construction Solutions to create these precast barriers are that we manufacture them in the UK, in factory controlled conditions, meaning we are able to ensure the quality of the blocks, including the finish and fit.

“By completing the quality checks in a factory environment, it also means that Delta Bloc can optimise ‘on site’ efficiency, which is of benefit to the customer.”

Tony Walker, MD of Delta Bloc UK, commented: “Securing the order for the central reserve barrier was a key milestone for us because it demonstrates very clearly that the marketplace now sees precast concrete as a very credible alternative to more commonly used slipformed barrier systems.

“Precast concrete vehicle restraint systems can provide measurable benefits to all stakeholders and we hope that the project will provide further evidence to Highways England and their delivery partners that precast solutions can be advantageous when delivering projects of this scale.”

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