Sunderland Tyneside Council – Follingsby Lane, Washington 

The International Advanced Manufacturing Park (IAMP) represents a unique opportunity for the automotive sector in the UK.   

Located on land to the north of the existing Nissan car manufacturing plant. 

South Tyneside Council in collaboration with Highways England and representatives from Nissan  assessed the transport implications to the existing road network and forecast changes in traffic following the introduction of the IAMP along the A1290 and Follingsby Lane.   

Follingsby Lane is a more rural road in nature and is a narrow single carriageway and its existing width is only just sufficient for two cars to pass, with a deteriorating road condition with unfavourable horizontal alignment and main carriageway and verge drainage.  

As a viable means of access to IAMP a considerable upgrade was undertaken and BCE Northern were appointed as Principal Contractors by South Tyneside Council. 

Works commenced in January 2020 with a 3-month construction programme to be completed by 31 March 2020.  

The works consisted of:  

  • Bulk excavation and carriageway widening  
  • Installation of new carriageway main drainage consisting of 700 lin m of 150, 225, 300 and 450mm diameter pipework with 35 new road gullies and connectors 
  • Formation of verge “swales” to filter drainage with a new 250m3 attenuation outfall system and manhole chambers  
  • Carriageway resurfacing including 7000m2 of Tensar Geogrid reinforcement, new asphalt surface course and concrete reinforced haunch widening and associated kerbing works totalling 2000 lin m  

As Principal Contractor, BCE Northern was wholly responsible for the execution, sourcing,organising and the delivery of the scheme. As a busy link to Nissan and Follingsby Industrial Park, our construction works were undertaken whilst maintaining uninterrupted access to local business and residential properties and farm access. This involved close liaison with the local business owners and residents and phasing of the works with localised traffic management throughout.   

During the original construction programme the works were suspended during the Covid19 pandemic of March 2020. Following a lockdown period of 8 weeks the contract recommenced on  

18 May and was substantially completed by 12 June 2020.