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Client
Babcock Rail
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Business need
Specialist environmental support to rail site investigations
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Why Frazer-Nash?
Our Environmental Management Consultants have extensive experience in the waste management sector and enable our clients to develop bespoke solutions that extend far beyond the requirements of environmental compliance. Our staff are Personal Trackside Safety (PTS) trained and we are also an accredited proof supplier under the Link-up scheme (Supplier No. 4184).
The challenge
A major rail company needed to replace and refurbish four station platforms on the Wick to Thurso line in Scotland. However, before beginning this work, our client Babcock Rail, were commissioned to undertake the necessary Guidance to Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) stage 4 site investigations, covering all the pre-build feasibility and detailed design analysis.
One of these stations, Forsinard Station, was located very close to the Forsinard Flows, which is a National Nature Reserve designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area and Ramsar conservation site. On top of this, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) also has a visitor centre on the railway station platform.
This environmentally sensitive location made it even more critical that the station design and subsequent building works were completed in a sensitive manner, giving great consideration to the environmental stakeholder groups who may be affected by this project.
Babcock Rail therefore appointed Frazer-Nash to undertake comprehensive environmental assessments to identify pertinent risks and potential environmental impacts that would arise through the proposed works.
Our solution
Despite the geographical remoteness of the area, it was important to supplement our standard desk-top research and site survey enquiries by engaging with statutory bodies and stakeholders on-site.