Kilkern civil engineering and VAC UK vacuum excavation working side-by-side to drive forward Lincolnshire highway improvements

24th Oct 2024

Kilkern‘s civil engineers have been working with VAC UK‘s vacuum excavation specialists on the £2 million Newland highway improvements project in Lincoln.

The scheme, to rebuild the carriageway along Newland, between Wigford Way and The Avenue – along with some of Wigford Way, Mint Lane and Lucy Tower Street, has been led by Winvic on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.

Work included the replacement of kerbs and footways, installing improved highways drainage and replacing two sets of traffic lights – at the Lucy Tower Street/Newland junction and at the Carholme Road/Brayford Way junction. It will help alleviate standing water in the area and provide improved infrastructure for pedestrians’ and motorists’ journeys.

Vacuum excavation is preferred choice

According to Sean Gallagher, VAC UK General Manager, vac ex is increasingly the preferred choice for relatively tight urban excavations such as the Newland scheme.

“Its reduced footprint compared with traditional forms of mechanical excavation means that it’s easier to maintain traffic flows through busy urban settings,” he said.

“Also, vacuum excavation allows considerably more precise digging and most importantly, given the density of other infrastructure in the ground, it is both safer and reduces the threat of costs from service strikes.”

Kilkern’s Operations Manager Craig Winter believes the scheme will have a transformative effect for people on foot or driving through Newland. “The road and pavement infrastructure had started to show its age,” he said. “This project has provided a big improvement to the carriageway and to footpaths – both in terms of its surface and also with the improved traffic flows from the new traffic lights.”