Ground Control has been awarded nationwide contracts by Network Rail, to help with the effective management of trees and plants that line the rail network, they will support Network Rail across their routes with the national vegetation management programme over the next four years.
Ground Control’s Arb Rail (Arboricultural Services) team will be carrying out the works. This is the company’s newest division which was established in 2012 following the acquisition of the Arboricultural Division of UPM Tilhill.
Peter Allen, director of Arboriculture, told The Landscaper, “Further investments in developing our teams will ensure we continue to meet the challenge of vegetation management as part of this essential safety and improvement programme”.
Unmanaged trees and plants can cause serious safety problems for the railway by covering up signals or falling on to tracks and overhead power lines. With an estimated 2.5 million trees growing on the line-side it’s a big job. “We’re proud to be supporting the work to keep the railway safe and running as smoothly as possible” Peter added.
“In practical terms, this achievement secures the future of Ground Control’s successful Rail business for the next four years. We will be able to grow our Rail business by delivering an outstanding service to our Network Rail customers. With an estimated contract value in excess of £40m over the four-year contract period, this could be Ground Control’s largest single contract win to date,” explained Ground Control Managing Director, Marcus Watson.
“Such a result cannot be achieved on the basis of a tender alone: it is made possible because of our Arb Rail colleagues, who over many years have been focussed on developing strong partnerships within all Network Rail regions and delivering a fantastic service to our customers.”
The senior team that helped to secure the landmark contract for Ground Control comprises of Peter Allen, supported by Steve Gates (Rail North), James Hanna (Rail South) and Greg Buckley, HSQE Manager.
Network Rail owns, manages and develops Britain’s railway – the 20,000 miles of track, 40,000 bridges and viaducts, and the thousands of signals, level crossings and stations (the largest of which it also runs). In partnership with train operators Network Rail helps people take more than 1.6bn journeys by rail every year – double the number of 1996 – and move hundreds of millions of tonnes of freight, saving almost 8m lorry journeys. Network Rail is investing £38bn in the railway by 2019 to deliver more frequent, more reliable, safer services and brighter and better stations.
http://www.networkrail.co.uk/community-relations/trees-and-plants/