A new road which has been built as part of a wider plan to support job creation and the construction of new homes has been crowned the West Midlands' top civil engineering scheme.
Stafford Western Access Route, which is due for completion later this year, will provide a new 0.7-mile link between the A34 Foregate Street to the A518 Newport Road, funnelling traffic around the west of the town and away from the congested centre routes.
It took home the communication and large project (over £10 million) categories before being crowned the overall project of the year at the 2021 Institution of Civil Engineers West Midlands Awards.
Judges praised the regular flow of information from the project team which they said was essential to keep all stakeholders fully informed at every stage of the project.
The panel was particularly impressed with the delivery of what has been a complex project and agreed that Stafford Western Access Route would have a positive impact across the region for years to come.
The annual awards, which were once again held online this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, are presented to the best civil engineering project teams or to ground-breaking research that has taken place in the West Midlands.
Jo Barnett, ICE regional director for the Midlands, said: "Congratulations to all our 2021 West Midlands Awards entrants, the standard this year was, as always, extremely high.
"Our annual awards play an important role in not only demonstrating the importance of our civil engineers but also in celebrating the positive impact that civil engineering has on our everyday lives.
"I am delighted that, despite a difficult year for everyone, our civil engineers continued to safely deliver inspiring projects in often challenging circumstances."
The other winners for 2021 are:
Innovation
Bewdley Bank Service Reservoir in Herefordshire
Built by Mott MacDonald Bentley and FLI Carlow for Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, it provides a new clean water storage facility
Sustainability; Small Project (under £2m)
Mancetter Marin, Coventry Canal
Project combined design and construction techniques to transform the previously disused and private site into a public marina.
Team Achievement
Birmingham Highways' interim works programme and services contract
Working closely with the city council, Birmingham Highways implemented a two-year programme which involved managing and improving assets around the city including 1,500 miles of roads and 93,000 streetlights.
Medium Project (£2m-£10m)
Kineton Sewage Treatment Works
The scheme delivered a new, compact plant solution that will significantly improve the environmental river water quality.
Judges' Award
Flood risk management scheme (phase 2), Burton-upon-Trent
It has increased the level of flood protection to more than 5,500 residential and commercial properties and provides the town with a consistent level of protection designed to last 100 years.
Bob Dunn Award for Outstanding Contribution
Cameron Lindsay has been involved with the Institution of Civil Engineers for many years, promoting civil engineering in the region as a treasurer and reviewer.
Young Achiever of the Year
Rhiannon Evans, technician from Aecom.
She is an active ICE volunteer in the region and was last year also named as one of the top 50 women in engineering with a focus on sustainability by the Women in Engineering Society.
Technician of the Year
Recognises the achievements of people studying for or working towards civil engineering technician status:
Joel Brown, University of Wolverhampton
Kaeden Bunting, Solihull College
