NPX, a joint venture between Network Plus and XEIAD, has secured a 10-year framework with Highways England for the Historical Railway Estate Examination contract
Beginning in April 2021, NPX will deliver asset examination services on a cyclical basis to hundreds of disused rail bridges and tunnels that form part of the Historical Railway Estate.
On behalf of the Department for Transport (DfT), Highways England are responsible for this estate which includes circa 3,800 assets and 74 listed structures.
The contract scope will see NPX programme, plan and deliver nearly six hundred visual and detailed structures examinations annually.
Historical Railway Estate activities also provide asset monitoring services for at-risk structures and a 24/7 response for bridge strikes and emergency incidents.
Environmental components of the scope of works will see NPX delivering ecology studies to safeguard bats and other protected species, maintaining gates, fences and access points, and clearing vegetation and debris to facilitate examinations.
‘A smart, digitally focused service’
Paul Capener of NPX, said: “We’ll utilise our decades of asset management experience on historical structures. The integration of a smart, digitally focused service will enhance safety, quality and efficiency of delivery.
“Our competent and experienced engineers and examiners are ready for deployment. They’ll be fully supported by specialist access teams providing safety boats, pontoons, rope access, confined space, diving and MEWPs.
“Our in-house traffic management team will provide support for all public highway operations We look forward to working closely with Highways England over the next 10 years.”
