Award-winning roadworks might sounds like a contradiction in terms, but a regional company has shown that holes don’t have to spell woes.

Northern Gas Networks, the North of England’s gas distributor, won a total of 52 awards in this years Considerate Constructors’ Scheme (CCS) National Site Awards, held in April.

The company won awards for work sites across the region, including Leeds, Huddersfield, Beverley, Halifax,Pontefract, Harrogate, South Shields, Scarborough, Hull, Middlesbrough, Hartlepool, Newcastle, Carlisle, Maryport and Wigton.

The phenomenal medal haul included 12 Gold Awards – and the award for the Most Considerate Site in the UK award (under £500k) for the company’s gas holder demolition project in Carlisle.

Since 1999, the CCS has been rewarding the UK’s most considerate construction sites for the contribution they have made towards improving the image of construction.

The scheme sends assessors around the country to grade sites’ consideration towards local neighbourhoods and the public, safety, the workforce and the environment.

Northern Gas Networks distributes gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses and provides the region’s emergency gas response service.

The company’s construction work ranges from replacing old gas pipes beneath roads, through to major infrastructure projects such as demolishing giant gas holders or maintaining the large diameter distribution pipes which act as the ‘motorways’ of the network.

Tim Harwood, Head of Programme Management for Northern Gas Networks, said:

“Keeping the North of England cooking on gas means our roadwork signs and barriers are a common sight around the region.

“We take great pride in making sure our sites have minimal impact on local communities and the travelling public, while meeting high environmental standards and looking after the welfare of own engineers.

“Nobody likes roadworks, of course, but if we can design our sites in the most considerate way possible, we can cause far fewer headaches for our customers.

“All our teams are really thrilled with this latest recognition from the Considerate Constructors’ Scheme. It’s great to see our sites are up there with the very best in the UK.”

Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive, Edward Hardy said: “Congratulations to all the 2019 National Site Award winners. Each award winning site should be extremely proud of receiving this prestigious industry accolade, which recognises their invaluable contribution to improving the image of construction.

“Year-on-year, the scheme places a higher level of expectation for the 7,000 plus construction sites typically registered with the Scheme at any time.  We work with sites to push the boundaries of what is achievable and this year’s accomplishments by sites have certainly not disappointed, with over 764 sites receiving National Site Award recognition.

“We are always amazed by the increasing levels of performance on site across the country, and we look forward to performance continuing to increase through next year and beyond.”

ENDS