Environmental measures during COVID-19 Level 4

While construction of the new motorway was on hold during the COVID-19 Level 4 lock down, essential site activities were carried out by our safety, traffic and environmental control teams.

There was a strong programme of environmental vigilance along the full length of the closed-down worksite. Environmental teams were on duty 7-days a week performing tasks including:

• Inspecting and maintaining the hundreds of environmental controls along the length of the site.
• Maintenance of sediment treatment ponds included cleaning out the trapped sediment, and checking levels of the chemical floculant that helps particles settle out more efficiently in the ponds.
• Checking ahead of any rain that exposed earth was properly stabilised, for example by applying the green polymer spray or hay, and constructing temporary drains to intercept and slow down runoff.
• Inspecting during and after rainstorms to manage any minor effect to the site and to repair any damage to environmental controls.

Our environmental mitigation works continued in all construction areas during Level 3 and now also in our busier Level 2 operations. During Level 3 our teams also continued completing a permanent stream diversion and fish ladder that runs around the Willowbank Quarry area as a priority before winter.