Cross Tay Link Road | Community Newsletter December 2022

COMMUNITY BENEFITS AT THE HEART OF THE PROJECT

Delivering a series of community benefits related to the construction of the Cross Tay Link Road is a integral part of the project’s delivery.

Perth & Kinross Council along with main contractor BAM Nuttall are committed to leaving legacy projects in the areas of environmental improvement, training, culture and employment that will add value to the communities around the bridge and significantly improve the lives of people who live there.

CROSS TAY EAST & CROSS TAY WEST

To help maximise community benefits related to the project the project team have set up two new community groups: Cross Tay East and Cross Tay West. These groups will advise the team on what type of projects will benefit the widest possible number of people and suggest projects to be delivered within communities on either side of the River Tay.

On the east side we are progressing with a disabled ramp for the Robert

Douglas Memorial Institute in Scone. At Scone Tennis Club the current nets are being repaired through the project and have acceptance of quotes to upgrade the markings at Scone Primary School play ground.

Over on the west side we are in discussions with Luncurty Tennis Club to upgrade groundworks and access pathways. At Luncurty Primary School were providing benches and tyre chippings for play areas and looking to start construction of an adventure play trail.

BAM GIFTS £900 TO HELP PERTH CARERS FEEL BETTER

BAM SUPPORTS PARA ATHLETICS SUCCESS IN PERTH

Construction of the new Cross Tay Link Road is helping to facilitate health and fitness opportunities for local carers.

As part of the community benefits delivered by the project’s main contractor, BAM Nuttall is supporting a local nonprofit organisation with a £900 donation to deliver ‘Fitness to Feel Better’ sessions to help build confidence and improve health and wellbeing among young carers.

The sessions are being delivered by Perth based Scotland All Strong and the money will fund eight places on a fitness and wellbeing course specifically aimed at young carers.

More than 200 young para athletes and supporters joined Perth Strathtay Harriers in a fun day to raise awareness of opportunities for people of all abilities to get involved in sport.

Organised by the Harriers in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Disability Sport, the event was supported by Cross Tay Link Road main contractor BAM Nuttall.

Open to young people aged five years to senior with physical, sensory or learning disabilities and related conditions, events included wheelchair racing and frame running along with a range of distance races on the track.

CRAIGIE PUPILS LAST TO EXPLORE HILL FORT

Pupils from Craigie Primary School were among the last to have the opportunity to explore the Iron Age Hill Fort off the A9 before it disappeared for good.

Excavation of the site ended last month allowing the next phase of earthworks to start as part of the Cross Tay Link Road construction.

‘For the pupils, staff and accompanying parents, this was a once in a lifetime

opportunity to experience such an extensive hillfort excavation,’ said local archaeologist Dr Gavin Lindsay who accompanied the group.

‘As an archaeological educator I'm incredibly grateful to the likes of BAM for making sites accessible as learning resources and would warmly encourage other developers to follow this great example of genuine community benefit.’

CARAVAN CLUB GETS SPRUCE UP THROUGH COMMUNITY BENEFITS

Scone Camping and Caravanning Club were among the first organisations to benefit through the Cross Tay Link Road’s community benefits programme

The club had difficulty in sourcing contractors to repair fencing and spray weed killer meaning parts of the site looked unsightly and unwelcoming for visitors.

After an initial survey by the BAM team and its sub-contractors to see what they could do to help the Club, it was decided that renewal of some fencing, gates and some weed killer spraying would make a big difference to the site.

Scone Camping and Caravanning Club Site Manager, Simon Hill was delighted with the work: ‘The work that’s been carried out has made a big difference and made the whole environment of the park more attractive for our guests visiting the area,’

DONATION

The Cross Tay Link Road project team have delivered the first planned monthly regular donation to Perth & Kinross Food Bank. The donations were collected at the team’s main office on Stormontfield Road, Scone from staff working on the project. Main contractor BAM Nuttall, client Perth & Kinross Council and various sub contractors and consultants all contributed to the food parcel. Lynn Marie Neil from the Food Bank said: ‘The need for food banks has never been greater. With the cost of living driving everyone’s costs up we are getting requests from people who I’m sure never dreamed of being in this position. We are grateful to the Cross Tay Link Road team for their donation and look forward to an ongoing positive relationship with them.’

CROSS TAY PROJECT FORGES PARTNERSHIP WITH PERTHSHIRE WOMEN’S AID

The Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) team have struck up a partnership with Perthshire Women’s Aid. The team will be supporting the charity which helps Perthshire women, children and young people, who are experiencing, or have experienced domestic abuse. This partnership will be delivered through the CTLR community benefits programme which is tied to the main construction of the project.

The charity’s Deputy Manager, Cilla Taylor said: The range of skills that a company as large as BAM have to offer opens up exciting opportunities for us. I’m looking forward to working with BAM to help develop and enhance the services we deliver to the community.

INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS

Construction professionals working on the project took some time off to inspire the next generation at a careers fair at Blairgowrie High School

BAM Nuttall’s Intermediate Quantity Surveyor, Mathew Rose was one of them.

‘When I was growing up in Ayrshir opportunities to find out about what this industry could offer so I want try and help change that. In an ideal world everyone would know when they were leaving school what they wanted to do. But in the real world this is not the case. I want to ensure young people at least know engineering and construction are a viable option for them.’

ENGINEERS HELP BRIDGE THE KNOWLEDGE GAP AT BLAIRGOWRIE HIGH SCHOOL

More than 140 pupils from Blairgowrie High School took part in a bridge building challenge with the aim of getting them interested in a career in engineering and construction.

As part of the Cross Tay Link Road project, construction professionals from BAM Nuttall and Perth & Kinross

Council supervised the construction of a 500 mm bridge made from paper, string and tape. The bridge had to span a 500 mm gap between two desks and be weight bearing. After being briefed on the task, the S1 pupils were split into groups to design, build and test their structure under the watchful eye of the visiting professionals.

BAM Assistant Civil Engineer, Sarah Johnson said:

‘It is important that we get into schools early to explain to pupils the range of careers available in construction and engineering. If we wait until they are older, often they have not made the right subject choices that the industry needs.’

CROSS TAY LINK ROAD HELPS REWINDING OF DENMARKFIELD

PROJECT SENDS SOME CHRISTMAS CHEER TO PERTHSHIRE WOMEN’S AID

Amery Construction sniffed out an opportunity to brighten up a local charity’s Christmas with a donation of 73 pamper packs. Perthshire Women’s Aid received the gifted packs of bath oils, soaps and aromatherapy and relaxation treatments through their partnership with the Cross Tay Link Road project. As one of the key sub-contractor on the project, Amery is carrying out the majority of the earthworks and ground preparation on site.

CROSS TAY LINK ROAD CONSTRUCTION DELIVERS VILLAGE TRAFFIC SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS

A new community woodland just north of Perth is being created as part of the Denmarkfield Rewilding with support from the Cross Tay Link Road project.

The 43,000 square metre broadleaf woodland creation will cover ground at Denmarkfield, approximately two miles north of the Inverlamond roundabout in Perth.

More than 4000 trees will be planted in total, a mixture of Oak, Birch, Rowan, Hazel, Aspen, Holly, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Dog Rose, Blackthorn and Hawthorn.

As well as the plants themselves, BAM Nuttall also prepared the ground, supplied and fitted tree protectors, and provided and installed deer fencing on the site.

Road safety has been improved in Balbeggie thanks to the efforts of the team building the new Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR).

Through their community benefits programme, the main contractor BAM Nuttall sent plant and labour to clear a 300metre stretch of footway leading into the village. The work was carried out at the request of the Balbeggie Traffic Calming Group.

Group member Andrew McOuat said:

‘BAM have been very proactive in their support and were able to help, and the community is very grateful for the work they have put in; it has made such a difference for the pedestrians who use this walkway daily.’

For specific questions about the Community Benefits Programme, contact BAM Nuttall’s Stakeholder and Communications Manager, Innes Mackintosh on innesmackintosh@BAM.com

If you have any questions about the CTLR, please contact roadsinfrastructure@pkc.gov.uk or crosstaylinkroad@bam.com or call 0330 332 5400

Further information and updates around the CTLR project can be found at perthtransportfutures.co.uk. Follow us at @PTFutures1 and LinkedIn

Connecting & Improving Futures