A £4m electrical project in Birmingham, UK, is using local barges to remove waste and spoil instead of dumper trucks in an effort to minimize its environmental impact on the city.
The project, which is being carried out by local electricity distributor Western Power Distribution (WPD), will involve the replacement of around 5 km of high voltage cables along the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal towpath between Nechells and Summer Lane. Once complete, it will further safeguard electricity supplies to around 20,000 customers in the city center.
WPD’s investment has been designed to accommodate for any increased demands placed on the electricity network into the future by such things as additional development in the city.
Nigel Morrey, WPD’s Projects Team Manager for the area said: “The canal towpath is the most direct, easily accessible route into Birmingham City Centre. Our aim is to keep disruption to an absolute minimum and we have been liaising with Birmingham City Council, the Canal & River Trust and English Heritage to agree the best way to do this.
“Temporary walk ways have been built over the canal to avoid diverting the pedestrians from the towpath throughout the majority of the work. In addition, all the spoil and rubble from the excavations will be removed by barges, utilizing the existing canal network and helping to further reduce congestion on the surrounding roads.”