Britpave to write HA design guide

Infrastructure trade association Britpave is being given responsibility for the updating and revision of one of the Highways Agency's key guidance documents.

The soil stabilisation contractor members of Britpave will now update the guidance note ‘HA74 Treatment of Fill and Capping Materials using either Lime or Cement or Both’.

The Advice Note, which forms part of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges, provides guidance on the use of lime and cement to stabilise capping materials for highway works and slope repairs.

It covers site investigation, design and construction.

Alex Kidd, Geotechnical Team Leader at the Highways Agency said: “This is an important step for the Highways Agency.

“In accordance with our recently published Technical Standards Strategy, we recognise that practitioners are often best placed to ensure the current validity of guidance documents and we wish to encourage industry to development and potentially own the guidance required to deliver HA needs.

"This is thought to be a the first time that the Agency has given responsibility for one of its Advice Notes to an outside organisation and we are confident that it is in line with our strategic objectives.”

Al McDermid, Britpave Task Group Chairman, said: “Members of the Task Group include both clients and contractors. Between them they have wealth of practical experience.

"They have taken on the role of HA74 guardian with enthusiasm. Indeed, they are already working on a complete revision and update of the Advice Note.”