Motorway woodchip scheme wins top green award
Highways England and its Yorkshire contractors A-one+ have scooped a top green award after providing more than 1,600 tonnes of woodchip and firewood for eco-friendly boilers.
Held at the Houses of Parliament, the biomass project received a gold award and ‘green apple’ for energy management at the Green Apple Awards 2015.
Since January this year, contractors have been producing woodchip and firewood from trees that need to be cut down as part of general tree management at four locations throughout the region.
The locations near junction 3 of the M180 near Scunthorpe, junction 35 of the M62 near Doncaster, junction 7 of the M621 near Leeds and Redhouse on the A1(M) at junction 38 were selected because of their size and access, and generated 59 wagon loads of firewood and timber for chipping.
The trial produced 1,657 tonnes of wood biomass fuel, generating a value between £20,085 and £24,720 as part of the 7-month trial.
Roger Wantling, service delivery team leader for the Yorkshire area, said:
We are delighted to have picked up such a fantastic accolade that recognises and rewards environmental best practice not only in this region but around the world.
The aim of the trial was to support the environment by converting low grade timber into woodchip to provide sustainable, low carbon fuel for heating.
The woodland at the 4 locations we identified needed to be thinned anyway but we were also able to produce 1,441 tonnes of woodchip and 216 tonnes of firewood to be sold on the open market.
Brian Statham, General Manager for the Yorkshire area at A-one+ said it was a fantastic end to the year. He said:
The Gold Award from the Green Organisation recognises some great collaboration between A-one+, Highways England and the wider supply chain working in partnership to deliver energy saving solutions.
It caps an exceptional year for Area 12 (Yorkshire area) winning Considerate Constructors (Most Considerate Company) in the same month and several other national and international industry awards.
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