Additional road repairs at Bradley surface mine

Bradley surface mine highway improvement work extended to include road repairs outside the site

A PROGRAMME of work required to provide access to the new Bradley surface mine, in Co. Durham, which sits off the A692 between Leadgate and Dipton, is being extended to include repairs to the road outside the site.

As well creating a new right turn lane required for the mining project, the Banks team, together with local subcontractors, will be working on several hundred yards of the A692, which includes reconstructing the road and resurfacing it following significant damage incurred over the years and by the recent harsh winter weather.

Banks Mining, who have now formally commenced mining operations at the Bradley surface mine, will upgrade the existing road to the standard specified by Durham County Council to ensure that all vehicle movements on to and off the site can be carried out as safely as possible.

Lewis Stokes (pictured), community relations manager at The Banks Group, said: ‘The severe impact of the so-called ‘Beast from the East’ and the rest of the winter weather on roads around the North East is all too obvious.

‘It makes sense for us to carry out these additional roads repairs while we have the equipment and manpower in the local area, and we’re glad to be supporting Durham County Council’s drive to keep the county’s roads in the best possible condition.

‘We have planned the highways work required around the Bradley project carefully in adherence with Durham County Council, and have put all possible measures in place to undertake it as quickly and efficiently as we can, so as to minimize disruption to local traffic.’

Around 30 new jobs will be supported at the Bradley site when it is fully operational, along with others in the local supply chain.

Site operations are scheduled to run for between two and three years, with all on-site activity complete in 2021. Restoration will include the creation of new woodland and a nature reserve area, as well as the return of some of the land to agricultural use.

A related community benefits fund, which will provide funding for support eligible local community improvement projects and initiatives, will go live in the coming months.