National park representatives visit Swinden Quarry

Tarmac welcome delegates from the UK National Parks Conference to Swinden Quarry

MORE than a dozen representatives from the UK’s national parks recently visited Tarmac’s Swinden Quarry, in North Yorkshire, to learn more about the importance of quarrying in the Yorkshire Dales.

The visit was part of this year’s national parks' biennial conference event, which was sponsored by lead partners Tarmac.

The day included an introduction to the company and the history of the site, after which delegates were kitted out in PPE clothing and driven into the quarry to see the extraction process first-hand.

Emma Chaplow, manager of Swinden Quarry, said: ‘It was great to be able to host the delegates here and to show them around the site.

‘We are very proud to be part of the national park here in Yorkshire – and equally to have sponsored this year’s national parks conference. The event and the site visit were a great opportunity to showcase what we do, as well as to learn more about the challenges faced by national parks around the country.’

Following the initial quarry tour, the visitors were treated to a Yorkshire-themed buffet before gathering on the viewing platform to watch one of the quarry’s routine blasts.

After the blast, delegates had the opportunity to speak to explosive experts about how they mitigate the impact of the explosions, before being taken to view the site’s railhead and restoration areas.

The UK National Parks Conference, which took place from 17–19 September, was held at a venue in the Yorkshire Dales and attracted 100 delegates, including national park chairs and chief executive officers, representatives from government and other agencies.