I read the article on the implications of the Code of Practice for Risk Management of Tunnel Works in the UK with interest (T&TI, Feb 2004, p25). The need to require such a document after over a century of soft ground tunnelling in the UK speaks volumes about the methods of procurement in use today.
The requirement to achieve a ‘robust design’ will inhibit designers from producing economic designs now that they themselves are unable to supervise the works.
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However, in my opinion, the most important aspect of risk prevention appears not to have been considered. That is the construction programme. It is usually the contractor’s efforts to meet the programme that creates the risks, especially in multi-tunnelling projects.
One of the reasons for the Heathrow collapse was an over ambitious construction programme, to meet revenue requirements, and this will always be the case when procurement is obtained by private finance.
As with every other use of PFI, and privatisation in general, the only people who benefit is the lawyers.
GR Heath MICE
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