2011
MILTON KEYNES, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE, UNITED KINGDOM
Milton Keynes Council
Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering
Pell Frischmann
A5130 Road Widening and Busway Park & Ride, Milton Keynes
Green Terramesh® Installation after construction
Immediately after construction
Early signs of vegetation establishing
One year after construction
Vegetation after one year after construction
Challenge
The development of the Busway Park and Ride facility near Junction 14 of the M1 Motorway in Milton Keynes required major infrastructure improvements to support increased transport demand. Central to the scheme was the widening of the A5130 feeder road from the Northfield roundabout, upgrading it from a single two-lane carriageway to a dual two-lane highway. This upgrade was essential to accommodate predicted increases in traffic volume and improve overall traffic flow in the area.
The project presented several engineering and environmental challenges. The widened roadway needed to cross a culverted stream in close proximity to the Busway site, creating spatial and structural constraints. Additionally, the construction corridor was restricted, limiting the footprint available for traditional solutions. Environmental and aesthetic requirements were also a key consideration, as the site was bordered by semi-mature vegetation that needed to be preserved and visually integrated into the final design.
Unforeseen construction delays added further pressure, making it impractical to adopt a conventional reinforced concrete retaining wall for the roadway embankment. Such a solution would have been time-consuming to construct, less adaptable to site constraints, and visually intrusive. Main contractor Balfour Beatty required a fast, flexible, and sustainable retaining solution capable of forming a steep-faced embankment while blending seamlessly with the surrounding landscape.
Solution
A reinforced soil solution using Green Terramesh® was selected to meet the project’s technical, environmental, and programme requirements. Three Green Terramesh® reinforced slopes were constructed, extending a total length of 240 metres and reaching a maximum height of 3.6 metres. These structures run south from the Northfield roundabout to the Busway access road and integrate smoothly into the abutments of the newly widened pedestrian underpass.
The Green Terramesh® system provided a cost-effective and efficient alternative to traditional retaining walls, enabling rapid installation within the constrained construction schedule. Its modular and flexible design allowed it to adapt easily to varying ground levels across the site. This flexibility also enabled the formation of precise 90-degree returns at the pedestrian under-bridge, as well as smooth transitions and curves where the reinforced slopes connect to the roundabout and access road.
From an environmental and aesthetic perspective, the solution delivered a natural, vegetated finish. A topsoil wedge was incorporated behind the face of the reinforced embankment and seeded with a carefully selected vegetation mix. This promoted rapid plant growth, allowing the structure to blend into the surrounding landscape and become largely concealed by natural vegetation over time.
The use of Green Terramesh® reinforced slopes not only met the engineering and programme demands of the project but also provided a sustainable, visually appealing solution that aligned with modern infrastructure and environmental design standards.
Used Products
