British Construction Industry Awards 2023

National Infrastructure Commission Design Principles Award

This category champions projects that are exemplary in terms of design, judged against the National Infrastructure Commission’s design group’s key principles of climate, people, place and value.

Winner

Fibre-Reinforced Polymer Footbridge “Flow”

Commissioning authority | Network Rail

Lead designer | Knight Architects

Main contractor | Network Rail

Other project contributors | Epsilon Optics, Foflo Group, JT Consulting, Jacobs, KS Composite, Q-Railings, Sui Generis

Highly Commended

East Leeds Orbital Route

Elizabeth Line

Judges’ comment “A glimpse into how we should be designing our infrastructure for the future”This new railway footbridge design, known as Flow, is quicker and easier to produce and more environmentally friendly to install than standard steel footbridges.

It is made from fibre-reinforced polymer and the first of these bridges opened in January 2023. It was installed over three nights across a rural railway line at Wistanstow in Shropshire, replacing a dangerous level crossing.

The aspiration is a two-week construction programme, compared to a traditional bridge installation of 10 weeks.

Time saved meant reduced labour costs and less exposure of engineers and operatives to hazardous conditions.

Disruption to rail services was also reduced. Project costs are £850,000, much lower than £1.4M for a standard steel footbridge.