By Rose Bell
In order to constructing a network of storm water storage tunnels beneath Bolton Arboretum and Longsight Park saw, the United Utilities project commissioned the tunnel boring machine (TBM) on May 30.
The TBM, named Jane in recognition of Jane Wilcock from the Friends of Longsight Park, was lowered into a launch pit and will spend 87 days tunneling a 900m route from Firwood industrial estate toward the arboretum before making a turn to its final destination in Longsight Park.
The quantity of stored storm water by these tunnels will be over than 3,000 cubic meters of following completion that is the equivalent of almost one and a half Olympic size swimming pools. Decreasing the number of times that storm overflows operate in heavy rainfall, the tunnels are going to play a vital role in improving water quality in Bradshaw Brook, a tributary of the River Irwell.
Controlling of this TBM will be done remotely from an above ground control-centre and for ensuring that she digs down to a maximum depth of 38 metres under the golf course and park, a laser-guided navigation system will be used.
While the pre-made sections of pipeline are due to be automatically installed behind Jane, through a suction system the dug spoil is crushed and brought to the surface. Where possible the excavated earth will be recycled and used to backfill the excavations.
For improving river water quality across the borough, this is one of four projects that United Utilities is currently working on in Bolton and the company is upgrading its treatments works in Bolton to increase the capacity of the works, improve the treatment processes at the plant and reduce the time that the storm overflow operates, whereas there are also schemes at Astley Bridge and Dunscar Bridge.
The project at Astley Bridge will see a 400 cubic meter storage tank built in Haywood’s Hollow. As well as extra storage, a new screen will be fitted to the overflow to help improve the water quality in Astley Brook.
In order to helping improve the water quality in Eagley Brook and Gale Brook, at Dunscar Bridge a 200 cubic meter storage tank with a screen will be built.
Chris Borradaile, County Business Leader for wastewater in Greater Manchester at United Utilities, said: “We’re really pleased to be getting underway with this important scheme that will help to improve the water quality in Bradshaw Brook. The great thing about this scheme is it also means that access to both the park and arboretum can be maintained while Jane is busy tunnelling away deep underground.”
He also added: “We’re not just focused on this site in Bolton, we’re actually investing nearly £150m across four schemes in the borough and it will really help us to deliver the step change in performance that we know people want to see.”
Jane Wilcock and other members of the Friends of Longsight Park joined members of the project team to see the launch of the tunneling machine.
Jane says: “It is pleasing to see this huge infrastructure project being delivered in a way that minimizes damage to the park and Bolton’s arboretum.”
For delivering cleaner rivers, more reliable water supplies as well as extra support for customers struggling with bills in the North West, United Utilities is also proposing to invest a record £13.7 billion that is a part of its draft plan for the period 2025 – 2030.
While the regulator review of the proposals and its draft response will be at July 2024, the final plans are slated to be agreed by December 2024.
