Third-Party Asset Protection (ASPRO) Schemes – Liverpool Street

About the project

The delivery of ‘On-Network’ works by third parties or other stakeholders via ‘Asset Protection’ (ASPRO) assurance processes is becoming an increasingly popular approach. This arrangement allows the third-party clients more control over the design and delivery of schemes, helping control cost and minimise scope creep. It also ensures that Network Rail Standards are adhered to, maintaining quality of the works and ensuring safety of the operational railway pre, during and post-works. Finally, it is a delivery mechanism for works that are not rail-related but are either over, above or adjacent to the railway (such as utility crossings).

At Enable Design (formerly known as Equate Design), we are experts in managing the design and delivery of ASPRO schemes, and have played leading roles in recent such projects for clients including MTR Elizabeth Line, Western Power Distribution and Breheney Civil Engineering. For this case study, we will be looking in more detail at the Liverpool Street Platform Extensions for MTR Elizabeth Line.

MTR Elizabeth Line, as a third-party (non-NR) client, required the platforms at Liverpool Street to be lengthened prior to the opening of the Elizabeth Line central (tunnel) section, to allow 9-car Class 345 trains to operate. This was the final enabling stage on the Anglia route to allow Class 345 Full Length Unit (FLU) operation – a key milestone for the overall Crossrail Programme.

The challenge

The project itself was a true multi-disciplinary scheme, taking in track remodelling, OLE upgrades, signalling commissioning (including data changes), major civil engineering, telecoms and M&E. Works were to be delivered in two major blockades of 10 days’ duration each. The key project deliverable was to complete the platform extensions and associated works by 31st May 2021 to ensure our client could fully introduce and operate their new rolling stock.

The solution

Enable Design managed the engineering and assurance for the whole project across both the design and construction phases, including the interface with ASPRO. We provided Engineering Management (CEM/CRE), civils design (temporary and permanent works) and site engineering services to the client, in conjunction with the Principal Contractor (Enable Infrastructure, formerly BCM Construction). We managed the interface between the client (MTR) and the Network Rail ASPRO team to ensure that all engineering and assurance requirements were met, so that the works could proceed under the Basic Asset Protection Arrangement (BAPA) signed between MTR & NR.

The Team

• Project Manager
• Engineering Manager
• Responsible Engineers
• Survey Engineers
• Civil Engineers

The deliverables

• Professional services
  • Contractors Engineering Manager (CEM)
  • Contractors Responsible Engineer (CRE) Design & Construction
  • Site engineering services
• Stakeholder management and NR assurance processes
  • Management of CSM-RA process
  • Engineering management across entire project
  • Management of DWWP process
  • Review and approval of methodologies (WPP/CPP)
  • Collaborative Hazard (HAZ-ID) review sessions
• Site surveys
• Undertake designer responsibilities under Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 2015.
• Design assurance deliverables;
  • F002 – Statement of Design Intent
  • F003 – Certificate of Design and Check
  • Form A – Approval In Principle
  • Form B – Detailed Design
• CAD deliverables
  • Computer Aided Design drawings design:drawings in accordance with NR/L2/INI/EDT/CP0091 Specification for Computer Aided Design
  • Geospatially accurate 3D civil/structural design CAD Model Files
  • 2D civil and structural design CAD drawing layouts derived as an output of the 3D civil/structural design CAD Model
• Other deliverables
  • Strategy development & approval
  • Survey report & review of existing services (inc. buried services)
  • Ground investigation & report
  • Cable route risk assessment
  • Access strategy document
  • Pinch point design surveys
  • Diversity impact assessment
  • Fire strategy