Investment at a GRS joint venture quarry on the Surrey-Hampshire border has unlocked new sand reserves, increased efficiency and improved customer service.Following last year’s formation of Alton Road Aggregates (ARA) – a 50:50 JV between GRS and Down To Earth Developments (DTE) – several operational improvements were identified at the ARA sand quarry near Farnham.
Core to the programme was a 138,000m³ earthworks scheme, relocating unwanted clay to a previously landfilled area of the quarry to bring it up to consented levels and allowing full restoration of that part of the site.
As a result of moving the clay, the next phases of sand extraction have become available – this materials is now being processed on site and sold into the local landscaping and construction market.
In addition, the most efficient bulk road haulage is using articulated tippers, but these longer vehicles require stable ground to be able to manoeuvre and tip safely. So to ensure safe, year-round access in all weather conditions, ARA has upgraded the site’s infrastructure, including the construction of a new cement-stabilised and tarmacked access road.
GRS sister company ISC were engaged to complete in-situ stabilisation of the road’s sub-base, eliminating the need to import road-building aggregates. Completed over a 2-week period, the works involved raising ground levels to create a long lasting and strong base for the asphalt surface to be laid straight onto. The new access road runs for over 500m, with a 4m-wide carriageway, passing bays, and a designated loading area for processed minerals. This layout eliminates unnecessary reversing movements by HGVs, improving both site safety and efficiency.
ARA Director Ben Maclean said: “The work means that more vehicles can be accommodated for loading and unloading. HGVs will no longer face the usual access issues experienced in landfill sites during the winter months, and the sealed surface will also reduce mud and debris being tracked onto the public highway, improving conditions for neighbours and other road users.
“Overall, these improvements have reduced our average turnaround time for offloading vehicles to under 8 minutes, enabling more loads per day for our suppliers and creating a safe, efficient working environment,” he added, “and we hope this turnaround time will continue to drop as we refine our onsite processes and suppliers become accustomed to the standards at which we operate.”
