EA coastal defences in Felixstowe
Severe storms have battered the Felixstowe coast over recent years causing damage to the existing defences with increased risk of future flooding.
An Environment Agency (EA) rock armour scheme to protect the community by providing a barrier across the 220m stretch faced significant delivery challenges. A standard beach drop for several thousand tonnes of rock was not possible due to challenging tides and the sensitive sandbanks upon which marine plant might beach.
WM Plant Hire used their heavy-duty 60 tonne long reach machine to provide the most efficient solution to the access issue. Fitted with a rock grapple, it could unload rocks directly from lorries on the access road and feed standard reach excavators down on the beach with rock up to 3 tonnes in weight. The machine could also assist the EA framework contractor in placing rock directly on the upper sections of the slope, which increased productivity and reduced the overall carbon footprint of the project.
WM Plant Hire will be showcasing their specialist fleet of long reach and latest ‘Spider’ excavator at the ADA Flood & Water 2023 Live Demonstration in July.
Contact WM Plant Hire for more information on their products and services at info@wmplanthire.com, visit www.wmplanthire.com or call 01746 769 555
