The Thames Tideway Tunnel Case Study Answers

• Subject Code : PROJ-6011
• Subject Name : Management

The Thames Tideway Tunnel Case Study
Integrated Infrastructure Management

Part C

The report in part C will provide an overview of the Thames Tideway Tunnel (case study) through the followings
Challenges of the project
Stakeholder Management
Fund amp Finance Arrangement

Contents

Challenges
Stakeholders
Fund and Finance Agreement
Conclusion
References

Challenges

The biggest infrastructure project that was ever undertaken by the United Kingdom water industry was the Thames Tideway Tunnel (Smisek, 2018). The sheer size of the project was capable to generate unique challenges, few challenges are mentioned below
Ensuring quality for the Thames Tideway Tunnel
To retain a higher standard of quality was one of the major challenges concerned with construction, it was important that the industry itself can identify the importance of quality. Ensuring a certain level of quality at each step, with proper control over performance, is equally challenging (Young, 2017).
The project quality organization (Tideway) was in control of the quality standards, ensuring that the set up is working to deliver the project as per the pre-defined standards and obligations, through evaluations and audits. The management system employed by the tideway was integrated and conforms to ISO 9001(Young, 2017)
The project manager and client were constantly communicating via series of meetings, which were focused on assuring quality and confirmation activity, these measures ensured transparent communication and reporting, and the risks associated with quality were defined, identified and corrected.

Local Residents and Businesses
The team was also taking nearby inhabitants and organizations in account to minimize the interruptions in their activities measures were in place to reduce sound pollution by constructing steel acoustic sheds, which were effective in reducing noise, and almost 90 of soil was removed from the construction sites by canal to limit the effect of project on air quality and congestion. The efforts were recognized by the Noise Abatement Society with an award (Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames, 2018).

Air quality and odor
Air quality around the construction sites is usually affected by the increased volume of vehicles around the site. It was evaluated using series of computer-based software that the impact of the increased traffic due to construction will not affect the air quality to the extent that the precautionary measures should be in place to negate the impact on close by properties.

Historical environment
The tunneling can affect the ground movement which in-turn can probably damage the historic environment. By forecasting the impact of tunneling it was evaluated that such movement will not bring harm to the environment. With the help of forecast defining limits, evaluating ground movement and best practice to repair came into existence.
Improvement of the leadership Management
Tideway is considering presenting an improvement program for the entire organization. Tideway encourages its employee to identify the issues and offering various opportunities that can be explored, understood and shared as best practices, by an army of quality tools with constant training, preparation and support (Young, 2017)
Constant betterment will help lay down the groundwork of the plan in discussions, meetings, and Tideway is planning to apply measures to ensure the practices are performed suitably and effectively with consistent and transparent communication.

Stakeholders

A fundamental practice in running an efficient project is to form a two-way relationship with the people concerned with the projects outcomes. Effective stakeholder management ensures that the project is running smoothly, the project goals are altered easily and minimize the possibilities of risks and reduce delays.
Tideway is constantly sharing the information with the communities affected by their work, about their activities, when and why. Tideway has successfully documented some activities that can be used as bench-mark by some other organizations about their working methodology, two way communication ensures that Tideway is also listening to the communities that are affected by the project in case the communities have some insights (Working in the community - Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames, 2017).
The relationship management team of the Tideway communicates with the community via their sites.
The main task of Community Liaison Working groups is to create awareness amongst the community members in various perspectives including listening to opinions of different people, restraining criticism and by trying to resolve the interruption among the people of the local community.
Keeping track of the complete task and promoting the local updates about the task by publishing newsletters.
Tideway may serve as the connective junction between neighboring schools and universities to promote education about the project amongst the students.
Tideway provides assurance to people by educating them using planned work strategies and thus it may help in time management.
Pre-construction defects are reviewed regularly in order to properly manage the task to reduce the chances of the failure.
Data is sent on a daily basis considering different properties of the passage of the tunnel.
Project helpdesk maintained by Tideway provides a free phone number to handle any inquiries or complaints raised by different staff members.
The project news including progress and specific construction information in being updated regularly on the Tideway website.
Tideway should help people and associations of the London community which are affected due to the construction of the tunnel. Tideway vision of allocating place of living, to people of London community associated with the River Thames can be achieved through
Cooperation of the Tideway and the community
Volunteering and charitable act
Management of stakeholder
The Thames Tideway Tunnel Forum promotes open discussion to resolve issues associated with the implementation of the tunnel execution plan between the important London professionals, Tideway staff and various important stakeholders. Predominantly, it is required to meet the following criteria (Thames Tideway Tunnel Forum - Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames, 2018)
Encourage understanding and communication over an extensive variety of stakeholders with an interest in the success of the project.
Promoting agreement about the strategies of the various policies, and implementation of the different tasks enclosed in the Development Consent Order
Ensure stakeholders are informed and engaged with the progress of the project and can impact the success of the project both at realistic and strategic levels
Reflect on and practice resolving the issues persuading in excess of one London borough or an association.

Fund and Finance Contract

The Thames Tideway Tunnel project is an illustration of the Public-Private Partnership (PPPs) where the tunnel itself will be owned by a new corporation, Thames Tideway Tunnel Ltd. In turn, Bazzalgette Tunnel Ltd is the owner of the company, which is providing the infrastructure for the construction of the tunnel. Bazzalgette Tunnel Ltd will provide financial aid for the construction of the building in order to operate and maintain the super sewer while the financial assurance is provided by the government lest of unforeseen costs and risks (Bell, 2018).
The total cost of the project is estimated to be 4.2 billion. Thames Water Customers can expect an increment in their bill per annum, (Bell, 2018 Todd, 2019).
Thames Tideway Tunnel Ltd, a separate organization set up by the Thames Water, which will manufacture the tunnel and own it, rather than providing the financial support to the project on its own balance sheet. The Thames will provide financial support of approximately 33 of the total cost required to construct the tunnel and rest of the 2.8bn will be raised by the project company while the government provides the financial assurance (Grant amp Pooler, 2015).
Customers of Thames Water will face additional charges of 20-25 per year, as opposed to the extra 80-90 initial estimation. The project has fallen under condemnation for its financing structure and was attacked for an emphasized nonexistence of competition in the bidding process (Grant amp Pooler, 2015 Pigden, 2018).
Thames water in association with the local institutional investors to fund the projects related to the infrastructure in the UK and announces that the projects investor group supposed to get pension funds, which is assured by governments long term policy. In addition, imperative savings have resulted due to going out for competition in the project (Grant amp Pooler, 2015). However, it is expected that by 2024 the project is scheduled to be fully functional, so it is too early to have a complete estimation of the money invested in the completion of the project.

Conclusion

In infrastructure projects the Public-Private partnership represents the combination of the private and public sector to enhance or improve the society, it can be to improve the social or economic infrastructure, in certain countries where the public infrastructure in allocated a limited budget by the government. In addition to this, it is essential to consider all factors that affect the project for the success of the project. Firstly, take account of all the factors to minimize the risks. Secondly, efficient and effective stakeholder management helps to alter project goals, negate delays, ensures the project runs smoothly, and has positive feedback from the public. Thirdly, the financial management, concerned with estimating the cost of the project, evaluation of results and controlling expenses.

References

Bell, S. (2018). What Is The Thames Tideway Tunnel. Retrieved from https//londonist.com/2015/08/what-is-the-thames-tideway-tunnel
Grant, J., amp Pooler, M. (2015). Financing for Londons super sewer gets go-ahead Financial Times. Retrieved from https//www.ft.com/content/e596801c-4a29-11e5-9b5d-89a026fda5c9
Pigden, K. (2018). Overcoming the challenge of Thames Tideway Tunnel. Retrieved from https//utilityweek.co.uk/overcoming-challenges-thames-tideway-tunnel/Smisek, P. (2018). Thames Tideway Tunnel Expalined. Retrieved from https//www.theb1m.com/video/thames-tideway-tunnel-explainedThames Tideway Tunnel Forum - Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames. (2018). Retrieved from https//www.tideway.london/about-us/thames-tideway-tunnel-forum/
Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames. (2018). Retrieved from https//www.tideway.london
Todd, F. (2019). What is the Thames Tideway Tunnel Lomdons 4.2bn super sewer. Retrieved from https//www.compelo.com/what-is-thames-tideway-tunnel/Working in the community - Tideway Reconnecting London with the River Thames. (2017). Retrieved from https//www.tideway.london/our-community/working-in-the-community/
Young, K. (2017). Ensuring quality for the Thames Tideway Tunnel. Retrieved from https//www.quality.org/knowledge/ensuring-quality-thames-tideway-tunnel