Project Description
The New Hollies Transport Cafe has been serving drivers and travellers on Watling Street (A5) since 1933, possibly making this the transport cafe with the longest continuous service in the UK. The cafe has grown significantly and now hundreds of HGVs visit each week, creating demand for an increased area of robust and sustainable, good quality parking.
The Challenge
The truck stop is in an area with a high groundwater table. Planning permission for the extended parking area was granted with a restriction to keep surface water run-off rates to the same level as pre-development. The limited footprint of the site meant that the use of a surface level attenuation pond would have taken up valuable parking space. In addition, the high water table meant that even minor excavations would soon fill with water, suggesting that attenuation tanks would be impractical to install.
It became clear that a permeable pavement option would meet the requirement for surface attenuation. However concrete permeable surfaces are very expensive and traditional plastic porous pavers would struggle to cope with the volume and loading of traffic expected at this busy and successful transport cafe. HGVs would be turning and manoeuvring on all areas of the site, all day and 7 days a week.
The Solution
The key to making this parking development cost effective was to use ABG Truckcell as the surfacing, with a Terrex filtration geotextile as part of the treatment design. Truckcell is a heavy duty plastic paver, designed to provide a robust, level surface to cope with the demanding conditions generated by HGV traffic. ABG Fildrain increases drainage capacity under the surface without the need for an increase in construction depths. Other plastic surfacing systems were trialled, but only Truckcell was able to withstand the surface torsional forces created by multi-wheel HGVs turning on full lock.
The ABG Service
ABG provided a full design support service to Client, Engineer and Contractor to facilitate using Truckcell for the surfacing project. When drainage issues manifested on site during construction, ABG Engineers visited site and advised on a suitable solution utilising ABG Fildrain, with minimal disruption to the construction program.
Client Testimonial
“When we were planning the redevelopment of our Hollies Truck stop at Cannock, we faced major challenges in terms of site conditions and in identifying a suitable permeable paving system. Truckcell 80 permeable recycled plastic pavers were selected as the surface wearing course, and have proved their ability to perform satisfactorily in very arduous conditions” – Road King Development Director
Contact ABG today to discuss your SuDS or permeable paving project specific requirements and discover how ABG’s past experience innovative products can help.