Northern Ireland-headquartered Farrans Construction has reached a significant milestone on the £155 million Project Pipeline: County Durham and Tees Valley, delivered in partnership with client Northumbrian Water.

As part of Phase 1 of the scheme, Farrans successfully completed the final road crossing of the pipeline beneath the A68 at Bildershaw Bank, between Darlington and West Auckland. This critical section of the pipeline will help feed Northumbrian Water's storage reservoir near Shildon.

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To avoid disruption to traffic on this busy route, Farrans employed a specialist microtunnelling technique. The pipeline was installed between purpose-built launch and reception pits on either side of the road, allowing works to progress below the surface without any impact on road users.

Challenging ground conditions presented technical complexities, slowing progress as the tunnelling machine navigated beneath the A68. However, the non-intrusive approach ensured motorists remained unaffected throughout the operation. With the tunnel section now complete, the installed pipes have been successfully connected to the main pipeline.