With September 2022 awash with heavy thunderstorms and inclement downpours, the result was over 27mm of extra rainfall. New research from the State of the UK Climate Report confirms the trend, observing a growth in the frequency and intensity of rainfall across the UK.

Heavy rainfall is problematic for developers, potentially causing myriad issues including damage to the works, collapsing excavations, materials and earthworks becoming saturated or waterlogged, and plants and surfaces being slippery when wet, creating unsafe working conditions. 

Water Management Company ACO has urged developers to install better systems to appropriately conserve and disperse water when storms hit. They suggest having sustainable drainage systems in place to ensure good surface run-off, preventing waterlogging by retaining water as high up on site as possible. 

Examples of sustainable drainage solutions include bio-retention channels, rain gardens, swales and tree pits. Working in different ways, these methods channel excess rainfall to flow from hard surfaces and roads into safe storage tanks. In turn, this allows the water to slowly feed back into the ground and waterways, rather than flooding sewers. 

ACO also advises civil engineers to include trees and green areas in their site designs to ensure natural drainage where possible while also safeguarding local wildlife and helping to combat carbon pollution. 

ACO sustainability lead Adam Cane said: “The UK’s climate is changing rapidly and we’re seeing more regular cycles of extreme weather events. This is creating two challenges. Firstly, sites are starved of water and biodiversity suffers as a result. Secondly, flash floods and downpours mean large amounts of stormwater enter our systems and may bypass treatment, which can then mean harmful pollutants get washed into the surrounding ecological systems.

“This is something that needs to be considered early in the design by the construction industry and there are ways in which highways professionals can help protect our environment. The key to any new site development is to limit our intrusion into nature wherever possible and keep as much of the natural environment in place.” 

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New research from CWC Environmental for Idling Action London has revealed that 22% of respondents don’t switch off their engines when parked or pulled over.

The survey also found that 5 to 10% of drivers decided to disable their car’s automatic stop-start technology, which is designed to eradicate idle driving. The most common reasons for doing this were concerns over the vehicle’s battery life and finding the technology annoying.

Idling Action London is supported by the Mayor of London Air Quality Fund and aims to combat avoidable pollution caused by engine idling. More than 30 local authorities and the City of London Corporation are collaborating on the project to raise awareness and break the nation’s idling habit.

The groups argue that although idling is sometimes unavoidable, it is unnecessary in most situations and has a serious impact on air quality. The harmful gases in exhaust fumes increase the amount of pollution in the atmosphere, worsening respiratory conditions while also wasting valuable fuel.

Nicholas Lyes, Head of Roads Policy at the RAC, commented: “Idling your engine wastes fuel, and money, and means you are unnecessarily emitting air pollutants. If your car has stop-start technology we strongly recommend you use it to help cut down on harmful emissions.”

“Drivers shouldn’t worry about start-stop as modern car batteries are designed to be switched on and off regularly and generally only engage the technology once the engine has been running for a while anyway.”

“Those with older cars without the technology should also consider manually switching their engines off when stationary for extended periods to help protect the health of those around them.”

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