Lanes Group chosen for schools maintenance programme

Lanes Group has been selected to carry out drainage surveys and remedial repairs at schools in Birmingham.

Galliford Try has commissioned the work as part of its full facilities management service to 11 schools across Birmingham.

Engineers from the Lanes Birmingham depot at Minworth have carried out camera surveys, cleaning and remedial work at three schools.

They are Cockshut Hill Technology College, Yardley, plus Perry Beeches The Academy, and Calshot Primary School, both in Great Barr.

Across all three schools, the teams have carried out nearly 400 patch repairs to underground drainage pipes.

They also supplied drainage survey reports, with supporting HD quality underground images, that will help Galliford Try develop long-term maintenance programmes.

Mark Niland, Area Development Manager for Lanes in the West Midlands, said: “An important element has been to keep disruption to an absolute minimum.

“Because of this, we have been carrying out most of the work at weekends and during school holidays.

“Although each repair is relatively minor, the large number Galliford Try has authorised us to carry out represents a significant upgrading of the drainage system at each school.”

Galliford Try provides a full facilities management service for 11 schools in Birmingham which, between them, educate almost 6,000 pupils.

Drainage maintenance is just one of the services provided. Others include 24 hour emergency response, grounds maintenance, caretaking, cleaning and life-cycle management.

Mark Niland added: “Keeping foul and storm water drainage systems in good repair makes good business sense, because it reduces the risk of drain blockages, pollution incidents and flooding.

“Emergency drainage problems are among the most common causes of disruption in schools, which in extreme situations can include temporary school closures.

“As the UK’s largest independent underground pipeline and utilities specialist, Lanes Group has the capacity and expertise to carry out work on school sites, from the smallest to the very largest.”