ACCESS Solutions Scaffolding’s promise of delivering a ‘hassle-free’ service, made upon its founding in the 1990s, remains as relevant today as it’s ever been, as the Cumbernauld firm marks completion of several tight-timescale transport projects both north and south of the border.
The company’s scaffolding was recently taken down from Glasgow’s Kelvin Viaduct following paint and steel repairs being carried out on the 19th century crossing – which carries Glasgow Central and Queen Street Railway Station lines – by Story Contracting Ltd on behalf of Network Rail.
Featuring three spans – one being ground bearing and the other two hanging over the River Kelvin – the traditional tube and fitting scaffolding helped create a spacious work area for the project team to grit-blast the structure, carry out repairs, and then repaint it.
Dubbed one of the busiest sections of track in Scotland by Network Rail – with the bridge seeing up to 28 trains pass per hour – there was little room for delays in Access Solutions Scaffolding’s set up. The River Kelvin flowing below also presented a pressing health and safety risk, leading to the firm creating a demo of the scaffold in its yard to both familiarise its operatives with the set up beforehand, and put plans in place for emergencies.
“We put a lot of emphasis on pre-planning,” Chris Lyon, commercial director at Access Solutions Scaffolding, told Project Scotland. “The demo gave the guys a dry run in the yard before getting to site, and it also gave the client peace of mind because we looked at the potential scenarios, recovery plans, and how we can mitigate the risks.”
The project at the Kelvin Viaduct followed a tranche of work on Scotland’s Railway, with the business also delivering scaffolding on a £3.5 million project to refurbish the historic Awe Viaduct, which carries the Crianlarich-Oban line over the River Awe.
Explaining how ‘paramount’ it is that deadlines are met on rail tasks, Chris said the firm’s emphasis on front end working provides peace of mind in terms of the delivery of the projects and ensures scaffold designs are honed to each project’s specific requirements.
Access Solutions Scaffolding’s work across Scotland – which also includes projects at O-I Glass’s Alloa manufacturing plant, a high-rise demolition project in Coatbridge, and RAAC investigation works – has started to attract attention from further afield.
The company recently completed a contract on behalf of a client delivering remedial works at Manchester Airport.
“It shows that we can be competitive in England and that is testament to everyone within the business,” Chris continued. “We’ve done a couple of projects south of the border and it’s something we are continuing to look at.“
Revealing that 2025 already holds a pipeline of exciting projects, Chris added that the business is gearing up to broaden its horizons into the more northern parts of Scotland as well as continuing to build relationships in England and with trusted clients such as Story Contracting Ltd.
