Altitude Services completed a £4 million street lighting and traffic signs package for Galliford Try on the Carlisle Southern Link Road. The work supported the opening of the new 8 km route on 12 June 2026 and included approximately 400 lighting columns, 600 traffic signs and the associated power and ducting infrastructure.
Project overview
The Carlisle Southern Link Road provides a new east-to-west connection around the south of Carlisle, linking Junction 42 of the M6 with the A595 at Newby West. The route is intended to reduce congestion, improve connections across the area and support planned housing and economic growth, including St Cuthbert’s Garden Village. It also connects with a wider network of walking and cycling routes.
- Customer: Galliford Try Construction
- Client: Cumberland Council
- Contract value: £4 million
- Role: Street lighting and traffic signs subcontractor
- Delivery period: Spring 2024 to June 2026
- Road length: 8 km
Scope delivered
Altitude Services supplied and installed the complete street lighting and traffic signage package. The work covered lit junctions, roundabouts and slip roads across a mainly greenfield site, with several tie-ins to the existing highway network.
- Approximately 400 lighting columns with mounting heights from 6 m to 12 m
- Around 600 traffic signs, from bollards to advanced direction signs of up to 50 m²
- 14 km of trenching and ducting, including 900 m in the carriageway with concrete surround
- Approximately 450 chambers, 22 km of cabling and 12 feeder pillars
- New low-voltage supplies coordinated with Electricity North West, Cumberland Council, local landowners and Galliford Try where no suitable network was available
Engineering and cost savings
Early in construction, the design for several larger signs specified Lattix and Jerol passively safe masts. Altitude Services proposed Frangible Safety Posts with deeper, smaller-footprint foundations that retained the required passive safety characteristics. The accepted change reduced excavation and imported aggregate, simplified installation and delivered an estimated £150,000 saving.
The team also worked directly with Electricity North West to resolve a feeder pillar design issue and submit the necessary jointing information. This avoided a redesign delay and reduced the cable requirement.
A separate review found that the specified duct-to-column interface could not meet the required cable bend radius. Altitude Services proposed chambers at each column and change of direction. The revised detail was incorporated into the design, brought the installation into compliance and improved access for future maintenance.
Programme and coordination
The programme required work across several fronts while civils, drainage and surfacing teams progressed around the site. At peak activity, Altitude Services deployed six operational teams. Weekly interface meetings with Galliford Try helped the team sequence work, address design questions and review risks before they affected the critical path.
High winds sometimes prevented the safe erection of columns and signposts, while heavy rain and changing ground conditions affected access and earlier groundworks. The team rotated between available roundabouts and work areas so that ducting and trenching could continue where conditions allowed.
Lighting and environmental measures
The installation uses LED luminaires with dynamic dimming and NightTune technology. NightTune mixes warm and cool LEDs so that light output and colour temperature can be adjusted through the night. The installed system can range from a warm 2200 K to a moderate 3000 K at different brightness levels, allowing the lighting profile to respond to time, traffic and the surrounding environment.
Materials and waste management
To manage limited storage space and protect the programme, major materials were secured early and held as consignment stock across the distributor’s regional depots. Monthly call-offs limited the amount stored in the site compound, maintained availability and reduced double handling and damage.
Lighting columns were supplied by Hydro and luminaires by Thorn, part of the Zumtobel Group, through approved UK distributors. Packaging and surplus materials were separated for recycling, temporary and redundant materials went to licensed waste facilities, and electrical components followed WEEE-compliant recycling routes under Altitude Services’ ISO 14001 environmental management system.
Outcome
The package was completed in line with programme expectations and within budget. The finished installation provides energy-efficient road lighting and clear signage across the new route. The accepted design changes reduced cost and material use, while coordinated planning enabled the team to maintain progress through late changes, difficult weather and restricted access.
Customer feedback
“Throughout the project, Altitude Services’ team demonstrated a professional and collaborative approach, working closely with the project team to successfully deliver the works within a challenging highway environment. The quality of workmanship was consistently of a high standard, and the team showed a strong commitment to safety, programme performance and customer service.”
Scott Taylor, Project Manager, Utilities Diversions and Streetlighting, Galliford Try Infrastructure
“Altitude has a ‘can do’ attitude and dealt with significant design change well, often going out of their way to offer value engineering solutions. The delivery team worked well with other subcontractors and were always available to run through issues as they arose.”
Celestina Mahovic, Senior Quantity Surveyor, Galliford Try Infrastructure
