The project programme was determined by the elite cyclists of Great Britain,” says Barney Harle, head of major projects at Manchester city council. He’s talking about the replacement of the banked wooden track at the council-owned Manchester Velodrome – also known as the medal factory and the home of British cycling. “We thought we’d need 10 weeks for the works, but we only had a nine-week window between the last cyclist leaving for the Commonwealth Games and the track being back in use as a training facility,” he says.

Wooden velodrome tracks should be renewed every 10 years, because their surface becomes ingrained with oil, rubber and dirt, so this replacement was the critical element of a £1m revamp of the 20-year-old facility. 

Having such a short time in which to complete the works meant that preparation and early engagement of the team were critical to the project’s success. “We started planning about 12 months ahead and appointed [construction services company] ISG on an NEC 3 Option A contract about six months ahead to allow it time to plan its works,” Harle explains. Then, the sprint was under way.

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