SHELT - Safety, Health, Environment Leadership Team - is a strategic leadership forum for all capital delivery principal contractors and designers, for Network Rail’s North West and Central and Eastern regions.

The awards, held annually, are industry wide, and allow organisations to showcase achievements made on projects, and celebrate the successes of people and teams.

The VolkerRailStory joint venture won the SHELT Biodiversity Award, celebrating the work undertaken to embed environmental sustainability within the Hope Valley Railway Upgrade project.

The East West Rail Alliance was highly commended in the Occupational Health and Wellbeing Award, for creating a happy and healthy working environment and team, and in the Social Value Award, for its continued efforts to give back to the communities in which it works, whilst it constructs the section of East West Rail between Bicester and Bletchley.

Stuart Birch, VolkerRail’s major projects director, said: “This is a great achievement for both the joint venture and alliance. These categories are at the top of VolkerRail’s agenda, and to be recognised for our efforts, on two of our biggest projects, is great to see.

“Thank you to everyone – including our joint venture partner Story Contracting, and our Alliance partners, Network Rail, Atkins, Laing O’Rourke – for your continued efforts in these areas.”