North Wales-based civil engineering firm Jones Bros has appointed a new manager to ensure environmental issues are at the forefront of every project the company works on.

David Gibson has been appointed Health, Safety, Environment and Quality Manager at the Ruthin-based company, where he will build on the reputation that Jones Bros has built up for environmental excellence.

“It is a very exciting time to be joining Jones Bros as there are lots of major construction projects both underway and in the pipeline,” he says.

“The company already enjoys an enviable reputation for very high standards in health, safety, environmental issues and quality and I will be aiming to integrate these systems to ensure we set new industry standards.”

One of David’s first roles will be to ensure environmental issues are high on the agenda during the construction of the £34.4m Porthmadog bypass, due to start shortly. Jones Bros is the joint contractor on the work, alongside Balfour Beatty plc.

These include protecting the habitats of protected species in the area including bats and water voles. Trees and shrubs will be planted to encourage barn owls to fly over the finished carriageway to avoid collision with vehicles, whilst fencing will be erected to provide safe crossing points for otters and badgers.

He joins the firm from Carillion where he worked as Environment Manager for two years. Prior to that he worked for Alfred McAlpine before Carillion took the company over.

Jones Bros was awarded the highest ever mark in the UK in an environmental quality assessment in the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Award Scheme, CEEQUAL, last year for work on infrastructure for the Welsh Assembly Government’s £13m business park at Parc Cybi, Anglesey.