£1.5Bn to be invested in more smart motorway upgrades

Six joint-venture companies appointed by Highways England to design and build ten smart motorways in England as part of £1.5Bn investment.

Joint venture construction contractors – Balfour Beatty and VINCI, Costain and Galiford Try, and Carillion and Kier – have been appointed, along with the design joint ventures of CH2M and Hyder, Amey and Arup, and Jacobs and Atkins.

Highways England is delivering the smart motorway schemes as part of the £15 billion of government investment in the next six years, which will see 292 additional motorway lane miles.

With a value of almost £1.55Bn, this is the second major procurement to be awarded by Highways England’s Collaborative Delivery Framework.

The Balfour Beatty and VINCI joint venture have secured a construction package including the creation of the M5 junction 4a to junction 6 smart motorway in Worcestershire, commencing this autumn costing £45.4M.

The joint venture have also been appointed to construct two other schemes: the M6 junction 2 to junction 4 in the Midlands, which is scheduled to begin in 2017/18, and the M4 junction 3 to junction 12 in London and Berkshire due to commence work in 2016/17, costing an estimated combined value of up to £562M.

The joint venture between CH2M and Hyder have been appointed as the designers for these two future schemes, valued between £25 to £30 million.

The Costain and Galliford Try joint venture have won a construction package including delivery of the M1 junction 19 to junction 16 smart motorway in Northamptonshire, beginning this autumn costing £65.39M.

They have also been appointed to construct two future schemes: the M1 junction 24 to junction 25 in the East Midlands, and the M1 junction 13 to junction 16 in Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, both expected to start work in 2016/17, at an expected combined cost of over £300M.

The Amey and Arup joint venture have been selected as the designers on these two schemes, valued between £20-25M.

Finally, the Carillion and Kier joint venture have secured a construction package that includes the construction of the M6 junction 16 to junction 19 smart motorway in Staffordshire and Cheshire, starting this autumn with a value of nearly £130M.

In addition, they have also been chosen to build three upcoming schemes: the M6 junction 13 to junction 15 in Staffordshire, the M20 junction 3 to junction 5 in Kent, and the M23 junction 8 to junction 10 in Surrey and West Sussex, with work expected to be underway in 2017/18, at an estimated total value of up to £345M. Jacobs and Atkins joint venture have been appointed as the designers of these three future schemes, valued between £20-25M.

Roads minister, Andrew Jones, said: “As part of our long-term economic plan, we are investing more than £1.5 billion over the next five years in upgrading congested sections of motorway.

“This means better journeys for millions of people across the country, easier access to jobs, and stronger links between towns and cities. This is good for the economy and good for Britain.”

Andy Watson, Highways England smart motorway programme director said: “We have awarded these contracts to the companies who demonstrated to us they will work together, across all the projects, not just the ones they have been awarded.

“They proved they are driven to get the best results on price, quality and on reducing impact on road users: keeping the motorways flowing while they construct these vital improvements.”

Three of the projects are due to begin in autumn; the M1 junction 19 to junction 16 in Northamptonshire; the M5 junction 4a to junction 6 in Worcestershire; and the M6 junction 16 to junction 19 near Stoke-on-Trent.

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